Wondering to pursue higher studies in the USA? Confused about the top universities in the USA? Then you are on the right page. The land of opportunity, initiators of Rock n Roll, home for Woodstock, is today home for people from all around the globe. To put things in perspective, there are more than 15 countries in the world with a population lesser than the number of Indians in the USA. So, if you pursue higher study in the USA, don’t get surprised to find some of your classmates talking about tandoori chicken in a recently acquired accent. Boasting the Ivy League and seven universities in the world’s top ten list, America has become the most preferred study destination in the world. The liberal and modern study in the USA is tempting Indian students, just like the Pied Piper of Hamlin. Indians are the second largest international students in America with more than 1 lakh enrollments every year.
Do you know?
According to NCES, about 4,000 colleges and universities across the country now welcome international students to study in the United States. According to the QS World University Rankings, 2023, the USA comprises 45 of the top 200 universities in the world.
So, without taking much time let’s dive into the info you wanted…
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What all is covered in this post?
To make it easier for you, we have created a quick guide to everything you need to know about top universities in the USA.
List of top 10 universities in the USA
With a significant number of universities listed among the best universities by various well-known ranking organizations, the US has truly set the benchmark for education standards. The following table contains some of the best universities to study in USA:
| University | QS Ranking 2023 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | #1 |
| Stanford University | #3 |
| Harvard University | #5 |
| California Institute of Technology | =#6 |
| The University of Chicago | #10 |
| University of Pennsylvania | #13 |
| Princeton University | =#16 |
| Yale University | #18 |
| Cornell University | #20 |
| Columbia University | #22 |
How to get into top universities in USA?
Admission requirements vary widely among programs and top universities in the USA. Below are some general admission requirements for US colleges:
- A minimum GPA of 3.0-4.0 (~83-100%)
- Academic and professional LOR, based on the program requirements
- Application fees
- Competitive SAT or ACT scores
- CV/resume
- English proficiency test scores
- GRE or GMAT scores
- Official evaluation of scores by recognized foreign score evaluators
- Official transcripts, mark sheets, and proof of degree
- Proof of financial availability to support the expenses in the USA
- SOP
- Translated copies of documents in regional languages
About the top 10 universities in the USA
In this section, we will discuss the above-mentioned top 10 universities in the USA:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
MIT is a private institution located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT is a diverse university with 29.1% (3,411) international students. Most international students are enrolled in MIT’s STEM master’s courses. In 2021, the most enrolled programs at the university were MS Management Studies and MS Mechanical Engineering. Ranked #1 in the world, MIT has received global recognition for its affordability.
Stanford University
Founded in 1885, Stanford includes seven academic schools and 18 interdisciplinary schools. International students choose Stanford mainly for graduate studies. There are over 200 graduate courses to choose from in over 90 subject areas. When it comes to popular programs, the Stanford MBA is one of the best in the world. The number of students indicates the popularity of engineering courses. In the last academic year, about 40% of graduate students enrolled in engineering courses. The acceptance rate for engineering programs at Stanford University is 5.03%.
Harvard University
Harvard University is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and offers admission in the fall, winter, spring, and summer. Harvard, founded in 1636, has three campuses – Cambridge, Allston, and Boston. The Ivy League USA institution is home to 16% of international students from over 150 countries, including 613 Indian students and scholars.
Harvard University’s acceptance rate is just 4.7% for undergraduate programs and 10.3% for MBA programs for fall admission. There are about 90 undergraduate and 150 graduate programs to choose from. Of these, Harvard University’s popular programs include business administration, law, and medicine. Harvard’s admissions requirements are similar to any other Ivy League college, but only the academic elite are admitted.
California Institute of Technology
The California Institute of Technology, known as CalTech, is a well-known science and technology research institute. It is one of the most difficult institutes to get admission in the USA. Caltech enrolls fewer than 1,000 undergraduate students per academic year. The university shows an acceptance rate of 6.7%, demonstrating a highly selective admissions policy.
The university’s international population is about 7.9% in undergraduate programs and 44.53% in graduate programs. Caltech does not have a minimum grade point average requirement. However, most accepted applicants have a GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale (~89-90%) and are in the top 10% of their class.
The University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university located in the heart of Chicago, the third most populous city in the United States. For the Class of 2025, the University of Chicago campus received 37,977 applications. Of those, 2,460 were accepted, which is about 6.47% at the University of Chicago.
The University of Chicago offers programs in more than 52 majors and 45 minors, as well as 101 graduate programs in six professional schools, five graduate research departments, and a college. Two of the most popular courses at the University of Chicago are the Master of Business Administration and the Master of Computer Science.
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania or UPenn is a private Ivy League school founded in 1740. The university is home to one of the premier medical schools and the Wharton B-School. As of 2022, UPenn is home to more than 28,000 students, including 13% of international students. UPenn’s graduate courses are quite popular, especially the courses offered by the School of Arts and Sciences, the Wharton B-School, and the School of Engineering. This indicates that admission to Penn is highly competitive. The overall acceptance rate for the University of Pennsylvania is 5.9%. Students with a GPA of 3.9/4 (94%) and above showed more successful selection than others.
Princeton University
Princeton University is one of the best research institutes in the United States and a member of the Ivy League. The university demonstrates interdisciplinary research collaboration and is known for computer science (12.5%), econometrics, and quantitative economics (9.9%). Princeton University’s campus is huge with trendy facilities in 5 schools and colleges, 200+ campus buildings, 6 residential colleges, 17 campus chaplaincies, and 10 libraries. The university has more than 8,000 students, of which 98% of undergraduate students and 70% of graduate students live on campus.
Yale University
Yale University is an Ivy League school ranked first among US News & World Report’s Best Value Schools. For an Indian student, Yale University’s tuition fee is around 60 lakhs per year. The university supports its students by offering them scholarships worth Rs 38 lakh, bringing the total cost of attendance down to Rs 22 lakh. Yale University’s affordable course fees are the reason why 22% of international students are on campus. International students represent more than 120 different nationalities and countries. Compared to undergraduate courses, the number of international students enrolled in Yale University’s graduate courses is slightly higher.
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League institution that offers education at a variety of academic levels. Cornell University, founded in 1865, is best known for its engineering programs. Cornell Engineering is the highest ranked engineering school among Ivy League institutions with 14 undergraduate majors, and 15 graduate majors. In all, international students can choose from 80 undergraduate majors, 122 minors, and interdisciplinary graduate programs at Cornell University in 110 fields.
Columbia University
Columbia University is a private research university known for its academics, accommodations, and proportion of international students. Columbia University has more than 17,000 international students. In 2021, 1,134 Indian students were enrolled in the graduate program. As an Ivy League institution based in New York, the cost of attendance at Columbia is high. The average GPA of students admitted to the UG program is 3.19 (~86%) and that of PG programs is 3.6 (~91%) on a 4.0 scale. The most enrolled PG program at Columbia University is Foundation in Engineering and Applied Sciences with 3,043 international students.
Ten Top Universities in USA for Arts and Humanities
- Harvard University
- University of California, Berkeley (UCB)
- Stanford University
- Yale University
- Columbia University
- New York University (NYU)
- University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
- University of Chicago
- Princeton University
Ten Top Universities in USA for Engineering & Tech
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
- Stanford University
- University of California, Berkeley (UCB)
- Harvard University
- California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
- Georgia Institute of Technology
- Carnegie Mellon University
- University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
- Univ. of Texas at Austin
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Ten Top Universities in USA for Life Science & Medicine
- Harvard University
- Johns Hopkins University
- Stanford University
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
- University of California, San Francisco
- UCLA
- Yale University
- University of California, San Diego (UCSD)
- Washington University
- University of Pennsylvania
Ten Top Universities in USA for Social Sciences & Management
- Harvard University
- Stanford University
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
- University of California, Berkeley (UCB)
- Yale University
- Columbia University
- Chicago University
- University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
- New York University (NYU)
- University of Pennsylvania
Ten Top Universities in USA for Accounting & Finance
- Harvard University
- Stanford University
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
- University of Chicago
- Pennsylvania University
- University of California, Berkeley (UCB)
- New York University (NYU)
- Columbia University
- Yale University
- University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
Ten Top Universities in USA for Sports-Related Subjects
- University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
- Florida University
- Pennsylvania State University
- The Ohio State University
- University of Massachusetts Amherst
- North Carolina University, Chapel Hill
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Cornell University
- Michigan State University
Ten Top Universities in USA for Law & Legal Studies
- Harvard University
- Yale University
- Stanford University
- New York University (NYU)
- Columbia University
- University of California, Berkeley (UCB)
- Chicago University
- Georgetown University
- University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
- Pennsylvania University
The factors that are considered by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) while ranking include:
- Academic Reputation (40%)
- Employer Reputation (10%)
- Faculty/Student Ratio (20%)
- Citations per faculty (20%)
- International Faculty Ratio (5%)
- International Student Ratio (5%)
In conclusion
There you go. Loads of options to choose from. In fact, these top universities in the USA differ in rank because of fractional scores only. Not a major difference at all. Winning an entry into any one of these will serve you for your life. Getting a college pedigree is a big thing in the industry today! The big packages go to them eventually!
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FAQs
The fact that you will be investing a lot of time, energy, and money to get a master’s degree in the US, it is very important to do your research before you complete your studies at any of the master’s colleges in the US. For this, you can keep the following criteria in mind: QS ranking, subjects, tuition fees, and location.
No student pays tuition fees at Berea College, Kentucky. The Tuition Promise Scholarship covers any remaining tuition costs for all admitted students after using state, federal, and institutional aid.
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Anushree has 4+ years of experience in the career counseling industry as a Content Writer. She has also worked as a Social Media Marketing Expert for a startup and Content Quality Analyst for Publishing and E-learning Industry. She has done her Master’s in Commerce and PGDM in Finance & Trade and Marketing & HR, but she is currently following her passion for writing.
