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List Of Universities In USA

lists of universities in usa

The USA is the world's most popular study destination for international students. It has one of the largest education systems globally, with over 4,000 institutions, including five of the top ten ranked universities according to QS World University Rankings 2022.

Higher education institutions in the US are known as graduate schools or grad schools. They award postgraduate degrees, most commonly masters and doctorate (PhD)

USA universities 

American universities are divided into two main types, profit-based schools and not-for-profit schools (also known as “proprietary schools”):

  • Profit-based, private universities – smaller universities that are funded through donations, fees and grants. They have fewer students but higher fees. 

  • Not-for-profit public universities – large, state-funded institutions that have lower tuition fees but more students.


According to the QS World University Rankings 2022, five of the top ten universities in the world are USA institutions. These are: 

1st - Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

3rd - Stanford University

5th - Harvard University

6th - California Institute of Technology (Caltech)

10th - University of Chicago

There are eight prestigious institutions that make up the American Ivy League. These historical institutions have a reputation for high scholastic achievement and social prestige:

  • Harvard University (Massachusetts)

  • Yale University (Connecticut)

  • Columbia University (New York)

  • Brown University (Rhode Island)

  • Cornell University (New York)

  • Dartmouth College (New Hampshire)

  • Princeton University (New Jersey)

  • University of Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania)

Postgraduate study in the US

In the United States, graduate courses at the graduate school level are more focused than undergraduate courses and the subject area plays a far more significant role in rankings than the institution's overall national ranking.

Tuition feesTuition fees & costs in the USA

Universities in the USA are required to publish their Cost of Attendance on their website. This gives a good guide to the cost of tuition as well as the cost of living in the local area. 

As an international student, you will find that tuition fees vary between institutions and can depend on a number of factors including the demand for the university, reputation,  location, discipline, length of study, online or campus learning and application fees. There is also a difference in fees between profit-based schools and not-for-profit schools. 

The average cost of tuition and fees at ranked universities in 2021-2022 was $38,185 at private schools, $22,698 for public out-of-state, and $10,388 for public in-state. The University of New Mexico has some of the cheapest public in-state tuition fees, averaging around $6,920. 

Though, many top-ranking USA university fees can range from around $50,000 to $64,000.

US admissions and applicationsUSA university applications & admissions

On average, application fees for US universities cost around $100. To be successful in your application you will need a first degree in a relevant subject area. If your first degree is not from an English speaking university, then you will need to prove your English language skills

Universities in the USA often use standardised testing for entrance, so if you wish to study a masters program in law or medicine or even business, you will probably need to complete a test. The GMAT covers management and business-related courses, the LSAT is for entry into law school and MCAT is for medical school.

The GPA (Grade Point Average) is also used by US high schools and universities to evaluate a student’s academic success throughout school, their undergraduate degree and masters program. A student’s average GPA shows how well they have scored in their exams and classes throughout their course, and the score can fluctuate depending on their overall grades. 

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Student life at Grad SchoolStudent life at Grad School in the USA

Students in the USA are career focused and this is doubly so at Grad School. By the time students have completed their first degree and moved onto postgraduate study, they have a clear idea of what they want from their career. The relatively high tuition fees and private loans that many students need to use to attend a university in the United States also help to concentrate their minds. Universities in the USA often have large sports teams and plenty of campus-based activities to be enjoyed. 

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Top ranked universities in the USA

Top-ranked universities in the USA

The university or grad school you choose to attend for your postgraduate study is an important decision that should be thoroughly researched. To help with the process, we've compiled a list of the top universities in the USA. 

Top 10 universities in the USA

Here are the top universities in the United States, with information on their tuition fees and the number of students:

University

Number of Students

Tuition Fees 

Princeton University

4,773

$56,101

Columbia University

6,170

$63,530

Harvard University 

5,222

$55,587

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

4,361

$55,878

Yale University

4,703

$59,950

Stanford University

6,366

$56,169

University of Chicago

6,989

$60,963

University of Pennsylvania

9,872

$61,710

California Institute of Technology

901

$58,680

Duke University

6,717

$60,489

Source

 

10 largest universities in the USA

These are the 10 largest universities in the United States together with the number of students enrolled:

University

Number of Students

University of Phoenix

72,485

Arizona State University

63,124

University of Central Florida

61,456

Grand Canyon University

58,997

Texas A&M University

55,568

Florida International University

48,664

Liberty University

47,988

The Ohio State University

46,984

University of Texas at Austin

40,048

The Pennsylvania State University

39,809

Source

 

Top 10 US business schools 

Here are the top 10 business schools in the US: 
 

University of Chicago (Booth)

University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)

Northwestern University (Kellogg)

Stanford University

Harvard University

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Sloan)

Yale University

Columbia University

University of California--Berkeley (Haas)

University of Michigan--Ann Arbor (Ross)

Source

 

Top 10 US universities for engineering & science 

Here are the top 10 institutions in the United States to study engineering and science subjects:

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Stanford University

University of California, Berkeley (UCB)

Harvard University

Georgia Institute of Technology

California Institute of Technology

Carnegie Mellon University

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

Princeton University

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Source

 

Top 10 medical schools

This is a list of the top 10 medical schools in the United States.

Harvard University

Yale University

Stanford University

University of California, Berkeley (UCB)

Columbia University

New York University (NYU)

University of Chicago

Georgetown University 

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Source 

Top 10 US universities for social sciences

If you're interested in the social sciences, here are the top 10 institutions in the United States to choose from:
 

Harvard University

Stanford University

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

University of California, Berkeley (UCB)

Yale University

University of California, Los Angeles

University of Pennsylvania

Columbia University

University of Chicago

Princeton University

Source

 

Top 10 liberal arts colleges

Here are the top 10 liberal arts colleges in the USA: 

Williams College

Amherst College

Swarthmore College

Pomona College

Wellesley College

Bowdoin College

United States Naval Academy

Claremont McKenna College

Carleton College

Middlebury College

Source

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