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
#10	Dartmouth College Hanover, NH	$45,042	6,144	10.1%	98%	95	Locked	Locked
#12	Northwestern University Evanston, IL	$43,779	19,968	18.0%	97%	94	Locked	Locked
#13	Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD	$43,930	21,139	18.4%	97%	92	Locked	Locked
#14	Washington University in St. Louis St. Louis, MO	$43,705	13,908	16.5%	97%	93	Locked	Locked
#15	Brown University Providence, RI	$43,758	8,768	8.9%	98%	95	Locked	Locked
#15	Cornell University Ithaca, NY	$43,413	21,131	18.0%	97%	93	Locked	Locked
#17	Rice University Houston, TX	$37,292	6,224	18.8%	97%	92	Locked	Locked
#17	University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN	$42,971	12,004	24.3%	98%	96	Locked	Locked
#17	Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN	$42,118	12,836	16.4%	97%	92	Locked	Locked
#20	Emory University Atlanta, GA	$42,980	13,893	26.7%	95%	90	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

#10

Dartmouth College

Hanover, NH

$45,042

6,144

10.1%

98%

Locked

#12

Northwestern University

Evanston, IL

$43,779

19,968

18.0%

97%

Locked

#13

Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD

$43,930

21,139

18.4%

97%

Locked

#14

Washington University in St. Louis

St. Louis, MO

$43,705

13,908

16.5%

97%

Locked

#15

Brown University

Providence, RI

$43,758

8,768

8.9%

98%

Locked

#15

Cornell University

Ithaca, NY

$43,413

21,131

18.0%

97%

Locked

#17

Rice University

Houston, TX

$37,292

6,224

18.8%

97%

Locked

#17

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, IN

$42,971

12,004

24.3%

98%

Locked

#17

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN

$42,118

12,836

16.4%

97%

Locked

#20

Emory University

Atlanta, GA

$42,980

13,893

26.7%

95%

Locked