Does this college have a good academic reputation? How do I understand US college rankings? Does university ranking matter? What are the best US universities? As international students considering US colleges and universities, you may be asking questions like these. Additionally, US university ranking methodology may be new to you.
So, how can you use national university rankings to help decide on the best US universities and colleges that align with your academic goals? Read on to learn all about US university rankings, top 10 US universities, and accredited universities.
What Are the Top 10 US Universities?
First, a little background: There are several organizations that rate and rank universities and colleges in the US. In addition, there are also several US university ranking lists, including US top universities, top public universities, and even top universities for different fields of study.
That said, there are no official US university rankings, and the top 10 US universities will vary by ranking organizations. The U.S. Department of Education does not release an official list of who is best or how to judge different institutions. Instead, in the US, private organizations determine the criteria that indicate the quality of education, resulting in their own ranked lists of best US universities.
Learn more about the US higher education system >
Who Decides the US University Rankings?
The most well-known college ranking organizations are U.S. News & World Report, QS World University Rankings, Shanghai, and Times Higher Education. They annually provide both US university ranking lists and world university rankings.
Criteria for a US University Ranking
What is the university ranking methodology each organization uses, and how can you understand the US top university rankings? Take a look:
Times Higher Education’s World University Rankings evaluate teaching quality, research environment, research quality, international outlook, and industry. They also rank the best universities in the USA, UK, Canada, Germany, and France.
QS World University Rankings use a global survey of institutional professionals that assesses universities based on academic reputation (30%) and employer reputation (20%). The methodology also considers research quality, teaching, employability, and internationalization, while providing rankings by location for India, China, Japan, South Korea, and Mexico.
U.S. News & World Report Best Global Universities rankings use 19 criteria to assess institutions, focusing on reputational, research, graduate outcomes, financial aid, and publication categories. Additionally, for its US rankings, U.S. News & World Report has many other categories, including Best National Universities, Best National Liberal Arts Colleges, and Best Graduate Programs (for several different academic areas).
The Shanghai list relies on the quality of education and faculty, research output, and per capita performance. Their rankings also provide a breakdown of the top institutions by country, including China.
With their world university rankings, these four top university ranking groups show how different universities measure up against the global competition.
You may also want to look at US college and university rankings from Forbes, Money, and Princeton Review, but be aware that these tend to be “top 50” or “top 100” types of list and are not typically comprehensive.
Now, let’s take a look at accreditations.
What Does Accredited Mean?
Simply put, accreditation is an indicator of the quality of an academic program at a university or college.
The Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) says that “in the United States, accreditation is a major way that students, families, government officials, and the press know that an institution or program provides a quality education.”
If you are considering accredited vs. non-accredited schools, accredited colleges have passed a quality evaluation, but non-accredited institutions have not.
How Does a College Get Accredited?
While the federal government does not regulate how educational institutions operate, CHEA can accredit or approve various accrediting bodies in the US. The council oversees seven regional accrediting organizations and around 60 national accreditation groups that focus on online education, career, and vocational training, English as a second language instruction, and various academic programs (such as business or tech).
Typically, if a university or college has an excellent reputation in an academic field that can be accredited, it is a good bet that they have that accreditation.
Some of the primary groups that grant accreditation are:
ABET — for engineering, engineering technology, computing, applied and natural sciences programs. Approximately 900 colleges in 40 countries have ABET accreditation, with more than 800 programs in the US.
American Bar Association (ABA) — for law programs. There are approximately 200 accredited law institutions and programs in the US.
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) — for business and accounting programs. More than 1,000 institutions worldwide have this accreditation, including 176 business and accounting programs in the US.
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) — for nursing programs. There are more than 760 CCNE-accredited nursing degree programs in the US.
Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) — for medical schools. More than 150 US institutions have LCME accreditation.
Having regional accreditation is seen as the gold standard of quality in the US. (You can check out this list of all the higher education accreditation organizations if you would like to learn more.)
Does Accreditation Matter for International Students?
For international students who want to study in the US, it is a good idea to apply to accredited colleges and universities only — this will ensure that you attend a quality school for your bachelor degree or graduate degree.
Additionally, if you need to transfer from one US university to another, course credits taken at unaccredited colleges would not transfer to an accredited university, so accredited colleges give you more flexibility.
Finally, employers in your home country and post-graduate programs will likely only recognize degrees from accredited US colleges and universities, so this is an important distinction as you think about your career prospects after graduation.
Should the US University Ranking Affect My College Application Process?
Good news: When it comes to the US institutions listed in various world university rankings, they are all accredited, top-tier colleges and universities.
US universities have a distinct advantage with top global university rankings, both in quality and quantity. Because there are nearly 4,000 accredited universities and colleges in the United States, a top-200 school in the US might be a top-10 school in a country with only 150 universities.
Here is what we mean: If you told your parents you are considering only US colleges and universities ranked in the top 10%, would they be happy? Probably yes, right? But if that is the case, you would be considering 400 to 500 universities and colleges!
Then, let us go one step further. Consider American University, ranked #105 in U.S. News & World Report Best National Universities category. American University is ranked by QS Top Universities in the 791-800 range; a Chinese university in that same ranking category is Sichuan University. In China, Sichuan is among the top 30 universities in China, according to U.S. News & World Report global university rankings.
India’s third-best university, according to this same ranking, is the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay. In U.S. News’ global rankings, IIT Bombay is listed at #583.
On the other hand, Florida International University ranks #124 in U.S. News & World Report Best National Universities rankings (in the US) and #468 in the global rankings. So, a US university ranked in the top 200 might be perceived to be better ranked than a top-10 university in India.
In the end, for students looking to study at a US top university (e.g., in the top 400 national universities), the quality of those colleges places them among the best in the world.
Shorelight Universities that Rank
All Shorelight universities are accredited, and several are within the top 250 on U.S. News & World Report’s Best National Universities rankings.
See a complete list of Shorelight universities rankings >
Some even get special rankings: In 2023, for instance, U.S. News & World Report ranked the University of South Carolina #1 for the Best First-Year Experience. In the same year, the University of the Pacific ranked #21 among Payscale College Salary Report’s Best Schools for Engineering Majors by Salary Potential.
Additionally, Shorelight universities such as American University, University of Utah, and University of the Pacific have outstanding accredited degree options in many fields, including:
See a complete list of partner university undergraduate degree programs and graduate degree programs >
Shorelight Can Help
As you figure out what you are searching for in a US college or university, let your decisions be guided first by the accreditations and then by the different rankings the institution holds. There will certainly be other factors that will influence your college decision — such as costs, size, location, programs, and activities — but you will be off to a great start by looking first at accreditation and rankings, including whether it is considered a US top university.
Remember: Finding the right university for you starts with finding the best information. You can find more resources for international students, such as application assistance at Shorelight.com, or reach out to a campus advisor for personalized help.
