50 best colleges on the East Coast

Jay Yuan // Shutterstock Considering the United States was birthed from a revolution waged along the Eastern Seaboard, it makes sense that the roots of the country’s higher education system were planted there as well. Harvard University–founded in 1636–came first, predating the Declaration of Independence by 140 years. The nation’s oldest institution of higher learning was followed by a slew of state and public universities throughout the 13 colonies. The East Coast remains home to a number of private and public colleges that consistently top “best of” lists, highlighted by the prestigious Ivy League eight. Stacker combed through Niche’s 2023 Best Colleges in America list (current as of February 2023) in order to discover which 50 East Coast schools, old and new, are the cream of the crop. Niche ranks colleges by analyzing student and alumni reviews, as well as data on admissions and academic and student life culled from the Department of Education. Stacker filtered its list to include schools in the District of Columbia and states that border the Atlantic Ocean within 100 miles of their eastern borders: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. Keep reading to discover the best schools on the East Coast–and find out if any among them beat out the Ivies for the top spot. Alt lead below: You may also like: Best boarding schools in America #50. University of Massachusetts Amherst Grandview Graphics // Shutterstock – Location: Amherst, Massachusetts – Undergraduate enrollment: 22,212 – Student-to-faculty ratio: 15:1 – Acceptance rate: 65% – Graduation rate: 83% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $51,400 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 94% – Overall rank: #115 #49. Rutgers University-New Brunswick FotosForTheFuture // Shutterstock – Location: Piscataway, New Jersey – Undergraduate enrollment: 33,788 – student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1 – Acceptance rate: 67% – Graduation rate: 84% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $57,900 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 93% – Overall rank: #111 #48. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Jay Yuan // Shutterstock – Location: Troy, New York – Undergraduate enrollment: 6,262 – student-to-faculty ratio: 14:1 – Acceptance rate: 57% – Graduation rate: 87% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $82,000 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 95% – Overall rank: #110 #47. Skidmore College Theresa Lauria // Shutterstock – Location: Saratoga Springs, New York – Undergraduate enrollment: 2,510 – student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1 – Acceptance rate: 32% – Graduation rate: 86% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $49,700 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 95% – Overall rank: #108 #46. University of Maryland – College Park Bryan Pollard // Shutterstock – Location: College Park, Maryland – Undergraduate enrollment: 28,160 – student-to-faculty ratio: 14:1 – Acceptance rate: 51% – Graduation rate: 87% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $62,900 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 93% – Overall rank: #100 You may also like: Can you pass this 8th grade assessment test? #45. George Washington University Roman Babakin // Shutterstock – Location: Washington, District of Columbia – Undergraduate enrollment: 10,141 – student-to-faculty ratio: 6:1 – Acceptance rate: 43% – Graduation rate: 85% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $69,600 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 92% – Overall rank: #95 #44. College of the Holy Cross Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock – Location: Worcester, Massachusetts – Undergraduate enrollment: 2,966 – student-to-faculty ratio: 10:1 – Acceptance rate: 38% – Graduation rate: 93% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $71,000 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 95% – Overall rank: #88 #43. Smith College EQRoy // Shutterstock – Location: Northampton, Massachusetts – Undergraduate enrollment: 2,160 – student-to-faculty ratio: 6:1 – Acceptance rate: 37% – Graduation rate: 87% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $46,200 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 88% – Overall rank: #86 #42. University of Richmond PT Hamilton // Shutterstock – Location: University Of Richmond, Virginia – Undergraduate enrollment: 3,028 – student-to-faculty ratio: 6:1 – Acceptance rate: 31% – Graduation rate: 88% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $64,500 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 95% – Overall rank: #81 #41. The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art DW labs Incorporated // Shutterstock – Location: New York, New York – Undergraduate enrollment: 802 – student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1 – Acceptance rate: 18% – Graduation rate: 79% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $64,900 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 93% – Overall rank: #78 You may also like: 2-year degrees that can earn you the most money #40. Vassar College Brian Logan Photography // Shutterstock – Location: Poughkeepsie, New York – Undergraduate enrollment: 2,409 – student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1 – Acceptance rate: 25% – Graduation rate: 88% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $54,600 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 93% – Overall rank: #74 #39. Wesleyan University Svineyard // Shutterstock – Location: Middletown, Connecticut – Undergraduate enrollment: 2,836 – student-to-faculty ratio: 7:1 – Acceptance rate: 21% – Graduation rate: 91% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $54,700 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 90% – Overall rank: #71 #38. Virginia Tech Rui Serra Maia // Shutterstock – Location: Blacksburg, Virginia – Undergraduate enrollment: 29,112 – student-to-faculty ratio: 13:1 – Acceptance rate: 66% – Graduation rate: 86% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $62,500 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 96% – Overall rank: #68 #37. Colby College Popova Valeriya // Shutterstock – Location: Waterville, Maine – Undergraduate enrollment: 2,155 – student-to-faculty ratio: 9:1 – Acceptance rate: 10% – Graduation rate: 90% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $58,100 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 92% – Overall rank: #67 #36. William & Mary William Silver // Shutterstock – Location: Williamsburg, Virginia – Undergraduate enrollment: 6,475 – student-to-faculty ratio: 9:1 – Acceptance rate: 42% – Graduation rate: 91% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $58,500 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 94% – Overall rank: #63 You may also like: 25 oldest colleges in America #35. Hamilton College George Rudy // Shutterstock – Location: Clinton, New York – Undergraduate enrollment: 2,043 – student-to-faculty ratio: 9:1 – Acceptance rate: 18% – Graduation rate: 91% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $60,200 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 91% – Overall rank: #58 #34. University of Miami Barbara Kalbfleisch // Shutterstock – Location: Coral Gables, Florida – Undergraduate enrollment: 12,089 – student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1 – Acceptance rate: 33% – Graduation rate: 83% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $60,100 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 90% – Overall rank: #57 #33. Bates College Jennifer Yakey-Ault // Shutterstock – Location: Lewiston, Maine – Undergraduate enrollment: 1,876 – student-to-faculty ratio: 10:1 – Acceptance rate: 14% – Graduation rate: 92% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $59,200 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 94% – Overall rank: #56 #32. Babson College Joyseulay // Shutterstock – Location: Wellesley, Massachusetts – Undergraduate enrollment: 2,457 – student-to-faculty ratio: 12:1 – Acceptance rate: 27% – Graduation rate: 95% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $96,100 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 91% – Overall rank: #55 #31. Colgate University Stephen B. Goodwin // Shutterstock – Location: Hamilton, New York – Undergraduate enrollment: 3,023 – student-to-faculty ratio: 9:1 – Acceptance rate: 27% – Graduation rate: 91% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $63,600 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 93% – Overall rank: #54 You may also like: Best public colleges in America #30. University of Georgia Ken Wolter // Shutterstock – Location: Athens, Georgia – Undergraduate enrollment: 27,888 – student-to-faculty ratio: 13:1 – Acceptance rate: 48% – Graduation rate: 87% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $50,500 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 92% – Overall rank: #52 #29. New York University littlenySTOCK // Shutterstock – Location: New York, New York – Undergraduate enrollment: 25,854 – student-to-faculty ratio: 4:1 – Acceptance rate: 21% – Graduation rate: 88% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $61,900 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 91% – Overall rank: #50 #28. Wake Forest University Bryan Pollard // Shutterstock – Location: Winston-salem, North Carolina – Undergraduate enrollment: 5,391 – student-to-faculty ratio: 3:1 – Acceptance rate: 32% – Graduation rate: 89% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $63,800 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 94% – Overall rank: #49 #27. Boston University Jorge Salcedo // Shutterstock – Location: Boston, Massachusetts – Undergraduate enrollment: 16,026 – student-to-faculty ratio: 5:1 – Acceptance rate: 20% – Graduation rate: 89% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $65,300 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 93% – Overall rank: #47 #26. Northeastern University Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock – Location: Boston, Massachusetts – Undergraduate enrollment: 15,131 – student-to-faculty ratio: 10:1 – Acceptance rate: 20% – Graduation rate: 90% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $67,400 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 95% – Overall rank: #45 You may also like: States where high schoolers are least likely to graduate #25. Williams College Colin D. Young // Shutterstock – Location: Williamstown, Massachusetts – Undergraduate enrollment: 1,917 – student-to-faculty ratio: 6:1 – Acceptance rate: 15% – Graduation rate: 96% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $59,000 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 90% – Overall rank: #43 #24. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Bryan Pollard // Shutterstock – Location: Chapel Hill, North Carolina – Undergraduate enrollment: 18,505 – student-to-faculty ratio: 9:1 – Acceptance rate: 25% – Graduation rate: 91% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $55,600 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 94% – Overall rank: #42 #23. University of Florida Leigh Trail // Shutterstock – Location: Gainesville, Florida – Undergraduate enrollment: 31,476 – student-to-faculty ratio: 11:1 – Acceptance rate: 31% – Graduation rate: 89% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $56,000 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 92% – Overall rank: #41 #22. Amherst College Mark Yarchoan // Shutterstock – Location: Amherst, Massachusetts – Undergraduate enrollment: 1,745 – student-to-faculty ratio: 7:1 – Acceptance rate: 12% – Graduation rate: 95% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $65,000 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 90% – Overall rank: #40 #21. Boston College Jay Yuan // Shutterstock – Location: Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts – Undergraduate enrollment: 9,532 – student-to-faculty ratio: 9:1 – Acceptance rate: 26% – Graduation rate: 92% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $72,500 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 94% – Overall rank: #39 You may also like: 35 CEOs who never finished college #20. Tufts University Kevin D. Walsh // Shutterstock – Location: Medford, Massachusetts – Undergraduate enrollment: 5,938 – student-to-faculty ratio: 6:1 – Acceptance rate: 16% – Graduation rate: 94% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $75,800 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 92% – Overall rank: #38 #19. Wellesley College Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock – Location: Wellesley, Massachusetts – Undergraduate enrollment: 2,375 – student-to-faculty ratio: 7:1 – Acceptance rate: 20% – Graduation rate: 94% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $60,800 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 94% – Overall rank: #36 #18. United States Military Academy at West Point Joseph Sohm // Shutterstock – Location: West Point, New York – Undergraduate enrollment: 4,536 – student-to-faculty ratio: 16:1 – Acceptance rate: 9% – Graduation rate: 85% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $ No data available – Employment rate two years after graduation: No data available – Overall rank: #35 #17. Emory University EQRoy // Shutterstock – Location: Atlanta, Georgia – Undergraduate enrollment: 6,814 – student-to-faculty ratio: 3:1 – Acceptance rate: 19% – Graduation rate: 90% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $66,000 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 92% – Overall rank: #34 #16. Davidson College Nolichuckyjake // Shutterstock – Location: Davidson, North Carolina – Undergraduate enrollment: 1,983 – student-to-faculty ratio: 9:1 – Acceptance rate: 20% – Graduation rate: 93% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $58,900 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 88% – Overall rank: #33 You may also like: Most expensive colleges–and what students actually pay #15. Barnard College Popova Valeriya // Shutterstock – Location: New York, New York – Undergraduate enrollment: 2,651 – student-to-faculty ratio: 10:1 – Acceptance rate: 14% – Graduation rate: 90% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $57,900 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 90% – Overall rank: #32 #14. Bowdoin College EQRoy // Shutterstock – Location: Brunswick, Maine – Undergraduate enrollment: 1,948 – student-to-faculty ratio: 9:1 – Acceptance rate: 9% – Graduation rate: 95% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $65,500 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 93% – Overall rank: #30 #13. University of Virginia Kim Kelley-Wagner // Shutterstock – Location: Charlottesville, Virginia – Undergraduate enrollment: 16,319 – student-to-faculty ratio: 7:1 – Acceptance rate: 23% – Graduation rate: 94% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $61,200 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 94% – Overall rank: #27 #12. Georgia Institute of Technology EQRoy // Shutterstock – Location: Atlanta, Georgia – Undergraduate enrollment: 14,485 – student-to-faculty ratio: 12:1 – Acceptance rate: 21% – Graduation rate: 91% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $79,100 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 95% – Overall rank: #26 #11. Cornell University Lewis Liu // Shutterstock – Location: Ithaca, New York – Undergraduate enrollment: 15,735 – student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1 – Acceptance rate: 11% – Graduation rate: 95% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $77,200 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 93% – Overall rank: #23 You may also like: Biggest HBCUs in America #10. Johns Hopkins University Jon Bilous // Shutterstock – Location: Baltimore, Maryland – Undergraduate enrollment: 5,766 – student-to-faculty ratio: 2:1 – Acceptance rate: 11% – Graduation rate: 94% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $73,200 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 91% – Overall rank: #21 #9. Georgetown University Orhan Cam // Shutterstock – Location: Washington, District of Columbia – Undergraduate enrollment: 6,610 – student-to-faculty ratio: 4:1 – Acceptance rate: 17% – Graduation rate: 94% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $93,500 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 92% – Overall rank: #17 #8. Columbia University Canva – Location: New York, New York – Undergraduate enrollment: 7,509 – student-to-faculty ratio: 2:1 – Acceptance rate: 7% – Graduation rate: 96% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $83,300 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 89% – Overall rank: #12 #7. Dartmouth College Canva – Location: Hanover, New Hampshire – Undergraduate enrollment: 4,169 – student-to-faculty ratio: 5:1 – Acceptance rate: 9% – Graduation rate: 95% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $75,500 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 94% – Overall rank: #10 #6. Brown University Ken Wolter // Shutterstock – Location: Providence, Rhode Island – Undergraduate enrollment: 6,605 – student-to-faculty ratio: 7:1 – Acceptance rate: 8% – Graduation rate: 95% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $67,500 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 91% – Overall rank: #9 You may also like: 30 celebs you didn’t know were Ivy Leaguers #5. Duke University EQRoy // Shutterstock – Location: Durham, North Carolina – Undergraduate enrollment: 6,838 – student-to-faculty ratio: 2:1 – Acceptance rate: 8% – Graduation rate: 96% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $84,400 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 94% – Overall rank: #8 #4. Princeton University Jay Yuan // Shutterstock – Location: Princeton, New Jersey – Undergraduate enrollment: 4,689 – student-to-faculty ratio: 4:1 – Acceptance rate: 6% – Graduation rate: 98% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $74,700 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 87% – Overall rank: #5 #3. Yale University Canva – Location: New Haven, Connecticut – Undergraduate enrollment: 4,696 – student-to-faculty ratio: 2:1 – Acceptance rate: 7% – Graduation rate: 96% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $83,200 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 92% – Overall rank: #4 #2. Harvard University Marcio Jose Bastos Silva // Shutterstock – Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts – Undergraduate enrollment: 5,699 – student-to-faculty ratio: 3:1 – Acceptance rate: 5% – Graduation rate: 98% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $89,700 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 89% – Overall rank: #3 #1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology Paper Cat // Shutterstock – Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts – Undergraduate enrollment: 4,234 – student-to-faculty ratio: 3:1 – Acceptance rate: 7% – Graduation rate: 96% – Median earnings six years after graduation: $104,700 – Employment rate two years after graduation: 94% – Overall rank: #1 You may also like: Most liberal colleges in America