Top 50 Universities in North America (2026)

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Considering universities across North America? Here are 50 institutions. Explore rankings, costs, and selectivity to narrow your options. These universities consistently perform well across key academic indicators.

How to use filters?

Select degree → Department → subject → continent → State → country → city. Each step unlocks the next option. Your selections are remembered for easier browsing.

Degree Level

Bachelor, Master, PhD

Subject Area

Science, Business, Arts

Location

Worldwide destinations

1

Rankings

1 World 1 North America 1 United States 1 Cambridge

University Information

Cambridge, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 3%
Publications 669060
Citations 43305893
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: Medium
View Details
Last Updated:
2

Rankings

2 World 2 North America 2 United States 1 Stanford

University Information

Stanford, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 4%
Publications 464042
Citations 27749034
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: Medium
View Details
Last Updated:
3

Rankings

3 World 3 North America 3 United States 1 Ann Arbor

University Information

Ann Arbor, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 18%
Publications 488505
Citations 22226614
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: High
View Details
Last Updated:
4

Rankings

5 World 4 North America 4 United States 1 Ithaca

University Information

Ithaca, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 8%
Publications 407264
Citations 18350997
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: High
View Details
Last Updated:
5

Rankings

6 World 5 North America 5 United States 2 Berkeley

University Information

Berkeley, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 12%
Publications 392253
Citations 21489706
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: High
View Details
Last Updated:
6

Rankings

8 World 6 North America 6 United States 2 Cambridge

University Information

Cambridge, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 5%
Publications 315593
Citations 20571074
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: Medium
View Details
Last Updated:
7

Rankings

9 World 7 North America 7 United States 2 New York City

University Information

New York City, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 4%
Publications 352589
Citations 17252102
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: Medium
View Details
Last Updated:
8

Rankings

10 World 8 North America 8 United States 1 Seattle

University Information

Seattle, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 43%
Publications 423520
Citations 22026256
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: High
View Details
Last Updated:
9

Rankings

11 World 9 North America 9 United States 1 Baltimore

University Information

Baltimore, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 8%
Publications 424425
Citations 21475164
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: Medium
View Details
Last Updated:
10

Rankings

12 World 10 North America 10 United States 1 New Haven

University Information

New Haven, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 5%
Publications 344067
Citations 16740050
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: High
View Details
Last Updated:
11

Rankings

13 World 11 North America 11 United States 3 Los Angeles

University Information

Los Angeles, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 9%
Publications 364058
Citations 18223106
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: High
View Details
Last Updated:
12

Rankings

14 World 12 North America 1 Canada 1 Toronto

University Information

Toronto, Canada
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 54%*
Publications 489594
Citations 19738928
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: Not Available
View Details Visit Website
Last Updated:
13

Rankings

16 World 13 North America 12 United States 1 Philadelphia

University Information

Philadelphia, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 6%
Publications 362411
Citations 18224304
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: Medium
View Details
Last Updated:
14

Rankings

17 World 14 North America 13 United States 1 Madison

University Information

Madison, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 43%
Publications 330440
Citations 14733290
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: High
View Details
Last Updated:
15

Rankings

18 World 15 North America 14 United States 1 Minneapolis

University Information

Minneapolis, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 77%
Publications 315563
Citations 13918850
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: High
View Details
Last Updated:
16

Rankings

19 World 16 North America 15 United States 1 Chicago

University Information

Chicago, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 5%
Publications 259567
Citations 13284954
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: Medium
View Details
Last Updated:
17

Rankings

20 World 17 North America 16 United States 2 University Park

University Information

University Park, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 54%
Publications 302810
Citations 11063041
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: High
View Details
Last Updated:
18

Rankings

22 World 18 North America 17 United States 3 New York City

University Information

New York City, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 9%
Publications 250036
Citations 10887825
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: High
View Details
Last Updated:
19

Rankings

23 World 19 North America 18 United States 1 Columbus

University Information

Columbus, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 51%
Publications 332689
Citations 10489118
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: High
View Details
Last Updated:
20

Rankings

24 World 20 North America 19 United States 2 Champaign

University Information

Champaign, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 44%
Publications 303409
Citations 12500654
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: High
View Details
Last Updated:
21

Rankings

25 World 21 North America 20 United States 4 San Diego

University Information

San Diego, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 25%
Publications 304245
Citations 16110179
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: High
View Details
Last Updated:
22

Rankings

26 World 22 North America 21 United States 1 Princeton

University Information

Princeton, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 4%
Publications 187660
Citations 10659460
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: Medium
View Details
Last Updated:
23

Rankings

27 World 23 North America 22 United States 5 Los Angeles

University Information

Los Angeles, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 10%
Publications 250052
Citations 10201550
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: High
View Details
Last Updated:
24

Rankings

28 World 24 North America 23 United States 1 Gainesville

University Information

Gainesville, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 24%
Publications 316038
Citations 9913526
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: High
View Details
Last Updated:
25

Rankings

29 World 25 North America 2 Canada 1 Vancouver

University Information

Vancouver, Canada
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 52%
Publications 306367
Citations 12195827
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: Medium
View Details Visit Website
Last Updated:
26

Rankings

30 World 26 North America 24 United States 1 Chapel Hill

University Information

Chapel Hill, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 19%
Publications 257232
Citations 12049315
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: High
View Details
Last Updated:
27

Rankings

31 World 27 North America 25 United States 3 Evanston

University Information

Evanston, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 7%
Publications 238956
Citations 11593852
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: Medium
View Details
Last Updated:
28

Rankings

32 World 28 North America 26 United States 1 Austin

University Information

Austin, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 29%
Publications 249099
Citations 9915982
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: High
View Details
Last Updated:
29

Rankings

33 World 29 North America 27 United States 2 Durham

University Information

Durham, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 7%
Publications 227645
Citations 10337561
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: Low
View Details
Last Updated:
30

Rankings

34 World 30 North America 28 United States 6 Davis

University Information

Davis, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 42%
Publications 265216
Citations 10743933
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: High
View Details
Last Updated:
31

Rankings

35 World 31 North America 29 United States 2 New Brunswick

University Information

New Brunswick, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 65%
Publications 228591
Citations 8508220
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: High
View Details
Last Updated:
32

Rankings

37 World 32 North America 30 United States 2 College Park

University Information

College Park, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 45%
Publications 214017
Citations 8987126
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: High
View Details
Last Updated:
33

Rankings

38 World 33 North America 31 United States 2 East Lansing

University Information

East Lansing, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 84%
Publications 212433
Citations 7681949
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: High
View Details
Last Updated:
34

Rankings

39 World 34 North America 32 United States 1 West Lafayette

University Information

West Lafayette, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 50%
Publications 237253
Citations 7247897
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: High
View Details
Last Updated:
35

Rankings

41 World 35 North America 33 United States 3 Pittsburgh

University Information

Pittsburgh, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 50%
Publications 270060
Citations 11530096
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: High
View Details
Last Updated:
36

Rankings

42 World 36 North America 3 Canada 1 Montreal

University Information

Montreal, Canada
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 46%
Publications 255621
Citations 10090338
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: Medium
View Details Visit Website
Last Updated:
37

Rankings

43 World 37 North America 34 United States 1 Tucson

University Information

Tucson, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 86%
Publications 231352
Citations 8679223
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: High
View Details
Last Updated:
38

Rankings

44 World 38 North America 35 United States 2 College Station

University Information

College Station, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 63%
Publications 213041
Citations 7026465
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: High
View Details
Last Updated:
39

Rankings

47 World 39 North America 36 United States 3 Boston

University Information

Boston, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 11%
Publications 182725
Citations 8540266
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: High
View Details
Last Updated:
40

Rankings

48 World 40 North America 37 United States 7 San Francisco

University Information

San Francisco, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 13%
Publications 266349
Citations 15389929
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: High
View Details
Last Updated:
41

Rankings

50 World 41 North America 38 United States 4 Pittsburgh

University Information

Pittsburgh, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 11%
Publications 137967
Citations 7118629
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: High
View Details
Last Updated:
42

Rankings

51 World 42 North America 39 United States 1 St. Louis

University Information

St. Louis, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 12%
Publications 217908
Citations 11228109
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: Medium
View Details
Last Updated:
43

Rankings

53 World 43 North America 40 United States 1 Charlottesville

University Information

Charlottesville, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 17%
Publications 178234
Citations 6550160
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: High
View Details
Last Updated:
44

Rankings

54 World 44 North America 41 United States 1 Salt Lake

University Information

Salt Lake, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 87%
Publications 195055
Citations 7256213
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: High
View Details
Last Updated:
45

Rankings

59 World 45 North America 42 United States 8 Irvine

University Information

Irvine, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 26%
Publications 167813
Citations 7111638
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: High
View Details
Last Updated:
46

Rankings

61 World 46 North America 43 United States 2 Tempe

University Information

Tempe, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 90%
Publications 165203
Citations 5999495
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: High
View Details
Last Updated:
47

Rankings

62 World 47 North America 44 United States 1 Boulder

University Information

Boulder, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 83%
Publications 143357
Citations 6603816
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: High
View Details
Last Updated:
48

Rankings

64 World 48 North America 4 Canada 1 Edmonton

University Information

Edmonton, Canada
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 51%*
Publications 233302
Citations 7552530
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: High
View Details Visit Website
Last Updated:
49

Rankings

65 World 49 North America 45 United States 9 Pasadena

University Information

Pasadena, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 3%
Publications 163333
Citations 9387159
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: Medium
View Details
Last Updated:
50

Rankings

67 World 50 North America 46 United States 3 Raleigh

University Information

Raleigh, United States
North America
Founded:
Acceptance 40%
Publications 162533
Citations 4892590
Highest Degree: Doctorate
Tuition: High
View Details
Last Updated:
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