Listen to this articleTo help students decide where to get the best deal when it comes to earning a college degree, WalletHub unveiled its annual College & University Rankings Oct. 13.
The personal finance website compared 791 higher education institutions in the U.S. across seven categories to determine the top-performing schools at the lowest costs to undergraduates:
- Student Selectivity
- Cost & Financing
- Faculty Resources
- Campus Safety
- Campus Experience
- Educational Outcomes
- Career Outcomes
Researchers used 30 metrics within these categories, including admission rate, net cost, student-faculty ratio, on-campus crime and graduation rate, among several others. Post-graduation outcomes also factored in, including:
- Return on educational investment
- Share of graduates offered full-time employment within six months
- Post-attendance median salary
- Share of former students out-earning high school graduates
- Share of students reducing their debt
- Student-loan default rate
Top performer
Overall, Princeton University was the No. 1 school in the nation, according to WalletHub, which highlighted some of the Ivy League school’s top qualities:
- 4% acceptance rate
- 93% of incoming students were in the top 10% of their graduating classes
- One faculty member for every five students (one of the best student-to-faculty ratios in the country)
- Women and men both make up about 50% of the student body
- 97% graduation rate, “the best in the nation”
- Median salary for a Princeton graduate 10 years after enrollment is over $110,000 – the eighth-highest among the WalletHub rankings
- On average, during the 20 years after graduation, Princeton alumni earn about $1.05 million more than those with only a high school diploma
Princeton also came in tops – for the 15th consecutive year – on U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 college rankings, released Sept. 23.
Overall, the top five universities in the U.S., according to WalletHub are:
- No. 1: Princeton University
- No. 2: Harvard University
- No. 3: Yale University
- No. 4: Dartmouth College
- No. 5: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Scroll over the map to take a closer look at WalletHub’s 2026 College & University Rankings:
Tops in the Garden State
Within New Jersey, 12 universities made WalletHub’s 2026 College & University Rankings:
- No. 1: Princeton University
- No. 91: Stevens Institute of Technology
- No. 141: New Jersey Institute of Technology
- No. 170: The College of New Jersey
- No. 173: Rutgers University–New Brunswick
- No. 271: Drew University
- No. 332: Rutgers University–Camden
- No. 376: Rider University 173
- No. 383: Ramapo College of New Jersey
- No. 420: Rowan University
- No. 438: Seton Hall University
- No. 492: Stockton University
Degree price tag
On average, tuition and room and board at a four-year college costs $24,920–$58,600 per year, according to WalletHub.
To determine its findings, WalletHub used data collected as of Sept. 15, 2025, from National Center for Education Statistics, Council for Community and Economic Research, U.S. Department of Education, COLLEGEdata and PayScale.
Expert insights
WalletHub asked several higher education professionals to weigh in on some deciding factors when it comes to selecting a college:
What types of universities provide the best return on investment?
“The best return comes from schools that keep costs reasonable while also preparing students for careers. Colleges that provide hands-on learning, career services, strong connections to employers, and support for students — all while helping them graduate with less debt — give the most value for the money.”
– Tristan Jones, coordinator for recruitment and admissions, Langston University, Oklahoma City
What tips do you have for a student looking to graduate with minimal debt and great job prospects?
“Students should only borrow the minimum amount needed to cover educational expenses and not the maximum that is available. Graduating on time (four years) will help reduce debt and add time earning money in the labor market.”
– Robert Toutkoushian, professor, Institute of Higher Education, University of Georgia
