The 20 Best Colleges for 2025, According to U.S. News & World Report

Every year since 1983, U.S. News and World Report has released its rankings of the top colleges in the United States. The list is a popular arbiter of academic quality, with many students turning to it come college application season.

The publication has faced criticism in recent years, including accusations of data manipulation and lack of transparency. In response to the backlash, U.S. News recently decided to adjust its methodology for compiling the report, stating they would put more emphasis on the number of graduates from different backgrounds and ignore alumni donations, faculty with terminal degrees, and high school rankings for the 2024 list.

The 2025 edition used 17 key indicators for academic quality to rank the best universities nationwide. Each metric was given its own weight, which determined how much it would impact the university’s overall score. Graduation rates had a weight of 16 percent, and first-year retention rates had a 5 percent impact. You can view the 20 best universities in America for 2025 below.

The Top 20 Colleges in the U.S.

Many of the country’s highest-ranking schools retained their spot or moved very little compared to last year. As was the case with the 2024 list, New Jersey’s Princeton University ranks No.1. The college boasts prestigious graduate programs and a graduation rate of 80 percent.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts, comes in second this year. The renowned school focuses on scientific and technological research and has a graduation rate of 82 percent.

Another Cambridge institution—Harvard University—is third on the list. It offers an educational experience that lives up to its reputation, with a student/faculty ratio of seven-to-one and the largest academic library on Earth. Stanford in California dropped down to fourth place after tying for third last year.

You can view the entire list on U.S. News & World Report’s website.

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