The Best Colleges in the US

College costs are soaring, but here's who gives you best value for money

Last Updated: Sep 10, 2012, 06:49 IST3 min

College costs are soaring, but for students accepted by one of these top institutions, as ranked by educational outcomes, attending is a no-brainer. 1. Princeton UniversityLOCATION: PRINCETON, NEW JERSEYUNDERGRADUATES: 5,203TOTAL COST: $53,934

FAST FACTS:&bull In 1783, Princeton’s Nassau Hall served as the Capitol of the US for approximately 5 months&bull Charles “Pete” Conrad Jr (’53) was the third person to walk on the moon. He carried a Princeton flag there on November 19, 1969&bull Of those who were immediately employed, 16% of the class of 2006 took jobs on Wall Street 4 years later only 12% did

2. Williams CollegeLOCATION: WILLIAMSTOWN, MASSACHUSETTSUNDERGRADUATES: 2,070TOTAL COST: $57,141

FAST FACTS:&bull The first college baseball game was played between Williams and Amherst in Pittsfield, Massachusetts in 1859&bull Billionaire alumni include Rich Products’ Robert Rich Jr (’63, $2.1 billion) and Tiger Global’s Chase Coleman (’97, $1.1 billion)&bull Williams has the second-highest 4-year graduation rate (91%) in the nation

3. Stanford UniversityLOCATION: PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIAUNDERGRADUATES: 6,988TOTAL COST: $57,755

FAST FACTS:&bull In its 121-year history, Stanford has produced 107 Rhodes Scholars, 86 Marshall Award winners and 60 Truman Scholars&bull Stanford graduates have founded some of Silicon Valley’s most innovative companies: Google, Yahoo, Cisco and Sun Microsystems &bull Sporty Stanford stars include Tiger Woods, John Elway (’83) and John McEnroe, although neither Woods nor McEnroe took degrees

4. University of ChicagoLOCATION: CHICAGO, ILLINOISUNDERGRADUATES: 5,402TOTAL COST: $59,950

FAST FACTS:&bull Janet Davison Rowley (’44, MD ’48) discovered that cancer is a genetic disease in 1972 in 2012, the university named a new professorship in honour of her work&bull Undergraduates call the University of Chicago “the place where fun comes to die”&bull In 2008, fund manager David Booth (’71) gave $300 million, the largest gift in the university’s history, to Chicago’s business school, which was renamed the Booth School of Business 5. Yale UniversityLOCATION: NEW HAVEN, CONNNECTICUTUNDERGRADUATES: 5,349COST: $58,250

FAST FACTS:&bull In 1852 Yale’s crew team raced Harvard on Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire, the first intercollegiate athletic event in America&bull Yale’s retention rate between freshman and sophomore years is 99%&bull Five US Presidents were Yalies: both Bushes (’48, ’68), Clinton (’73, law), Ford (’41, law) and Taft (1878)

6. Harvard UniversityLOCATION: CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTSUNDERGRADUATES: 10,305TOTAL COST: $56,000

FAST FACTS:&bull In total, Harvard’s faculty and alumni have won 46 Nobel Prizes&bull In 2011, it allowed Reserve Officers’ Training Corps for the first time in 42 years after Congress repealed the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law&bull Harvard’s endowment is $32 billion, or $1,168,224 per student

7. United States Military AcademyLOCATION: WEST POINT, NEW YORKUNDERGRADUATES: 4,624TOTAL COST: $0

FAST FACTS:&bull During the American Revolution, Benedict Arnold attempted to sell West Point to the British&bull A limited number of foreign students can attend West Point, but their home governments must pay costs ranging up to $71,086 a year

8. Columbia UniversityLOCATION: NEW YORK, NEW YORKUNDERGRADUATES: 8,127TOTAL COST: $59,208

FAST FACTS:&bull Founded in 1754, Columbia is the fifth-oldest college in the country &bull Barack Obama (’83) transferred to Columbia from Occidental College after his sophomore year &bull Columbia has produced 9 Supreme Court justices

9. Pomona CollegeLOCATION: CLAREMONT, CALIFORNIAUNDERGRADUATES: 1,586TOTAL COST: $55,319

FAST FACTS:&bull Ski-Beach Day is a unique tradition: Students spend the morning skiing at Mountain High resort, an hour away from campus, and then relax in the afternoon on Newport Beach&bull Despite its high total cost, Pomona has the 11th-lowest student debt&bull Pomona is part of the Claremont Colleges, a consortium of 7 independent institutions situated on adjoining campuses 10. Swarthmore CollegeLOCATION: SWARTHMORE, PENNSYLVANIAUNDERGRADUATES: 1,545TOTAL COST: $55,895

FAST FACTS:&bull On a Sunday night before the beginning of the fall semester, the student body gathers to watch The Graduate to celebrate the start of a new year&bull Students can take classes for credit at the University of Pennsylvania, 20 minutes away from campus&bull One-fifth of Swarthmore graduates go on to earn PhDs

First Published: Sep 10, 2012, 06:49

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Michael Noer

Zack O' Malley Greenburg