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.

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Private 4 Year
Dominican University New York Campus
 

Dominican University New York

  • Private 4 Year
  • Orangeburg, NY
  • | 0 reviews

Dominican University New York is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and business. The suburban campus in Orangeburg sits in Rockland County north of New York City.

#52 Best Private Colleges in New York 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1095-1235
  • Avg GPA 3.09
  • Acceptance Rate 63%
  • Net Price $33,972
Details
Gwynedd Mercy University Campus
 

Gwynedd Mercy University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Gwynedd Valley, PA
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • Aug 20 application deadline

Gwynedd Mercy is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and education. The suburban campus sits in Gwynedd Valley northwest of Philadelphia.

#44 Best Private Colleges in Pennsylvania 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1023-1186
  • Avg GPA 3.34
  • Acceptance Rate 90%
  • Net Price $27,960
Details

Georgian Court University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Lakewood, NJ
  • | 0 reviews

Georgian Court is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and business. The historic Lakewood campus occupies a former Gilded Age estate with formal gardens.

#9 Best Private Colleges in New Jersey 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1043-1251
  • Avg GPA 3.59
  • Acceptance Rate 79%
  • Net Price $20,457
Details
Keuka College Campus
 

Keuka College

  • Private 4 Year
  • Keuka Park, NY
  • 1.0 | 1 reviews

Keuka is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate nursing, occupational therapy, and education. The campus sits on Keuka Lake in New York's Finger Lakes region.

#53 Best Private Colleges in New York 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1008-1183
  • Avg GPA 3.3
  • Acceptance Rate 68%
  • Net Price $24,628
Details

University of Mount Union

  • Private 4 Year
  • Alliance, OH
  • | 0 reviews

Mount Union is a private university known for undergraduate business, education, and nursing. The residential campus sits in the small city of Alliance in northeastern Ohio.

#22 Best Private Colleges in Ohio 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 910-1240
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.33
  • Acceptance Rate 78%
  • Net Price $23,616
Details

Robert Morris University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Moon Township, PA
  • | 0 reviews

Robert Morris is a private university known for undergraduate business, nursing, and cybersecurity. The suburban campus sits in Moon Township near Pittsburgh.

#45 Best Private Colleges in Pennsylvania 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1040-1230
  • Avg GPA 3.57
  • Acceptance Rate 90%
  • Net Price $23,933
Details
Southern Adventist University Campus
 

Southern Adventist University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Collegedale, TN
  • | 0 reviews

Southern Adventist is a private Seventh-day Adventist university known for undergraduate nursing and theology. Most students live on the residential campus in Collegedale near Chattanooga.

#11 Best Private Colleges in Tennessee 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1020-1300
  • Avg GPA 3.59
  • Acceptance Rate 65%
  • Net Price $25,753
Details
University of Northwestern St Paul Campus
 

University of Northwestern St Paul

  • Private 4 Year
  • Saint Paul, MN
  • | 0 reviews
  • Aug 1 application deadline

A private Christian university known for undergraduate biblical studies, communications, and education. The suburban campus sits in Roseville near St. Paul.

#13 Best Private Colleges in Minnesota 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 868-1271
  • Avg GPA 3.58
  • Acceptance Rate 93%
  • Net Price $29,117
Details

Benedictine University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Lisle, IL
  • | 0 reviews

Benedictine is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate business, nursing, and biology. The suburban campus is in Lisle in Chicago's western suburbs.

#21 Best Private Colleges in Illinois 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1050-1280
  • Avg GPA 3.26
  • Acceptance Rate 95%
  • Net Price $23,139
Details

Delaware Valley University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Doylestown, PA
  • | 0 reviews

Delaware Valley is a private university known for undergraduate agriculture, animal science, and equine studies. The suburban Doylestown campus includes extensive working farmland used in hands-on programs.

#46 Best Private Colleges in Pennsylvania 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1090-1303
  • Avg GPA 3.46
  • Acceptance Rate 93%
  • Net Price $28,975
Details
Central Methodist University College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Campus
 

Central Methodist University College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

  • Private 4 Year
  • Fayette, MO
  • | 0 reviews
  • Aug 15 application deadline

Central Methodist is a private Methodist university known for undergraduate education, nursing, and music. The historic campus sits in the small college town of Fayette.

#8 Best Private Colleges in Missouri 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 960-1045
  • Avg GPA 3.5
  • Acceptance Rate 57%
  • Net Price $22,929
Details

Centenary University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Hackettstown, NJ
  • | 0 reviews

Centenary is a private university known for undergraduate equine studies and education. The main campus is set in the residential town of Hackettstown in northwestern New Jersey.

#10 Best Private Colleges in New Jersey 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 990-1170
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.23
  • Acceptance Rate 83%
  • Net Price $22,640
Details

University of New Haven

  • Private 4 Year
  • West Haven, CT
  • | 0 reviews

University of New Haven is a private university known for undergraduate criminal justice, forensic science, and fire science. The suburban campus sits near Long Island Sound in West Haven.

#9 Best Private Colleges in Connecticut 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1060-1265
  • Avg GPA 3.47
  • Acceptance Rate 60%
  • Net Price $34,557
Details

Roosevelt University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Chicago, IL
  • | 0 reviews

Roosevelt is a private university known for undergraduate performing arts and business. The urban campus includes the historic Auditorium Building in downtown Chicago.

#22 Best Private Colleges in Illinois 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 895-1175
  • Avg GPA 3.13
  • Acceptance Rate 97%
  • Net Price $22,366
Details

Saint Martin's University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Lacey, WA
  • 4.0 | 1 reviews
  • Jul 31 application deadline

Saint Martin's is a private Benedictine university known for undergraduate engineering, education, and business. The suburban campus sits in Lacey near Washington's state capital of Olympia.

#9 Best Private Colleges in Washington 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1025-1230
  • Avg GPA 3.46
  • Acceptance Rate 90%
  • Net Price $29,116
Details
Graceland University Lamoni Campus
 

Graceland University Lamoni

  • Private 4 Year
  • Lamoni, IA
  • | 0 reviews

Graceland is a private university known for undergraduate nursing and education. Most students live on the residential campus in the small college town of Lamoni.

#11 Best Private Colleges in Iowa 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 880-1120
  • Avg GPA 3.22
  • Acceptance Rate 81%
  • Net Price $19,574
Details

Alvernia University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Reading, PA
  • 4.0 | 1 reviews

Alvernia is a private Franciscan university known for undergraduate nursing, criminal justice, and business. Students live and study on a campus in Reading in eastern Pennsylvania.

#47 Best Private Colleges in Pennsylvania 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1093-1286
  • Avg GPA 3.41
  • Acceptance Rate 58%
  • Net Price $28,645
Details

University of St Thomas

  • Private 4 Year
  • Houston, TX
  • | 0 reviews
  • Aug 15 application deadline

University of St. Thomas is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate business, nursing, and the liberal arts. The urban campus sits in Houston's Museum District.

#16 Best Private Colleges in Texas 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 980-1210
  • Avg GPA 3.53
  • Acceptance Rate 90%
  • Net Price $20,599
Details