Supreme Court ends positive discrimination in college admissions
The ruling affects the University of North Carolina and Harvard, which take race into account in their application processes.
Megan Smith, USA TODAY
College Raptor just released its annual list of the 50 best colleges in the United States, and New England schools dominate the field.
College Raptor, a subsidiary of Citizens Bank, is a leading college planning platform that allows prospective students to research schools in a variety of categories. They base their rankings on analysis of selectivity, financial health, rigor and academic success.
“Our top priority is to help students choose the best colleges for their future careers in in-demand industries, so our rankings and accompanying tools are important resources for creating an individual path to success,” said William Staib, co-founder and president of College Raptor, in a statement. “Combined with College Raptor’s College Match Tool, these rankings allow students and families to build their own lists of best colleges based on individual campus preferences, academic achievement and goals, and financial circumstances.”
While College Raptor publishes a number of rankings of the best colleges each year, the top 50 list is the most prestigious. It selects schools with rich histories, beautiful campuses, top-notch academic programs, and outstanding students. See which New England colleges made the cut below.
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Which of the top 50 colleges are in New England?
Here are the 15 nationally top-ranked colleges in New England for 2025, ranked from lowest to highest.
Wesleyan University
This private liberal arts college is located on the Connecticut River in Middletown, Connecticut and was ranked 47th.
Colby College
This small liberal arts college in Waterville, Maine, came in at number 45. Colby is known for its art collection at the prestigious Colby College Museum of Art.
Babson College
Babson College in Wellesley, which offers a first-class business education, ranks 43rd.
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit university located just outside the city in Chestnut Hill. It was ranked 37th by College Raptor.
Amherst College
This liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts, ranked 35th. Amherst is the third oldest college in the state of Massachusetts.
Tufts University
Tufts is considered one of the leading research universities in the country and was ranked 33rd. The university has campuses in downtown Boston as well as in Medford and Somerville.
Olin College of Engineering
Olin College in Needham, Massachusetts, ranked 32nd. Olin is consistently recognized as one of the best engineering programs in the country, but only enrolls about 300 to 400 students.
Wellesley College
One of the best women’s colleges in the country, Wellesley College in Wellesley, Massachusetts, ranked 31st.
Bowdoin College
Bowdoin, a liberal arts college in Brunswick, Maine, ranked 22nd. Nathaniel Hawthorne and Franklin Pierce are notable alumni.
Williams College
Williams College, a liberal arts college in the Berkshire Mountains region of Williamstown, Massachusetts, ranked 20th.
Brown University
Brown, an Ivy League university in Providence, Rhode Island, ranked 13th. It is known for its strong science programs and progressive campus culture.
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth, another Ivy League university, ranked 11th. Located in Hanover, New Hampshire, it is surrounded by scenic pine trees and mountains, and its campus is often ranked as one of the most beautiful in the country.
Yale University
Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, came in fifth. It is often considered the Ivy League with the best theater and music programs.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Known for its innovative science, technology, computing, and engineering programs, this leading research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, ranked third.
Harvard University
The highest-ranked college in New England on College Raptor’s top 50 list is Harvard University, which comes in second behind Princeton University. Founded in 1636, Harvard is the oldest institution of higher education in the United States.
