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With the release of U.S. News & World Report‘s 2026 rankings, Princeton University celebrates its 15th-consecutive year as the nation’s No. 1 college.

Released Sept. 23, the annual list offers a guide for students and families evaluating higher education choices. To determine the rankings, the publication says it evaluates nearly 1,700 colleges and universities using 27 metrics for academic quality. In addition to the main rankings, the latest edition also details 10 specialized rankings.

Among the top of the pack, U.S. News noted a trend, akin to Princeton’s reign: eight of the highest-ranked schools across 10 breakout categories have held onto that No. 1 spot from last year. Meanwhile, the two outstanding dropped just a spot to second. In total, 11 Garden State schools appeared on the main National Universities list.

Following Princeton University, the next highest-ranking New Jersey school, Rutgers-New Brunswick came in at No. 42. Meanwhile, the home of the Tigers also took the top spot for Best Value Schools. Additionally, Princeton was the only local school to rank among those offering the Best Undergraduate Teaching (No. 3).

2026 Best National Universities – Top 3

1. Princeton University
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
3. Harvard University

Ranked: New Jersey schools

• No. 1 Princeton University
• No. 42 Rutgers University—New Brunswick
• No. 75 Rutgers University—Newark
• No. 80 New Jersey Institute of Technology
• No. 80 Stevens Institute of Technology
• No. 97 Rutgers University—Camden
• No. 158 Montclair State University
• No. 158 Seton Hall University
• No. 158 Stockton University
• No. 169 Rowan University
• No. 318 Kean University

Top Performers on Social Mobility

• No. 5 RU—Newark
• No. 9 RU—Camden
• No. 9 Montclair State University
• No. 34 NJIT
• No. 38 Stockton University
• No. 52 Princeton University
• No. 52 RU—New Brunswick
• No. 81 Kean University
• No. 189 Rowan University
• No. 198 Seton Hall University
• No. 215 Stevens Institute of Technology

Top Public Schools

• No. 16 RU—New Brunswick
• No. 92 Rowan University

Most Innovative Schools

• No. 31 Princeton University
• No. 48 Stevens Institute of Technology

Best Value Schools

• No. 70 Stevens Institute of Technology
• No. 83 NJIT
• No. 114 Rowan University
• No. 145 RU—Camden
• No. 162 RU—Newark
• No. 175 RU—New Brunswick
• No. 177 Montclair State University
• No. 181 Stockton University

Climbing costs

As college expenses are “significantly more now than in prior decades,” rankings such as these can help students ensure they are getting the right experience for the right cost.

According to data from the publication, tuition and fees for the 2024-25 school year came in at an average $46,700 for ranked private schools. For public colleges, out-of-state students costs average about $28,200 per year, while tuition and fees for residents at public institutions in nearly $12,000.

U.S. News also ranks programs, such as study abroad, that enhance the student experience across eight areas. The publication noted research shows these programs are linked to student success and positive learning outcomes. Among New Jersey schools, only Princeton placed in any of these areas, ranking at No. 11 in First Year Experiences and No. 36 in Study Abroad.

The other categories were Co-ops/Internships; Learning Communities; Senior Capstone; Service Learning; Undergraduate Research/Creative Projects; and Writing in the Disciplines.

According to U.S. News, the 2026 Best Colleges methodology is calculated using up to 17 key measures of academic quality for National Universities and 13 indicators for the National Liberal Arts Colleges, Regional Universities and Regional Colleges. The formula uses data universally reported by schools or obtainable from third-party sources.