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Best colleges in big cities

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Published 8:52 pm

Columbia university campus aerial view.

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When they begin their college careers in the fall of 2025, the Class of 2029 will have put in a lot of work to get there. Major colleges nationwide experienced a significant surge in applications, with New York University and the University of Michigan setting new records.

Colleges increasingly opt to use the Common Application, which makes it easier for prospective students to apply to multiple schools. During the 2024-2025 application period, colleges received over 10 million applications, an 8% increase from the previous year. Prospective students applied to an average of 6.80 colleges, increasing schools’ applicant pools. Schools must then be even more selective with whom they admit, causing admission rates to decrease.

Schools in big cities, which offer students a sense of community along with the vibrancy of urban life, are no exception. In June 2025, the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia announced an acceptance rate of just 4.9%, its most selective year yet. Meanwhile, those who want to study in the Big Apple struggle to get accepted to New York University, which only admits 7.7% of applicants, down from 12.5% for the Class of 2026.

Unfortunately, that’s not where the challenges end. Attending college in a big city can be expensive, finding a decent place to live nightmarish, and the pace frenzied. But the payoff can be remarkable. Students gain real-life experience, establish professional contacts, secure internships, and access job opportunities. They can also join urban community projects and participate in inner-city activism, which can be difficult to replicate in a classroom or on a remote bucolic campus.

Some big-city schools emphasize experiential learning, designing curricula that send students into the local workforce to supplement their academics. Living in a big city during college can make it easier to transition into a career based in an urban environment. Many big-city schools take great pride in their high post-graduation employment rates and rates of those going on to graduate or professional schools.

On a less academic note, students in big cities have the opportunity to expand their horizons through the many amenities of their cities, including a wealth of restaurants, bars, brewpubs, world-class museums, and musical performances.

Stacker ranked the best colleges in big cities using 2025 data from Niche. Colleges in the towns with populations of more than 300,000 were considered, drawing data from the Census Bureau. Niche ranks schools based on various factors, including academics, admissions, financial value, and student life. Niche’s methodology can be found here.

Read on to learn more about the best big-city schools in the country.

Chapman Center at Moody Bible Institute under a clear blue sky.

ChicagoPhotographer // Shutterstock

#50. Moody Bible Institute

– Location: Chicago, IL
— Population: 2,721,308
– Overall Niche grade: A-
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,270
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 12:1
– Acceptance rate: 98%
– Typical SAT range: 990-1200

Nursing student taking notes.

PeopleImages // Shutterstock

#49. Stanbridge University – Orange County

– Location: Irvine, CA
— Population: 318,683
– Overall Niche grade: A-
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 2,373
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 21:1
– Acceptance rate: 20%
– Typical SAT range: not available

San Diego State University banner on campus.

Ken Wolter // Shutterstock

#48. San Diego State University

– Location: San Diego, CA
— Population: 1,404,452
– Overall Niche grade: A-
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 30,228
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 23:1
– Acceptance rate: 34%
– Typical SAT range: 1090-1300

The UH sign on the Ezekiel W. Cullen building on the University of Houston campus.

JHVEPhoto // Shutterstock

#47. University of Houston

– Location: Houston, TX
— Population: 2,390,125
– Overall Niche grade: A-
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 27,798
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 18:1
– Acceptance rate: 70%
– Typical SAT range: 1150-1330

Aerial view of the campus including University Mall and Old Main Building.

Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock

#46. University of Arizona

– Location: Tucson, AZ
— Population: 554,013
– Overall Niche grade: A-
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 34,237
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 15:1
– Acceptance rate: 86%
– Typical SAT range: 1160-1420

Entrance sign and view of Walter Pyramid sports arena.

Underawesternsky // Shutterstock

#45. California State University – Long Beach

– Location: Long Beach, CA
— Population: 450,901
– Overall Niche grade: A-
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 28,962
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 20:1
– Acceptance rate: 47%
– Typical SAT range: 1020-1240

Three students with laptops and books in library.

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

#44. College of Saint Mary

– Location: Omaha, NE
— Population: 489,265
– Overall Niche grade: A-
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 502
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 5:1
– Acceptance rate: 44%
– Typical SAT range: not available

Morning view of Thorne Hall at Occidental College.

Kit Leong // Shutterstock

#43. Occidental College

– Location: Los Angeles, CA
— Population: 3,878,704
– Overall Niche grade: A-
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,858
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1
– Acceptance rate: 40%
– Typical SAT range: 1360-1500

Venteicher Mall on the campus of Creighton University.

Ken Wolter // Shutterstock

#42. Creighton University

– Location: Omaha, NE
— Population: 489,265
– Overall Niche grade: A-
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 4,160
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 6:1
– Acceptance rate: 73%
– Typical SAT range: 1210-1400

Group of students working on a project together at table.

CarlosBarquero // Shutterstock

#41. Oklahoma City University

– Location: Oklahoma City, OK
— Population: 712,919
– Overall Niche grade: A-
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,389
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 6:1
– Acceptance rate: 70%
– Typical SAT range: not available

Aerial view of The Immaculata Church at the University of San Diego.

tokar // Shutterstock

#40. University of San Diego

– Location: San Diego, CA
— Population: 1,404,452
– Overall Niche grade: A-
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 5,851
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 9:1
– Acceptance rate: 47%
– Typical SAT range: 1190-1370

Brick building on Reed campus.

Png Studio Photography // Shutterstock

#39. Reed College

– Location: Portland, OR
— Population: 635,749
– Overall Niche grade: A-
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,404
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1
– Acceptance rate: 26%
– Typical SAT range: 1300-1510

View of Belfer Hall building in Manhattan.

Roy Harris // Shutterstock

#38. Yeshiva University

– Location: New York, NY
— Population: 8,478,072
– Overall Niche grade: A
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 2,922
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 5:1
– Acceptance rate: 64%
– Typical SAT range: 1320-1500

Street view of John Jay College building.

Xackery Irving // Shutterstock

#37. CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice

– Location: New York, NY
— Population: 8,478,072
– Overall Niche grade: A
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 9,507
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 16:1
– Acceptance rate: 57%
– Typical SAT range: 1000-1250

University of Tulsa campus in autumn.

Kit Leong // Shutterstock

#36. The University of Tulsa

– Location: Tulsa, OK
— Population: 415,154
– Overall Niche grade: A
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 2,288
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 7:1
– Acceptance rate: 58%
– Typical SAT range: 1150-1490

Students walking through Kogan Plaza on GWU campus.

Rosemarie Mosteller // Shutterstock

#35. George Washington University

– Location: Washington, DC
— Population: 702,250
– Overall Niche grade: A
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 10,386
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 6:1
– Acceptance rate: 44%
– Typical SAT range: 1350-1500

DeWitt Wallace Library at Macalester College.

Ken Wolter // Shutterstock

#34. Macalester College

– Location: Saint Paul, MN
— Population: 307,465
– Overall Niche grade: A
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 2,106
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 10:1
– Acceptance rate: 28%
– Typical SAT range: 1350-1510

Northrop Mall on the campus of the University of Minnesota.

Ken Wolter // Shutterstock

#33. University of Minnesota Twin Cities

– Location: Minneapolis, MN
— Population: 428,579
– Overall Niche grade: A
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 29,124
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1
– Acceptance rate: 77%
– Typical SAT range: 1310-1480

Joseph Wylie Fincher Building at Southern Methodist University.

Ken Wolter // Shutterstock

#32. Southern Methodist University

– Location: Dallas, TX
— Population: 1,326,087
– Overall Niche grade: A
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 6,948
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1
– Acceptance rate: 61%
– Typical SAT range: 1320-1480

UCF College of Medicine building.

JHVEPhoto // Shutterstock

#31. University of Central Florida

– Location: Orlando, FL
— Population: 334,854
– Overall Niche grade: A
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 41,654
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 26:1
– Acceptance rate: 40%
– Typical SAT range: 1190-1350

Aerial view of Cathedral of Learning and surrounding cityscape.

Christian Hinkle // Shutterstock

#30. University of Pittsburgh

– Location: Pittsburgh, PA
— Population: 307,668
– Overall Niche grade: A
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 19,618
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 4:1
– Acceptance rate: 50%
– Typical SAT range: 1270-1450

People walking to NC State Student Union building on campus.

Wileydoc // Shutterstock

#29. North Carolina State University

– Location: Raleigh, NC
— Population: 499,825
– Overall Niche grade: A
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 25,989
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 13:1
– Acceptance rate: 40%
– Typical SAT range: 1300-1460

Exterior of the Kelvin Smith Library.

Sandra Foyt // Shutterstock

#28. Case Western Reserve University

– Location: Cleveland, OH
— Population: 365,379
– Overall Niche grade: A
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 6,093
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 5:1
– Acceptance rate: 29%
– Typical SAT range: 1430-1540

Campus sign with flags in springtime.

Grindstone Media Group // Shutterstock

#27. Texas Christian University

– Location: Fort Worth, TX
— Population: 1,008,106
– Overall Niche grade: A
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 11,049
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 12:1
– Acceptance rate: 43%
– Typical SAT range: 1150-1380

The Cooper Union building in Manhattan.

DW labs Incorporated // Shutterstock

#26. The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art

– Location: New York, NY
— Population: 8,478,072
– Overall Niche grade: A
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 899
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1
– Acceptance rate: 19%
– Typical SAT range: 1400-1520

Students walk with Trinity University’s tiger balloon in the The Battle of the Flowers Parade.

Roberto Galan // Shutterstock

#25. Trinity University

– Location: San Antonio, TX
— Population: 1,526,656
– Overall Niche grade: A+
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 2,481
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1
– Acceptance rate: 28%
– Typical SAT range: 1320-1470

Entrance sign to the University of South Florida.

Joseph Hendrickson // Shutterstock

#24. University of South Florida

– Location: Tampa, FL
— Population: 414,547
– Overall Niche grade: A+
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 30,184
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 13:1
– Acceptance rate: 41%
– Typical SAT range: 1140-1330

Aerial photo of the SASC Building and surrounding campus.

Felix Mizioznikov // Shutterstock

#23. Florida International University

– Location: Miami, FL
— Population: 487,014
– Overall Niche grade: A+
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 26,027
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 19:1
– Acceptance rate: 59%
– Typical SAT range: 1060-1250

Tulane University sign and building.

Fotoluminate LLC // Shutterstock

#22. Tulane University

– Location: New Orleans, LA
— Population: 362,701
– Overall Niche grade: A+
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 8,160
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 5:1
– Acceptance rate: 15%
– Typical SAT range: 1390-1510

Aerial view of campus and surrounding cityscape.

Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock

#21. University of California – Irvine

– Location: Irvine, CA
— Population: 318,683
– Overall Niche grade: A+
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 28,884
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 12:1
– Acceptance rate: 26%
– Typical SAT range: 1230-1430

Students walking outside of The Hub Student Union Building.

VDB Photos // Shutterstock

#20. University of Washington

– Location: Seattle, WA
— Population: 780,995
– Overall Niche grade: A+
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 29,863
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 6:1
– Acceptance rate: 43%
– Typical SAT range: not available

Ohio State University Stadium.

Ken Wolter // Shutterstock

#19. The Ohio State University

– Location: Columbus, OH
— Population: 933,263
– Overall Niche grade: A+
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 41,983
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 7:1
– Acceptance rate: 51%
– Typical SAT range: 1330-1480

Students walking on a red brick path past the Milstein Center (left) and Diana Center (right) on the Barnard College campus.

Here Now // Shutterstock

#18. Barnard College

– Location: New York, NY
— Population: 8,478,072
– Overall Niche grade: A+
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 3,183
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 10:1
– Acceptance rate: 8%
– Typical SAT range: 1450-1550

University of Texas campus in Austin.

f11photo // Shutterstock

#17. University of Texas – Austin

– Location: Austin, TX
— Population: 993,588
– Overall Niche grade: A+
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 39,787
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 14:1
– Acceptance rate: 29%
– Typical SAT range: 1230-1490

Krentzman Quadrangle at Northeastern University.

Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock

#16. Northeastern University

– Location: Boston, MA
— Population: 673,458
– Overall Niche grade: A+
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 15,857
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1
– Acceptance rate: 6%
– Typical SAT range: 1460-1550

Boston University campus sign with people walking in background.

Jorge Salcedo // Shutterstock

#15. Boston University

– Location: Boston, MA
— Population: 673,458
– Overall Niche grade: A+
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 17,899
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 5:1
– Acceptance rate: 11%
– Typical SAT range: 1400-1520

Students on the New York University campus.

littlenySTOCK // Shutterstock

#14. New York University

– Location: New York, NY
— Population: 8,478,072
– Overall Niche grade: A+
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 28,692
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 3:1
– Acceptance rate: 9%
– Typical SAT range: 1480-1570

Emory University campus buildings.

EQRoy // Shutterstock

#13. Emory University

– Location: Atlanta, GA
— Population: 520,070
– Overall Niche grade: A+
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 7,263
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 4:1
– Acceptance rate: 11%
– Typical SAT range: 1460-1550

Georgia Institute of Technology sign.

EQRoy // Shutterstock

#12. Georgia Institute of Technology

– Location: Atlanta, GA
— Population: 520,070
– Overall Niche grade: A+
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 17,171
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 13:1
– Acceptance rate: 16%
– Typical SAT range: 1330-1530

USC sign at the Village.

Hanson L // Shutterstock

#11. University of Southern California

– Location: Los Angeles, CA
— Population: 3,878,704
– Overall Niche grade: A+
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 20,502
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 7:1
– Acceptance rate: 10%
– Typical SAT range: 1440-1550

Brick path and buildings on the campus of Johns Hopkins.

Jon Bilous // Shutterstock

#10. Johns Hopkins University

– Location: Baltimore, MD
— Population: 568,271
– Overall Niche grade: A+
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 5,607
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 1:1
– Acceptance rate: 8%
– Typical SAT range: 1530-1580

Afternoon aerial view of historic Royce Hall and campus quad buildings on the UCLA campus near Westwood.

trekandshoot // Shutterstock

#9. University of California – Los Angeles

– Location: Los Angeles, CA
— Population: 3,878,704
– Overall Niche grade: A+
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 32,472
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 7:1
– Acceptance rate: 9%
– Typical SAT range: not available

Aerial view of University of Chicago campus and surrounding neighborhoods.

Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock

#8. University of Chicago

– Location: Chicago, IL
— Population: 2,721,308
– Overall Niche grade: A+
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 7,617
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 3:1
– Acceptance rate: 5%
– Typical SAT range: 1510-1570

Campus of Georgetown University in springtime.

LnP images // Shutterstock

#7. Georgetown University

– Location: Washington, DC
— Population: 702,250
– Overall Niche grade: A+
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 7,220
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 4:1
– Acceptance rate: 13%
– Typical SAT range: 1390-1550

Aerial view of Carnegie Mellon University campus.

Jay Yuan // Shutterstock

#6. Carnegie Mellon University

– Location: Pittsburgh, PA
— Population: 307,668
– Overall Niche grade: A+
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 7,133
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 5:1
– Acceptance rate: 11%
– Typical SAT range: 1500-1570

Aerial view of Duke University Chapel and campus.

Chad Robertson Media // Shutterstock

#5. Duke University

– Location: Durham, NC
— Population: 301,870
– Overall Niche grade: A+
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 6,474
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 1:1
– Acceptance rate: 7%
– Typical SAT range: 1510-1570

A summer view of the University of Pennsylvania campus.

SINITAR // Shutterstock

#4. University of Pennsylvania

– Location: Philadelphia, PA
— Population: 1,573,916
– Overall Niche grade: A+
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 10,610
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 5:1
– Acceptance rate: 6%
– Typical SAT range: 1500-1570

The bronze statue of William Marsh Rice in the quad on Rice University's campus.

Tada Images // Shutterstock

#3. Rice University

– Location: Houston, TX
— Population: 2,390,125
– Overall Niche grade: A+
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 4,483
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 5:1
– Acceptance rate: 8%
– Typical SAT range: 1500-1570

Aerial view of Vanderbilt University in Nashville.

Grindstone Media Group // Shutterstock

#2. Vanderbilt University

– Location: Nashville, TN
— Population: 704,963
– Overall Niche grade: A+
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 7,146
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 5:1
– Acceptance rate: 6%
– Typical SAT range: 1510-1560

Columbia University Library buildings with columns and dome.

Dmitrii Sakharov // Shutterstock

#1. Columbia University

– Location: New York, NY
— Population: 8,478,072
– Overall Niche grade: A+
– Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 8,428
– Student-to-faculty ratio: 2:1
– Acceptance rate: 4%
– Typical SAT range: 1490-1570

Additional writing by Jill Jaracz.

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