Ranked: The Top 100 US Universities

The university or college you choose to go to can have a major impact on the rest of your life, so it's probably a good idea to do some research first. To help with the process, we've compiled a ranking of the best 100 US universities and colleges, according to the QS World University Rankings® 2020. Also, for the first time ever, we've broken down the complete list of top US universities by state, so you can find a leading study destination that's close to home (and probably more affordable than expensive out-of-state options).

Top US universities by state

Alabama - 2 (University of Alabama, Auburn University)

Alaska - 0

Arizona - 2 (Arizona State University (above), The University of Arizona)

Arkansas - 1 (University of Arkansas)

California - 15 (Stanford University (below), Caltech, UCB, UCLA, UCSD, University of California Davis, University of Southern California, UCSB, University of California Irvine, University of California Santa Cruz, University of California Riverside, San Diego State University, University of San Diego, University of San Francisco, University of the Pacific)

Colorado - 4 (University of Colorado Boulder, University of Colorado Denver, Colorado State University, University of Denver)

Connecticut - 2 (Yale University, University of Connecticut)

Delaware - 1 (University of Delaware)

Florida - 7 (University of Florida (below), University of Miami, Florida State University, University of South Florida, University of Central Florida, Florida International University, Miami University)

Georgia - 4 (Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University, The University of Georgia, Georgia State University)

Hawaii - 1 (University of Hawai'i at Mañoa)

Idaho - 0

Illinois - 6 (University of Chicago (below), Northwestern University, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, UIC, Illinois Institute of Technology, Loyola University Chicago)

Indiana - 3 (Purdue University, University of Notre Dame, Indiana University Bloomington, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianopolis)

Iowa - 2 (University of Iowa, Iowa State University)

Kansas - 2 (University of Kansas, Kansas State University)

Kentucky - 1 (University of Kentucky)

Louisiana - 2 (Tulane University (above), Louisiana State University)

Maine - 0

Maryland - 3 (Johns Hopkins University, University of Maryland College Park, University of Maryland Baltimore County)

Massachusetts - 12 (MIT, Harvard University, Boston University, Tufts University, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Northeastern University, Boston College, Brandeis University, Clark University, University of Massachusetts Boston, Smith College, Worcester Polytechnic Institute)

Michigan - 4 (University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Wayne State University, Michigan Technological University)

Minnesota - 1 (University of Minnesota (above))

Mississippi - 1 (University of Mississippi)

Missouri - 3 (Washington University in St. Louis, University of Missouri Columbia, Missouri University of Science and Technology)

Montana - 1 (University of Montana Missoula)

Nebraska - 1 (University of Nebraska)

Nevada - 0

New Hampshire - 2 (Dartmouth College, University of New Hampshire)

New Jersey - 5 (Princeton University (above), Rutgers University - New Brunswick, Rutgers University - Newark, Stevens Institute of Technology, New Jersey Institute of Technology)

New Mexico - 1 (University of New Mexico)

New York - 15 (Cornell University, Columbia University, NYU, University of Rochester, University at Buffalo SUNY, Stony Brook University, The Katz School at Yeshiva University, Rensselaer Polytechnic University, New School University, Syracuse University, City University of New York, Clarkson University, University at Albany SUNY, Binghamton University SUNY, Fordham University)

North Carolina - 4 (Duke University, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, North Carolina State University, Wake Forest University)

North Dakota - 0

Ohio - 5 (Ohio State University (above), Case Western Reserve University, University of Cincinnati, Kent State University, Ohio University)

Oklahoma - 3 (University of Oklahoma, University of Tulsa, Oklahoma State University)

Oregon - 2 (Oregon State University, University of Oregon)

Pennsylvania - 7 (University of Pennsylvania, Carnegie Mellon University, Pennsylvania State University, University of Pittsburgh, Lehigh University, Drexel University, Temple University)

Rhode Island - 1 (Brown University)

South Carolina - 2 (University of South Carolina at Columbia, Clemson University)

South Dakota - 0

Tennessee - 2 (Vanderbilt University (above), The University of Tennessee)

Texas - 8 (University of Texas at Austin, Rice University, Texas A&M University, University of Texas Dallas, University of Houston, Southern Methodist University, Baylor University, Texas Tech University)

Utah - 3 (University of Utah, Brigham Young University, Utah State University)

Vermont - 1 (University of Vermont)

Virginia - 5 (University of Virginia, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, College of William & Mary, Virginia Commonwealth University, George Mason University)

Washington - 2 (University of Washington, Washington State University)

Washington D.C. - 4 (Georgetown University, George Washington University, Howard University, American University)

West Virginia - 0

Wisconsin - 2 (University of Wisconsin-Madison (above), Marquette University)

Wyoming - 1 (University of Wyoming)

Hopefully, this ranking will be able to help you make a decision about where to study. For more information about US universities, sign up to our site (it's free and takes less than two minutes) and enjoy exclusive member benefits, including access to helpful tips and guides.

This article was originally published in April 2017 and was updated in June 2019 to reflect the latest edition of the QS World University Rankings.