Top 30 American Universities for English
See below for detailed description of each university
| Ranking | University | Region | Annual Tuition | GPA | SAT/ACT |
| 1 | University of California – Berkeley | W | $40,167 | 3.86 | SAT: 1440 |
| 2 | Stanford University | W | $45,729 | 4.18 | SAT: 1520 |
| 3 | Columbia University | NE | $51,008 | 4.13 | 1520 |
| 4 | Yale University | NE | $45,800 | 4.19 | SAT: 1540 |
| 5 | Harvard University | NE | $ 59,550 | 4.04 | SAT: 1540 |
| 6 | University of Pennsylvania | NE | $47,544 | 3.81 | SAT: 1350 |
| 7 | Princeton University | NE | $41,820 | 3.9 | SAT: 1540 |
| 8 | Cornell University | NE | $50,953 | 4.01 | SAT: 1480 |
| 9 | University of Illinois at Chicago | MW | $26,520 | 3.29 | ACT: 24 |
| 10 | Duke University | SE | $51,510 | 4.17 | SAT: 1540 |
| 11 | University of California – Los Angeles | W | $40,182 | 4.29 | SAT: 1370 |
| 12 | University of Virginia | SE | $45,058 | 4.22 | SAT: 1400 |
| 13 | Brown University | NE | $48,272 | 4.05 | SAT: 1490 |
| 14 | Johns Hopkins University | NE | $50,410 | 3.74 | SAT: 1470 |
| 15 | University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill | SE | $33,648 | 4.56 | SAT: 1370 |
| 16 | University of Michigan – Ann Arbor | MW | $59,784 | 3.82 | SAT: 1430 |
| 17 | University of Texas – Austin | SE | $52,422 | 3.71 | SAT: 1330 |
| 18 | University of Wisconsin – Madison | MW | $47,544 | 3.81 | SAT: 1350 |
| 19 | Rutgers University | NE | $26,551 | 3.63 | SAT: 1290 |
| 20 | New York University | NE | $42,419 | 3.71 | SAT: 1410 |
| 21 | Northwestern University | MW | $50,424 | 4.07 | SAT: 1500 |
| 22 | Indiana University – Bloomington | MW | $34,246 | 3.62 | SAT: 1250 |
| 23 | University of California – Irvine | W | $11,220 | 3.92 | SAT: 1240 |
| 24 | Ohio State University | NE | $29,229 | 3.7 | SAT: 1320 |
| 25 | University of Illinois – Urbana | MW | $46,668 | 3.83 | SAT: 1390 |
| 26 | Emory University | SE | $45,008 | 3.75 | SAT: 1430 |
| 27 | University of California – Davis | W | $38,659 | 3.99 | SAT: 1290 |
| 28 | University of California – Santa Barbara | W | $36,743 | 3.96 | SAT: 1330 |
| 29 | University of Iowa | MW | $20,617 | 3.55 | SAT: 1210 |
| 30 | Pennsylvania State University | NE | $31,346 | 3.57 | SAT: 1260 |
1.) University of California – Berkeley
Founded in 1868 as the flagship campus of the University of California, UC Berkeley is one of most prestigious public universities in the country. The university is located in Berkeley, California, overlooking the San Francisco Bay. The university’s proximity to the tech hub of Silicon Valley has allowed it to become one of the premier universities for computer science and engineering studies.
Today the university has an undergraduate enrollment of 28,000 and offers a student-faculty ratio of 17:1. 60% of the courses at Berkeley have fewer than twenty students, and the university has over 1,000 student organizations for the students to participate in outside of the classroom.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $13,509 | $16,042 | $29,551 |
| Out-of-state | $40,176 | $16,042 | $56,218 |
2.) Stanford University
Located just south of San Francisco in Silicon Valley; Stanford has a reputation of one of the top tech schools in the US. Alumni of Stanford have gone on to start tech companies such as Google, Snapchat, and Netflix.
The university has over 15,000 students, 20% of whom are international and is one of the most selective universities in the United States, with an admission rate of just 5%. The university has a student-faculty ratio of 3:1 and over 70% of its classes have fewer than twenty students. Some of the most popular majors at Stanford include engineering, computer science, and mathematics.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $45,729 | $13,730 | $59,459 |
| Out-of-state | $45,729 | $13,730 | $59,459 |
3.) Columbia University
Located in New York City Columbia University is the 5th oldest school in the United States. Columbia is the leading school in New York City, and its location there allows the students the unique opportunities of working on Wall Street, Broadway, and with the UN.
The university has an admissions rate of just 6% and an endowment of over nine billion dollars. Undergraduate classes at Columbia typically allow fewer than 20 students enroll, and upper level courses usually allow fewer than 10.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $51,008 | $7,928 | $58,936 |
| Out-of-state | $51,008 | $7,928 | $58,936 |
4.) Yale University
Located in Connecticut, Yale University has a prestigious history that stretches back over 300 years. The university is dominant in a wide variety of subjects, and has an alumni network that spreads around the world, including three of the last four US presidents.
The university offers small class sizes and lots of individual attention. 75% of courses enroll fewer than twenty students, and 30% of them enroll fewer than ten.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $45,800 | $18,170 | $63,970 |
| Out-of-state | $45,800 | $18,170 | $63,970 |
5.) Harvard University
Founded in 1636 Harvard University is America’s oldest and most prestigious university. In its long history the University has produced 8 American presidents, 47 Noble Laureates, and over 40 Pulitzer Prize winners.
The University is located in historic Cambridge, Massachusetts, separated from Boston by the Charles River, and just a few miles from MIT. Today 20,000 students attend the university, and one fourth of them come from abroad. The school stresses the importance of small class sizes, with half of all classes having fewer than 10 students. Although tuition at Harvard is high, its large endowment allows the university to provide financial aid to 70% of its students.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $ 59,550 | $22,262 | $81,812 |
| Out-of-state | $ 59,550 | $22,262 | $81,812 |
6.) University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania, or U Penn, is a private Ivy League university located in Philadelphia. The school was founded in 1757 by Benjamin Franklin, making it the 6th oldest universities in the United States. The University is located on a large urban campus, separated from downtown Philadelphia but still close enough to allow easy access to the city’s amenities.
U Penn has a student-faculty ratio of 6:1 and 70% of its classes have fewer than twenty students. The university’s business school is the oldest business school in the US, and its alumni include business titans such as Warren Buffet, Elon Musk, and Donald Trump.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $47,668 | $13,990 | $61,658 |
| Out-of-state | $47,668 | $13,990 | $61,658 |
7.) Princeton University
Princeton University is a private Ivy League university in Princeton, New Jersey. The school was founded in 1746 and is the fourth oldest university in the United States. Today the university has 5,300 undergraduate students and is consistently ranked in the top 3 for overall US rankings.
Princeton University has a student-faculty ratio of 5:1, and the university is ranked #1 nationally for best undergraduate teaching, thanks to its highly qualified staff and small class is sizes. The university has a long list of well-known alumni, including former president Woodrow Wilson, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, and mathematician Alan Turing.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $41,820 | $14,770 | $56,590 |
| Out-of-state | $41,820 | $14,770 | $56,590 |
8.) Cornell University
Cornell University is a private Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York. The school offers over 100 different majors and has 14,000 undergraduate students. Today the diverse student body includes students from over 120 countries and all 50 American states.
Cornell has top ranked programs in several fields of study, and both their engineering and business programs are in the top 10 nationally. The school has a student-faculty ratio of 9:1, and 55% of its classes have fewer than twenty students.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $50,953 | $13,950 | $64,903 |
| Out-of-state | $50,953 | $13,950 | $64,903 |
9.) University of Illinois at Chicago
The University of Illinois at Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. The university was established in 1890 and is one of the world’s leading universities, with top-10 rankings across a wide range of subjects. Today the university enrolls 6,000 undergraduate students and offers 51 academic majors.
Students at Chicago are able to participate in on campus research, especially in physics and engineering. Business and law students are able to take advantage of internship and work opportunities in the city, and all students benefit from the nearby cultural and entertainment opportunities.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $26,520 | $15,093 | $41,613 |
| Out-of-state | $26,520 | $15,093 | $41,613 |
10.) Duke University
Duke University a private university located in suburban North Carolina. The university has a wide variety of programs including very successful business and engineering schools. The university currently has 6,000 undergraduate students, along with another 6,000 graduate students.
Duke is ranked 8th in the national overall and is tied for 14th nationally for its undergraduate teaching. Duke believes in small class sizes and maintains a student-faculty ratio of 6:1, one of the lowest undergraduate ratios in the country.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $51,510 | $15,116 | $56,626 |
| Out-of-state | $51,510 | $15,116 | $56,626 |
11.) University of California – Los Angeles
UCLA is a public university located in Los Angeles, California, just five miles from the Pacific Ocean. The school has an undergraduate enrollment of 30,000 and is considered to be a one of the Public Ivy schools. The university is consistently ranked as one of the top public schools in the country, and has produced 14 Noble prize winners and over 250 Olympic medalists.
The university has a student-faculty ratio of 17:1 and 50% of its classes have fewer than twenty students. The most popular majors at UCLA are psychology, biomedical sciences, and social sciences.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $12,836 | $15,069 | $27,905 |
| Out-of-state | $40,182 | $15,069 | $55,251 |
12.) University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public university that was founded in 1819 by former president Thomas Jefferson. The school is located in Charlottesville, Virginia, a city two hours south from Washington DC. The university offers over 120 majors and students compete in 26 collegiate sports. The campus is very diverse, and students come to UVA from all 50 states and over 140 countries.
The school has an undergraduate enrollment of 16,000 and is considered one of the top public universities in the country. The student-faculty ratio is 15:1 and 47% of students have fewer than twenty students.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $15,722 | $10,726 | $26,448 |
| Out-of-state | $40,248 | $10,726 | $50,974 |
13.) Brown University
Brown University is a private Ivy League university in Providence, Rhode Island. The school was founded in 1764, and is the 7th oldest university in the United States. The university has a long history of excellence, and has produced eight Noble Prize laureates along with Rhodes Scholars, Pulitzer Prize winners, and several US Secretaries of State.
Brown University is ranked fourth in the country for best undergraduate teaching and has a student-faculty ratio of 7:1. 70% of the classes at brown have fewer than twenty students, and the school has a freshman retention rate of 98%.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $48,272 | $13,200 | $61,472 |
| Out-of-state | $48,272 | $13,200 | $61,472 |
14.) Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University is a private university with campuses in Baltimore, Maryland and Washington DC. The school was founded in 1876 and has grown into one of the United State’s top universities for studying medicine, education, and engineering.
Today the university has an undergraduate enrollment of 6,500, and is ranked in the top 10 for national universities overall. The student-faculty ratio is 8:1 and 70% of its classes have fewer than twenty students. The most popular majors include public health, biomedical engineering, and international affairs.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $48,710 | $ 14,976 | $63,686 |
| Out-of-state | $48,710 | $14,976 | $63,686 |
15.) University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, or UNC, is a public university that was founded in 1789, making it the oldest public university in the country. The university offers degrees in over 70 different areas of study and has an undergraduate enrollment of 29,000 students. The school is a located in the downtown area of Chapel Hill, where students can enjoy a wide range of activities.
UNC is ranked in the top 30 for nationally universities and in the top 15 for best value schools. The university offers over 500 student clubs and programs, and has a student-faculty ratio of 14:1. The school has a long running athletic rivalry with nearby Duke University, and the two schools frequently conduct research together and share facilities.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $8,834 | $11,218 | $20,052 |
| Out-of-state | $33,648 | $11,218 | $44,866 |
16.) University of Michigan – Ann Arbor
The University of Michigan is a public university that was founded in 1817. It is has developed a strong reputation for its strong business and engineering schools, as well as for its athletic programs that provide on campus entertainment options for students.
Located 35 miles west of Detroit, Ann Arbor allows students to enjoy all of the benefits of the large city while still being able to live in a quieter town. The university has a student-faculty ratio of 15:1, and 57% of its classes have fewer than 20 students. The university spends more than $1 billion a year on a research, allowing students from all programs to collaborate on these initiatives.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $13,856 | $10,554 | $24,410 |
| Out-of-state | $43,476 | $10,554 | $44,132 |
17.) University of Texas – Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a public school in Austin, Texas. The university is the largest school in Texas and the 7th largest in the country, with over 50,000 students enrolled. The university has over 900 student clubs and two of the largest student publications in the country. In addition to on campus activities students are also able to enjoy cultural and academic opportunities in the surrounding city of Austin.
Austin is divided into 18 different schools, including its highly ranked business, education, and engineering schools. The student-faculty ratio at Austin is 18:1, and 25% of its classes have fewer than twenty students. Alumni of Austin include 15 former US congressman, two former first ladies, and the founder of Dell computers.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $9,806 | $ 11,456 | $20,770 |
| Out-of-state | $34,676 | $11,456 | $46,132 |
18.) University of Wisconsin – Madison
University of Wisconsin-Madison is a public university in Madison, Wisconsin. The university was founded in 1848 and has an undergraduate enrollment of 30,000 students. Today the university offers over 125 undergraduate majors, 25 collegiate sports, and 800 student organizations.
Wisconsin is consistently rated in the top-10 for public schools in the country, and has exceptional undergraduate programs for business and engineering. The university has a student-faculty ratio of 17:1 and 45% of its classes have fewer than twenty students. Some of the most popular majors include economics, biology, and political science.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $10,488 | $8,804 | $19,292 |
| Out-of-state | $32,738 | $8,804 | $42,542 |
19.) Rutgers University
Rutgers University is a public university in New Jersey. The school was founded in 1766 and is the largest university in the state, with 48,000 undergraduate students. The school has three urban campuses, with main campuses in the cities of Newark and Camden. Today the school offers over 100 different degree programs and leading research university.
Rutgers offers over 400 student clubs and organizations for its students to choose from, along with more than 80 different fraternities and sororities. The school has top-ranked programs for business, engineering, and education, and is ranked in the top-30 for public universities. The school has a low student-faculty ratio of 12:1, and 40% of its classes have fewer than twenty students.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $26,551 | $12,260 | $38,811 |
| Out-of-state | $30,023 | $12,260 | $42,283 |
20.) New York University
New York University is a private university based in New York City. the school was founded in 1831 and is considered one of the most influential research universities in the world. The university’s campus is located in six centers around NYC, and the largest center is in Lower Manhattan.
The school has over 50,000 students from more than 180 foreign countries. The university is ranked in the top-40 nationally, and has a student-faculty ratio of 10:1. The school is especially well-known for its film, writing, and business programs.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $42,419 | $17,578 | $59,997 |
| Out-of-state | $42,419 | $17,578 | $59,997 |
21.) Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university located on the shores of Lake Michigan in Evanston, Illinois. The school was founded in 1851 to serve the Northwest Territory and has grown into one of the country’s top schools. Today the school enrolls 21,000 undergraduate students and has the 8th largest university endowment in the United States.
Northwestern University has a very low student-faculty ratio of 7:1, and 77% of its classes have fewer than twenty students. The school has a high freshman retention rate, with 97% of Northwestern students continuing there after their first year.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $50,424 | $15,489 | $65,913 |
| Out-of-state | $50,424 | $15,489 | $65,913 |
22.) Indiana University – Bloomington
Indiana University is a public university located in Bloomington, Indiana. The university has over 48,000 students and is the flagship institution of the Indiana system. The school is popular with international students with students from over 165 countries enrolling in the university.
The university has programs ranked in the top ten nationally for business, accounting, and marketing. Students at Indiana are able to participate in a wide variety of student activities, in addition to cheering on their consistently successful sports teams. The school has a student-faculty ratio of 17:1 and one third of its classes have fewer than twenty students.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $10,388 | $10,040 | $20,428 |
| Out-of-state | $34,246 | $10,040 | $44,286 |
23.) University of California – Irvine
The University of California, Irvine, is a public university located in Irvine, California, a city just south of Los Angeles. The school was establish in 1965 and has quickly become one of the top public universities in the country. The school has an undergraduate enrollment of 25,000 students and offers over 80 different degree options.
Students at the university can choose to participate in over 500 different student organizations, and the sunny campus is just five miles from the ocean. The school is known for its business and engineering programs, and has a student-faculty ratio of 19:1 and 60% of its classes have fewer than twenty students.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $11,200 | $12,947 | $24,147 |
| Out-of-state | $39,458 | $12,947 | $52,405 |
24.) Ohio State University
Ohio State is a public university located in Columbus, Ohio. The university has 45,000 undergraduate students and an extensive student life program, with over 1,000 student organizations and a popular athletic program. In addition to on campus activities, students at Ohio State benefit from living in the city of Columbus, which is the 15th largest city in the US and is home to a variety of entertainment and professional opportunities.
Ohio State has a student-faculty ratio of 19:1 and 30% of its classes have fewer than twenty students. The school is ranked in the top twenty national for top public universities, business, and for biological engineering.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $10,037 | $11,666 | $21,703 |
| Out-of-state | $29,229 | $11,666 | $40,895 |
25.) University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a public university and flagship school of the Illinois system. The school has an urban campus spread across the cities of Urbana and Champaign. Today it has more than 30,000 undergraduate students and is ranked as one of the top 50 universities in the world.
The university offers more than 150 undergraduate programs but its most successful program is engineering, where it is ranked in the top 5 globally. The school has a student-faculty ratio of 18:1 and 40% of its classes have fewer than twenty students.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $15,698 | $11,308 | $21,338 |
| Out-of-state | $46,668 | $ 11,308 | $57,976 |
26.) Emory University
Emory University is a private university in Druid Hills, Georgia, just outside of Atlanta. The school was founded in 1836 and is one of the 50 oldest schools in the United States. The university has one of the highest endowments in the country and has been recognized by the Carnegie institute for its high scientific research.
The school has an undergraduate enrollment of 7,000 students and has nationally ranked programs in engineering, law, and medicine. The student-faculty ratio at Emory is 8:1, and 60% of its classes have fewer than twenty students.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $45,008 | $13,486 | $58,494 |
| Out-of-state | $45,008 | $13,486 | $58,494 |
27.) University of California – Davis
The University of California, Davis, or UC Davis is a public university in Davis, California. The school has an urban campus and is located west of the state capital Sacramento. The school is considered one of the top public schools in the country and has an undergraduate enrollment of 28,000.
The university has a large campus, with over 500 student organizations and 20 sports teams. The university offers a wide-range of academic programs, with very popular biology, economics, and business programs. The school has a student-faculty ratio of 19:1 and 35% of its classes have fewer than twenty students.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $14,046 | $14,838 | $28,884 |
| Out-of-state | $38,659 | $14,838 | $53,497 |
28.) University of California, Santa Barbara
University of California, Santa Barbara, or UCSB, is a public university in California. The school is located near Santa Barbara, on a coastal campus 100 miles north of Los Angeles. The school was founded in 1944 and has an undergraduate enrollment of 20,000 students. The school is ranked in the top 10 nationally for public universities and is ranked in the top 50 for global universities
The university has more than 400 clubs for students to choose from, along with several sports teams. Students at the university can also travel to the nearby beaches, or to several nearby national parks and forests. UCSB has a student-faculty ratio of 18:1, and 50% of its classes have fewer than twenty students. Some of the most popular majors include biology, psychology, and the performing arts.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $14,022 | $15,186 | $29,208 |
| Out-of-state | $36,743 | $15,186 | $51,929 |
29.) Iowa State University
Iowa State University is a public university located in Ames, Iowa. The school has an undergraduate enrollment of 30,000 students and offers over 100 different options for bachelor degrees. The school is nationally ranked for its journalism, hotel management, and choir programs.
There are over 800 student organizations on campus, in addition to popular athletic programs. The school has a student-faculty ratio of 19:1, and 30% of its classes have fewer than 20 students.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $7,969 | $8,356 | $16,325 |
| Out-of-state | $20,617 | $8,356 | $28,973 |
30.) Pennsylvania State University
Pennsylvania State University, or Penn State, is a public research university located in University Park, Pennsylvania. The school was founded in 1855 and has an undergraduate enrollment of 46,000. The university has a very active campus, with over 950 clubs and organizations ad opportunities for skiing and hiking in the nearby mountains.
The university has top ranked programs in education and engineering, and is ranked 14th in the country for top public universities. The student-faculty ratio is 16:1, and 40% of classes have fewer than twenty students.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $17,900 | $11,860 | $29,760 |
| Out-of-state | $31,346 | $11,860 | $43,206 |