This year marks the 30th edition of the U.S. News Best Collegesrankings, which includes top National Universities. These research institutions award degrees at every level, from bachelor's degrees to doctorates.
The top 50 schools span both coasts and include both large and small universities. Check out the following photos to see the National Universities that topped the rankings for 2015.
What are the best colleges and universities in America considered geographically by state? In this ranking we present the best four-year liberal arts college and the best full-fledged university in each of the 50 states.
Most rankings of colleges and universities are top-heavy with schools from the East Coast (the Ivy League, MIT, etc.), California (Stanford, Cal Berkeley, etc.), and a few schools scattered throughout the rest of the country (University of Chicago, Vanderbilt, etc.).
In this ranking, we make geographical diversity our main focus, looking for the best education offered in each state, from Alabama to Wyoming.
Our criteria for putting a school on this list include the reputation of the school and its faculty, its dedication to a broad liberal arts education, its accreditation, and its overall academic caliber compared to other institutions of the same type within the same state.
Some states have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to institutions of higher learning (such as Massachusetts and California). In those cases, our job was not easy. Where two institutions were dominant—one primarily oriented towards the liberal arts and the other towards science and engineering—we went with the liberal arts school as offering a broader range of excellence across the curriculum (hence Harvard over MIT).
The result is a unique list of schools, two from each state, one a full-fledged research university, the other a college focused on undergraduate education. We believe this list identifies the very best that higher education has to offer across the length and breadth of this great land.
Note: For each state, we list the university first, and the liberal arts college second, regardless of alphabetical order. Also bear in mind that names can be misleading: Several of the institutions on our list that are essentially 4-year liberal arts colleges use the word “university” in their name. By the same token, one of our nation’s top research universities calls itself a “college” (see if you can spot it).
ALABAMA
Auburn University (Auburn, AL)
Established in 1856, Auburn University went through four names changes before settling on its current and longest-lasting title.
This public university sits on a sprawling 1,800-acre campus, complete with abundant student housing, dining, health services, counseling, and recreational facilities, among other amenities such as the 300 student-led organizations that meet on campus. Jordan-Hare Stadium, where the Auburn Tigers and mascot Aubie dominate the football field, is also located on campus.
While the school was originally focused on mainly agriculture and the arts, it now offers over 140 majors for students to choose from, 38 in the College of Liberal Arts alone. The university boasts a thriving student body of over 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members. These numbers make it one of the largest universities in the state of Alabama.
Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, auburn is considered one of the best, yet least-expensive, universities in the southeastern United States.
Spring Hill College (Mobile, AL)
Spring Hill College is one of the oldest Roman Catholic universities in the southeastern U.S. Founded by the Jesuit order and located in Mobile, Alabama, this small liberal arts college was established in 1830, making it the fifth-oldest Catholic college in the country.
Spring Hill College currently offers 49 majors spread out over several Schools. These Schools include Business, Communication Arts, English, Fine and Performing Arts, Foreign Languages, Interdivisional Studies, Nursing, Philosophy and Theology, Sciences, Social Sciences, and Teacher Education.
Situated on 400 acres in Mobile’s scenic Spring Hill neighborhood, the college has enough housing for all undergraduates to have a guaranteed room on campus for the entirety of their undergraduate career. The school currently employs 72 faculty members, who teach a student body comprising approximately 1,300 students. The college takes pride in its small class sizes—which average 16 students per class—and its 12-to-one student-to-faculty ratio.
While the student body may be small, they are spirited and active in clubs and activities of all kinds. There are more than 50 affiliated student-led organizations, including but not limited to fraternities, sororities, academic clubs, ministries, and athletic clubs.
Like Auburn University, Spring Hill College is also accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
Jesuit program brings university education to refugees
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ALASKA
University of Alaska Anchorage (Anchorage, AK)
The University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) is Alaska’s largest higher education institution and is appropriately located in the state’s largest city, Anchorage.
UAA opened in 1954 as a community college, and began offering some upper-division courses in 1969. In 1976, UAA made the leap to a full-fledged university, offering the complete gamut of lower and upper division courses.
Despite its humble beginnings, UAA is now home to over 17,000 students, who are divided among UAA’s six teaching units or colleges. These colleges include Education, Health and Social Welfare, Arts and Sciences, Business and Public Policy, Engineering and the Community, and a technical college.
The campus itself is situated among some of Alaska’s most beautiful backdrops, surrounded by lakes and integrated into an intricate city-wide system of trails while still remaining a part of the local urban landscape.
The University of Alaska at Anchorage is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
Alaska Pacific University (Anchorage, AK)
Established in 1960, just one year after Alaska officially joined the United States, Alaska Pacific University (APU) is a liberal arts school specializing in four-year degrees.
Located in the Churagh Mountains 45 miles east of downtown Anchorage, APU’s 170-acre campus is home to 750 students. The school boasts several different unconventional study programs, which allow students more freedom to choose how to approach their education.
APU focuses on small class sizes and an active, kinetic learning environment. This learning method teaches the skills needed to succeed both in the workplace and in life. The academic programs include the Schools of Education, Environment Science, Liberal Studies, Outdoor Studies, Psychology, and Human Services.
APU’s School of Liberal Studies offers concentrations in literature, philosophy, pre-law, pre-med, religious studies, and writing. The campus also contains the impressive state-of-the-art Mosley Sports Center, which is home to the world-renowned Nordic Ski Club.
Alaska Pacific University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
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ARIZONA
University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ)
The University of Arizona (UA), which first opened its doors in 1885 (30 years before Arizona was even recognized as a state!), has evolved over the years into a first-class—indeed world-renowned—public research university.
The founders bravely decided to break ground on the 380-acre campus in what was essentially the middle of the desert. Today, the UA campus is a part of a flourishing urban city-center. The university now boasts a student body approaching 40,000 students and employs a faculty of 2,500 people.
UA currently offers 334 fields of study organized into 17 different colleges, including the Colleges of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Architecture, Planning and Landscape, Education, Engineering, Fine Arts, Humanities, Medicine, Nursing, Optical Sciences, Pharmacy, Science, Social and Behavioral Studies, Letters, Art, and Sciences, Public Health,Law, and Management. The university also has an additional college of medicine, which is located at their Phoenix campus.
Campus life at UA is bursting with possibilities. With a breathtaking 718 active recognized clubs, from sports to the most arcane academic subjects, making friends with other students who share your interests is easy. In fact, the campus is practically a city in and of itself.
The University of Arizona is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission’s North Central Association.
Prescott College (Prescott, AZ)
Founded in 1966, Prescott College is a liberal arts college located in Prescott, between Phoenix and Flagstaff. The 200-acre campus is perched in Arizona’s central highlands surrounded by a variety of landscapes, including striking mountain ranges, flat desert plains, and abundant forests.
Prescott College is a non-profit organization with a mission statement encompassing liberal arts, the environment, and social justice. They strive to provide programs that are integral to the community of Prescott and allow students to act as participants in the city surrounding their college, while serving the ever-expanding global community. The school’s current student body is approximate;y 1,200 students, which translates into an impressive seven-to-one student-to-faculty ratio—a number that really sets Prescott College apart, even from most other small liberal arts colleges.
The college currently offers programs in arts, creative writing, environmental studies, and interdisciplinary arts and letters. First-year students are given the opportunity to live in the Village, a new sustainable, LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) platinum-certified complex. Upper classmen live with other students in off-campus housing.
Prescott College is accredited by the North Central Association of the Higher Learning Commission. Additionally, all the programs offered are accredited by the Association for Experiential Education.
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ARKANSAS
University of Arkansas (Fayetteville, AR)
The University of Arkansas opened its doors in 1871, just years after the American Civil War left the South devastated, making it the first public university in the state. The 412-acre campus, located in the city of Fayetteville, is perched on a hill overlooking the iconic Ozark Mountains.
The university offers degrees in 214 areas of study and is considered one of the 50 best public universities in the US. The Fullbright College of Arts and Letters encompasses 19 different departments and upwards of 30 programs. It is the most diverse in its offerings of all the Colleges that comprise the university.
The University of Arkansas’s current enrollment is approximately 25,000 students, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 19-to-one, an impressive feat for a university of this size! Campus life is lively. Greek life is in full swing among the 41 fraternities and sororities.
The school’s athletic teams, the Razorbacks—often affectionately referred to as the Hogs—are major competitors in the college football and basketball scene on a regular basis. In fact, no other school in the Southeastern Conference of the NCCA has won more championships. The marching band is known for their intricate half-time routines.
The University of Arkansas is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
Hendrix College (Conway, AR)
Hendrix College is a private liberal art college that is affiliated with the United Methodist Church, but teaches a secular curriculum. The four-year private college, which opened in 1876, is located in Conway, just 30 minutes from the state capital of Little Rock.
The current student body consists of 1,432 students and employs a faculty of 126 academic staff members. Despite the small size of the student body, diversity is an integral part of the campus dynamic. Students hail from 43 of the 50 states and represent 14 foreign counties.
The average class is comprised of only 17 students. Considered one of the best liberal art colleges in the country, admission is competitive. Incoming freshmen frequently have a grade point average (GPA) exceeding 4.0!
Hendrix College hosts a variety of sports teams, including uncommon options such as field hockey and lacrosse, but if you are looking to join a fraternity, this is not the college for you. The school has no established fraternities or sororities. Despite the lack of a Greek system, campus social life is robust—the school has 65 active clubs and student organizations.
Hendrix College is accredited by North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.
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CALIFORNIA
Stanford University (Stanford, CA)
Stanford University, officially entitled Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university located in the Silicon Valley between San Francisco and San Jose. Founded in 1891, the university was established as a coeducational school with no denominational affiliations, which was rare at the time.
The rambling, 8,100-acre campus is located in suburban Stanford, and is a perfect mix of manicured lawns and unhampered vistas. Seeing that the current student body comprises 15,877 souls, each student theoretically has nearly half an acre all to him- or herself!
Speaking of the student body, unlike most of the colleges and universities on this list, Stanford is composed of more graduate students than undergraduates. This academic year’s enrollment included 8,897 of the former and only 6,980 of the latter. Stanford also boasts one of the most impressive faculty-to student-ratios in the county, with just five students to each faculty member.
The campus has over eighty different housing facilities to match the needs of the students. Last year 97 percent of undergraduates and 57 percent of graduate students lived on campus. There are also more than 650 student groups and 35 recognized religious groups to meet each student’s social and spiritual needs.
Stanford University is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
Harvey Mudd College (Claremont, CA)
Founded in 1955, Harvey Mudd College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college focusing on engineering, science, and mathematics.
Purposely small at only 44.5 acres in suburban Claremont (about halfway between Pasadena and San Bernardino), and with between 700 and 800 students enrolled at any given time, the school is very selective. As a result, those admitted will reap the benefits of a nine-to-one student-to-faculty ratio.
Harvey Mudd College is a part of the Claremont University Consortium. This consortium is comprised of Harvey Mudd, four other colleges and two graduate institutions—respectively, Claremont McKenna College, Pitzer College, Pomona College, Scripps College, Claremont Graduate University, and Keck Graduate Institute for Applied Life Science. These colleges and universities remain autonomous, but allow their students to reap the benefits of the varied classes and amenities available at the affiliated campuses.
Harvey Mudd College offers degrees in biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering, mathematics, and physics. It also offers a number of joint or double major programs, for example pairing chemistry with biology, computer science with mathematics, and mathematics with biology.
Harvey Mudd College is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
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COLORADO
University of Denver (Denver, CO)
Established in 1864, the University of Denver opened just a few short years after Denver officially became a city recognized by the state of Colorado. In fact, the University of Denver (abbreviated as DU) is the oldest private university is the Rocky Mountain region. Originally founded as a Methodist seminary and still legally operating under the name Colorado Seminary, the university no longer adheres to any religious affiliation or teaches a specifically religious curriculum.
DU is the learning home of approximately 11,500 students and maintains a student-to-faculty ratio of 10-to-one. The 125-acre campus is located in a residential area seven miles from downtown Denver, and provides breathtaking views of the surrounding mountain ranges.
The university currently offers around 100 undergraduate programs and 120 graduate programs which are divided up across the eight colleges in the undergraduate program and twelve colleges in the graduate program.
The University of Denver is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association.
Colorado College (Colorado Springs, CO)
Founded in 1874, Colorado College (CC) is a private liberal arts college located in Colorado Springs. The school currently offers 42 majors is fields such as anthropology, art, biology, Classics, education, and many others.
CC employs a highly unconventional way of teaching and learning. They call it the “block plan.” Instead of taking five or six classes simultaneously, as with most conventional learning plans, CC students take a single class for three weeks, complete it, and then move on to another class. Teachers only teach one class per block, so they can be fully committed to their students. This immersive environment promotes learning and long-term memory, rather than learning for the sake of testing.
The 90-acre campus is located in the heart of Colorado Springs, but is surrounded by unspoiled beauty. If you hope to travel during your undergraduate career, CC has one of the best and most varied study abroad programs in the country.
Colorado College is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
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CONNECTICUT
Yale University (New Haven, CT)
With roots planted as early as the 1640s, Yale University officially opened its doors in 1701. Originally named Collegiate School, and operating as Yale College before settling on Yale University in 1887, this university is world-renowned.
Part of the ultra-exclusive Ivy League, Yale is located in the old Long Island Sound port city of New Haven. The 837-acre campus (counting the on-campus golf course) is the centerpiece of the iconic town that is known for its greenery in the summer and its scenic snow scenes in the winter.
While contained on the same campus, Yale is split academically into three separate components:Yale College, which contains all the undergraduate programs; the Graduate Schools of Arts and Sciences; and the professional schools, including the medical and law schools.
According to U.S. News & World Report, Yale University is ranked #3 among the universities in the U.S. for 2014, and the Times of London ranks it at #11 globally.
Yale also has one of the most highly respected athletic programs in the country and currently maintains 35 varsity level teams. However, if you are hoping to get a break on tuition thanks to your skills on the court or the field, Yale may not be the school for you—it offers no athletic scholarships.
Yale University is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Institutions of Higher Education.
Connecticut College (New London, CT)
Established in 1911, Connecticut College is a liberal arts college located in the old seaport town of New London. Originally opened as Connecticut College for Women after Wesleyan University stopped admitting women, the college has since gone coed. Flanked on one side by the Thames River and Long Island Sound and on the other by an arboretum, the campus is immersed in the natural New England beauty.
Primarily a college for undergraduate studies, Connecticut College has fewer than 2,000 full-time students, which makes for an average class size of 18 and a student-to-teacher ratio of just nine-to-one. Despite its small size, the college currently offers 40 majors and a multitude of minors. It also offers interdisciplinary majors, which allow students to essentially custom-tailor their degree to match their individual goals and interests.
Connecticut College also offers excellent financial aid packages; nearly half the students receive some financial aid, and the average financial aid award package is around $35,000. The college’s dedication to educational excellence has not gone unnoticed:Forbes has listed the college #78 in the country among private colleges and #103 overall.
Connecticut College is accredited by New England Association of Schools and Colleges.
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DELAWARE
University of Delaware (Newark, DE)
Founded in 1743 as a small private college, the University of Delaware has since grown greatly in both size and stature. The main campus, located in the small town of Newark, is part of the greater University of Delaware system which includes campuses all over the state, including in Dover, Wilmington, Lewes, and Georgetown.
The current student body comprises about 17,000 undergraduates and 3,600 graduate students. It is considered a medium-sized university. It is a rare mix of both public and private university: It receives government funding as if it were a state-supported research facility, but is also privately chartered.
Due to the quality of the education it provides and the hands-on research opportunities it offers, the University of Delaware is considered one of the “Public Ivies.” The university currently offers 147 bachelor’s programs, 119 master’s programs, 54 doctoral programs, a handful of associate’s programs, and 15 dual programs. These offerings are spread out among seven Colleges and 70+ research facilities.
If you hope to study overseas, the University of Delaware is an excellent choice, since it was the first university to offer a study abroad program and thus has the most experience of any college or university in the country in running such programs.
The University of Delaware is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
Wesley College (Dover, DE)
Wesley College was founded in 1873 as a college prep school named Wilmington Conference Academy. today, it is a private liberal arts college affiliated with the United Methodist Church. It is the oldest private college in the state. While the school remains a United Methodist institution, it strives to foster a values-based education that is available to students of all faiths.
The cozy 50-acre main campus is located in Delaware’s state capital, and is home to approximately 2,100 students. On average, 90 percent of those students receive financial aid in some form of grants, scholarships, work-study opportunities, and on-campus employment. The current student-to-faculty ratio is 17-to-one.
Wesley College currently offers 30 areas of study across five different Departments: Arts and Sciences, Business, Health Sciences, Education, and Fine Arts. The majority of students pursue a degree in the Arts and Sciences program, which includes American Studies, English, History, International Studies, Mathematics, Media Arts, Music, Political Sciences, Psychology, and Professional Studies.
Wesley College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
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FLORIDA
University of Florida (Gainesville, FL)
Established in 1853 and relocated in 1906 to its current location—where it is comfortably settled on a 2000-acre campus—the University of Florida at Gainesville (often shorted to UF) is a premier public research university.
UF is home to nearly 50,000 students, and the campus boasts over 900 buildings. Some of the most interesting buildings on campus include an art gallery, the Phillips Center for Performing Arts, the Florida Museum of Natural History, and the Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, which seats 84,000 fans.
The university contains 16 academic Colleges and over 150 research centers. It currently administers more than 100 undergraduate majors, 123 master’s programs, and 76 doctoral programs.
The University of Florida is considered one of the Public Ivies, and admission is very competitive. The incoming freshman class for the 2013–2014 academic year had an average GPA of 4.3. The school was ranked the 14th best public university in the U.S., the 49th best university overall (public and private), and among the top 100 universities globally in 2014, according to U.S. News & World Report.
The University of Florida is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
New College of Florida (Sarasota, FL)
New College of Florida, located in sunny Sarasota, is a public liberal arts college founded in 1964. From its inception, the school has been open to people of all races, genders, and religious affiliations, which was very progressive for a southern college at the time. Originally established as a private institute, the school was eventually absorbed by the State University of Florida system, in which it is now included as an autonomous honors college.
The 144-acre campus is located on Sarasota’s north bay front, just a few miles from the city center, and is an amiable, eclectic mix of new structures and recognized historical buildings, adding to the college’s southern charm.
The New College of Florida is known for its dedication to students as individuals. The school strives to provide the best education for each student and to meet students’ intellectual needs by creating specialized education plans, providing narrative evaluations, and straying from the traditional grading scale—opting instead for a pass/fail system.
In order to successfully graduate, students must complete seven contracts with their faculty adviser. These contracts are made at the beginning of a grading period and are based on the individual student’s specific goals. There are currently 825 enrolled students and the average class size is 17 students. The college maintains a 10-to-one student-to-faculty ratio.
Due to the university’s attention to detail and willingness to create student specific degrees, U.S. News & World Report ranked the New College of Florida #5 on their list of best public liberal art schools.
The New College of Florida is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
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GEORGIA
Emory University (Atlanta, GA)
Founded in 1836 by local Methodists, Emory is a private research university. The 631-acre campus is located in the Druid Hills neighborhood of the greater Atlanta Metropolitan area.
The school is very selective, accepting fewer than 25 percent of applicants. Ninety percent of incoming freshmen graduated in the top 10 percent of their senior class in high school.
The 14,513 students who have passed the rigorous tests put in place by the college are required to live on campus for the first year. They are welcomed by tree-lined walkways, a wealth of study abroad opportunities, and a well-rounded education thanks to the university’s core curriculum.
The school is divided into nine academic Divisions: Emory College of Arts and Sciences, Oxford College (a high-intensity liberal arts program for freshmen and sophomores), Goizeta Business School, Laney Graduate School, School of Law, School of Medicine, the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, the Rollins School of Public Health, and the Candler School of Theology.
Spread out among these nine academic Divisions, Emory’s course offerings currently comprise 70 undergraduate programs and more than two dozen graduate and professional degrees. U.S. News & World Report ranks Emory as the 20th best college in the U.S.
Emory is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Morehouse College (Atlanta, GA)
Established in 1867, just two years after the Civil War left Atlanta and much of the south ravaged, Morehouse College is a private, all male, liberal arts college. The college was founded as a school for black students and maintains that tradition to this day. However, men of any race are welcome to apply for admission.
Morehouse is one of just three remaining men’s liberal arts colleges in the U.S. Despite being formerly named the Atlanta Baptist Seminary and Atlanta Baptist College, the school is no longer officially affiliated with the Baptist Church.
Located in Atlanta on a cozy 61 acres, Morehouse is the educational home to 2100 students, who have access to 78 recognized student organizations, including sports, clubs, and student publications. For the musically inclined, there is the world-famous marching band, known for their intricate performances that combine marching and dance.
According to U.S. News & World Report, the college is currently ranked #2 in the country among historically black colleges.
Morehouse College is accredited by the Commission and Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
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HAWAII
University of Hawaii Manoa (Honolulu, HI)
The University of Hawaii (UH), which traces its roots to a land grant college founded in 1907, is a public coed research university governed by the Hawaii state legislature. Operating as the flagship campus for the University of Hawaii system, UH Manoa (note that the accent is on the first syllable: Mahn’-oh-ah), is located in the Manoa valley, one of Honolulu’s nicest neighborhoods, on the island of Oahu.
The UH Manoa campus is populated by 13,952 undergraduates, 6,483 graduate students, and over 600 kinds of indigenous plants! Despite the large student body, the average class size is 20 students, and the current student-to-faculty ratio is 14-to-one.
According to U.S. News & World Report, UH Manoa is ranked #6 in the nation for ethnic diversity and #83 in the ranking of all public universities in the United States. The National Science Foundation ranks UH Manoa in the top 30 public universities for public funding in science and engineering.
UH Manoa sanctions over 200 student organizations. The campus itself is beautiful, with a panoramic view of local mountains. It is asos close to the Lyon Arboretum.
The University of Hawaii Manoa is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
Hawaii Pacific University, Hawaii Loa Campus (Kaneohe, HI)
The Hawaii Loa Campus of Hawaii Pacific University was originally founded as Christian College of the Pacific in 1963. For many years, the school was known as Hawaii Loa College, a four-year, liberal arts college located in Kaneohe, on the windward side of the island of Oahu, on the other side of the Ko’olau mountain range from Honolulu.
In 1992, Hawaii Loa College was absorbed by Hawaii Pacific University, a private coeducational university, and is now often referred to simply as the “windward campus.” It is undergoing an expansion and being developed into a larger campus.
Hawaii Pacific University is divided into four academic Colleges, which include the Colleges of Business Administration, Humanities and Social Sciences, Nursing and Health Sciences, and Natural and Computational Sciences. Hawaii Loa Campus is currently being used for the majority of the science and nursing program needs. The school offers more than 50 undergraduate programs and 14 graduate programs. Its curriculum, regardless of major or emphasis, is based in a traditional liberal arts foundation.
Princeton Review named Hawaii Pacific University a Best Western College in their list of best colleges by region, and the Pay Scale College Salary Report showed it as one of the top West Coast schools for salary potential.
Hawaii Pacific University is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
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