Stevens Institute of Technology in New Jersey specializes in interdisciplinary study, boasting 11 core research areas, including business and finance, data science, energy and environment, and resiliency and sustainability. It's probably no surprise, then, that the institute attracts a high-achieving cadre of about 4,000 undergraduate students, many of them from outside of New Jersey.

Stevens has about three dozen majors and a host of special programs, including accelerated medicine and law tracks, the Pinnacle Scholars Program and a technical enrichment program for students from diverse backgrounds. Students tend to thrive, to say the least, with an average 85% graduation rate.

There are also over 100 student groups and organizations, including the Anime Critics Union, the Stevens Chess Club and the Midnight Movie Movement. Don't forget athletics: Stevens has 26 Division III teams, plus intramural and club sports. Want to get off campus? Head into Hoboken, also called the Mile Square City, where you can check out grassy green lawns on the Hudson River, browse art galleries, or stop by Carlo's Bakery, the store made famous on the TV show Cake Boss.