Twelve New York Schools Rank in Top 100

Families comparing colleges now have the 2027 U.S. News list, which weighs graduation rates, retention and resources.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Higher Education

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U.S. News published its 2027 ranking of American universities, with MIT first overall, followed by Princeton, Harvard, Yale and Caltech. Twelve New York schools placed in the top 100 nationally.

Why it matters

Rankings like this shape how families compare schools during the application cycle, and the factors behind them include graduation rates, first-year retention, financial resources and student-faculty ratio. For students weighing cost against outcomes, the list offers one reference point among many.

Rankings were determined by graduation rates, first-year retention rates, financial resources and student-faculty ratio. Barnard College placed 19th and West Point placed ninth among liberal arts colleges, both listed in the ranking's separate categories.

The players

U.S. News

A publisher whose annual college rankings are widely used by families comparing undergraduate schools.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

A private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, ranked first overall in the 2027 list.

Columbia University

A private Ivy League university in New York City, ranked 12th nationally in the 2027 list.

The details

U.S. News weighs measurable outcomes and institutional resources to produce each school's position. Graduation rates and first-year retention indicate how many students finish and return, while financial resources and student-faculty ratio reflect the support available during enrollment. Schools are then sorted into national university and liberal arts college lists, with each school's placement reflecting its combined score across those measures.

November 6, 2026: U.S. News publishes the 2027 rankings.

Education Landscape

The annual U.S. News Best National Universities ranking has shaped how many families compare colleges for decades. This year's edition keeps the same measures, placing New York's schools prominently within a list dominated by long-established institutions.

If you are comparing schools, treat the ranking as one input alongside net price, aid offers and program fit. Ask each school's financial-aid office how its graduation and retention rates relate to the support available to students in your situation.

The takeaway

The ranking reflects graduation rates, retention, resources and faculty ratios, so the placements point to outcomes as well as prestige. Before deciding, check each school's net price and aid policy directly with its financial-aid office.