2025 Best Colleges Rankings: Princeton, MIT, and Harvard Lead the Pack

The U.S. News and World Report has released their highly anticipated 2025 Best Colleges rankings, with Princeton University claiming the number one spot for an impressive 14th consecutive year.

Top National Universities 202

1. Princeton University

Maintains its 14-year reign at the top

2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Holds steady at second

3. Harvard University

Retains the third position

4. Stanford University

Dropped from a tie for third to fourth place

Top Public Universities

After sharing the top public school spot in 2024, UCLA edged out UC Berkeley for the number one position among public universities in 2025.

Top Liberal Arts Colleges

Williams College retained its top position in the liberal arts category, followed by Amherst College and Swarthmore College.

New Methodology Focus

This year rankings prioritize social mobility more than ever. Over 50 percent of a college ranking is now based on academic and professional success relative to debt and earnings after graduation.

How DeepCampus Helps

Our university search tool provides detailed profiles of all ranked schools, including admission statistics, financial aid data, and student outcomes.