US News Best Colleges 2027 Rankings: MIT tops as Princeton drops to No. 2 after 15 years
Massachusetts Institute of Technology has claimed the No. 1 position among National Universities in the U.S. News & World Report 2027 Best Colleges rankings, replacing Princeton University after its 15-year run at the top.
Princeton ranks No. 2, followed by Harvard University at No. 3. Williams College retains the No. 1 position among National Liberal Arts Colleges. The 42nd edition evaluates nearly 1,700 institutions across multiple categories.
New earnings metric changes ranking methodology
The 2027 rankings introduce an Earnings by Major measure, using U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard data to assess graduate earnings four years after graduation. The measure covers employed federal financial aid recipients whose highest qualification is a bachelor's degree.
Earnings are compared within specific academic disciplines to assess outcomes without giving an advantage to institutions with concentrations in higher-paying subjects. The metric replaces Graduate Indebtedness. Student outcomes account for more than half of the overall ranking score, alongside academic peer assessment and faculty resources.
More institutions enter the 2027 rankings
Changes to the Carnegie Classification framework moved roughly 20% of previously ranked institutions into different U.S. News categories. Their 2027 positions cannot be directly compared with earlier rankings because they are assessed against different peer groups.
The updated framework also expanded eligibility, bringing additional institutions specialising in business, engineering and health into the rankings. New undergraduate specialty rankings include Economics, while Best Value Schools for In-State Students evaluates public universities on academic quality and regional affordability. University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill ranks No. 1 in the inaugural category.
Key rankings across major categories
Among National Universities, MIT, Princeton and Harvard occupy the top three places. National Liberal Arts Colleges are led by Williams, Amherst and a three-way tie between Bowdoin, Claremont McKenna, Pomona and Swarthmore at No. 3.
For public National Universities, University of California, Berkeley and University of California, Los Angeles share No. 1, followed by University of Michigan – Ann Arbor. Spelman College, Howard University and Tuskegee University lead the HBCU rankings.
University of Chicago ranks No. 1 among Colleges for Veterans, while Florida International University and University of California, Riverside share the top position for social mobility.
Scholarship resources for students
From September 22, U.S. News is offering a $5,000 no-essay scholarship sweepstakes. Its Scholarship Finder provides access to more than 13,000 scholarship opportunities and financial aid resources.
Princeton ranks No. 2, followed by Harvard University at No. 3. Williams College retains the No. 1 position among National Liberal Arts Colleges. The 42nd edition evaluates nearly 1,700 institutions across multiple categories.
New earnings metric changes ranking methodology
The 2027 rankings introduce an Earnings by Major measure, using U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard data to assess graduate earnings four years after graduation. The measure covers employed federal financial aid recipients whose highest qualification is a bachelor's degree.
Earnings are compared within specific academic disciplines to assess outcomes without giving an advantage to institutions with concentrations in higher-paying subjects. The metric replaces Graduate Indebtedness. Student outcomes account for more than half of the overall ranking score, alongside academic peer assessment and faculty resources.
More institutions enter the 2027 rankings
Changes to the Carnegie Classification framework moved roughly 20% of previously ranked institutions into different U.S. News categories. Their 2027 positions cannot be directly compared with earlier rankings because they are assessed against different peer groups.
The updated framework also expanded eligibility, bringing additional institutions specialising in business, engineering and health into the rankings. New undergraduate specialty rankings include Economics, while Best Value Schools for In-State Students evaluates public universities on academic quality and regional affordability. University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill ranks No. 1 in the inaugural category.
Key rankings across major categories
Among National Universities, MIT, Princeton and Harvard occupy the top three places. National Liberal Arts Colleges are led by Williams, Amherst and a three-way tie between Bowdoin, Claremont McKenna, Pomona and Swarthmore at No. 3.
For public National Universities, University of California, Berkeley and University of California, Los Angeles share No. 1, followed by University of Michigan – Ann Arbor. Spelman College, Howard University and Tuskegee University lead the HBCU rankings.
University of Chicago ranks No. 1 among Colleges for Veterans, while Florida International University and University of California, Riverside share the top position for social mobility.
Scholarship resources for students
From September 22, U.S. News is offering a $5,000 no-essay scholarship sweepstakes. Its Scholarship Finder provides access to more than 13,000 scholarship opportunities and financial aid resources.
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