College Guide

Rankings

Below are the Washington Monthly's 2012 national universities rankings. We rate schools based on their contribution to the public good in three broad categories: Social Mobility (recruiting and graduating low-income students), Research (producing cutting-edge scholarship and PhDs), and Service (encouraging students to give something back to their country). For an explanation of each category, click here. For more information about the overall goals of the rankings, click here. To learn more about our methodology, click here.

Use the above dropdown menu to switch to different categories of schools. Click on the "sort" button at the top of each column to sort schools by that category. You can also sort the list by state or by name of college. * Indicates a public school, ° indicates a for-profit school.

sort	Institution sort a-z sort by state		Social Mobility sort					Research sort									Service sort

		Overall Score	Students receiving Pell grants	Net price	Predicted grad rate Actual grad rate Rank			Research expenditures, in millions Rank		Bachelor's to PhD rank	Science & engineering PhD's awarded Rank		Faculty receiving significant awards Rank		Faculty in national academies Rank		Peace Corps Rank	ROTC Rank	Federal work-study funds spent on service Rank		Community service participation and hours served Rank	Service staff, courses and financial aid support Rank
1	University of California-San Diego (CA)*	100	44%	12209	82%	86%	64	943	6	39	378	23	1.2%	12	4.1%	8	33	220	32%	29	10	117
2	Texas A&M; University (TX)*	91	21%	11808	67%	80%	23	690	19	87	425	15	0.6%	50	0.8%	53	119	1	37%	16	53	120
3	Stanford University (CA)	90	15%	20358	90%	95%	168	840	8	6	559	5	1.2%	14	7.4%	4	46	221	29%	36	78	49
4	Univ. of North Carolina-Chapel Hill (NC)*	89	18%	9013	81%	88%	13	755	14	38	387	21	1.0%	25	0.9%	48	8	133	19%	104	8	21
5	University of California-Berkeley (CA)*	87	26%	15825	90%	91%	139	694	18	16	678	1	1.4%	8	8.6%	2	34	205	18%	105	125	109
6	University of California-Los Angeles (CA)*	85	30%	13796	84%	90%	80	937	7	29	545	7	1.0%	27	2.4%	16	25	156	20%	92	11	105
7	Case Western Reserve University (OH)	84	20%	25560	84%	82%	246	418	40	14	177	61	1.0%	26	1.3%	36	7	197	47%	6	139	8
8	University of Washington-Seattle (WA)*	84	22%	8921	69%	80%	6	1023	4	53	489	13	1.0%	20	2.6%	12	23	108	18%	112	150	92
9	University of California-Riverside (CA)*	82	46%	11455	66%	68%	68	130	107	121	144	80	1.2%	11	0.6%	63	163	232	57%	2	1	145
10	Georgia Institute of Technology-Main (GA)*	81	14%	8167	79%	80%	21	616	24	41	390	20	2.0%	3	2.7%	10	158	62	12%	185	51	114
11	Harvard University (MA)	81	15%	16459	90%	97%	106	583	29	12	425	15	1.6%	5	8.4%	3	102	217	28%	41	150	149
12	University of Texas at El Paso (TX)*	79	64%	2466	30%	35%	1	69	145	183	47	154	0.3%	159	0.0%	157	246	134	22%	72	150	149
13	University of Michigan-Ann Arbor (MI)*	79	15%	14355	81%	90%	66	1184	2	33	613	3	0.8%	37	1.4%	32	29	105	11%	201	43	54
14	University of California-Santa Barbara (CA)*	77	34%	13310	72%	79%	60	226	78	47	209	51	1.2%	10	4.7%	7	27	203	16%	124	20	94
15	Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MA)	77	19%	18644	95%	93%	192	677	22	2	549	6	0.6%	62	5.2%	6	177	51	15%	138	150	149
16	University of Notre Dame (IN)	76	12%	23445	99%	96%	238	110	117	26	114	100	1.1%	16	0.3%	92	17	7	29%	37	75	19
17	University of California-Davis (CA)*	75	38%	12853	77%	82%	67	680	21	43	417	19	0.6%	57	1.2%	40	47	180	26%	45	67	112
18	University of Wisconsin-Madison (WI)*	72	13%	14063	78%	83%	87	1029	3	36	538	8	1.0%	21	2.0%	21	30	142	17%	121	97	100
19	Cornell University (NY)	72	15%	22537	92%	93%	205	750	16	11	423	17	0.6%	52	2.3%	18	16	162	11%	213	80	34
20	Princeton University (NJ)	71	10%	17568	97%	96%	179	243	71	3	235	44	2.2%	2	7.3%	5	138	126	13%	164	150	149
21	University of Florida (FL)*	71	28%	10476	75%	84%	22	682	20	44	632	2	0.5%	86	0.5%	71	38	82	9%	243	150	149
22	Univ. of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign (IL)*	71	18%	15024	80%	84%	105	515	32	40	575	4	1.4%	7	2.4%	17	65	101	24%	52	150	149
23	University of Texas at Austin (TX)*	70	25%	13435	73%	80%	59	590	27	52	484	14	1.1%	15	2.5%	15	73	169	39%	12	150	149
24	College of William and Mary (VA)*	70	9%	11163	84%	90%	34	57	150	13	31	188	0.6%	69	0.0%	157	4	109	19%	95	18	38
25	Tufts University (MA)	69	10%	24754	92%	91%	231	156	98	20	105	103	0.9%	29	0.9%	49	5	187	22%	74	92	6
26	Duke University (NC)	69	13%	20845	95%	94%	207	983	5	10	259	36	0.7%	42	1.7%	26	35	47	12%	191	98	99
27	University of Pennsylvania (PA)	67	13%	21731	94%	96%	191	836	9	24	316	28	0.7%	48	2.0%	22	106	202	37%	18	93	91
28	University of Minnesota-Twin Cities (MN)*	67	20%	14990	70%	70%	137	786	12	80	503	11	0.8%	40	0.9%	50	71	165	34%	22	61	128
29	University of Chicago (IL)	66	18%	24321	91%	93%	214	438	37	7	242	41	0.6%	65	1.7%	27	12	235	29%	38	150	149
30	Vanderbilt University (TN)	65	12%	18775	90%	91%	176	505	33	32	196	56	0.6%	63	0.7%	61	67	89	33%	24	14	106
31	Syracuse University (NY)	65	26%	24306	70%	82%	151	107	120	122	96	108	0.7%	43	0.3%	87	53	110	23%	57	37	1
32	Dartmouth College (NH)	65	14%	19353	94%	95%	184	194	86	5	75	124	0.9%	30	1.6%	29	14	209	11%	211	54	67
33	North Carolina A&T; State University (NC)*	65	61%	4728	36%	38%	2	35	177	179	15	220	0.4%	119	0.0%	157	242	23	12%	188	150	149
34	Michigan State University (MI)*	65	25%	14722	68%	77%	69	431	38	111	323	27	0.6%	68	0.3%	101	49	124	18%	107	52	40
35	Carnegie Mellon University (PA)	64	14%	30178	91%	86%	271	223	79	19	219	48	0.9%	33	2.7%	11	58	139	38%	14	76	137
36	Columbia Univ. in the City of NY (NY)	64	16%	18253	90%	93%	148	807	11	15	352	24	0.7%	45	2.9%	9	48	241	20%	90	150	149
37	Ohio State University-Main (OH)*	64	18%	18253	70%	78%	126	755	15	101	517	10	0.6%	71	0.7%	57	82	98	23%	62	83	119
38	Rice University (TX)	63	15%	17823	94%	92%	189	98	122	9	145	79	0.6%	56	1.8%	24	10	216	10%	216	94	69
39	Washington University-St. Louis (MO)	63	7%	31391	95%	94%	262	696	17	21	197	54	0.8%	34	1.3%	35	32	206	13%	167	5	85
40	Brandeis University (MA)	62	19%	25312	88%	91%	211	71	141	18	56	145	2.3%	1	2.6%	14	62	259	11%	204	109	87
41	Yale University (CT)	62	12%	17634	94%	96%	154	624	23	4	268	34	1.0%	23	2.6%	13	51	254	13%	179	150	149
42	North Carolina State Univ.-Raleigh (NC)*	62	20%	8816	67%	73%	16	361	50	93	345	25	0.6%	60	1.0%	44	125	36	14%	149	64	134
43	Utah State University (UT)*	62	22%	9702	53%	55%	31	149	101	109	56	145	1.1%	17	0.1%	133	208	28	58%	1	150	149
44	Virginia Poly. Institute & State Univ. (VA)*	61	13%	15937	75%	80%	111	398	43	57	304	30	0.5%	84	0.6%	65	78	3	9%	247	57	111
45	Arizona State University (AZ)*	61	31%	8784	50%	59%	7	329	57	185	279	32	0.3%	129	0.8%	55	122	131	21%	76	133	139
46	Johns Hopkins University (MD)	61	9%	27461	93%	90%	255	2004	1	23	382	22	1.0%	19	2.2%	19	18	123	12%	181	150	149
47	Jackson State University (MS)*	60	78%	9225	34%	40%	17	45	165	92	27	197	0.0%	217	0.0%	157	247	53	13%	173	150	149
48	University of Virginia-Main (VA)*	60	11%	11752	85%	93%	36	276	67	25	205	53	0.5%	82	1.3%	33	11	52	20%	85	150	149
49	California Institute of Technology (CA)	60	6%	21627	100%	90%	267	362	49	1	179	59	1.6%	4	11.6%	1	134	259	6%	270	150	149
50	University of Southern California (CA)	60	16%	28167	94%	89%	266	593	26	104	343	26	0.4%	107	1.3%	37	110	137	47%	4	106	72
51	University of Memphis (TN)*	60	46%	9398	35%	36%	38	50	161	207	48	152	0.2%	182	0.0%	157	210	63	9%	225	68	5
52	George Washington University (DC)	60	12%	27095	84%	81%	253	197	85	69	123	96	0.9%	32	0.5%	73	2	61	31%	32	117	44
53	Florida International University (FL)*	60	41%	8333	49%	46%	43	110	118	237	88	111	1.0%	24	0.2%	121	224	200	40%	10	82	47
54	Indiana State University (IN)*	59	41%	11011	39%	44%	39	2	245	243	11	226	0.2%	181	0.0%	157	243	87	12%	193	3	3
55	Illinois Institute of Technology (IL)	59	31%	20100	64%	64%	196	37	174	89	61	140	0.4%	123	0.5%	70	123	6	13%	178	131	39
56	Texas A&M; University-Kingsville (TX)*	59	59%	5006	36%	37%	3	17	205	254	3	242	0.0%	217	0.0%	157	252	119	18%	113	150	149
57	South Carolina State University (SC)*	58	72%	14610	29%	39%	57	7	225	125	0	253	0.0%	217	0.0%	157	192	10	26%	47	150	149
58	Purdue University-Main (IN)*	58	20%	12128	64%	69%	55	549	30	86	521	9	0.5%	77	0.9%	46	111	41	32%	26	150	149
59	University of Georgia (GA)*	56	18%	9315	77%	80%	26	231	76	98	231	45	0.4%	118	0.3%	95	60	127	13%	163	36	77
60	Auburn University (AL)*	56	11%	13042	69%	66%	130	145	103	146	143	81	0.4%	108	0.2%	125	198	12	38%	15	60	42
61	University of Louisville (KY)*	56	29%	11022	54%	49%	122	189	89	196	95	109	0.3%	131	0.1%	140	164	113	24%	55	22	25
62	Trinity International University (IL)	56	46%	17517	53%	58%	129	0	252	258	0	253	0.0%	217	0.0%	157	139	259	14%	155	33	11
63	Michigan Technological University (MI)*	55	27%	15907	59%	66%	93	63	148	56	48	152	0.6%	64	0.2%	117	61	4	12%	180	150	149
64	University of Illinois-Chicago (IL)*	55	46%	8171	56%	53%	42	363	48	129	237	43	0.5%	89	0.2%	109	186	154	9%	229	150	149
65	University of Idaho (ID)*	55	33%	13447	54%	55%	103	87	129	113	43	160	0.1%	197	0.0%	157	77	21	19%	96	55	28
66	University of Connecticut (CT)*	55	16%	14476	75%	81%	88	238	73	94	227	46	0.8%	39	0.1%	154	96	118	21%	77	21	66
67	University of California-Santa Cruz (CA)*	55	32%	13822	71%	74%	92	144	104	42	128	92	1.5%	6	1.0%	43	20	259	14%	144	150	149
68	Loyola University-Chicago (IL)	55	27%	28491	81%	67%	279	44	167	134	52	148	0.0%	217	0.0%	157	42	116	41%	8	25	32
69	University of Southern Mississippi (MS)*	54	56%	9046	42%	47%	19	42	169	97	56	145	0.1%	198	0.0%	157	189	76	13%	177	124	148
70	Florida State University (FL)*	54	23%	11775	65%	74%	29	238	74	105	169	64	0.5%	87	0.4%	85	105	88	7%	258	108	33
71	Missouri Univ. of Science and Tech. (MO)*	54	24%	13786	59%	66%	70	42	168	128	52	148	0.2%	161	0.2%	103	190	14	15%	136	150	149
72	Colorado State University (CO)*	54	19%	11669	65%	64%	95	303	62	119	164	67	0.3%	148	0.2%	112	37	49	14%	143	35	84
73	SUNY at Albany (NY)*	54	31%	12948	59%	67%	49	359	52	74	114	100	0.9%	31	0.1%	135	101	201	19%	99	30	121
74	Iowa State University (IA)*	54	21%	13684	65%	70%	81	250	70	67	256	37	0.5%	95	0.4%	80	127	56	41%	9	150	149
75	Northwestern University (IL)	54	12%	27919	98%	94%	263	604	25	22	289	31	1.0%	22	1.7%	25	43	233	14%	150	150	149
76	Emory University (GA)	53	21%	24831	91%	89%	237	529	31	27	160	71	0.5%	74	0.8%	54	6	229	13%	159	150	149
77	New York University (NY)	53	22%	33286	89%	86%	269	366	47	110	197	54	0.4%	105	0.7%	59	72	242	28%	42	63	64
78	University of Arizona (AZ)*	53	25%	12685	52%	60%	46	587	28	75	306	29	0.4%	99	1.0%	45	55	99	19%	103	148	122
79	Georgetown University (DC)	53	12%	27078	93%	93%	243	159	96	35	82	117	0.3%	130	0.4%	77	9	136	16%	125	41	71
80	Florida Agricultural & Mechanical Univ. (FL)*	53	64%	7646	39%	41%	14	53	156	162	4	239	0.3%	143	0.0%	157	252	29	7%	260	150	149
81	Adelphi University (NY)	52	32%	23355	58%	68%	163	0	250	241	32	185	0.0%	217	0.0%	157	209	247	23%	63	13	2
82	Howard University (DC)	52	43%	16403	67%	69%	136	40	171	51	46	156	0.0%	217	0.6%	64	50	35	29%	34	150	149
83	University of Missouri-Columbia (MO)*	52	18%	15202	72%	69%	165	239	72	90	174	62	0.2%	176	0.2%	113	118	93	51%	3	121	126
84	Indiana University-Bloomington (IN)*	52	18%	10219	70%	71%	52	178	90	114	249	38	0.3%	137	0.4%	83	95	145	21%	81	87	48
85	Rutgers University-New Brunswick (NJ)*	52	27%	14776	75%	77%	117	428	39	84	245	40	0.7%	49	1.3%	34	135	155	14%	147	137	101
86	Tulane University of Louisiana (LA)	52	11%	26153	81%	70%	275	166	93	59	80	121	0.5%	90	0.2%	126	36	79	17%	115	9	9
87	Tennessee State University (TN)*	52	62%	6145	38%	33%	18	12	213	147	19	208	0.2%	175	0.0%	157	248	135	9%	231	143	30
88	Fordham University (NY)	52	20%	31383	81%	80%	256	19	199	149	32	185	0.3%	135	0.2%	110	175	68	16%	122	16	7
89	Univ. of North Carolina-Greensboro (NC)*	52	40%	6602	53%	53%	8	22	195	222	36	176	0.1%	206	0.0%	157	173	215	9%	242	48	59
90	Western Michigan University (MI)*	52	34%	13708	48%	52%	90	26	190	184	57	143	0.3%	151	0.0%	157	115	81	8%	252	59	14
91	West Virginia University (WV)*	52	26%	7469	58%	59%	15	155	99	155	126	94	0.1%	211	0.0%	155	166	58	7%	259	62	57
92	Georgia State University (GA)*	51	45%	12054	46%	48%	77	81	134	234	102	105	0.6%	53	0.0%	157	154	195	13%	168	103	89
93	Brown University (RI)	51	13%	23077	91%	96%	188	336	56	8	154	76	1.1%	18	1.4%	30	22	246	7%	264	150	149
94	Stony Brook University (NY)*	51	34%	11469	71%	65%	134	205	83	139	208	52	0.4%	109	0.7%	60	229	230	13%	158	112	24
95	Wayne State University (MI)*	51	56%	9035	31%	31%	37	254	69	216	142	82	0.2%	167	0.1%	131	213	249	12%	195	150	149
96	Mississippi State University (MS)*	51	28%	12375	55%	58%	76	232	75	76	85	115	0.2%	183	0.1%	143	202	60	29%	40	90	12
97	Marquette University (WI)	51	18%	27714	79%	81%	229	14	210	78	28	194	0.4%	121	0.0%	157	54	8	9%	245	29	29
98	Pennsylvania State University-Main (PA)*	51	14%	19816	73%	85%	112	770	13	46	498	12	0.4%	113	0.7%	56	83	31	24%	54	150	149
99	University of West Florida (FL)*	51	33%	8427	51%	47%	50	18	204	246	2	244	0.0%	217	0.0%	157	124	18	39%	13	150	149
100	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (NY)	51	13%	32616	88%	82%	274	84	132	31	137	85	1.2%	13	1.4%	31	143	5	13%	175	150	149

For items 101-281, click here »