America's Elite Colleges and Universities 2025
Ranked by performance, not reputation
America's Elite Colleges and Universities 2025
Ranked by performance, not reputation
The Elite 35
1. Princeton University*
Category: private research university; Location: Mideast (New Jersey); Setting: Small City; Enrollment: 5579; Architectural beauty: Yes; Outstanding historical significance: Yes (very high); Endowment per student: $3,750,669 (highest); Adjusted median SATs: 1532; Percent of students in top tenth of HS class: 93 (Fall 2022); Socioeconomic diversity: moderate-high; Student to faculty ratio: 5.1:1; Percent of instructional faculty with doctorate or terminal degree: 87.8; Retention rate: 98%; Return on investment: very high; Rate of producing future PhDs: high; Graduation rate: 97.6%; Athletic excellence: moderate;
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology*
Category: private research university; Location: New England (Massachusetts); Setting: Midsize City; Enrollment: 4571; Architectural beauty: Yes; Outstanding historical significance: Yes (low); Endowment per student: $2,086,500; Adjusted median SATs: 1553 (highest); Percent of students in top tenth of HS class: 96; Socioeconomic diversity: high; Student to faculty ratio: 3.1:1; Percent of instructional faculty with doctorate or terminal degree: 88.1; Retention rate: 99% (highest); Return on investment: very high; Rate of producing future PhDs: very high; Graduation rate: 96%; Athletic excellence: high
3. California Institute of Technology*
Category: private research university; Location: Far West (California); Setting: Midsize City; Enrollment: 1023; Architectural beauty: No; Outstanding historical significance: No; Endowment per student: $1,682,826; Adjusted median SATs: NA; Percent of students in top tenth of HS class: 86.4; Socioeconomic diversity: moderate-low; Student to faculty ratio: 2.9:1; Percent of instructional faculty with doctorate or terminal degree: 98.3; Retention rate: 97.4%; Return on investment: very high; Rate of producing future PhDs: highest; Graduation rate: 94.4%; Athletic excellence: very low
4. Stanford University*
Category: private research university; Location: Far West (California); Setting: Large Suburb; Enrollment: 7841; Architectural beauty: Yes; Outstanding historical significance: Yes (moderate); Endowment per student: $2,135,335; Adjusted median SATs: 1530; Percent of students in top tenth of HS class: 97.8; Socioeconomic diversity: low; Student to faculty ratio: 5.6:1; Percent of instructional faculty with doctorate or terminal degree: 88.1 (Fall 2022); Retention rate: 98.2%; Return on investment: very high; Rate of producing future PhDs: moderate; Graduation rate: 91.9%; Athletic excellence: very high
5. Yale University*
Category: private research university; Location: New England (Connecticut); Setting: Midsize City; Enrollment: 6811; Architectural beauty: Yes; Outstanding historical significance: Yes (high); Endowment per student: $2,714,107; Adjusted median SATs: 1513; Percent of students in top tenth of HS class: 96; Socioeconomic diversity: moderate; Student to faculty ratio: 5.3:1; Percent of instructional faculty with doctorate or terminal degree: 88.5; Retention rate: 98.8%; Return on investment: high; Rate of producing future PhDs: moderate-high; Graduation rate: 95.7%; Athletic excellence: moderate-low.
6. Harvard University*
Category: private research university; Location: New England (Massachusetts); Setting: Midsize City; Enrollment: 7755; Architectural beauty: Yes; Outstanding historical significance: Yes (very high); Endowment per student: $2,133,974; Adjusted median SATs: 1532; Percent of students in top tenth of HS class: 94; Socioeconomic diversity: moderate; Student to faculty ratio: 7.2:1; Percent of instructional faculty with doctorate or terminal degree: 89.4; Retention rate: 98%; Return on investment: high; Rate of producing future PhDs: moderate-high; Graduation rate: 98% (highest); Athletic excellence: moderate
7. University of Chicago*
Category: private research university; Location: Great Lakes (Illinois); Setting: Large City; Enrollment: 7540; Architectural beauty: Yes; Outstanding historical significance: Yes (high); Endowment per student: $590,518; Adjusted median SATs: 1528 (Fall 2023); Percent of students in top tenth of HS class: 97 (Fall 2023); Socioeconomic diversity: high; Student to faculty ratio: 4.8:1; Percent of instructional faculty with doctorate or terminal degree: 94.7; Retention rate: 99% (highest); Return on investment: high; Rate of producing future PhDs: high; Graduation rate: 95.9%; Athletic excellence; moderate-high
8. Johns Hopkins University*
Category: private research university; Location: Mideast (Maryland); Setting: large city; Enrollment: 5617; Architectural beauty: Yes; Outstanding historical significance: Yes (low); Endowment per student: $593,965; Adjusted median SATs: 1535; Percent of students in top tenth of HS class: 100 (highest); Socioeconomic diversity: high; Student to faculty ratio: 5.9:1; Percent of instructional faculty with doctorate or terminal degree: 96 (Fall 2022); Retention rate: 98.1%; Return on investment: high; Rate of producing future PhDs: moderate-high; Graduation rate: 93.8%; Athletic excellence: very high
9. Swarthmore College*
Category: liberal arts college; Location: Mideast (Pennsylvania); Setting: Large Suburb; Enrollment: 1627; Architectural beauty: Yes; Outstanding historical significance: Yes (low); Endowment per student: $1,593,734; Adjusted median SATs: 1510; Percent of students in top tenth of HS class: 89; Socioeconomic diversity: moderate; Student to faculty ratio: 7.4:1; Percent of instructional faculty with doctorate or terminal degree: 92.7; Retention rate: 94%; Return on investment: moderate-high; Rate of producing future PhDs: high; Graduation rate: 92.3%; Athletic excellence: low
10. Williams College*
Category: liberal arts college; Location: New England (Massachusetts); Setting: Town; Enrollment: 2060; Architectural beauty: Yes; Outstanding historical significance: No; Endowment per student: $1,708,205; Adjusted median SATs: 1508; Percent of students in top tenth of HS class: 88.4; Socioeconomic diversity: high; Student to faculty ratio: 6.9:1; Percent of instructional faculty with doctorate or terminal degree: 96.1; Retention rate: 96.9; Return on investment: moderate-high; Rate of producing future PhDs: moderate-high; Graduation rate: 93.6%; Athletic excellence: moderate-high
11. Duke University
Category: private research university; Location: Southeast (North Carolina); Setting: Large City; Enrollment: 6417; Architectural beauty: Yes; Outstanding historical significance: No; Endowment per student: $705,638; Adjusted median SATs: 1534; Percent of students in top tenth of HS class: 92.6; Socioeconomic diversity: moderate; Student to faculty ratio: 5.1:1; Percent of instructional faculty with doctorate or terminal degree: 92.9; Retention rate: 98%; Return on investment: high; Rate of producing future PhDs: moderate-high; Graduation rate: 96%; Athletic excellence: high
12. Rice University*
Category: private research university; Location: Southwest (Texas); Setting: Large City; Enrollment: 4562: Architectural beauty: Yes; Outstanding historical significance: No; Endowment per student: $993,688; Adjusted median SATs: 1529; Percent of students in top tenth of HS class: 89; Socioeconomic diversity: high; Student to faculty ratio: 5.8:1; Percent of instructional faculty with doctorate or terminal degree: 90.1; Retention rate: 97.4; Return on investment: high; Rate of producing future PhDs: moderate-high; Graduation rate: 94.6%; Athletic excellence: very low
13. Washington University in St. Louis*
Category: private research university; Location: Plains (Missouri); Setting: Large Suburb; Enrollment: 7897; Architectural beauty: Yes; Outstanding historical significance: Yes (very high); Endowment per student: $797,649; Adjusted median SATs: 1512; Percent of students in top tenth of HS class: 86; Socioeconomic diversity: moderate-low; Student to faculty ratio: 7.0:1; Percent of instructional faculty with doctorate or terminal degree: 80.3; Retention rate: 95%; Return on investment: high; Rate of producing future PhDs: moderate; Graduation rate: 94%; Athletic excellence: high
14. Brown University*
Category: private research university; Location: New England (Rhode Island); Setting: Midsize City; Enrollment: 7273; Architectural beauty: Yes; Outstanding historical significance; Yes (moderate); Endowment per student: $615,612; Adjusted median SATs: 1528; Percent of students in top tenth of HS class: 89; Socioeconomic diversity: moderate; Student to faculty ratio: 5.8:1; Percent of instructional faculty with doctorate or terminal degree: 93.4; Retention rate: 98.8%; Return on investment: moderate-high; Rate of producing future PhDs: moderate-high; Graduation rate: 95.7%; Athletic excellence: low
15. University of Pennsylvania*
Category: private research university; Location: Mideast (Pennsylvania); Setting: Large City; Enrollment: 10,768; Architectural beauty: Yes; Outstanding historical significance: Yes (moderate); Endowment per student: $875,155; Adjusted median SATs: 1530; Percent of students in top tenth of HS class: 91; Socioeconomic diversity: low; Student to faculty ratio: 7.5:1; Percent of instructional faculty with doctorate or terminal degree: 91.7; Retention rate: 98.8%; Return on investment: high; Rate of producing future PhDs: moderate-low; Graduation rate: 96.5%; Athletic excellence: low
16. Dartmouth College*
Category: private research university; Location: New England (New Hampshire); Setting: Town; Enrollment: 4367; Architectural beauty: Yes; Outstanding historical significance: Yes (low); Endowment per student: $1,234,823; Adjusted median SATs: 1517; Percent of students in top tenth of HS class: 93; Socioeconomic diversity: moderate-low; Student to faculty ratio: 6.5:1; Percent of instructional faculty with doctorate or terminal degree: 90.4; Retention rate: 98.4%; Return on investment: moderate-high; Rate of producing future PhDs: moderate; Graduation rate: 95%; Athletic excellence: very low
17. Columbia University*
Category: private research university; Location: Mideast (New York); Setting: Large City; Enrollment: 8899: Architectural beauty: Yes; Outstanding historical significance: Yes (moderate); Endowment per student: $477,934; Adjusted median SATs: 1528; Percent of students in top tenth of HS class: 94; Socioeconomic diversity: moderate; Student to faculty ratio: 6.1:1; Percent of instructional faculty with doctorate or terminal degree: 75.3; Retention rate: 98%; Return on investment: high; Rate of producing future PhDs: moderate; Graduation rate: 96%; Athletic excellence: low
18. Amherst College*
Category: liberal arts college; Location: New England (Massachusetts); Setting: Small City; Enrollment: 1907; Architectural beauty: No; Outstanding historical significance: Yes (low); Endowment per student: $1,858,417; Adjusted median SATs: 1510; Percent of students in top tenth of HS class: 93; Socioeconomic diversity: moderate-high; Student to faculty ratio: 6.85:1; Percent of instructional faculty with doctorate or terminal degree: 93.8; Retention rate: 97.3%: Return on investment: moderate-high; Rate of producing future PhDs: moderate-high; Graduation rate: 94%; Athletic excellence: high
19. Pomona College*
Category: liberal arts college; Location: Far West (California); Setting: Large Suburb; Enrollment: 1638; Architectural beauty: No; Outstanding historical significance: No; Endowment per student: $1,810,914; Adjusted median SATs: 1508; Percent of students in top tenth of HS class: 90; Socioeconomic diversity: high; Student to faculty ratio: 7.2:1; Percent of instructional faculty with doctorate or terminal degree: 90.9; Retention rate: 97.5%; Return on investment: high; Rate of producing future PhDs: high; Graduation rate: 93%; Athletic excellence: low
20. Vanderbilt University*
Category: private research university; Location: Southeast (Tennessee); Setting: Large City; Enrollment: 7143; Architectural beauty: Yes; Outstanding historical significance: Yes (low); Endowment per student: $786,230; Adjusted median SATs: 1516; Percent of students in top tenth of HS class: 90; Socioeconomic diversity: moderate-high; Student to faculty ratio: 7.6:1; Percent of instructional faculty with doctorate or terminal degree: 94.2; Retention rate: 96%; Return on investment: high; Rate of producing future PhDs: moderate-low; Graduation rate: 93.5%; Athletic excellence: moderate-low
21. Wellesley College*
Category: liberal arts college; Location: New England (Massachusetts); Setting: Large Suburb; Enrollment: 2318; Architectural beauty: Yes; Outstanding historical significance: No; Endowment per student: $1,272,249; Adjusted median SATs: 1486; Percent of students in top tenth of HS class: 90; Socioeconomic diversity: high; Student to faculty ratio: 7.4:1; Percent of instructional faculty with doctorate or terminal degree: 93.5; Retention rate: 96.5%; Return on investment: moderate-high; Rate of producing future PhDs: moderate-high; Graduation rate: 91.5%; Athletic excellence: very low
22. Northwestern University*
Category: private research university; Location: Great Lakes (Illinois); Setting: Small City; Enrollment: 8960; Architectural beauty: Yes; Outstanding historical significance: No; Endowment per student: $686,393; Adjusted median SATs: 1524; Percent of students in top tenth of HS class: 94 (Fall 2023); Socioeconomic diversity: moderate-high; Student to faculty ratio: 6.3:1; Percent of instructional faculty with doctorate or terminal degree: 97; Retention rate: 98%; Return on investment: high; Rate of producing future PhDs: moderate-low; Graduation rate: 95%; Athletic excellence: moderate-low
23. University of Virginia*
Category: public research university; Location: Southeast (Virginia); Setting: Midsize Suburb; Enrollment: 17,315; Architectural beauty: Yes; Outstanding historical significance: Yes (highest); Endowment per student: $409,030; Adjusted median SATs: 1442; Percent of students in top tenth of HS class: 84; Socioeconomic diversity: very high; Student to faculty ratio:14.2:1; Percent of instructional faculty with doctorate or terminal degree: 94.9; Retention rate: 97.9%; Return on investment: high; Rate of producing future PhDs: moderate-low; Graduation rate: 95.6%; Athletic excellence: high
24. Carnegie Mellon University*
Category: private research university; Location: Mideast (Pennsylvania; Setting: Large City; Enrollment: 7187; Architectural beauty: Yes; Outstanding historical significance: No; Endowment per student: $256,224; Adjusted median SATs: 1521; Percent of students in top tenth of HS class: 96.8; Socioeconomic diversity: high; Student to faculty ratio: 6.25:1; Percent of instructional faculty with doctorate or terminal degree: 91.4; Retention rate: 98%; Return on investment: high; Rate of producing future PhDs: moderate-low; Graduation rate: 94.1%; Athletic excellence: moderate
25. University of Notre Dame*
Category: private research university; Location: Great Lakes (Indiana); Setting: Large Suburb; Enrollment: 8923; Architectural beauty: Yes; Outstanding historical significance: No; Endowment per student: $1,399,873; Adjusted median SATs: 1476; Percent of students in top tenth of HS class: 92; Socioeconomic diversity: high; Student to faculty ratio: 8.2:1; Percent of instructional faculty with doctorate or terminal degree: 85.9; Retention rate: 99% (highest); Return on investment: high; Rate of producing future PhDs; moderate-low; Graduation rate: 95%; Athletic excellence: moderate
26. Olin College of Engineering
Category: special focus - engineering; Location: New England (Massachusetts); Setting: Large Suburb; Enrollment: 373; Architectural beauty: No; Outstanding historical significance: No; Endowment per student: $1,065,460;Adjusted median SATs: 1503; Percent of students in top tenth of HS class: 80; Socioeconomic diversity: ND; Student to faculty ratio: 8.1:1; Percent of instructional faculty with doctorate or terminal degree: 85.2; Retention rate: 99%; Return on investment: high; Rate of producing future PhDs: high; Graduation rate: 94%; Athletic excellence: NA
27. Cornell University*
Category: private research university; Location: Mideast (New York); Setting: Small City; Enrollment: 15,935; Architectural beauty: Yes; Outstanding historical significance: Yes (low); Endowment per student: $385,133; Adjusted median SATs: 1518; Percent of students in top tenth of HS class: 85.6; Socioeconomic diversity: high; Student to faculty ratio: 8.9:1; Percent of instructional faculty with doctorate or terminal degree: 89.7; Retention rate: 98.1; Return on investment: high; Rate of producing future PhDs: moderate; Graduation rate: 96%; Athletic excellence: moderate
28. University of California-Berkeley*
Category: public research university; Location: Far West (California); Setting: Midsize City; Enrollment: 33,073; Architectural beauty: Yes; Outstanding historical significance: Yes (low); Endowment per student: $71,929; Adjusted median SATs: NA; Percent of students in top tenth of HS class: NA; Socioeconomic diversity: high; Student to faculty ratio: 18.7:1; Percent of instructional faculty with doctorate or terminal degree: ND; Retention rate: 96.8; Return on investment: high; Rate of producing future PhDs: moderate; Graduation rate: 93%; Athletic excellence: moderate-high
29. Harvey Mudd College*
Category: liberal arts college; Location: Far West (California); Setting: Large Suburb; Enrollment: 915; Architectural beauty: No; Outstanding historical significance: No; Endowment per student: $497,864; Adjusted median SATs: 1521; Percent of students in top tenth of HS class 92; Socioeconomic diversity: ND; Student to faculty ratio: 8.4:1; Percent of instructional faculty with doctorate or terminal degree: 92.2; Retention rate: 96%; Return on investment: high; Rate of producing future PhDs: high; Graduation rate: 92%; Athletic excellence: low
30. University of California-Los Angeles*
Category: public research university; Location: Far West (California); Setting: Large City; Enrollment: 33,040; Architectural beauty: Yes; Outstanding historical significance: No; Endowment per student: $82,398; Adjusted median SATs: NA; Percent of students in top tenth of HS class: ND; Socioeconomic diversity: high; Student to faculty ratio: 19.8:1; Percent of instructional faculty with doctorate or terminal degree: ND; Retention rate: 97.3; Return on investment: high; Rate of producing future PhDs: moderate-low; Graduation rate: 92.7%; Athletic excellence: very high
31. Bowdoin College*
Category: liberal arts college; Location: New England (Maine); Setting: Town; Enrollment: 1846; Architectural beauty: No; Outstanding historical significance: No; Endowment per student: $1,397.968; Adjusted median SATs: 1486; Percent of students in top tenth of HS class: 85.1; Socioeconomic diversity: moderate-high; Student to faculty ratio: 8.7:1; Percent of instructional faculty with doctorate or terminal degree: 95.8; Retention rate: 96.8; Return on investment: high; Rate of producing future PhDs: moderate; Graduation rate: 95.3%; Athletic excellence: moderate
32. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill*
Category: public research university; Location: Southeast (North Carolina); Setting: Small City; Enrollment: 20,556; Architectural beauty: Yes; Outstanding historical significance: Yes (moderate); Endowment per student: $190,139; Adjusted median SATs: 1415; Percent of students in top tenth of HS class: 77; Socioeconomic diversity: high; Student to faculty ratio: 14.8:1; Percent of instructional faculty with doctorate or terminal degree: 87.5; Retention rate: 96.6; Return on investment: high; Rate of producing future PhDs: moderate-low; Graduation rate: 91.2%; Athletic excellence: very high
33. Vassar College*
Category: liberal arts college; Location: Mideast (New York); Setting: Large Suburb; Enrollment: 2430; Architectural beauty: Yes; Outstanding historical significance: Yes (moderate); Endowment per student: $536,712; Adjusted median SATs: 1464; Percent of students in top tenth of HS class: 79; Socioeconomic diversity: high; Student to faculty ratio: 7.3:1; Percent of instructional faculty with doctorate or terminal degree: 90.2; Retention rate: 95%; Return on investment: moderate-low; Rate of producing future PhDs: moderate-high; Graduation rate: 91%; Athletic excellence: moderate-low
34. Washington and Lee University*
Category: liberal arts college; Location: Southeast (Virginia); Setting: Town; Enrollment: 1884; Architectural beauty: No; Outstanding historical significance: Yes (highest); Endowment per student: $900,099; Adjusted Median SATs: 1442; Percent of students in top tenth of HS class: 81.4; Socioeconomic diversity: moderate; Student to faculty ratio: 7.6:1; Percent of instructional faculty with doctorate or terminal degree: 89.7; Retention rate: 96.6; Return on investment: moderate-high; Rate of producing future PhDs: moderate-low; Graduation rate: 95%; Athletic excellence: moderate-high
35. University of Florida*
Category: public research university; Location: Southeast (Florida); Setting: Midsize City; Enrollment: 34,102; Architectural beauty: No; Outstanding historical significance: No; Endowment per student: $56,890; Adjusted Median SATs: 1384; Percent of students in top tenth of HS class: 84; Socioeconomic diversity: very high; Student to faculty ratio: 16.4:1; Percent of instructional faculty with doctorate or terminal degree: 89.1; Retention rate: 98%; Return on investment: very high; Rate of producing future PhDs: low; Graduation rate: 91%; Athletic excellence: very high