Archive · 23 Sep 2026
MIT Ends Princeton’s 15-Year Run Atop US University Rankings
MIT was named the best university in the United States in the newest U.S. News rankings.
This ended Princeton’s 15-year streak at number one.
MIT received 100 points, while Princeton received 99 and Harvard received 96.
The ranking system added a new measure about how much graduates earn in different majors.
It compared earnings for each major with the national average for that field.
U.S. News said this could give families a fairer way to compare schools.
The ranking also considered student debt and how manageable it may be alongside graduates’ earnings.
Many of the highest-ranked schools were private universities.
California State University, Los Angeles, was the only state university in the top 20.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology ranked first in U.S. News & World Report’s latest U.S. university rankings.
MIT scored 100 points, narrowly surpassing Princeton University at 99 and Harvard University at 96.
The rankings introduced “earnings by major,” comparing graduates’ earnings with national averages for their fields.
U.S. News managing editor LaMont Jones said the new measure was intended to be fairer and more accurate.
Private universities dominated the highest positions, while California State University, Los Angeles, ranked 20th as the only state university listed.
- Who
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Princeton University, Harvard University, and U.S. News & World Report are central to the ranking results; LaMont Jones explained the methodology.
- What
- MIT became the top-ranked U.S. university, ending Princeton’s 15-year run, after U.S. News introduced an earnings-by-major measure.
- When
- In the latest annual rankings, identified in the article as the 2027 Best Colleges rankings.
- Where
- The rankings cover universities in the United States; MIT is based in Cambridge, and the article was datelined New Delhi.
- Why
- U.S. News added earnings by major to provide what it described as a fairer and more accurate measure, including the relationship between earnings and debt.
New Methodology Supporters
Earlier-System Perspective
Use of graduate earnings
New Methodology Supporters
U.S. News managing editor LaMont Jones said comparing earnings by major with national averages was intended to be a fairer and more accurate factor.
Earlier-System Perspective
The earlier system focused on graduate indebtedness, and Jones said debt is difficult to assess separately from earnings because low earnings can make even modest debt difficult to manage.
Value of university rankings
New Methodology Supporters
U.S. News described the 2027 rankings as a decision-making tool offering information about outcomes, affordability, and academic quality.
Earlier-System Perspective
The Hill reported that the rankings’ influence on students’ college choices has been gradually waning.
- Ranked No. 1
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- MIT score
- 100 points
- Princeton score
- 99 points
- Harvard score
- 96 points
- New ranking factor
- Earnings by major compared with national averages
- Princeton’s previous streak
- 15 consecutive years at number one
- Only state university in the top 20
- California State University, Los Angeles, ranked 20th