Top Universities in USA

It is an exciting time when your son or daughter is researching top universities in the USA to decide which college will offer the best education in their field of interest.  It can also be a little overwhelming.  Students go on college tours, send off for brochures and visit websites to try to determine which university has the best curriculum, best dorms, best food, best environment for learning. 

There are several lists published each year of the top universities in the USA.  However what ranks high on one list may not rank the same on another list.  Here, we give you a combination of several university and college rankings along with some of their best qualities and the cost of tuition, room, board and fees.

1. Harvard University:  This Cambridge, MA university always ranks high on numerous lists.  It was ranked number one by U.S. News and World Reports, number two by College Crunch and number five by Forbes.  As you may know, Harvard is a private Ivy League school started in 1636.  It is the oldest U.S. university.  Tuition, room, board and fees cost $47,215.
   
   
2. Princeton University:  Princeton comes in a solid second for both Forbes and U.S. News and World Reports.  It was ranked fourth by College Crunch.  The Princeton, New Jersey university is recognized for its high academic standards and is also and Ivy League school.  Tuition, room, board and fees cost $49,830.
   
   
   
3. Yale University:  This New Haven, CT university is ranked number three by both U.S. News and World Reports and College Crunch.  Yale comes in number nine on the Forbes list.  Yale is also a private Ivy League school that has a high academic tradition.  Tuition, room, board and fees cost $36,500.
   
   
   
4. California Institute of Technology:  This Pasadena located private institution ranks third for Forbes and fourth for U.S. News and World Report.  CalTech is recognized as one of the best universities for engineering and science.  It is a small college with 32 Nobel Prize winners amongst its faculty.  Tuition, room, board and fees cost $34,584.
   
   
   
5. University of Chicago:  Situated in the heart of the hustle and bustle of the big city, the University of Chicago is ranked number one by College Crunch and number eight by U.S. News and World Reports.  The school counts a sitting president amongst its former faculty along with more than 80 Nobel Prize winners.  Tuition, room, board and fees cost $52,450.
   
   
   
6. West Point:  The U.S. Military Academy in New York ranked number one on the Forbes list of top American colleges and institutions.  Alumni from West Point have gone on to be astronauts, authors and of course U.S. Army generals.  It doesn't take an act of Congress to get into West Point, but it does take a letter from a Congress member.  There is no fee to attend the military academy.  However, graduates become second lieutenants in the Army.
   
   
   
7. Stanford University:  Situated in Northern California, Stanford University is a private university that ranks number four on the U.S. News and World Report list, number six on College Crunch and number 10 on the Forbes list.  The school is known for having a strong and diverse range of academic concentrations including medicine, law, business, engineering and education. Tuition, room, board and fees cost $51,760.
   
   
   
8. Massachusetts Institute of Technology:  Long considered one of the best science and engineering schools in the land, MIT ranks fourth for U.S. News and World Reports and eleventh on the Forbes list.  The Cambridge, MA institution has produced 25 Nobel laureates and 44 Rhodes Scholars.  Tuition, room, board and fees at MIT cost $50,100.
   
   
   
9. University of Pennsylvania:  Another Ivy League school, Penn ranks fourth on the U.S. News and World Report list and number nine on the College Crunch list.  The Philadelphia based school that was started by none other than Benjamin Franklin is known for its strong academic programs in the areas of science, engineering, nursing and business (The Wharton School).  Tuition, room, board and fees cost $46,124.
   
   
   
10. Duke University:  This Durham, NC school comes in at number ten on the U.S. News and World Report list and number 15 on the College Crunch list.  The private university is known for its liberal arts, engineering and basketball.  It also produces a high number of Rhodes and Fulbright scholars.  The cost of tuition, room, board and fees at Duke runs $47,800.