Choosing a college or university can be a major financial decision, with tuition, housing and other expenses adding up quickly. A new ranking from WalletHub aims to help prospective students and their families compare schools based on academic quality, affordability and the potential benefits of earning a degree.
The personal finance website evaluated 738 higher-education institutions across the country to determine which schools ranked highest for 2027. Its analysis considered factors ranging from admissions and graduation rates to student costs and graduates' earnings.
Several of the nation's most recognizable universities landed near the top of the list, while liberal arts colleges also earned high marks. So which schools came out ahead?
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What are the top 10 universities in 2027?
Here's a look at 2027's top 10 universities, per the WalletHub ranking:
- Princeton University
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Yale University
- California Institute of Technology
- Harvard University
- Northwestern University
- University of Pennsylvania
- Carnegie Mellon University
- Stanford University
- Georgia Institute of Technology
Princeton ranked first overall in WalletHub's 2027 rankings. MIT came in second, followed by Yale, Caltech and Harvard.
Princeton's top ranking comes alongside a 98% graduation rate and a student-to-faculty ratio of one to five, according to the report. WalletHub also found that the median salary for Princeton graduates 10 years after enrollment exceeded $110,000.
The report estimated that Princeton graduates earn about $1.05 million more than people with only a high school diploma over the 20 years following graduation.
MIT, the second-ranked school, had a student-to-faculty ratio of one to three. Its graduates had the highest median salary among the institutions studied, exceeding $143,000 at the 10-year mark after enrollment.
What are the top 10 colleges in 2027?
WalletHub separately ranks colleges that offer undergraduate degrees but do not offer graduate programs. Its top 10 colleges for 2027 are:
- Wellesley College
- Pomona College
- Harvey Mudd College
- Amherst College
- Colby College
- Bowdoin College
- Grinnell College
- Hamilton College
- Barnard College
- Davidson College
Wellesley had a 14% acceptance rate, a student-to-faculty ratio of seven to one and a 96% retention rate, meaning the share of students who returned for their second year. Its graduates had a median salary of $84,803 at the 10-year mark after enrollment.
Pomona, the second-ranked college, had a 7% acceptance rate and a 93% graduation rate. WalletHub estimated that its graduates earn about $595,000 more than people with only a high school diploma over the 20 years following graduation.
How did WalletHub rank colleges and universities?
WalletHub evaluated 738 institutions using 30 measures grouped into seven categories. Student selectivity accounted for 25% of each school's score, while cost and financing and educational outcomes each accounted for 20%.
Career outcomes made up 15% of the score, faculty resources accounted for 10%, and campus safety and campus experience each accounted for 5%.
The measures included admission rates, student-to-faculty ratios, graduation rates, student-loan debt and graduates' earnings.
Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@usatodayco.com, or on X @athompsonUSAT
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: See the top universities and colleges ranked for 2027
