Top Rated U.S. Private Colleges
These are the top ranked private four-year colleges in the United States. Leading the rankings for 2027 as the highest ranked private college in America is Princeton University. Learn how the Best Colleges rankings are calculated on our ranking methodology page.
Wayland Baptist University
- Private 4 Year
- Plainview, TX
-
2.5 | 2 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
Wayland Baptist is a private Baptist university known for undergraduate education, business, and Christian studies. The campus is in the small city of Plainview on the Texas High Plains.
- SAT Range 900-1090
- Avg GPA 3.14
- Acceptance Rate 56%
- Net Price $20,446
Catawba College
- Private 4 Year
- Salisbury, NC
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 15 application deadline
Catawba is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate environmental science and ecology. The residential campus sits in Salisbury in North Carolina's Piedmont region.
- SAT Range 1030-1300
- Avg GPA 3.64
- Acceptance Rate 75%
- Net Price $18,447
Mount Vernon Nazarene University
- Private 4 Year
- Mount Vernon, OH
-
3.5 | 2 reviews
Mount Vernon Nazarene is a private Christian university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and ministry. Most students live on the residential campus in the small city of Mount Vernon.
- SAT Range 1046-1315
- Avg GPA 3.55
- Acceptance Rate 84%
- Net Price $22,961
Westminster College
- Private 4 Year
- New Wilmington, PA
-
| 0 reviews
Westminster is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate education, business, and the sciences. The residential campus sits in the small college town of New Wilmington.
- SAT Range 1040-1258
- Avg GPA 3.57
- Acceptance Rate 93%
- Net Price $20,394
Carroll University
- Private 4 Year
- Waukesha, WI
-
| 0 reviews
Carroll is a private university known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and business. The residential campus sits in suburban Waukesha west of Milwaukee.
- SAT Range 1040-1270
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.39
- Acceptance Rate 67%
- Net Price $27,031
University of Lynchburg
- Private 4 Year
- Lynchburg, VA
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- Sep 1 application deadline
University of Lynchburg is a private university known for undergraduate nursing and health sciences. Students live on a residential campus in Lynchburg near the Blue Ridge Mountains.
- SAT Range 980-1230
- Avg GPA 3.53
- Acceptance Rate 43%
- Net Price $23,845
D'Youville University
- Private 4 Year
- Buffalo, NY
-
| 0 reviews
D'Youville is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing and health sciences. The compact urban campus sits on Buffalo's west side near the Peace Bridge.
- SAT Range 995-1220
- Avg GPA 3.68
- Acceptance Rate 81%
- Net Price $20,690
Fisk University
- Private 4 Year
- Nashville, TN
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
Fisk is a private historically Black university known for undergraduate natural sciences and music. The historic urban campus sits in Nashville and is closely tied to the Fisk Jubilee Singers.
- SAT Range 1140-1510
- Avg GPA 3.1
- Acceptance Rate 37%
- Net Price $18,595
Trevecca Nazarene University
- Private 4 Year
- Nashville, TN
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
Trevecca is a private Nazarene university known for undergraduate education, business, and ministry programs. Most students live on the urban Nashville campus.
- SAT Range 980-1235
- Avg GPA 3.43
- Acceptance Rate 69%
- Net Price $18,035
Marymount University
- Private 4 Year
- Arlington, VA
-
| 0 reviews
Marymount is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and interior design. The Arlington campus sits just outside Washington, D.C.
- SAT Range 970-1170
- Avg GPA 3.38
- Acceptance Rate 93%
- Net Price $31,989
Vanguard University of Southern California
- Private 4 Year
- Costa Mesa, CA
-
3.5 | 4 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
Vanguard is a private Christian university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and theatre. The suburban Costa Mesa campus is affiliated with the Assemblies of God.
- SAT Range 980-1200
- Avg GPA 3.31
- Acceptance Rate 62%
- Net Price $23,286
Gallaudet University
- Private 4 Year
- Washington, DC
-
| 0 reviews
Gallaudet is a private university designed for deaf and hard of hearing students, known for undergraduate deaf education, American Sign Language, and interpreting. Students communicate primarily in ASL on the urban Washington, D.C. campus.
- SAT Range 780-1022
- Avg GPA 3.3
- Acceptance Rate 58%
- Net Price $15,944
Olivet Nazarene University
- Private 4 Year
- Bourbonnais, IL
-
5.0 | 2 reviews
Olivet Nazarene is a private Christian university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and ministry. The residential campus sits in the small town of Bourbonnais south of Chicago.
- SAT Range 950-1220
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.38
- Acceptance Rate 56%
- Net Price $21,281
Lubbock Christian University
- Private 4 Year
- Lubbock, TX
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- Jun 1 application deadline
Lubbock Christian is a private Christian university known for undergraduate nursing and education. The residential campus in Lubbock is affiliated with the Churches of Christ.
- SAT Range 950-1190
- Avg GPA 3.71
- Acceptance Rate 73%
- Net Price $24,544
North Park University
- Private 4 Year
- Chicago, IL
-
4.0 | 1 reviews
North Park is a private Christian university known for undergraduate nursing, music, and business. The compact urban campus sits in Chicago's North Park neighborhood on the city's North Side.
- SAT Range 890-1162
- Avg GPA 3.14
- Acceptance Rate 69%
- Net Price $20,372
Northwood University
- Private 4 Year
- Midland, MI
-
| 0 reviews
Northwood is a private university known for undergraduate business, management, and automotive marketing. The Midland campus centers on a specialized free-enterprise business curriculum in central Michigan.
- SAT Range 950-1160
- Avg GPA 3.41
- Acceptance Rate 65%
- Net Price $25,549
Huntington University
- Private 4 Year
- Huntington, IN
-
| 0 reviews
Huntington is a private Christian university known for undergraduate education and ministry. Most students live on a residential campus in the small city of Huntington.
- SAT Range 930-1150
- Avg GPA 3.6
- Acceptance Rate 76%
- Net Price $19,767
Webster University
- Private 4 Year
- Saint Louis, MO
-
4.0 | 2 reviews
Webster is a private university known for undergraduate communications, theatre, and media arts. The main campus sits in suburban Webster Groves near St. Louis.
- SAT Range 1110-1310
- Avg GPA 3.64
- Acceptance Rate 86%
- Net Price $29,503