Top Universities in the US by State 2016/17

Discover the top universities in the US in 2018 here.

There are 154 top universities in the US featured in the QS World University Rankings® 2016-2017, far more than any other country in the world. Of these, 32 are in the global top 100, and five in the top 10. Read on to discover the top universities in the US by state this year, separated into tables for your viewing pleasure…

Alabama

Top universities in Alabama

University	International rank	Rank within the US
University of Alabama	601-650 in the world	Joint 113th
University of Auburn	701+ in the world	Joint 129th

Top universities in Arizona

University	International rank	Rank within the US
University of Arizona	222nd	53rd
Arizona State University	223rd	54th

Top universities in Arkansas

University	International rank	Rank within the US
University of Arkansas	701+	Joint 129th

California

Top universities in California

Interested in studying in California? Check out our state guide.

University	International rank	Rank within the US
Stanford University	2nd	2nd
California Institute of Technology (Caltech)	5th	4th
University of California, Berkeley	28th	15th
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)	31st	16th
University of California, San Diego (UCSD)	40th	17th
University of California, Davis (UCD)	Joint 85th	27th
University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB)	118th	34th
University of Southern California	136th	36th
University of California, Irvine (UCI)	156th	40th
University of California, Riverside (UCR)	271st	58th
University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC)	296th	61st
San Diego State University	701+	Joint 129th
University of San Diego	701+	Joint 129th
University of San Francisco	701+	Joint 129th
University of the Pacific	701+	Joint 129th

Top universities in Colorado

University	International rank	Rank within the US
University of Colorado at Boulder	170th	44th
Colorado State University	Joint 386th	75th
University of Colorado, Denver	Joint 374th	72nd
University of Denver	651-700	Joint 120th

Top universities in Connecticut

University	International rank	Rank within the US
Yale University	15th	7th
University of Connecticut	421-430	Joint 84th

Top universities in Delaware

University	International rank	Rank within the US
University of Delaware	411-420	Joint 82nd

Florida

Top universities in Florida

Thinking of studying in the sunshine state? Read our state guide.

University	International rank	Rank within the US
University of Florida	Joint 185th .	46th
University of Miami	Joint 252nd	57th
Florida State University	431-440	Joint 86th
University of South Florida	491-500	Joint 96th
University of Central Florida	701+	Joint 129th

Top universities in Georgia

University	International rank	Rank within the US
Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech)	71st	25th
Emory University	Joint 149th	39th
University of Georgia	431-440	Joint 86th
Georgia State University	701+	Joint 129th

Top universities in Hawaii

Aloha! Want to study in Hawaii? Check out our state guide.

University	International rank	Rank within the US
University of Hawaii at Mā Noa	Joint 343rd	67th

Chicago

Top universities in Illinois

University	International rank	Rank within the US
University of Chicago	10th	5th
Northwestern University	26th	14th
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign	66th	23rd
University of Illinois, Chicago	Joint 187th	47th
Illinois Institute of Technology	401-410	79th
Loyola University Chicago	701+	Joint 129th

Top universities in Indiana

University	International rank	Rank within the US
Purdue University	92nd	31st
University of Notre Dame	Joint 203rd	Joint 50th
Indiana University Bloomington	Joint 291st	60th

Top universities in Iowa

University	International rank	Rank within the US
University of Iowa	Joint 393rd	77th
Iowa State University	421-430	Joint 84th

Top universities in Kansas

University	International rank	Rank within the US
University of Kansas	Joint 373rd	71st
Kansas State University	701+	Joint 129th

Kentucky

Top universities in Kentucky

University	International rank	Rank within the US
University of Kentucky	501-550	Joint 98th

Top universities in Louisiana

University	International rank	Rank within the US
Tulane University	501-550	Joint 98th
Louisiana State University	651-700	Joint 120th

Top universities in Maryland

University	International rank	Rank within the US
Johns Hopkins University	17th	9th
University of Maryland, College Park	Joint 131st	35th
University of Maryland, Baltimore County	441-450	88th

Massachusetts

Top universities in Massachusetts

Find out more about studying in Massachusetts here.

University	International rank	Rank within the US
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)	1st	1st
Harvard University	3rd	3rd
Boston University	89th	29th
Tufts University	238th	55th
University of Massachusetts, Amherst	251st	56th
Boston College	Joint 299th	62nd
Northeastern University	Joint 361st	Joint 68th
Brandeis University	401-410	Joint 79th
Clark University	471-480	94th
University of Massachusetts, Boston	551-600	Joint 104th
Worcester Polytechnic Institute	601-650	Joint 113th
Smith College	701+	Joint 129th

Top universities in Michigan

University	International rank	Rank within the US
University of Michigan	23rd	12th
Michigan State University	Joint 160th	Joint 42nd
Wayne State University	461-470	Joint 90th
Michigan Technological University	501-550	Joint 98th

Top universities in Minnesota

University	International rank	Rank within the US
University of Minnesota	137th	37th

Mississippi

Top universities in Mississippi

University	International rank	Rank within the US
University of Mississippi	601-650	Joint 113th

Top universities in Missouri

University	International rank	Rank within the US
Washington University in St. Louis	Joint 106th	33rd
Missouri University of Science and Technology	501-550	Joint 98th
University of Missouri, Columbia (Mizzou)	551-600	Joint 104th

Top universities in Montana

University	International rank	Rank within the US
University of Montana, Missoula	701+	Joint 129th

Top universities in Nebraska

University	International rank	Rank within the US
University of Nebraska, Lincoln	491-500	Joint 96th

Top universities in New Hampshire

University	International rank	Rank within the US
Dartmouth College	158th	41st
University of New Hampshire	601-650	Joint 113th

** **

Top universities in New Jersey

University	International rank	Rank within the US
Princeton University	11th	6th
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick	301st	63rd
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark	651-700	Joint 120th
Stevens Institute of Technology	651-700	Joint 120th
New Jersey Institute of Technology	701+	Joint 129th

Top universities in New Mexico

University	International rank	Rank within the US
University of New Mexico	461-470	Joint 90th

** **

New York City

Top universities in New York

Want to study in the US state of New York? Read our state guide.

University	International rank	Rank within the US
Cornell University	16th	8th
Columbia University	20th	11th
New York University (NYU)	Joint 46th	18th
University of Rochester	194th	48th
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute	Joint 310th	64th
Yeshiva University	Joint 330th	65th
University at Buffalo SUNY	342nd	66th
Stony Brook University	Joint 390th	76th
City University of New York	501-550	Joint 98th
Syracuse University	551-600	Joint 104th
New School University	601-650	Joint 113th
Clarkson University	601-650	Joint 113th
University at Albany SUNY	651-700	Joint 120th
Binghamton University SUNY	701+	Joint 129th
Fordham University	701+	Joint 129th

Top universities in North Carolina

University	International rank	Rank within the US
Duke University	Joint 24th	13th
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill	78th	26th
North Carolina State University	277th	59th
Wake Forest University	401-410	Joint 79th

Ohio

Top universities in Ohio

University	International rank	Rank within the US
Ohio State University	88th	28th
Case Western Reserve University	202nd	49th
University of Cincinnati	551-600	Joint 104th
Kent State University	701+	Joint 129th
Miami University	701+	Joint 129th
Ohio University	701+	Joint 129th

Top universities in Oklahoma

University	International rank	Rank within the US
University of Oklahoma	461-470	Joint 90th
Oklahoma State University	701+	Joint 129th
University of Tulsa	701+	Joint 129th

Top universities in Oregon

University	International rank	Rank within the US
Oregon State University	451-460	89th
University of Oregon	551-600	Joint 104th

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Top universities in Pennsylvania

University	International rank	Rank within the US
University of Pennsylvania	18th	10th
Carnegie Mellon University	58th	21st
Pennsylvania State University	Joint 95th	32nd
University of Pittsburgh	145th	38th
Lehigh University	481-490	95th
Drexel University	501-550	Joint 98th
Temple University	651-700	Joint 120th

Top universities in Rhode Island

University	International rank	Rank within the US
Brown University	Joint 49th	19th

Top universities in South Carolina

University	International rank	Rank within the US
University of South Carolina	551-600	Joint 104th
Clemson University	701+	Joint 129th

Top universities in Tennessee

University	International rank	Rank within the US
Vanderbilt University	Joint 203rd	Joint 50th
University of Tennessee	461-470	Joint 90th

Dallas, Texas

Top universities in Texas

Find out more about studying in Texas with our state guide.

University	International rank	Rank within the US
University of Texas at Austin	67th	24th
Rice University	90th .	30th
Texas A&M University	Joint 160th	73rd
University of Texas at Dallas	Joint 380th	Joint 129th
University of Houston	601-650	Joint 113th
Baylor University	701+	Joint 129th
Southern Methodist University	701+	Joint 129th

Top universities in Utah

University	International rank	Rank within the US
University of Utah	411-420	Joint 82nd
Brigham Young University	651-700	Joint 120th
Utah State University	701+	Joint 129th

Top universities in Vermont

University	International rank	Rank within the US
University of Vermont	551-600	Joint 104th

Top universities in Virginia

University	International rank	Rank within the US
University of Virginia	172nd	45th
Virginia Polytechnic Institute (Virginia Tech)	Joint 361st	Joint 68th
College of William & Mary	551-600	Joint 104th
George Mason University	651-700	Joint 120th
Virginia Commonwealth University	651-700	Joint 120th

Top universities in Washington

Not to be confused with Washington DC, below!

University	International rank	Rank within the US
University of Washington	59th	22nd
Washington State University	Joint 395th	78th

Washington DC

Top universities in Washington DC

Although a federal district rather than a state, Washington DC is home to a number of the top universities in the US. Click here for more information.

University	International rank	Rank within the US
Georgetown University	Joint 214th	52nd
George Washington University	Joint 363rd	70th
American University	384th	74th
Howard University	551-600	Joint 104th

Top universities in Wisconsin

University	International rank	Rank within the US
University of Wisconsin-Madison	Joint 53rd	20th
Marquette University	701+	Joint 129th

Top universities in Wyoming

University	International rank	Rank within the US
University of Wyoming	701+	Joint 129th

For more detailed comparisons of the top US universities, explore the full interactive ranking table. You can sort the results by the six indicators assessed, and registered site members (join for free!) can access direct comparisons of up to four universities, covering criteria such as size, fees and ranking history.

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