Top Ranked Universities in USA 2024

Top Universities in USA

USA is one of the most popular countries for study abroad options for international students and is a hub of globally renowned universities. According to the QS World University Rankings 2024, some top universities in USA are Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, Stanford University, University of Chicago, University of Pennsylvania and many more.

All aspiring candidates are required to appear for English proficiency exams like IELTS/TOEFL/PTE/Duolingo English Test and other entrance exams such as GRE/GMAT and SAT.

According to the SEVIS Report there are about 1.08 million international students with active study visas in the US, as of January 2023. The top subjects/industries for international students in USA are Information Technology, Finance, Healthcare, Logistics, Retail, Hospitality and Manufacturing.

Top Universities in USA: Highlights 2023

Usually, the duration of regular undergraduate courses in most of the top-ranked universities in USA is of 3-4 years and graduate and post-graduate courses is of 2 years. The application deadline for majority of the universities in USA are November 1 and November 15 for early action and January 1 and January 15 for regular decision deadlines. Usually there are 3 intakes for university admissions in USA and these are; Fall, Spring and Summer.

Top-ranked Universities in USA:

QS World University Rankings is a globally recognized top university ranking body that publishes annual rankings of universities on the basis of eight key indicators like Employability, ROI, Entrepreneurship and Alumni outcomes, Thought leadership, and Class & faculty diversity and new parameters like sustainability, employment outcomes and international research network. There are other renowned ranking bodies like US News and World Report that rank universities on Alumni giving rate average, Class size, Graduation rate performance and more.

Given below is the list of top Universities in USA as mentioned in the prominent rankings.

Top Universities in USA: QS World University Rankings

In the QS World University Rankings, it can be observed that Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has consistently maintained its topmost (#1) position and Harvard University as well as Stanford University have constantly retained their position in the top 10 universities in USA.

Top Universities in USA: Admission Requirements

The exact admission requirements for the universities in USA differ according to university of choice. However, there are some basic entry requirements for admission into best universities in USA.

Admission requirements for undergraduate course in a university in top university USA are:

• Transcript
• Standardized test scores
• SAT or ACT
• English proficiency test scores (TOEFL, IELTS, iTEP, PTE Academic)
• Essay
• Recommendations
• Copy of valid passport

Admission requirements for graduate course in a university in top university USA are:

• Academic transcripts from bachelor’s degree studies
• Test scores
• GRE/GMAT
• TOEFL, IELTS, iTEP, or PTE Academic
• Statement of purpose
• Research proposal
• Recommendations from professors
• Copy of your valid passport
• Proof of finances — unless you apply separately for assistantships or fellowships, you will need to show funding to cover the full cost of your education (subtracting any available scholarships)

Check out the table below to have a general idea of the eligibility requirements required to study in USA.

Top Universities in USA: Scholarships Offered:

Opting to study abroad is a major step that student take for their career and managing the expenses including the tuition fee and living costs play a deciding factor in this decision. Here is where scholarships dive in and help students study in their dream college by cutting down a portion of their expenses. Here are some scholarships offered by the top universities in USA that are available for international students:

• Narotam Sekhsaria’s Scholarships
• Hani Zeini Scholarship
• Joseph Wharton Fellowship
• Harry and Nisha Arora ’04 MBA Scholarship
• C. Mahindra Scholarships for Post-Graduate Studies Abroad

Top Universities in USA: Visa Requirements

All international students require a USA Student Visa in order to study in a university in USA. All candidates aiming for studying in USA university must follow the proper application process to apply for US Student Visa. Additionally, students are required to pay the visa application fee, as applicable.

Top Universities in USA: Acceptance Rate

Acceptance rate and average GPA play a very crucial role when it comes to university admissions and applicants must keep them in mind before applying in a university. Given below are the acceptance rate as well as the average GPA required for top universities in USA:

Is studying at Top Universities in USA expensive?

According to the table given below, the average annual tuition fee for UG courses in top USA universities is nearly 40 Lakh and for PG courses, it is 50 Lakh.

Top Universities in USA: Salary

The salary offered by any university determines the Return on Investment (ROI) that students get as a placement offer in return for investing some amount of money to attend a college and eventually, for the completion of a degree. Mentioned below are the average placement salary offered to students at the top universities in USA along with the first-year tuition fees.

Top Universities in USA: Post-work Study Permit

Post-work study permit is one of the most crucial factors for students aiming to pursue higher studies in USA. On the completion of a degree program in the US, international students are permitted Optional Practical Training (OPT), which is a one-year work and stay back permit. OPT is further classified into two types; Pre-Completion OPT and Post-Completion OPT. With the help of OPT, students get the post-study work permit to stay in US for a year after completing their degree program.

Top Universities in USA: A Comparison

Check out a comprehensive comparison of the top universities in USA: