Learn about the top 40 National Universities.
A quality education from a top can lead to many career opportunities for graduates. The best include a mix of public and private research institutions that offer a diverse range of undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs. Find out which schools topped the 2021 Best National Universities rankings and see key details about each, including costs using the latest data available to U.S. News.
39 (tie). University of California–Davis
Total undergraduate enrollment: 30,982
2020-2021 tuition and fees: $14,653 (in-state), $44,407 (out-of-state)
Regular decision application deadline: Nov. 30
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39 (tie). William & Mary (VA)
Total undergraduate enrollment: 6,256
2020-2021 tuition and fees: $23,362 (in-state), $46,283 (out-of-state)
Regular decision application deadline: Jan. 1
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35 (tie). Boston College
Total undergraduate enrollment: 9,370
2020-2021 tuition and fees: $60,202
Regular decision application deadline: Jan. 1
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35 (tie). Georgia Institute of Technology
Total undergraduate enrollment: 15,964
2020-2021 tuition and fees: $12,682 (in-state), $33,794 (out-of-state)
Regular decision application deadline: Jan. 6
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35 (tie). University of California–Irvine
Total undergraduate enrollment: 30,382
2020-2021 tuition and fees: $13,932 (in-state), $43,686 (out-of-state)
Regular decision application deadline: Nov. 30
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35 (tie). University of California–San Diego
Total undergraduate enrollment: 30,794
2020-2021 tuition and fees: $14,451 (in-state), $44,205 (out-of-state)
Regular decision application deadline: Nov. 30
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34. University of Rochester (NY)
Total undergraduate enrollment: 6,780
2020-2021 tuition and fees: $58,208
Regular decision application deadline: Jan. 5
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30 (tie). New York University
Total undergraduate enrollment: 26,981
2020-2021 tuition and fees: $54,880
Regular decision application deadline: Jan. 1
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30 (tie). Tufts University (MA)
Total undergraduate enrollment: 5,907
2020-2021 tuition and fees: $60,862
Regular decision application deadline: Jan. 1
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30 (tie). University of California–Santa Barbara
Total undergraduate enrollment: 23,349
2020-2021 tuition and fees: $14,391 (in-state), $44,145 (out-of-state)
Regular decision application deadline: Nov. 30
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30 (tie). University of Florida
Total undergraduate enrollment: 35,405
2020-2021 tuition and fees: $6,380 (in-state), $28,658 (out-of-state)
Regular decision application deadline: March 1
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28 (tie). University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill
Total undergraduate enrollment: 19,355
2020-2021 tuition and fees: $9,021 (in-state), $36,200 (out-of-state)
Regular decision application deadline: Jan. 15
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28 (tie). Wake Forest University (NC)
Total undergraduate enrollment: 5,287
2020-2021 tuition and fees: $57,760
Regular decision application deadline: Jan. 1
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26 (tie). Carnegie Mellon University (PA)
Total undergraduate enrollment: 7,022
2020-2021 tuition and fees: $58,924
Regular decision application deadline: Jan. 1
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26 (tie). University of Virginia
Total undergraduate enrollment: 17,011
2020-2021 tuition and fees: $18,878 (in-state), $52,957 (out-of-state)
Regular decision application deadline: Jan. 1
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24 (tie). University of Michigan–Ann Arbor
Total undergraduate enrollment: 31,266
2020-2021 tuition and fees: $15,948 (in-state), $52,266 (out-of-state)
Regular decision application deadline: Feb. 1
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24 (tie). University of Southern California
Total undergraduate enrollment: 20,351
2020-2021 tuition and fees: $59,072
Regular decision application deadline: Jan. 15
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23. Georgetown University (DC)
Total undergraduate enrollment: 7,513
2020-2021 tuition and fees: $57,928
Regular decision application deadline: Jan. 10
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22. University of California–Berkeley
Total undergraduate enrollment: 31,780
2020-2021 tuition and fees: $14,226 (in-state), $43,980 (out-of-state)
Regular decision application deadline: Nov. 30
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21. Emory University (GA)
Total undergraduate enrollment: 7,118
2020-2021 tuition and fees: $53,868
Regular decision application deadline: Jan. 1
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20. University of California–Los Angeles
Total undergraduate enrollment: 31,543
2020-2021 tuition and fees: $13,226 (in-state); $42,980 (out-of-state)
Regular decision application deadline: Nov. 30
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19. University of Notre Dame (IN)
Total undergraduate enrollment: 8,731
2020-2021 tuition and fees: $57,699
Regular decision application deadline: Jan. 1
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18. Cornell University (NY)
Total undergraduate enrollment: 15,043
2020-2021 tuition and fees: $59,316
Regular decision application deadline: Jan. 2
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16 (tie). Rice University (TX)
Total undergraduate enrollment: 3,989
2020-2021 tuition and fees: $51,107
Regular decision application deadline: Jan.1
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16 (tie). Washington University in St. Louis
Total undergraduate enrollment: 7,822
2020-2021 tuition and fees: $57,386
Regular decision application deadline: Jan. 2
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14 (tie). Brown University (RI)
Total undergraduate enrollment: 7,160
2020-2021 tuition and fees: $60,696
Regular decision application deadline: Jan. 1
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14 (tie). Vanderbilt University (TN)
Total undergraduate enrollment: 6,886
2020-2021 tuition and fees: $54,158
Regular decision application deadline: Jan. 1
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13. Dartmouth College (NH)
Total undergraduate enrollment: 4,459
2020-2021 tuition and fees: $59,458
Regular decision application deadline: Jan. 2
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12. Duke University (NC)
Total undergraduate enrollment: 6,649
2020-2021 tuition and fees: $60,488
Regular decision application deadline: Jan. 3
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9 (tie). California Institute of Technology
Total undergraduate enrollment: 938
2020-2021 tuition and fees: $56,862
Regular decision application deadline: Jan. 3
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9 (tie). Johns Hopkins University (MD)
Total undergraduate enrollment: 6,256
2020-2021 tuition and fees: $57,010
Regular decision application deadline: Jan. 2
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9 (tie). Northwestern University (IL)
Total undergraduate enrollment: 8,327
2020-2021 tuition and fees: $58,701
Regular decision application deadline: Jan. 1
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8. University of Pennsylvania
Total undergraduate enrollment: 10,019
2020-2021 tuition and fees: $60,042
Regular decision application deadline: Jan. 5
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6 (tie). Stanford University (CA)
Total undergraduate enrollment: 6,996
2020-2021 tuition and fees: $56,169
Regular decision application deadline: Jan. 2
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6 (tie). University of Chicago
Total undergraduate enrollment: 6,734
2020-2021 tuition and fees: $59,298
Regular decision application deadline: Jan. 4
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4 (tie). Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Total undergraduate enrollment: 4,530
2020-2021 tuition and fees: $53,818
Regular decision application deadline: Jan. 1
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4 (tie). Yale University (CT)
Total undergraduate enrollment: 6,092
2020-2021 tuition and fees: $57,700
Regular decision application deadline: Jan. 2
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3. Columbia University (NY)
Total undergraduate enrollment: 6,245
2020-2021 tuition and fees: $64,380
Regular decision application deadline: Jan. 1
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2. Harvard University (MA)
Total undergraduate enrollment: 6,755
2020-2021 tuition and fees: $54,002
Regular decision application deadline: Jan. 1
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1. Princeton University (NJ)
Total undergraduate enrollment: 5,422
2020-2021 tuition and fees: $53,890
Regular decision application deadline: Jan.1
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Learn more about the Best Colleges rankings.
Check out the complete 2021 rankings, which include exclusive lists such as and . Sign up for to get tips for parents helping teens apply to college. Connect with U.S. News Education on and , and use the #BestColleges hashtag to share your thoughts on the rankings.
These are the top 40 National Universities.
1. Princeton University2. Harvard University
3. Columbia University
4 (tie). Massachusetts Institute of Technology
4 (tie). Yale University
6 (tie). Stanford University
6 (tie). University of Chicago
8. University of Pennsylvania
9 (tie). California Institute of Technology
9 (tie). Johns Hopkins University
9 (tie). Northwestern University
12. Duke University
13. Dartmouth College
14 (tie). Brown University
14 (tie). Vanderbilt University
16 (tie). Rice University
16 (tie). Washington University in St. Louis
18. Cornell University
19. University of Notre Dame
20. University of California–Los Angeles
21. Emory University
22. University of California–Berkeley
23. Georgetown University
24 (tie). University of Michigan–Ann Arbor
24 (tie). University of Southern California
26 (tie). Carnegie Mellon University
26 (tie). University of Virginia
28 (tie). University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill
28 (tie). Wake Forest University
30 (tie). New York University
30 (tie). Tufts University
30 (tie). University of California–Santa Barbara
30 (tie). University of Florida
34. University of Rochester
35 (tie). Boston College
35 (tie). Georgia Institute of Technology
35 (tie). University of California–Irvine
35 (tie). University of California–San Diego
39 (tie). University of California–Davis
39 (tie). William & Mary
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