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

Bentley University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Waltham, MA
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • Jan 15 application deadline

Bentley is a private university known for undergraduate business, accounting, and finance. The suburban campus sits in Waltham just west of Boston.

#13 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1280-1430
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.75
  • Acceptance Rate 45%
  • Net Price $45,802
Details

Babson College

  • Private 4 Year
  • Wellesley, MA
  • 4.0 | 2 reviews
  • Jan 3 application deadline

Babson is a private college known for undergraduate entrepreneurship and business. The suburban campus is in Wellesley near Boston.

#14 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1390-1530
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.79
  • Acceptance Rate 17%
  • Net Price $32,019
Details

Texas Christian University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Fort Worth, TX
  • 4.8 | 4 reviews
  • Feb 1 application deadline

TCU is a private university known for undergraduate business and communications. The residential campus sits a few miles from downtown Fort Worth.

#4 Best Private Colleges in Texas 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1140-1350
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.68
  • Acceptance Rate 44%
  • Net Price $41,848
Details

Simmons University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Boston, MA
  • | 0 reviews
  • Feb 1 application deadline

Simmons is a private women's university known for undergraduate nursing, social work, and health sciences. The urban campus sits in Boston's Fenway neighborhood.

#15 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1220-1390
  • Avg GPA 3.87
  • Acceptance Rate 70%
  • Net Price $28,691
Details

University of Tulsa

  • Private 4 Year
  • Tulsa, OK
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews

University of Tulsa is a private university known for undergraduate petroleum engineering and energy programs. The compact urban campus sits in midtown Tulsa.

#6 Best Value Colleges in America 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1223-1530
  • Avg GPA 3.97
  • Acceptance Rate 62%
  • Net Price $13,095
Details

University of San Francisco

  • Private 4 Year
  • San Francisco, CA
  • | 0 reviews
  • Jan 15 application deadline

USF is a private Jesuit university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and international studies. The urban campus sits beside Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.

#11 Best Private Colleges in California 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1190-1390
  • Avg GPA 3.57
  • Acceptance Rate 62%
  • Net Price $45,443
Details

Stevens Institute of Technology

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

Stevens is a private technological university known for undergraduate engineering, computer science, and systems engineering. The compact Hoboken campus sits on the Hudson River waterfront facing the Manhattan skyline.

#3 Best Colleges in New Jersey 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1380-1505
  • Avg GPA 3.88
  • Acceptance Rate 48%
  • Net Price $46,165
Details

Drexel University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Philadelphia, PA
  • 3.0 | 1 reviews
  • Jan 15 application deadline

Drexel is a private university known for undergraduate engineering, design, and business. The urban campus is in Philadelphia's University City neighborhood.

#14 Best Private Colleges in Pennsylvania 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1240-1440
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.67
  • Acceptance Rate 79%
  • Net Price $42,801
Details

Seattle University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Seattle, WA
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • Jan 15 application deadline

Seattle University is a private Jesuit university known for undergraduate nursing and business. The urban campus sits on First Hill near downtown Seattle.

#3 Best Colleges in Washington 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1200-1430
  • Avg GPA 3.62
  • Acceptance Rate 77%
  • Net Price $36,948
Details

Rhodes College

  • Private 4 Year
  • Memphis, TN
  • 4.5 | 2 reviews
  • Jan 15 application deadline

Rhodes is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate biology and international studies. The collegiate Gothic campus sits in a wooded residential section of Memphis.

#3 Best Colleges in Tennessee 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1300-1486
  • Avg GPA 3.99
  • Acceptance Rate 50%
  • Net Price $31,037
Details

University of the Pacific

  • Private 4 Year
  • Stockton, CA
  • 5.0 | 2 reviews
  • Jan 15 application deadline

Pacific is a private university known for its Conservatory of Music and undergraduate programs in business and health sciences. Most undergrads live on the residential Stockton campus in California's Central Valley.

#12 Best Private Colleges in California 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1183-1480
  • Avg GPA 3.58
  • Acceptance Rate 71%
  • Net Price $31,670
Details

Providence College

  • Private 4 Year
  • Providence, RI
  • 3.0 | 2 reviews
  • Jan 15 application deadline

Providence College is a private Dominican Catholic college known for undergraduate business and the liberal arts. Most undergrads live on the residential campus in a Providence neighborhood.

#3 Best Colleges in Rhode Island 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1250-1390
  • Avg GPA 3.47
  • Acceptance Rate 51%
  • Net Price $48,618
Details

University of Portland

  • Private 4 Year
  • Portland, OR
  • | 0 reviews
  • Jan 15 application deadline

University of Portland is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing, engineering, and business. The campus sits on a bluff overlooking the Willamette River in North Portland.

#2 Best Colleges in Oregon 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1160-1370
  • Avg GPA 3.66
  • Acceptance Rate 89%
  • Net Price $30,985
Details

Northeastern University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Boston, MA
  • 4.7 | 6 reviews
  • Jan 1 application deadline

Northeastern is a highly selective private university known for undergraduate engineering, computer science, and health sciences. The urban campus sits in Boston's Fenway neighborhood.

#16 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1440-1540
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.91
  • Acceptance Rate 5%
  • Net Price $34,207
Details

Fairfield University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Fairfield, CT
  • | 0 reviews
  • Jan 15 application deadline

Fairfield is a private Jesuit university known for undergraduate business and nursing. The suburban campus is in coastal Connecticut near Long Island Sound.

#5 Best Private Colleges in Connecticut 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1260-1390
  • Avg GPA 3.67
  • Acceptance Rate 33%
  • Net Price $49,958
Details

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

  • Private 4 Year
  • Troy, NY
  • 4.3 | 3 reviews
  • Jan 15 application deadline

RPI is a private technological university known for undergraduate engineering, computer science, and architecture. The hillside campus overlooks the Hudson River in Troy.

#12 Best Private Colleges in New York 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1375-1510
  • Avg GPA 3.88
  • Acceptance Rate 63%
  • Net Price $38,887
Details

Brigham Young University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Provo, UT
  • 4.3 | 16 reviews
  • Dec 16 application deadline

BYU is a private university known for undergraduate accounting, business, and foreign languages. Most students are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and follow a campus honor code.

#1 Best Private Colleges in Utah 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1270-1460
  • Avg GPA 3.89
  • Acceptance Rate 68%
  • Net Price $16,694
Details

Fordham University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Bronx, NY
  • 4.2 | 5 reviews
  • Jan 1 application deadline

Fordham is a private Jesuit university known for undergraduate business, communications, and the liberal arts. The main Rose Hill campus in the Bronx borders the New York Botanical Garden.

#13 Best Private Colleges in New York 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1320-1480
  • Avg GPA 3.67
  • Acceptance Rate 59%
  • Net Price $48,190
Details