This page compares the acceptance rate, SAT scores, and tuition & fees between Top 10 Colleges selected by US News. Princeton University rank first and Massachusetts Institute of Technology is positioned in second place in the Top 10 Colleges by US News.
Academic Comparison Between Top 10 Colleges by US News
All colleges in the Top 10 Colleges ranking are private schools.
For the academic year 2024, the average acceptance rate of the schools is 5.18% where Harvard University has the tightest (lowest) rate of 3.00% and Johns Hopkins University has the highest rate of 7.00%. The average SAT score of the schools is 1,545 and Massachusetts Institute of Technology has the highest SAT score with 1,560.
Total 206,349 students including both undergraduate and graduate students are attending one of the schools. Johns Hopkins University is the largest with 32,049 students and California Institute of Technology is the smallest with 2,397 students. The average graduation rate is 95.91% and the average students to faculty ratio is 5.27 to 1.
The following table compares the Top 10 Colleges by US News with admission rate, SAT score, and other academic facts.
| Rank | Name | Acceptance Rate | SAT Score | Graduation Rate | Population | Student-Faculty Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Princeton University Princeton, NJ | 6.00% | 1,540 | 98% | 8,478 | 5 to 1 |
| 2 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA | 4.00% | 1,560 | 96% | 11,934 | 3 to 1 |
| 3 | Harvard University Cambridge, MA | 3.00% | 1,550 | 97% | 31,345 | 7 to 1 |
| 3 | Stanford University Stanford, CA | 4.00% | 1,550 | 96% | 17,680 | 5 to 1 |
| 3 | Yale University New Haven, CT | 5.00% | 1,540 | 97% | 14,567 | 6 to 1 |
| 6 | University of Chicago Chicago, IL | 5.00% | 1,540 | 96% | 18,832 | 5 to 1 |
| 7 | Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD | 7.00% | 1,550 | 95% | 32,049 | 6 to 1 |
| 7 | University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA | 7.00% | 1,540 | 96% | 28,038 | 6 to 1 |
| 9 | California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA | 3.00% | - | 93% | 2,397 | 3 to 1 |
| 10 | Duke University Durham, NC | 6.00% | 1,550 | 96% | 17,620 | 6 to 1 |
| 10 | Northwestern University Evanston, IL | 7.00% | 1,530 | 95% | 23,409 | 6 to 1 |
| Average | 5.18% | 1,545 | 95.91% | 206,349 (Total) | 5.27 to 1 |
Best Us Top 10 Colleges 2023 Tuition Comparison and 2024 Estimated Costs
The following table lists and compares 2022-2023 tuition & fees between the best us top 10 colleges. The 2022-2023 costs are officially published by NCES, National Center for Education Statistics.
The estimated costs for the academic year 2023-2024 are estimated based on each school's rate of tuition change from 2022 to 2023.
For the undergraduate programs, the average tuition & fees of the best us top 10 colleges is $60,776 where University of Chicago has the most expensive costs at $64,260 and Harvard University has the lowest amount of tuition at $57,261.
The average graduate tuition & fees of the best us top 10 colleges is $57,107 where University of Chicago has the highest tuition with $66,492 and University of Pennsylvania has the lowest amount of graduate school tuition with $44,162.
| Rank | School Name | 2023 Tuition & Fees | 2024 Estimated Tuition & Fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Princeton University | $57,410 | $58,845 |
| 2 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | $57,986 | $60,174 |
| 3 | Harvard University | $57,261 | $58,985 |
| 3 | Stanford University | $58,416 | $60,753 |
| 3 | Yale University | $62,250 | $64,638 |
| 6 | University of Chicago | $64,260 | $67,735 |
| 7 | Johns Hopkins University | $60,480 | $62,293 |
| 7 | University of Pennsylvania | $63,452 | $65,243 |
| 9 | California Institute of Technology | $60,864 | $63,129 |
| 10 | Duke University | $62,688 | $65,231 |
| 10 | Northwestern University | $63,468 | $66,288 |
| Average | $60,776 | $63,029 |
| Rank | School Name | 2023 Tuition & Fees | 2024 Estimated Tuition & Fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Princeton University | $60,410 | $62,075 |
| 2 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | $61,075 | $63,258 |
| 3 | Harvard University | $53,760 | $55,398 |
| 3 | Stanford University | $57,210 | $59,497 |
| 3 | Yale University | $46,900 | $48,132 |
| 6 | University of Chicago | $66,492 | $69,150 |
| 7 | Johns Hopkins University | $62,962 | $64,773 |
| 7 | University of Pennsylvania | $44,162 | $45,427 |
| 9 | California Institute of Technology | $60,657 | $62,955 |
| 10 | Duke University | $61,522 | $63,999 |
| 10 | Northwestern University | $53,024 | $49,703 |
| Average | $57,107 | $58,579 |
