National University Rankings

National University Methodology

Schools in the National Universities category, such as Columbia University and Stanford University, offer a full range of undergraduate majors, plus master's and Ph.D. programs. These colleges also are committed to producing groundbreaking research.

To see full rankings, SAT/ACT scores, scholarship and grant information, graduation rates, and more, sign up for the U.S. News College Compass!

U.S. News rank	School	Tuition	Total enrollment	Fall 2011 acceptance rate	Average freshman retention rate	6-year graduation rate	Classes with under 20 students	SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile
#38	Lehigh University Bethlehem, PA	$42,220	7,055	33.4%	94%	87	Locked	Locked
#3	Yale University New Haven, CT	$42,300	11,875	7.7%	99%	97	Locked	Locked
#54	Pepperdine University Malibu, CA	$42,772	7,539	31.6%	90%	81	Locked	Locked
#21	Georgetown University Washington, DC	$42,870	17,130	18.1%	96%	94	Locked	Locked
#17	University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN	$42,971	12,004	24.3%	98%	96	Locked	Locked
#20	Emory University Atlanta, GA	$42,980	13,893	26.7%	95%	90	Locked	Locked
#51	Boston University Boston, MA	$42,994	32,439	49.4%	91%	85	Locked	Locked
#27	Wake Forest University Winston-Salem, NC	$43,200	7,351	39.9%	94%	88	Locked	Locked
#15	Cornell University Ithaca, NY	$43,413	21,131	18.0%	97%	93	Locked	Locked
#75	Stevens Institute of Technology Hoboken, NJ	$43,561	5,541	41.7%	91%	79	Locked	Locked
#8	Duke University Durham, NC	$43,623	15,427	14.0%	97%	94	Locked	Locked
#33	University of Rochester Rochester, NY	$43,666	10,319	34.1%	95%	83	Locked	Locked
#14	Washington University in St. Louis St. Louis, MO	$43,705	13,908	16.5%	97%	93	Locked	Locked
#33	Brandeis University Waltham, MA	$43,708	5,828	40.0%	93%	91	Locked	Locked
#8	University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA	$43,738	19,919	12.4%	98%	96	Locked	Locked
Unranked	George Washington University Washington, DC	$43,747	25,260	33.0%	93%	81	Locked	Locked
#15	Brown University Providence, RI	$43,758	8,768	8.9%	98%	95	Locked	Locked
#12	Northwestern University Evanston, IL	$43,779	19,968	18.0%	97%	94	Locked	Locked
#31	Boston College Chestnut Hill, MA	$43,878	13,906	28.0%	95%	91	Locked	Locked
#13	Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD	$43,930	21,139	18.4%	97%	92	Locked	Locked
#24	University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA	$44,463	38,010	23.0%	97%	90	Locked	Locked
#41	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy, NY	$44,475	6,914	39.6%	93%	84	Locked	Locked
#4	University of Chicago Chicago, IL	$44,574	12,316	16.3%	98%	92	Locked	Locked
#28	Tufts University Medford, MA	$44,666	10,775	21.9%	97%	90	Locked	Locked
#10	Dartmouth College Hanover, NH	$45,042	6,144	10.1%	98%	95	Locked	Locked

Save

U.S. News rank

School

Tuition

Total enrollment

Fall 2011 acceptance rate

Average freshman retention rate

6-year graduation rate

Classes with under 20 students

SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile

#38

Lehigh University

Bethlehem, PA

$42,220

7,055

33.4%

94%

Locked

Yale University

New Haven, CT

$42,300

11,875

7.7%

99%

Locked

#54

Pepperdine University

Malibu, CA

$42,772

7,539

31.6%

90%

Locked

#21

Georgetown University

Washington, DC

$42,870

17,130

18.1%

96%

Locked

#17

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, IN

$42,971

12,004

24.3%

98%

Locked

#20

Emory University

Atlanta, GA

$42,980

13,893

26.7%

95%

Locked

#51

Boston University

Boston, MA

$42,994

32,439

49.4%

91%

Locked

#27

Wake Forest University

Winston-Salem, NC

$43,200

7,351

39.9%

94%

Locked

#15

Cornell University

Ithaca, NY

$43,413

21,131

18.0%

97%

Locked

#75

Stevens Institute of Technology

Hoboken, NJ

$43,561

5,541

41.7%

91%

Locked

Duke University

Durham, NC

$43,623

15,427

14.0%

97%

Locked

#33

University of Rochester

Rochester, NY

$43,666

10,319

34.1%

95%

Locked

#14

Washington University in St. Louis

St. Louis, MO

$43,705

13,908

16.5%

97%

Locked

#33

Brandeis University

Waltham, MA

$43,708

5,828

40.0%

93%

Locked

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA

$43,738

19,919

12.4%

98%

Locked

Unranked

George Washington University

Washington, DC

$43,747

25,260

33.0%

93%

Locked

#15

Brown University

Providence, RI

$43,758

8,768

8.9%

98%

Locked

#12

Northwestern University

Evanston, IL

$43,779

19,968

18.0%

97%

Locked

#31

Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA

$43,878

13,906

28.0%

95%

Locked

#13

Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD

$43,930

21,139

18.4%

97%

Locked

#24

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA

$44,463

38,010

23.0%

97%

Locked

#41

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Troy, NY

$44,475

6,914

39.6%

93%

Locked

University of Chicago

Chicago, IL

$44,574

12,316

16.3%

98%

Locked

#28

Tufts University

Medford, MA

$44,666

10,775

21.9%

97%

Locked

#10

Dartmouth College

Hanover, NH

$45,042

6,144

10.1%

98%

Locked