Top Universities in the US by State 2015/16

This article is for the QS World University Rankings® 2015/16 results. Click here to discover the top universities in the US in 2018.

A total of 154 top universities in the US are featured in the QS World University Rankings® 2015/16, 10 more than last year and more than any other country in the world. Of this number, 30 are ranked within the top 100 universities worldwide, and five are placed within the top 10. Read on for a breakdown of top universities in the US, state by state.

Top universities in Alabama

1. University of Alabama (ranked 601-650 in the world; joint 115^th in the US) 
2. University of Auburn (701+ in the world; joint 134^th in the US)

To find out more about studying in Alabama, visit our state guide >

Top universities in Arizona 

1. University of Arizona (joint 216^th in the world; joint 53^rd in the US)
2. Arizona State University (joint 249^th in the world; 55^th in the US)

To find out more about studying in Arizona, visit our state guide >

Top universities in Arkansas

University of Arkansas (701+ in the world, joint 134^th in the US)

To find out more about studying in Arkansas, visit our state guide >

Top universities in California

1. Stanford University – (joint 3^rd in the world; 3^rd in the US) 
   
2. California Institute of Technology (Caltech, 5^th in the world; 4^th in the US)
3. University of California, Berkeley (UCB, 26^th in the world; 12^th in the US)
4. University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA, 27^th in the world; 13^th in the US)
5. University of California, San Diego (UCSD, 44^th in the world; 17^th in the US)
6. University of California, Davis (UCD, joint 85^th in the world; 27^th in the US)
7. University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB, 129^th in the world; 36^th in the US)
8. University of Southern California (130^th in the world; 37^th in the US)
9. University of California, Irvine (UCI, 163^rd in the world; 41^st in the US)
10. University of California, Riverside (UCR, joint 265^th in the world; 58^th in the US)
11. University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC, joint 269^th in the world; joint 59^th in the US)
12. San Diego State University (New this year – 701+ in the world; joint 134^th in the US) 
13. University of San Diego (701+ in the world; joint 134^th in the US)
14. University of San Francisco (701+ in the world; joint 134^th in the US)
15. University of the Pacific (701+ in the world; joint 134^th in the US)

To find out more about studying in California, visit our state guide >

Top universities in Colorado 

1. University of Colorado at Boulder (175^th in the world; 45^th in the US)
2. Colorado State University (411-420 in the world; 83^rd in the US)
3. University of Colorado, Denver (411 -420 in the world; 84^th in the US)
4. University of Denver (651-700 in the world; joint 124^th in the US)

To find out more about studying in Colorado, visit our state guide >

Top universities in Connecticut

 

1. Yale University (15^th in the world; 7^th in the US)
2. University of Connecticut (390^th in the world; 78^th in the US) 

To find out more about studying in Connecticut, visit our state guide >

Top universities in Delaware

University of Delaware (421-430 in the world, 85^th in the US)

To find out more about studying in Delaware, visit our state guide >

Top universities in Florida 

1. University of Florida (180^th in the world; 46^th in the US)
2. University of Miami (280^th in the world; 61^st in the US)
3. Florida State University (401-410 in the world; 80^th in the US)
4. University of South Florida (501-550 in the world; joint 97^th in the US)
5. University of Central Florida (UCF, 701+ in the world; joint 134^th in the US)

To find out more about studying in Florida, visit our state guide >

Top universities in Georgia

1. Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech, 84^th in the world; 26^th in the US) 
   
2. Emory University (165^th in the world; 43^rd in the US)
3. University of Georgia (401-410 in the world; 81^st in the US)
4. Georgia State University (651-700 in the world; joint 124^th in the US)

To find out more about studying in Georgia, visit our state guide >

Top universities in Hawaii

University of Hawaii at Mā Noa (joint 327^th in the world; joint 65^th in the US)

To find out more about studying in Hawaii, visit our state guide > 

Top universities in Illinois

1. University of Chicago (10^th in the world; 5^th in the US) 
   
2. Northwestern University (32^nd in the world; 16^th in the US)
3. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (59^th in the world; 21^st in the US)
4. University of Illinois, Chicago (UIC, 185^th in the world; 47^th in the US)
5. Illinois Institute of Technology (431-440 in the world; 86^th in the US)
6. Loyola University Chicago (651-700 in the world; joint 124^th in the US)

To find out more about studying in Illinois, visit our state guide >

Top universities in Indiana

1. Purdue University (joint 89^th in the world; 28^th in the US) 
   
2. University of Notre Dame (joint 195^th in the world; 49^th in the US)
3. Indiana University Bloomington (joint 263^rd in the world; 57^th in the US)

 

To find out more about studying in Indiana, visit our state guide >

 

Top universities in Iowa

1. University of Iowa (joint 312^th in the world; 64^th in the US)
2. Iowa State University (joint 355^th in the world; 70^th in the US)

 

                   To find out more about studying in Iowa, visit our state guide >                 

 

Top universities in Kansas 

1. University of Kansas (393^rd in the world; 79^th in the US)
2. Kansas State University (701+ in the world; joint 134^th in the US)

To find out more about studying in Kansas, visit our state guide >

Top universities in Kentucky

University of Kentucky (551-600 in the world; joint 110^th in the US)

To find out more about studying in Kentucky, visit our state guide >

Top universities in Louisiana 

1. Tulane University (491-500 in the world; joint 96^th in the US)

2. Louisiana State University (LSU, 601-650 in the world; joint 115^th in the US)

To find out more about studying in Louisiana, visit our state guide >

Top universities in Maryland

1. Johns Hopkins University (16^th in the world; 8^th in the US)

2. University of Maryland, College Park (joint 126^th in the world; 35^th in the US)
3. University of Maryland, Baltimore County (431-440 in the world; 88^th in the US)

To find out more about studying in Maryland, visit our state guide >

Top universities in Massachusetts 

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT, 1^st in the world; 1^st in the US) 

2. Harvard University (2^nd in the world; 2^nd in the US)
3. Boston University (91^st in the world; 29^th in the US)
4. University of Massachusetts, Amherst (joint 243^rd in the world; 54^th in the US)
5. Tufts University (252^nd in the world; 56^th in the US)
6. Boston College (282^nd in the world; 62^nd in the US)
7. Brandeis University (joint 381^st in the world; 76^th in the US)
8. Northeastern University (365^th in the world; 72^nd in the US)
9. Clark University (501-550 in the world; joint 96^th in the US)
10.  University of Massachusetts, Boston (551-600 in the world, joint 110^th in the US)
11. Worcester Polytechnic Institute (551-600 in the world; joint 110^th in the US)
12. Smith College (701+ in the world; joint 134^th in the US)

To find out more about studying in Massachusetts, visit our state guide >

Top universities in Michigan

1. University of Michigan (joint 30^th in the world; 15^th in the US)
2. Michigan State University (164^th in the world; 42^nd in the US)
3. Wayne State University (501-550 in the world; joint 96^th in the US)
4. Michigan Technological University (501-550 in the world; joint 96^th in the US)

To find out more about studying in Michigan, visit our state guide >

Top universities in Minnesota

University of Minnesota (123^rd in the world; 34^th in the US)

To find out more about studying in Minnesota, visit our state guide >

Top universities in Mississippi

University of Mississippi (551-600 in the world; joint 110^th in the US)

To find out more about studying in Mississippi, visit our state guide >

Top universities in Missouri

1. Washington University in St. Louis (joint 110^th in the world; 33^rd in the US) 
   

2. Missouri University of Science and Technology (501-550 in the world; joint 96^th in the US)
3. University of Missouri, Columbia (Mizzou, 501-550 in the world; joint 96^th in the US)

To find out more about studying in Missouri, visit our state guide >

Top universities in Montana

University of Montana, Missoula (701+ in the world; joint 134^th in the US)

To find out more about studying in Montana, visit our state guide >

Top universities in Nebraska 

University of Nebraska, Lincoln (451-460 in the world; 91^st in the US)

To find out more about studying in Nebraska, visit our state guide >

Top universities in New Hampshire

1. Dartmouth College (158^th in the world; 39^th in the US)

2. University of New Hampshire (601-650 in the world; joint 115^th in the US)

To find out more about studying in New Hampshire, visit our state guide >

Top universities in New Jersey 

1. Princeton University (11^th in the world; 6^th in the US)

2. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick (joint 269^th in the world; joint 59^th in the US)
3. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark (601-650 in the world; joint 115^th in the US)
4. Stevens Institute of Technology (601-650 in the world; joint 115^th in the US)
5. New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT, 701+ in the world; joint 134^th in the US)

To find out more about studying in New Jersey, visit our state guide >

Top universities in New Mexico

University of New Mexico (431-440 in the world; 89^th in the US)

To find out more about studying in New Mexico, visit our state guide >

Top universities in New York 

1. Cornell University (17^th in the world; 9^th in the US)

1. Columbia University (22^nd in the world; 11^th in the US)

3. New York University (NYU, 53^rd in the world; 19^th in the US)
4. University of Rochester (joint 190^th in the world; 48^th in the US)
5. University at Buffalo SUNY (joint 338^th in the world; joint 67^th in the US)
6. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (joint 348^th in the world; 69^th in the US)
7. Stony Brook University (372^nd in the world; 75^th in the US)
8. Yeshiva University (joint 384^th in the world; 77^th  in the US)
9. City University of New York (461-470 in the world; 92^nd in the US)
10. Syracuse University (501-550 in the world; joint 96^th in the US)
11. New School University (601-650 in the world; joint 115^th in the US)
12. University at Albany SUNY (601-650 in the world; joint 115^th in the US) 
    
13. Clarkson University (601-650 in the world; joint 115^th in the US)
14. Binghamton University SUNY (701+ in the world; joint 134^th in the US)
15. Fordham University (701+ in the world; joint 134^th in the US)

To find out more about studying in New York, visit our state guide >

Top universities in North Carolina 

1. Duke University (29^th in the world; 14^th in the US)

2. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (79^th in the world; 25^th in the US)
3. North Carolina State University (joint 309^th in the world; 63^rd in the US)
4. Wake Forest University (461-470 in the world; 93^rd in the US)

To find out more about studying in North Carolina, visit our state guide >

Top universities in Ohio

1. Ohio State University (99^th in the world; 30^th in the US) 
   

2. Case Western Reserve University (215^th in the world; 51^st in the US)
3. University of Cincinnati (501-550 in the world; joint 96^th in the US)
4. Kent State University (701+ in the world; joint 134^th in the US)
5. Miami University (701+ in the world; joint 134^th in the US)
6. Ohio University (701+ in the world; joint 134^th in the US)

To find out more about studying in Ohio, visit our state guide >

Top universities in Oklahoma

1. University of Oklahoma (471-480 in the world; 94^th in the US)

2. Oklahoma State University (701+ in the world; joint 134^th in the US)
3. University of Tulsa (701+ in the world; joint 134^th in the US) 

To find out more about studying in Oklahoma, visit our state guide >

Top universities in Oregon 

1. Oregon State University (431-440 in the world; 87^th in the US) 

2. University of Oregon (501-550 in the world; joint 96^th in the US)

To find out more about studying in Oregon, visit our state guide >

Top universities in Pennsylvania

1. University of Pennsylvania (18^th in the world; 10^th in the US)

2. Carnegie Mellon University (joint 62^nd in the world; 22^nd in the US)
3. Pennsylvania State University (101^st in the world; 31^st in the US)
4. University of Pittsburgh (joint 133^rd in the world; 38^th in the US)
5. Drexel University (501-550 in the world; joint 96^th in the US)
6. Lehigh University (501-550 in the world; joint 96^th in the US)
7. Temple University (601-650 in the world; joint 115^th in the US)

To find out more about studying in Pennsylvania, visit our state guide >

Top universities in Rhode Island 

Brown University (49^th in the world; 18^th in the US)

To find out more about studying in Rhode Island, visit our state guide >

Top universities in South Carolina

1. University of South Carolina (501-550 in the world; joint 96^th in the US)

2. Clemson University (651-700 in the world; joint 124^th in the US)

To find out more about studying in South Carolina, visit our state guide >

Top universities in Tennessee

1. Vanderbilt University (joint 216^th in the world; joint 52^nd in the US) 
   

2. University of Tennessee (451-460 in the world; 91^st in the US)

To find out more about studying in Tennessee, visit our state guide >

Top universities in Texas

1. University of Texas at Austin (77^th in the world; 24^th in the US)

2. Rice University (106^th in the world; 32^nd in the US)
3. Texas A&M University (159^th in the world; 40^th in the US)
4. University of Texas at Dallas (401-410 in the world; 82^nd in the US)
5. University of Houston (501-550 in the world; joint 96^th in the US)
6. Southern Methodist University (701+ in the world; joint 134^th in the US)
7. Baylor University (701+ in the world; joint 134^th in the US)

To find out more about studying in Texas, visit our state guide >

Top universities in Utah 

1. University of Utah (joint 369^th in the world; 73^rd in the US)

2. Brigham Young University (651-700 in the world; joint 124^th in the US)
3. Utah State University (701+ in the world; joint 134^th in the US)

To find out more about studying in Utah, visit our state guide >

Top universities in Vermont

University of Vermont (551-600 in the world; joint 110^th in the US)

To find out more about studying in Vermont, visit our state guide >

Top universities in Virginia 

1. University of Virginia (172^nd in the world; 44^th in the US)

2. Virginia Polytechnic Institute (Virginia Tech, joint 338th in the world; joint 67th in the US)
3. College of William & Mary (551-600 in the world; joint 110^th in the US)
4. George Mason University (651-700 in the world; joint 124^th in the US)
5. Virginia Commonwealth University (651-700 in the world; joint 124^th in the US)

To find out more about studying in Virginia, visit our state guide >

Top universities in Washington

1. University of Washington (65^th in the world; 23^rd in the US)

2. Washington State University (joint 361^st in the world; 71^st in the US)

To find out more about studying in Washington, visit our state guide >

Top universities in Washington DC

1. Georgetown University (joint 213^th in the world; 50^th in the US) 

2. George Washington University (joint 327^th in the world; joint 65^th in the US)
3. American University (joint 373^rd  in the world; 75^th in the US)
4. Howard University (651-700 in the world; joint 124^th in the US)

To find out more about studying in Washington DC, visit our state guide >

Top universities in Wisconsin

1. University of Wisconsin-Madison (54^th in the world; 20^th in the US)

2. Marquette University (701+ in the world; joint 134^th in the US)

To find out more about studying in Wisconsin, visit our state guide >

Top universities in Wyoming

University of Wyoming (651-700 in the world; joint 124^th in the US)

To find out more about studying in Wyoming, visit our state guide >