From the range of programs to tuition costs and student life, prospective students have a range of factors to consider when deciding which school is best for them.
This chart shows the top 25 American colleges in 2024 from Forbes’ top 100 list, as well as their respective median post-graduate 10-year salary and median debt after graduation.
The Top Universities in the U.S. 2024
| Rank | Name | State | Median Debt After Graduation | Median 10-year Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Princeton University | NJ | $7,559 | $189,400 |
| 2 | Stanford University | CA | $12,999 | $177,500 |
| 3 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | MA | $13,792 | $189,400 |
| 4 | Yale University | CT | $4,926 | $168,300 |
| 5 | University of California, Berkeley | CA | $7,238 | $167,000 |
| 6 | Columbia University | NY | $16,849 | $156,000 |
| 7 | University of Pennsylvania | PA | $12,499 | $171,800 |
| 8 | Harvard University | MA | $9,004 | $171,400 |
| 9 | Rice University | TX | $10,818 | $152,100 |
| 10 | Cornell University | NY | $8,309 | $155,400 |
| 11 | Northwestern University | IL | $6,973 | $141,300 |
| 12 | Johns Hopkins University | MD | $9,843 | $142,300 |
| 13 | University of California, Los Angeles | CA | $6,418 | $144,400 |
| 14 | University of Chicago | IL | $12,150 | $150,600 |
| 15 | Vanderbilt University | TN | $8,872 | $148,000 |
| 16 | Dartmouth College | NH | $6,404 | $173,300 |
| 17 | Williams College | MA | $4,143 | $169,200 |
| 18 | Brown University | RI | $10,059 | $155,000 |
| 19 | Claremont McKenna College | CA | $7,631 | $167,000 |
| 20 | Duke University | NC | $6,351 | $158,700 |
| 21 | University of California, San Diego | CA | $6,437 | $151,500 |
| 22 | California Institute of Technology | CA | $12,553 | $168,600 |
| 23 | Wellesley College | MA | $5,608 | $134,100 |
| 24 | Amherst College | MA | $9,293 | $139,700 |
| 25 | Bowdoin College | ME | $10,512 | $152,900 |
New Jersey-based Princeton University took the number one spot in 2024. Princeton is a renowned private Ivy League research university and the fourth oldest college in the U.S., known for its academic excellence in undergraduate programs.
Princeton aced all 14 of Forbes’ metrics. Notably, the university had a 97% six-year graduation rate for low-income students, and provides generous financial aid, covering 100% of tuition and housing costs for students coming from families that earn $65,000 or less, for the class of 2026.
Notable alumni include Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and American business exec and former eBay CEO Meg Whitman.
California Universities Shine Among Top-Ranking Schools
Overall, California is home to the most colleges and universities in Forbes’ top 25 list, including Stanford University, University of California, Berkeley, and University of California, Los Angeles.
In 2024, Stanford ranked first globally for teaching, and second overall, according to Times Higher Education’s World University Rankings.
Fifth-ranked UC Berkeley was the top-ranked public university in 2024. The school is not only known for its wide range of academic programs, offering over 350 degrees, but also its athletics.
Berkeley has produced 121 Olympic gold medal winners as well as famous pro athletes like NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers, NBA all-star and 2024 champion Jaylen Brown, and former U.S. women’s national soccer team player Alex Morgan.
Methodology: Ranking the Best American Universities
Forbes collected and analyzed data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System and the U.S Department of Education’s College Scorecard, considering a collection of metrics to rank universities.
The considered metrics and their weighting are:
- Alumni salary (20%)
- Debt (15%)
- Graduation rate (15%)
- Forbes American Leaders List (15%)
- Return on investment (15%)
- Retention rate (10%)
- Academic success (10%)
For the metric Forbes American Leaders List, Forbes gauges the entrepreneurial success of a university’s graduates by counting how many list makers each school had on the latest Forbes 30 Under 30, Forbes 400, and Richest Self-Made Women and Most Powerful Women lists.
Along with this, they also considered the undergraduate alma maters of members in high-ranking Federal governance positions as well as winners of notable prizes and awards like the Nobel Prize and Oscars.
Acceptance rates are not considered by Forbes in their metrics for rankings.
Source: Visual Capitalist
