Parenting Guide

Top 10 Private US Universities

Published by SchoolAdvisor | Aug 01, 2017

Here's a rundown of the top private universities in the US, according to the QS World University Rankings® 2019. 

10. University of Pennsylvania

Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

US Ranking: 10^th

World Ranking: 19^th

The University of Pennsylvania is a private Ivy League research university located in the city of Philadelphia. It was founded in 1740 by Benjamin Franklin, one of the United States’ founding fathers, who was eager to create a school to educate future generations. Franklin advocated a concept of higher education that focused not merely on the education of the clergy, but on teaching knowledge of arts and humanities, as well as the practical skills needed to make a living and to do public good. His maxim of “well done is better than well said” lives on today through its commitment to inclusive policies and innovation. 

9. Columbia University

Location: Upper Manhattan, New York

US Ranking: 9^th

World Ranking: 18^th

Columbia University, established in 1754, is a private Ivy League research university that is often cited as one of the world's most prestigious universities. Columbia contains the oldest college in the state of New York and is the fifth chartered institution of higher learning in the United States, making it one of nine colonial colleges founded prior to the Declaration of Independence. The university is organized into twenty schools, including three undergraduate schools, Columbia College, the School of Engineering and Applied Science, and the School of General Studies, as well as graduate schools such as Columbia Law School, Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, and Columbia Business School. The university also has global research outposts in Amman, Beijing, Istanbul, Paris, Mumbai, Rio de Janeiro, Santiago, Asunción and Nairobi.

8. Yale University

Location: New Haven, Connecticut

US Ranking: 8^th

World Ranking: 15^th

Yale University is an American private Ivy League research university that is  the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the nine Colonial Colleges chartered before the American Revolution. Yale is organized into fourteen constituent schools: the original undergraduate college, the Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and twelve professional schools.

7. Cornell University

Location: Ithaca, New York

US Ranking: 7^th

World Ranking: 14^th

Cornell University is an American private Ivy League and land-grant doctoral university. The university is broadly organized into seven undergraduate colleges and seven graduate divisions at its main Ithaca campus, with each college and division defining its own admission standards and academic programs in near autonomy.

6. Princeton University

Location: Princeton, New Jersey

US Ranking: 6^th

World Ranking: 13^th

Princeton University is a private Ivy League research university and the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the nine Colonial Colleges chartered before the American Revolution. The university provides undergraduate and graduate instruction in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and engineering.

5. University of Chicago

Location: Chicago, Illinois

US Ranking: 5^th

World Ranking: 9^th

The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. It holds top-ten positions in numerous national and international rankings. The university is composed of the College, various graduate programs, and interdisciplinary committees organized into five academic research divisions and seven professional schools. Beyond the arts and sciences, Chicago is also well known for its professional schools, which include the Pritzker School of Medicine, the Booth School of Business, the Law School, the School of Social Service Administration, the Harris School of Public Policy Studies, the Divinity School and the Graham School of Continuing Liberal and Professional Studies. The university currently enrolls approximately 5,700 students in the College[11] and around 15,000 students overall.

4. California Institute of Technology (Caltech)

Location: Pasadena, California

US Rating: 4^th

World Ranking: 4^th

The California Institute of Technology is a private doctorate-granting university. Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphasis on science and engineering. The university is frequently cited as one of the world's best universities.

3. Harvard University

Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts

US Ranking: 3^rd

World Ranking: 3^rd

Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university established in 1636, whose history, influence, and wealth have made it one of the world's most prestigious universities. The University, which is based in Cambridge and Boston, Massachusetts, has an enrollment of over 20,000 degree candidates, including undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. Harvard has more than 360,000 alumni around the world.

2. Stanford University

Location: Stanford, California

US Ranking: 2^nd

World Ranking: 2^nd

Stanford University is a private research university in Stanford, California. Stanford's undergraduate program is the most selective in America. Due to its academic strength, wealth, and proximity to Silicon Valley it is often cited as one of the world's most prestigious universities.

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts

US Ranking: 1^st

World Ranking: 1^st

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, often cited as one of the world's most prestigious universities. The Institute is traditionally known for its research and education in the physical sciences and engineering, and more recently in biology, economics, linguistics, and management as well.