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  1. Education
  2. Colleges and Universities

This Is the Best College in Every State

By:
Kaitlin Mulhere
Last Updated: Sep 28, 2018 | 20 min read
(clockwise from top left) Princeton University; Colorado School of Mines; University of MIchigan–Ann Arbor; Georgia Institute of Technology–Main Campus - (clockwise from top left) Courtesy of Princeton University; Courtesy of Colorado School of Mines; Courtesy of University of MIchigan–Ann Arbor; Courtesy of Georgia Institute of Technology–Main Campus
(clockwise from top left) Princeton University; Colorado School of Mines; University of MIchigan–Ann Arbor; Georgia Institute of Technology–Main Campus (clockwise from top left) Courtesy of Princeton University; Courtesy of Colorado School of Mines; Courtesy of University of MIchigan–Ann Arbor; Courtesy of Georgia Institute of Technology–Main Campus

There are plenty of factors to weigh when researching your potential list of colleges: Cost. Graduation rates. Academic offerings. Social scene.

One of the most important? Location.

Roughly half of freshmen at four-year colleges go to a college with 100 miles of their home, according to an annual survey of freshmen from the Higher Education Research Institute at the University of California-Los Angeles. That means while it may be interesting for rising juniors and seniors to learn about the country's top-ranking colleges; it's likely more useful to pay attention to how the colleges in your home state perform.

To help with that, Money sliced our 2018 Best Colleges list geographically to highlight the top-ranking college in every U.S. state. (There are two exceptions: Alaska and New Mexico, neither of which have colleges that made it past Money's initial quality screens to be included in our list of 727 colleges.) Our list of state winners, like our overall ranking, is a diverse mix: 32 are public colleges, three are technology-focused, and five have religious backgrounds.

Alabama - Auburn University

Auburn University - Courtesy of Auburn University
Auburn University Courtesy of Auburn University

Notable Auburn alums include Apple CEO Tim Cook, actress Octavia Spencer, and Kathryn Thornton, the second American woman to walk in space. Full profile.

Arizona - Arizona State University

Arizona State University–Tempe - Andy DeLisle—Arizona Board of Regents
Arizona State University–Tempe Andy DeLisle—Arizona Board of Regents

Popular majors at ASU include business, social sciences, engineering and biological sciences, and the university has developed a reputation in recent years for implementing innovative higher education programs. Full profile.

Arkansas - John Brown University

John Brown University - Mark Jackson
John Brown University Mark Jackson

A small Christian university in the northwest corner of the state, John Brown University's graduation rate is 5% higher than colleges that enroll students with similar academic and socioeconomic backgrounds, according to Money's calculations. Full profile.

California - University of California at San Diego

University of California at San Diego - Robert Benson for Money
University of California at San Diego Robert Benson for Money

A well-known research university, UC-San Diego this year leads the pack of high-ranking University of California system school this year. San Diego boasts one of the country's highest graduation for public colleges, top scores for economic mobility, and all those sunny days. Full profile.

Colorado - Colorado School of Mines

Colorado School of Mines - Ronald Kem
Colorado School of Mines Ronald Kem

Colorado School of Mines is known for its engineering programs--one likely reason recent graduates report such high salaries. Full profile.

Connecticut - Yale University

Yale University - Michael Marsland
Yale University Michael Marsland

Students at Yale have access to some of the country's most impressive minds, including Nobel Prize-winning economist Robert Shiller and famed historian Paul Kennedy. Full profile.

Delaware - University of Delaware

University of Delaware - Corey Perrine—Getty Images
University of Delaware Corey Perrine—Getty Images

The university places high in Money's rankings in part because of its affordability, coming in at under $100,000 for the net price of a degree. Full profile.

District of Columbia - Georgetown

Georgetown University - Jacquelyn Martin/AP/REX—Shutterstock
Georgetown University Jacquelyn Martin/AP/REX—Shutterstock

Georgetown's proximity make it a draw for students interested in politics and international relations, and classes regularly welcome Washington's elite for guest lectures. Full profile.

Florida - University of Florida

University of Florida - Bernard Brzezinski—University of Florida
University of Florida Bernard Brzezinski—University of Florida

The University of Florida is a triple threat: strong scores for affordability, high graduation rates, and one of the strongest college sports franchises in the country. Full profile. Full profile.

Georgia - Georgia Institute of Technology

Georgia Institute of Technology–Main Campus - Austin Foote
Georgia Institute of Technology–Main Campus Austin Foote

Courses at Georgia Tech are demanding, but they pay off. Graduates report early career salaries that are 19% higher than graduates of similar colleges. Full profile.

Hawaii - University of Hawaii at Manoa

University of Hawaii at Manoa - Colin Macdonald
University of Hawaii at Manoa Colin Macdonald

Students at Hawaii’s flagship public university can take advantage of its prime location to study Asian and Pacific cultures, foreign languages, tropical agriculture and medicine, ocean and marine science, astronomy, volcanology, and international business. Full profile.

Idaho - University of Idaho

University of Idaho - Joe Pallen UIPhotoServ
University of Idaho Joe Pallen UIPhotoServ

When they're not stuck in the library, students at U of I's Moscow campus have plenty of nearby outdoor activities--including skiing, biking, climbing, whitewater rafting--to keep them busy. Full profile.

Illinois - University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign - L. Brian Stauffer—UI Public Affairs
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign L. Brian Stauffer—UI Public Affairs

Per campus tradition, generations of University of Illinois students have rubbed the nose on a campus bust of Abraham Lincoln for good luck before exams. Full profile.

Indiana - University of Notre Dame

Univeristy of Notre Dame - Matt Cashore—Matt Cashore
Univeristy of Notre Dame Matt Cashore—Matt Cashore

Fighting Irish grads include talk show hosts Regis Philbin and Phil Donahue, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Major League Baseball Vice President Joe Garagiola Jr., and football hall of famer Joe Montana. Full profile.

Iowa - Iowa State University

Iowa State University of Science and Technology - Jason Jones
Iowa State University of Science and Technology Jason Jones

Iowa State is known for its agriculture, math, and science programs, and it offers a degree that's among the ten most affordable of Money's 700-plus ranked colleges. Full profile.

Kansas - Kansas State University

Kansas State University - David Mayes—Kansas State University Communic
Kansas State University David Mayes—Kansas State University Communic

Kansas State can claim a wide range of accolades, from its unique Biosecurity Research Institute to the welcoming college town feel of its location, sometimes called "the other Manhattan." Full profile.

Kentucky - Berea College

Berea College - O'Neil Arnold
Berea College O'Neil Arnold

Instead of charging tuition, Berea requires all students work between 10 and 15 hours a week to help pay their way. As a result, many students graduate without debt, and the average burden is just $5,800. Full profile.

Louisiana - Louisiana State University

Louisiana State University - Jim Zietz—LSU Strategic Communications
Louisiana State University Jim Zietz—LSU Strategic Communications

Football and Greek life are important elements of campus life at Louisiana's flagship state university. Full profile.

Maine - Bates College

Bates College - Courtesy of Bates College
Bates College Courtesy of Bates College

Bates is a small liberal arts college known for its tight-knit campus community. One of the college's oldest ongoing traditions is an annual Winter Carnival--perhaps unsurprising for a college where winter weather lasts for a solid six months. Full profile.

Maryland - University of Maryland

University of Maryland–College Park - University of Maryland–College Park
University of Maryland–College Park University of Maryland–College Park

Like most large public universities, Maryland's academic offerings and expertise are vast. The faculty roster boasts three Nobel laureates, six Pulitzer Prize winners and, thanks to the campus's proximity to the District of Columbia, leaders in major positions at federal agencies such as NASA and the National Institutes of Health. Full profile.

Massachusetts - Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Jake Belcher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Jake Belcher

MIT is one of the world's most prestigious tech schools--and that reputation pays off. Recent graduates report earnings that are 10% higher than other colleges with a STEM focus. Full profile.

Michigan - University of Michigan at Ann Arbor

University of Michigan–Ann Arbor - Courtesy of the University of Mi
University of Michigan–Ann Arbor Courtesy of the University of Mi

Michigan's premiere public university has many claims to fame. Among the academic ones: The National Science Foundation ranks Michigan as the top public research university in terms of money spent on research and development, a position the school has held since 2010. Full profile

Minnesota - University of Minnesota at Twin Cities

University of Minnesota–Twin Cities - Patrick O'Leary
University of Minnesota–Twin Cities Patrick O'Leary

The University of Minnesota prides itself on its reputation for research. One of its early inventors was Professor James J. "Crash" Ryan, who held a patent for the first retractable seatbelt and also invented the flight data recorder, or the "black box," that's required on all commercial airplanes today. Full profile.

Mississippi - Mississippi State University

Mississippi State University - Bill Simmonds
Mississippi State University Bill Simmonds

MSU students embrace their rural roots. Thousands ring cowbells in the stadium as they cheer on their Bulldogs teams, a tradition that, according to legend, began when a stray cow wandered onto the football field and was embraced as a good luck charm. Full profile.

Missouri - Washington University in St. Louis

Washington University in Saint Louis - James Byard—WUSTL Photos
Washington University in Saint Louis James Byard—WUSTL Photos

Students at Washington University in St. Louis tell Niche.com that everyone there embraces a work hard-play hard mentally. And they brag about the qualify of their dorms and campus food. Full profile.

Montana - Montana State University

Montana State University - Kelly Gorham—Montana State University
Montana State University Kelly Gorham—Montana State University

Montana State University could also go by the name, "University of the Yellowstone." The campus is about 90 miles away from the iconic park and faculty and students use it frequently for research and recreation. Full profile.

Nebraska - University of Nebraska at Lincoln

University of Nebraska–Lincoln - Craig Chandler—Office of University Communicati
University of Nebraska–Lincoln Craig Chandler—Office of University Communicati

Nebraska's largest public university is known for the strength of its engineering, agriculture, fine arts, and journalism programs. On Saturdays in the fall, students (and many state residents) turn out to cheer on the Cornhuskers in a football atmosphere that could compete with any of the country's top programs. Full profile.

Nevada - University of Nevada at Reno

University of Nevada-Reno - Jeff Dow
University of Nevada-Reno Jeff Dow

The most popular majors at University of Nevada at Reno are typical at many colleges: business, biology, health sciences and psychology. But journalism is also among the most popular here, and its no wonder why--the college has produced at least six Pulitzer Prize winners. Full profile.

New Hampshire - Dartmouth College

Dartmouth College - Courtesy of Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College Courtesy of Dartmouth College

The smallest school in the Ivy League, Dartmouth emphasizes undergraduate pedagogy. Outside of classes, Greek life--in which about half of students participate--is popular, as is outdoor recreation. Full profile.

New Jersey - Princeton University

Princeton University - Denise Applewhite—Princeton University, Office of
Princeton University Denise Applewhite—Princeton University, Office of

Princeton University has placed no. 1 in Money's college rankings three years in a row. One reason why: the school's outstanding financial aid policy, which covers full tuition for families earning up to $160,000. Full profile.

New York - CUNY Bernard M Baruch College

CUNY Bernard M Baruch College - Mathieu Asselin
CUNY Bernard M Baruch College Mathieu Asselin

Recent Baruch graduates report salaries that are 16% higher than graduates from similar universities. Those strong salaries, along with the students it admits, help Baruch claim one of the country's highest scores for socioeconomic mobility, according to The Equality of Opportunity Project. Full profile.

North Carolina - North Carolina State University at Raleigh

North Carolina State University - Marc Hall—NC State
North Carolina State University Marc Hall—NC State

N.C. State has a solid 78% graduation rate, which is 10% higher than would be expected based on the academic preparation and economic background of students, according to Money's calculations. Full profile.

North Dakota - North Dakota State University

North Dakota State University - Dan Koeck
North Dakota State University Dan Koeck

Founded as a land grant university, North Dakota State University remains strong in agriculture and animal sciences offerings. Recent grads report salaries that are about 6% higher than their peers from similar colleges. Full profile.

Ohio - Ohio State University

Ohio State University - Courtesy of Ohio State Universit
Ohio State University Courtesy of Ohio State Universit

One of the biggest universities in the nation as well as one of the proudest, Ohio State has about 45,000 students. Football unites the campus and links alumni across the country for decades after graduation. Full profile.

Oklahoma - University of Oklahoma

University of Oklahoma - Sue Ogrocki/AP/REX—Shutterstock
University of Oklahoma Sue Ogrocki/AP/REX—Shutterstock

Norman, where some 25,000 students at the University of Oklahoma live, is a classic college town with Sooner flags flying from porches and OU garb adorning students and locals alike. Full profile.

Oregon - University of Portland

University of Portland - Adam Guggenheim—Courtesy of th
University of Portland Adam Guggenheim—Courtesy of th

University of Portland is a private Catholic university that is focusing on helping students graduate on time. The four-year graduation rate is now 75% — up 16 percentage points over the past decade. Full profile.

Pennsylvania - University of Pennsylvania

University of Pennsylvania - Courtesy of the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania Courtesy of the University of Pennsylvania

About 95% of freshmen graduate, putting Penn among the top 10 colleges with the highest graduation rates in the country. Among the most elite departments within Penn are business and economics, which are notoriously demanding. Full profile.

Rhode Island - Brown University

Brown University - Mike Cohea—Brown University
Brown University Mike Cohea—Brown University

Brown gives students an unusual amount of academic freedom--the only course requirement is that they take at least one writing class by the end of sophomore year. Grades are often optional: Most classes can be taken pass/fail. And students can design their own majors. Full profile.

South Carolina - Clemson University

Clemson University - Courtesy of Clemson University
Clemson University Courtesy of Clemson University

Just about everybody at Clemson has an enormous amount of pride in their school and especially its football team, the Tigers, as well as a fierce rivalry with the other major public university: University of South Carolina. Full profile.

South Dakota - Augustana University

Augustana University - Courtesy of Augustana University
Augustana University Courtesy of Augustana University

This private liberal arts college with ties to the Lutheran Church got its start back in 1835 in Illinois, where its sister school (called Augustana College and also in Money’s rankings) still exists. After grants and scholarships, Augustana is a relatively affordable private college. Almost all students receive some kind of grant. Full profile.

Tennessee - Vanderbilt University

Vanderbilt University - Courtesy of Vanderbilt Universit
Vanderbilt University Courtesy of Vanderbilt Universit

Vanderbilt alumni including Al Gore, Lamar Alexander, and Rosanne Cash make up a who's who of Southern politics and culture. Full profile.

Texas - Rice University

Rice University - Jeff Fitlow
Rice University Jeff Fitlow

Social life at this elite university revolves around residential houses. They compete in activities such as water balloon fights and the annual Beer Bike relay race, which requires cyclists to chug beer (or water) and then pedal laps. Full profile.

Utah - Brigham Young University

Brigham Young University - Nate Edwards
Brigham Young University Nate Edwards

Brigham Young University is a standout for affordability. Money calculates its total cost of a degree is less than $90,000, and the average student debt burden is less than half the national average. Full profile.

Vermont - University of Vermont

University of Vermont - Sally McCay
University of Vermont Sally McCay

University of Vermont's campus in Burlington is a major draw: the city is crawling with young people thanks to UVM and nearby Champlain College, and it's a haven for local music, art, and food. The views of the Green Mountains and Lake Champlain also don't hurt, either. Full profile.

Virginia - University of Virginia

University of Virginia - Dan Addison—U.Va. Public Affairs
University of Virginia Dan Addison—U.Va. Public Affairs

Known as a "public Ivy," the University of Virginia boasts the highest graduation rate of any public college in the country. Full profile.

Washington - University of Washington at Seattle

University of Washington–Seattle - Courtesy of the University of Wa
University of Washington–Seattle Courtesy of the University of Wa

The flagship Seattle campus of the University of Washington has emerged as one of the world's leading research universities, and because of its proximity to Boeing's manufacturing facilities, the school has a particular expertise in aeronautics and counts many astronauts among its alums. Full profile.

West Virginia - West Virginia University

West Virginia University - Courtesy of West Virginia University
West Virginia University Courtesy of West Virginia University

For in-state students, West Virginia University offers one of the country's most affordable educations. Recent grads also report salaries that are 7% higher than similar colleges. Full profile.

Wisconsin - University of Wisconsin at Madison

University of Wisconsin-Madison - Bryce Richter—U of Wisconsin-Madison
University of Wisconsin-Madison Bryce Richter—U of Wisconsin-Madison

Wisconsin's major public university is well-rounded: Academics, athletics, cool college town? Check, check, check. Plus, more than half of applicants are accepted, reassuring when you consider it's one of the best public colleges in the country. Full profile.

Wyoming - University of Wyoming

University of Wyoming - Ted Brummond—UW Photo Service
University of Wyoming Ted Brummond—UW Photo Service

The University of Wyoming is actually older than the state of Wyoming, and today it remains the state's only four-year college. Full profile.

 

This article has been updated to correct the name of Dartmouth College, which was mistakenly identified as Dartmouth University.

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