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Best universities in the United States: Veritrae ranking 2026
61 recognised institutions in the United States are listed. 50 have a score calculated from official published data. Scores marked “Provisional” use the criteria assessed so far and are ranked within the United States only. Every score uses the same public formula, and no position is ever sold.
| Rank | Institution | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California Institute of Technology ★ Research Active | Technical institute | 99.6Provisional · 2/9 |
| 2 | University of Chicago ★ Research Active | University | 99.1Provisional · 2/9 |
| 2 | Vanderbilt University ★ Research Active | University | 99.1Provisional · 2/9 |
| 2 | Williams College ★ Research Active | College | 99.1Provisional · 2/9 |
| 5 | Northwestern University ★ Research Active | University | 98.7Provisional · 2/9 |
| 5 | Rice University ★ Research Active | University | 98.7Provisional · 2/9 |
| 7 | Emory University ★ Research Active | University | 98.5Provisional · 2/9 |
| 8 | University of Rochester ★ Research Active | University | 98.4Provisional · 2/9 |
| 9 | University of Pennsylvania ★ Research Active | University | 98.3Provisional · 2/9 |
| 10 | Tufts University ★ Research Active | University | 98.0Provisional · 2/9 |
| 11 | New York University ★ Research Active | University | 97.9Provisional · 2/9 |
| 12 | Columbia University ★ Research Active | University | 97.9Provisional · 2/9 |
| 12 | Duke University ★ Research Active | University | 97.9Provisional · 2/9 |
| 12 | Dartmouth College ★ Research Active | University | 97.9Provisional · 2/9 |
| 15 | Cornell University ★ Research Active | University | 97.7Provisional · 2/9 |
| 16 | Amherst College ★ Research Active | College | 97.6Provisional · 2/9 |
| 17 | Brown University ★ Research Active | University | 97.4Provisional · 2/9 |
| 18 | Wake Forest University ★ Research Active | University | 97.4Provisional · 2/9 |
| 19 | Carnegie Mellon University ★ Research Active | University | 97.3Provisional · 2/9 |
| 20 | Brandeis University ★ Research Active | University | 97.3Provisional · 2/9 |
| 21 | Yale University ★ Research Active | University | 97.2Provisional · 2/9 |
| 22 | Princeton University ★ Research Active | University | 97.0Provisional · 2/9 |
| 23 | Harvard University ★ Research Active | University | 97.0Provisional · 2/9 |
| 24 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology ★ Research Active | Technical institute | 96.5Provisional · 2/9 |
| 24 | University of Southern California ★ Research Active | University | 96.5Provisional · 2/9 |
| 26 | Washington University in St. Louis ★ Research Active | University | 96.4Provisional · 2/9 |
| 27 | Boston University ★ Research Active | University | 96.3Provisional · 2/9 |
| 28 | University of Notre Dame ★ Research Active | University | 96.2Provisional · 2/9 |
| 29 | Tulane University of Louisiana ★ Research Active | University | 95.3Provisional · 2/9 |
| 30 | Case Western Reserve University ★ Research Active | University | 92.8Provisional · 2/9 |
| 31 | Georgetown University ★ Research Active | University | 84.2Provisional · 2/9 |
| 32 | University of Virginia ★ Research Active | University | 81.9Provisional · 2/9 |
| 33 | University of Pittsburgh ★ Research Active | University | 81.6Provisional · 2/9 |
| 34 | Purdue University ★ Research Active | University | 80.1Provisional · 2/9 |
| 35 | Ohio State University ★ Research Active | University | 79.6Provisional · 2/9 |
| 36 | Northeastern University | University | 78.0Provisional · 2/9 |
| 37 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ★ Research Active | University | 76.9Provisional · 2/9 |
| 38 | University of Michigan | University | 76.3Provisional · 2/9 |
| 39 | Rutgers University–New Brunswick | University | 76.0Provisional · 2/9 |
| 40 | University of California, Santa Barbara ★ Research Active | University | 74.6Provisional · 2/9 |
| 41 | University of Minnesota ★ Research Active | University | 73.5Provisional · 2/9 |
| 41 | University of Florida ★ Research Active | University | 73.5Provisional · 2/9 |
| 43 | University of Maryland, College Park ★ Research Active | University | 72.0Provisional · 2/9 |
| 44 | University of California, San Diego ★ Research Active | University | 71.2Provisional · 2/9 |
| 45 | University of Wisconsin–Madison ★ Research Active | University | 71.1Provisional · 2/9 |
| 46 | University of Texas at Austin ★ Research Active | University | 70.5Provisional · 2/9 |
| 47 | Pennsylvania State University ★ Research Active | University | 69.8Provisional · 2/9 |
| 48 | Georgia Institute of Technology ★ Research Active | Technical institute | 69.6Provisional · 2/9 |
| 49 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign ★ Research Active | University | 67.7Provisional · 2/9 |
| 50 | University of Washington | University | 64.1Provisional · 2/9 |
| Arizona State University ★ Research Active | University | Assessment in progress | |
| Johns Hopkins University ★ Research Active | University | Assessment in progress | |
| Juilliard School | Specialist school | Assessment in progress | |
| Southern New Hampshire University ★ Research Active Blended | University | Assessment in progress | |
| Stanford University ★ Research Active | University | Assessment in progress | |
| University of California, Berkeley ★ Research Active | University | Assessment in progress | |
| University of California, Davis ★ Research Active | University | Assessment in progress | |
| University of California, Irvine ★ Research Active | University | Assessment in progress | |
| University of California, Los Angeles ★ Research Active | University | Assessment in progress | |
| University of the People ★ Research Active Online / distance | University | Assessment in progress | |
| Western Governors University ★ Research Active Online / distance | University | Assessment in progress |
Data sources: College Transitions dataverse compiled from 2024-25 Common Data Set forms (collegetransitions.com/dataverse). Remaining criteria not yet assessed.; Vanderbilt Common Data Set 2025-26 ratio via collegedata.fyi; matches College Transitions dataverse compiled from 2024-25 Common Data Set forms (collegetransitions.com/dataverse) (8:1). Remaining criteria not yet assessed.; Rice Common Data Set 2025-26, section I-2 (ideas.rice.edu); faculty qualification from College Transitions dataverse (2024-25 CDS). Remaining criteria not yet assessed.; Emory Common Data Set 2025-26, sections I-1 and I-2 (provost.emory.edu). Remaining criteria not yet assessed.; University of Rochester Common Data Set 2025-26, sections I-1 and I-2 (rochester.edu/provost). Remaining criteria not yet assessed.; Tufts Common Data Set 2025-26, sections I-1 and I-2 (provost.tufts.edu); ratio computed from the published student and faculty counts because the printed ratio is not legible. Remaining criteria not yet assessed.; NYU Common Data Set 2024-25, archived copy of the official Common Data Set (collegedata.fyi); matches College Transitions dataverse compiled from 2024-25 Common Data Set forms (collegetransitions.com/dataverse) (95%, 8:1). Remaining criteria not yet assessed.; Dartmouth Common Data Set 2025-26, section I-2 (dartmouth.edu/oir); faculty qualification from College Transitions dataverse (2024-25 CDS). Remaining criteria not yet assessed.; Cornell Common Data Set 2024-25, sections I-1 and I-2 (irp.dpb.cornell.edu). Remaining criteria not yet assessed.; Amherst Common Data Set 2024-25 via collegedata.fyi; matches College Transitions dataverse compiled from 2024-25 Common Data Set forms (collegetransitions.com/dataverse) (94%, 7:1). Remaining criteria not yet assessed.; Wake Forest Common Data Set 2025-26, sections I-1 and I-2 (wfu.edu). Remaining criteria not yet assessed.; Carnegie Mellon Common Data Set 2025-26, sections I-1 and I-2 (cmu.edu/ira). Remaining criteria not yet assessed.; Brandeis Common Data Set 2025-26, sections I-1 and I-2 (brandeis.edu/institutional-research). Remaining criteria not yet assessed.; Yale Common Data Set 2024-25, sections I-1 and I-2 (oir.yale.edu). Remaining criteria not yet assessed.; Princeton Common Data Set 2024-25, sections I-1 and I-2 (ir.princeton.edu). Remaining criteria not yet assessed.; MIT Common Data Set 2024-25, sections I-1 and I-2 (ir.mit.edu). Remaining criteria not yet assessed.; USC Common Data Set 2025-26, sections I-1 and I-2 (oir.usc.edu). Remaining criteria not yet assessed.; WashU Common Data Set 2025-26, sections I-1 and I-2 (washu.edu). Remaining criteria not yet assessed.; Boston University Common Data Set 2025-26, section I (bu.edu/asir). Remaining criteria not yet assessed.; Notre Dame Common Data Set 2025-26, archived copy of the official Common Data Set (collegedata.fyi); matches College Transitions dataverse compiled from 2024-25 Common Data Set forms (collegetransitions.com/dataverse) (91%, 8:1). Remaining criteria not yet assessed.; Case Western Reserve Common Data Set 2025-26 (Adjusted Final), sections I-1 and I-2 (case.edu/ir). Remaining criteria not yet assessed.; Georgetown Common Data Set 2025-26, archived copy of the official Common Data Set (collegedata.fyi); ratio matches College Transitions dataverse compiled from 2024-25 Common Data Set forms (collegetransitions.com/dataverse). Remaining criteria not yet assessed.; College Transitions dataverse compiled from 2024-25 Common Data Set forms (collegetransitions.com/dataverse); ratio also printed in UVA Common Data Set 2024-25 (archived copy of the official Common Data Set (collegedata.fyi)). Remaining criteria not yet assessed.; University of Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh campus) Common Data Set 2025-26, sections I-1 and I-2 (ir.pitt.edu). Remaining criteria not yet assessed.; College Transitions dataverse compiled from 2024-25 Common Data Set forms (collegetransitions.com/dataverse); Purdue's CDS covers West Lafayette with other campuses. Remaining criteria not yet assessed.; Ohio State (Columbus) Common Data Set 2023-24, sections I-1 and I-2 (irp.osu.edu); latest edition with readable figures. Remaining criteria not yet assessed.; Northeastern University Common Data Set, Fall 2025 data (uds.northeastern.edu/facts/common-data-set; page headed 2024-2025), sections I-1 and I-2. Remaining criteria not yet assessed.; UNC Chapel Hill Common Data Set 2025-26, archived copy of the official Common Data Set (collegedata.fyi); 2024-25 copy consistent with College Transitions dataverse compiled from 2024-25 Common Data Set forms (collegetransitions.com/dataverse). Remaining criteria not yet assessed.; University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) Common Data Set 2025-26, sections I-1 and I-2 (obp.umich.edu). Remaining criteria not yet assessed.; UC Santa Barbara Common Data Set 2025-26, archived copy of the official Common Data Set (collegedata.fyi); faculty share matches College Transitions dataverse compiled from 2024-25 Common Data Set forms (collegetransitions.com/dataverse) (100%). Remaining criteria not yet assessed.; University of Minnesota Twin Cities Common Data Set 2025-26, sections I-1 and I-2 (idr.umn.edu); the I-2 ratio is taken from the form field because the printed text is blank. Remaining criteria not yet assessed.; University of Florida Common Data Set 2025-26, sections I-1 and I-2 (ir.aa.ufl.edu). Remaining criteria not yet assessed.; UMD Common Data Set 2025-26 via collegedata.fyi; consistent with College Transitions dataverse compiled from 2024-25 Common Data Set forms (collegetransitions.com/dataverse) (90%, 17:1). Remaining criteria not yet assessed.; UC San Diego Common Data Set 2025-26, sections I-1 and I-2 (ir.ucsd.edu). Remaining criteria not yet assessed.; UW–Madison Common Data Set 2025-26 via collegedata.fyi; consistent with College Transitions dataverse compiled from 2024-25 Common Data Set forms (collegetransitions.com/dataverse) (90%, 18:1). Remaining criteria not yet assessed.; UT Austin Common Data Set 2024-25, archived copy of the official Common Data Set (collegedata.fyi); matches College Transitions dataverse compiled from 2024-25 Common Data Set forms (collegetransitions.com/dataverse) (90%, 18:1). Remaining criteria not yet assessed.; College Transitions dataverse compiled from 2024-25 Common Data Set forms (collegetransitions.com/dataverse) (Pennsylvania State University row). Remaining criteria not yet assessed.; Georgia Tech Common Data Set 2025-26, sections I-1 and I-2 (irp.gatech.edu). Remaining criteria not yet assessed.; UIUC Common Data Set 2024-25 via collegedata.fyi; matches College Transitions dataverse compiled from 2024-25 Common Data Set forms (collegetransitions.com/dataverse) (91%, 20:1). Remaining criteria not yet assessed.; University of Washington (Seattle) Common Data Set 2025-26, archived copy of the official Common Data Set (collegedata.fyi); consistent with College Transitions dataverse compiled from 2024-25 Common Data Set forms (collegetransitions.com/dataverse) (86%, 20:1). Remaining criteria not yet assessed.
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