30 best colleges on the East Coast

The Baker-Berry Library at Dartmouth College on Feb. 8, 2024 in Hanover, . (Photo by Scott Eisen/Getty Images)

By Stacker

February 22, 2026

Considering that the United States was born from a revolution waged along the Eastern Seaboard, it makes sense that the roots of the country’s higher education system were also planted there. Harvard University—founded in 1636—came first, predating the Declaration of Independence by 140 years.

In the following decades, more colleges opened along the East Coast, but they weren’t picky about who could attend. If a student lived nearby and could afford it, they enrolled. Prestige developed in the late 1800s when Cornell University and Johns Hopkins University opened as institutions that fostered top-tier research. In response, other established universities developed their own programs to draw in top talent.

As more people went to college, these research universities needed a way to ensure they had the top students. The selective admissions process began at Columbia in 1919, establishing the process that high school students undergo today in the hope of gaining admission to a top school.

The East Coast’s private and public colleges consistently top “best of” lists, highlighted by the prestigious Ivy League eight. High school hopefuls eager to attend one of those schools could stand a better chance these days. Many Ivy League schools admitted a higher percentage of applicants in 2025.

While gaining admission to an East Coast school in the North may become easier, top colleges in the South have become more selective, as more high school seniors seek out more affordable top universities in warmer climates that offer strong school spirit, good weather, and are often associated with better job prospects after graduation.

Stacker combed through Niche’s 2026 Best Colleges in America list to discover which 30 East Coast schools, old and new, are the cream of the crop. Niche ranks colleges by analyzing student and alumni reviews, as well as data on admissions, academic, and student life from the Department of Education. Four-year colleges in the following states were considered: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.

Keep reading to discover the best schools on the East Coast—and find out if any among them beat out the Ivies for the top spot.

Reynolds Hall at Wake Forest University.

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Bryan Pollard // Shutterstock

#30. Wake Forest University

– Location: Winston-Salem, NC
– National rank: #52
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 5,413
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 2:1
– Acceptance rate: 22%
– Typical SAT range: not available
– Athletic conference: Atlantic Coast Conference

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#29. Florida State University

– Location: Tallahassee, FL
– National rank: #51
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 29,011
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 16:1
– Acceptance rate: 25%
– Typical SAT range: 1240-1390
– Athletic conference: Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)

Aerial view of the University of Georgia campus.

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#28. University of Georgia

– Location: Athens, GA
– National rank: #50
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 29,799
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 13:1
– Acceptance rate: 37%
– Typical SAT range: 1160-1390
– Athletic conference: Southeastern Conference (SEC)

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#27. University of Miami

– Location: Coral Gables, FL
– National rank: #49
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 13,250
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1
– Acceptance rate: 19%
– Typical SAT range: 1330-1470
– Athletic conference: Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)

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#26. Tufts University

– Location: Medford, MA
– National rank: #46
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 6,685
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 6:1
– Acceptance rate: 10%
– Typical SAT range: 1460-1550
– Athletic conference: New England Small College Athletic Conference

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Gasson Hall on the campus of Boston College.

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#25. Boston College

– Location: Chestnut Hill, MA
– National rank: #45
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 9,654
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 9:1
– Acceptance rate: 16%
– Typical SAT range: 1430-1540
– Athletic conference: Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)

Aerial view of fall foliage and steeple at Amherst.

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#24. Amherst College

– Location: Amherst, MA
– National rank: #44
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,910
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 7:1
– Acceptance rate: 10%
– Typical SAT range: 1360-1550
– Athletic conference: New England Small College Athletic Conference

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#23. Barnard College

– Location: New York
– National rank: #42
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 3,183
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 10:1
– Acceptance rate: 8%
– Typical SAT range: 1450-1550
– Athletic conference: Ivy League

Buildings on the Williams College Campus.

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#22. Williams College

– Location: Williamstown, MA
– National rank: #40
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 2,070
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 6:1
– Acceptance rate: 10%
– Typical SAT range: 1470-1560
– Athletic conference: New England Small College Athletic Conference

Krentzman Quadrangle at Northeastern University.

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#21. Northeastern University

– Location: Boston
– National rank: #39
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 15,857
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1
– Acceptance rate: 6%
– Typical SAT range: 1460-1550
– Athletic conference: Coastal Athletic Association (CAA)

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#20. Boston University

– Location: Boston
– National rank: #38
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 17,899
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 5:1
– Acceptance rate: 11%
– Typical SAT range: 1400-1520
– Athletic conference: Patriot League (Patriot)

South Building at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

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#19. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

– Location: Chapel Hill, NC
– National rank: #37
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 19,939
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 9:1
– Acceptance rate: 19%
– Typical SAT range: 1370-1530
– Athletic conference: Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)

The Presbyterian Church on Davidson College campus.

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#18. Davidson College

– Location: Davidson, NC
– National rank: #35
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,904
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1
– Acceptance rate: 14%
– Typical SAT range: 1360-1510
– Athletic conference: Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10)

Students walk through gate at NYU School of Law.

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#17. New York University

– Location: New York
– National rank: #34
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 28,692
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 3:1
– Acceptance rate: 9%
– Typical SAT range: not available
– Athletic conference: University Athletic Association

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#16. Emory University

– Location: Atlanta
– National rank: #33
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 7,263
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 4:1
– Acceptance rate: 11%
– Typical SAT range: 1460-1550
– Athletic conference: University Athletic Association

Brick building on Bowdoin College campus.

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#15. Bowdoin College

– Location: Brunswick, ME
– National rank: #32
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,873
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1
– Acceptance rate: 8%
– Typical SAT range: 1480-1550
– Athletic conference: New England Small College Athletic Conference

Historic buildings at Washington and Lee University.

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#14. Washington and Lee University

– Location: Lexington, VA
– National rank: #31
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,887
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 7:1
– Acceptance rate: 17%
– Typical SAT range: 1410-1530
– Athletic conference: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

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#13. University of Florida

– Location: Gainesville, FL
– National rank: #30
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 31,571
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 10:1
– Acceptance rate: 24%
– Typical SAT range: 1300-1480
– Athletic conference: Southeastern Conference (SEC)

Georgia Institute of Technology sign close up.

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#12. Georgia Institute of Technology

– Location: Atlanta
– National rank: #29
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 17,171
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 13:1
– Acceptance rate: 16%
– Typical SAT range: 1330-1530
– Athletic conference: Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)

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#11. University of Virginia

– Location: Charlottesville, VA
– National rank: #28
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 16,829
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 7:1
– Acceptance rate: 17%
– Typical SAT range: 1410-1530
– Athletic conference: Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)

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Brickk path and buildings on the campus of Johns Hopkins.

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#10. Johns Hopkins University

– Location: Baltimore
– National rank: #24
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 5,607
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 1:1
– Acceptance rate: 8%
– Typical SAT range: 1530-1580
– Athletic conference: Centennial Conference

Overlook of Cornell University Campus from Uris Library.

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#9. Cornell University

– Location: Ithaca, NY
– National rank: #21
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 15,899
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1
– Acceptance rate: 8%
– Typical SAT range: 1480-1560
– Athletic conference: Ivy League

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#8. Duke University

– Location: Durham, NC
– National rank: #14
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 6,474
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 1:1
– Acceptance rate: 7%
– Typical SAT range: 1510-1570
– Athletic conference: Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)

Students walking on Brown University campus.

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#7. Brown University

– Location: Providence, RI
– National rank: #11
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 7,220
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 7:1
– Acceptance rate: 5%
– Typical SAT range: 1500-1570
– Athletic conference: Ivy League

Holder Hall on Princeton University Campus.

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#6. Princeton University

– Location: Princeton, NJ
– National rank: #8
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 5,598
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 5:1
– Acceptance rate: 4%
– Typical SAT range: 1500-1580
– Athletic conference: Ivy League

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Historic library at Columbia University.

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#5. Columbia University

– Location: New York
– National rank: #6
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 8,428
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 2:1
– Acceptance rate: 4%
– Typical SAT range: not available
– Athletic conference: Ivy League

Historic red brick building with clocktower on campus at Dartmouth.

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#4. Dartmouth College

– Location: Hanover, NH
– National rank: #5
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 4,419
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 5:1
– Acceptance rate: 6%
– Typical SAT range: 1500-1570
– Athletic conference: Ivy League

Students outside Harvard University Campus Library.

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#3. Harvard University

– Location: Cambridge, MA
– National rank: #4
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 7,316
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 4:1
– Acceptance rate: 3%
– Typical SAT range: 1500-1580
– Athletic conference: Ivy League

An aerial view of the historic buildings of Yale University.

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#2. Yale University

– Location: New Haven, CT
– National rank: #2
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 6,805
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 2:1
– Acceptance rate: 5%
– Typical SAT range: 1500-1580
– Athletic conference: Ivy League

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#1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

– Location: Cambridge, MA
– National rank: #1
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 4,543
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 3:1
– Acceptance rate: 5%
– Typical SAT range: 1510-1580
– Athletic conference: New England Women’s & Men’s Athletic Conference

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Stacker

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