The Best Colleges and Universities in America, Ranked

There are countless universities and colleges that undergraduates, graduates, and professionals can choose from in the United States. Of course, each one offers its own pros and cons as well as a range of programs and fields of study. Which ones really stand out from the crowd, though? If you ask anyone, we're sure you'll hear the names of these colleges and universities on their list.

50. United States Naval Academy

The United States Naval Academy, as you might have guessed, is a university that's dedicated to naval members and training them in federal service.

The school is located in Annapolis, Maryland, and it has a long history as one of the most famous schools in which to be trained. Then again, with an acceptance rate as low as 5%, it's easy to see how competition would get fierce to try and get in.

49. Colgate University

Colgate University is located in Hamilton, New York - and you get a pretty personalized experience with a teacher-to-student ratio of only 9:1.

With a primary focus on liberal arts, the college still offers 56 majors, so there's a bit of diversity in what to study while you're on campus. This private university isn't easy to get into, though. The acceptance rate is only 17.2%, making it one of the harder spots to get into.

48. Washington and Lee University

Washinton and Lee University is located in Lexington, Virginia, and is named after a pair of famous American historical figures. How does the college itself measure up?

This is a liberal arts college, but while most are located in the city, you get to learn in the quiet Virginia mountains. Here, you'll primarily find liberal arts degrees although the school does boast a well-known School of Law. They have an 8:1 ratio of students to staff, which is helped by a low acceptance rate of about 18% to 19%.

47. Georgia Institute of Technology

If you want to step into the future and study what comes tomorrow for tech and what you can do today to keep it up and running, the Georgia Institute of Technology is a great choice on the list.

As the name suggests, you'll find the main campus in Atlanta, Georgia. The school has been around since 1885, so they've adapted to teaching new technology wildly over the years! If you want to get in, you'll have to get back the 16% acceptance rate.