America's Favorite 100 U.S. Universities 2026 - Public Vote

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10,265Votes
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Voting Rule
Single Select Daily Voting
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Help us find out which U.S. universities are the most loved in 2026. Forget rankings and test scores - this is all about campus vibes, student life, and the stories that make each school special. The order is alphabetical (A–Z).

American University – Washington, DC
American University – Washington, DC
Private • Research University • Urban Campus
Votes:
85
Amherst College – Amherst, MA
Amherst College – Amherst, MA
Private • Liberal Arts College • Residential Campus
Votes:
106
Arizona State University – Tempe, AZ
Arizona State University – Tempe, AZ
Public • Research University • Innovation Leader
Votes:
68
Auburn University – Auburn, AL
Auburn University – Auburn, AL
Public • Land-Grant • Research University
Votes:
98
Babson College – Wellesley, MA
Babson College – Wellesley, MA
Private • Business-Focused • Entrepreneurial
Votes:
49
Baylor University – Waco, TX
Baylor University – Waco, TX
Private • Christian • Research University
Votes:
68
Boston College – Chestnut Hill, MA
Boston College – Chestnut Hill, MA
Private • Jesuit • Research University
Votes:
74
Boston University – Boston, MA
Boston University – Boston, MA
Private • Research University • Urban Campus
Votes:
81
Bowdoin College – Brunswick, ME
Bowdoin College – Brunswick, ME
Private • Liberal Arts College • Coastal Campus
Votes:
115
Brandeis University – Waltham, MA
Brandeis University – Waltham, MA
Private • Research University • Liberal Arts Tradition
Votes:
71
Brown University – Providence, RI
Brown University – Providence, RI
Ivy League • Private • Research University
Votes:
125
California Institute of Technology (Caltech) – Pasadena, CA
California Institute of Technology (Caltech) – Pasadena, CA
Private • STEM-focused • Research University
Votes:
65
Carnegie Mellon University – Pittsburgh, PA
Carnegie Mellon University – Pittsburgh, PA
Private • Research University • STEM & Arts
Votes:
83
Case Western Reserve University – Cleveland, OH
Case Western Reserve University – Cleveland, OH
Private • Research University • STEM Leader
Votes:
29
Claremont McKenna College – Claremont, CA
Claremont McKenna College – Claremont, CA
Private • Liberal Arts College • Leadership Focus
Votes:
100
Clemson University – Clemson, SC
Clemson University – Clemson, SC
Public • Land-Grant • Research University
Votes:
83
Colby College – Waterville, ME
Colby College – Waterville, ME
Private • Liberal Arts College • Residential Campus
Votes:
132
Colgate University – Hamilton, NY
Colgate University – Hamilton, NY
Private • Liberal Arts College • Residential Campus
Votes:
59
College of William & Mary – Williamsburg, VA
College of William & Mary – Williamsburg, VA
Public • Research University • Historic Campus
Votes:
96
Columbia University – New York, NY
Columbia University – New York, NY
Ivy League • Private • Urban Campus
Votes:
150
Cornell University – Ithaca, NY
Cornell University – Ithaca, NY
Ivy League • Private • Land-Grant
Votes:
155
Dartmouth College – Hanover, NH
Dartmouth College – Hanover, NH
Ivy League • Private • Liberal Arts Focus
Votes:
195
Davidson College – Davidson, NC
Davidson College – Davidson, NC
Private • Liberal Arts College • Honor Code
Votes:
158
Duke University – Durham, NC
Duke University – Durham, NC
Private • Research University • Athletic Tradition
Votes:
101
Emory University – Atlanta, GA
Emory University – Atlanta, GA
Private • Research University • Health Sciences
Votes:
84
Florida State University – Tallahassee, FL
Florida State University – Tallahassee, FL
Public • Research University • Athletic Spirit
Votes:
129
Fordham University – New York, NY
Fordham University – New York, NY
Private • Jesuit • Urban Campus
Votes:
92
George Washington University – Washington, DC
George Washington University – Washington, DC
Private • Research University • Urban Campus
Votes:
155
Georgetown University – Washington, DC
Georgetown University – Washington, DC
Private • Jesuit • Research University
Votes:
83
Georgia Institute of Technology – Atlanta, GA
Georgia Institute of Technology – Atlanta, GA
Public • Research University • STEM Leader
Votes:
120
Grinnell College – Grinnell, IA
Grinnell College – Grinnell, IA
Private • Liberal Arts College • Residential Campus
Votes:
95
Harvard University – Cambridge, MA
Harvard University – Cambridge, MA
Ivy League • Private • Research University
Votes:
35
Harvey Mudd College – Claremont, CA
Harvey Mudd College – Claremont, CA
Private • Liberal Arts College • STEM-focused
Votes:
123
Haverford College – Haverford, PA
Haverford College – Haverford, PA
Private • Liberal Arts College • Honor Code
Votes:
169
Indiana University Bloomington – Bloomington, IN
Indiana University Bloomington – Bloomington, IN
Public • Flagship • Research University
Votes:
96
Johns Hopkins University – Baltimore, MD
Johns Hopkins University – Baltimore, MD
Private • Research University • Health Sciences Leader
Votes:
132
Lehigh University – Bethlehem, PA
Lehigh University – Bethlehem, PA
Private • Research University • Engineering & Business
Votes:
72
Loyola Marymount University – Los Angeles, CA
Loyola Marymount University – Los Angeles, CA
Private • Jesuit • Urban Campus
Votes:
28
Loyola University Chicago – Chicago, IL
Loyola University Chicago – Chicago, IL
Private • Jesuit • Urban Campus
Votes:
118
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) – Cambridge, MA
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) – Cambridge, MA
Private • STEM-focused • Research University
Votes:
169
Michigan State University – East Lansing, MI
Michigan State University – East Lansing, MI
Public • Flagship • Research University
Votes:
55
Middlebury College – Middlebury, VT
Middlebury College – Middlebury, VT
Private • Liberal Arts College • Language & Environmental Studies
Votes:
119
New York University (NYU) – New York, NY
New York University (NYU) – New York, NY
Private • Research University • Urban Campus
Votes:
155
Northeastern University – Boston, MA
Northeastern University – Boston, MA
Private • Research University • Co-op Program
Votes:
98
Northwestern University – Evanston, IL
Northwestern University – Evanston, IL
Private • Research University • Interdisciplinary Focus
Votes:
97
Occidental College – Los Angeles, CA
Occidental College – Los Angeles, CA
Private • Liberal Arts College • Urban Campus
Votes:
116
Ohio State University – Columbus, OH
Ohio State University – Columbus, OH
Public • Flagship • Research University
Votes:
140
Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) – University Park, PA
Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) – University Park, PA
Public • Flagship • Research University
Votes:
30

Comments

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Alexander Smith 49d
Proud graduate of Haverford College! Incredible professors, vibrant campus life, and a community like no other. Let's bring it home!
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John Taylor 49d
Voting: the only time I enjoy being polled.
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Isabella Rossi 24d
I went with Brown University - Providence, RI. If brains were votes, they'd already be winning by a landslide.
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Christopher Brown 23d
"Lehigh University: where the hills are steep, the coffee is strong, and climbing to class counts as cardio. Bethlehem's finest workout plan disguised as higher education!
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Diego Morales 22d
I voted for The University of Arizona - Tucson, AZ because where else can you get a world-class education and learn how to dodge cacti on your way to class? 🌵📚 Sunburns are basically part of the curriculum.
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Fatima Hassan 17d
Saint Louis University got my vote, feels like the perfect mix of college vibes and city life
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Rajesh Kumar 15d
Yale's campus just hits different… the atmosphere in New Haven is unmatched.
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Sofia Petrova 13d
Tuscaloosa all the way! If school spirit were a major, Alabama would hand out PhDs.
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Kwame Mensah 7d
Cast my vote for The University of Southern California (USC) - Los Angeles, CA. Sunshine, palm trees, and that Trojan spirit... honestly, who wouldn’t want their campus life to feel like a movie set?
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