Top 30 American Universities for Political Science
See below for detailed description of each university
| Ranking | University | Region | Annual Tuition | GPA | SAT/ACT |
| 1 | Harvard University | NE | $ 59,550 | 4.04 | SAT: 1540 |
| 2 | Yale University | NE | $45,800 | 4.19 | SAT: 1540 |
| 3 | Stanford University | W | $45,729 | 4.18 | SAT: 1520 |
| 4 | Princeton University | NE | $41,820 | 3.9 | SAT: 1540 |
| 5 | University of California – Berkeley | W | $40,167 | 3.86 | SAT: 1440 |
| 6 | Georgetown University | SE | $46,744 | 4.01 | SAT: 1460 |
| 7 | University of Illinois at Chicago | MW | $26,520 | 3.29 | ACT: 24 |
| 8 | University of California – Los Angeles | W | $40,182 | 4.29 | SAT: 1370 |
| 9 | Johns Hopkins University | NE | $50,410 | 3.74 | SAT: 1470 |
| 10 | New York University | NE | $42,419 | 3.71 | SAT: 1410 |
| 11 | Cornell University | NE | $50,953 | 4.01 | SAT: 1480 |
| 12 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | NE | $45,016 | 4.13 | SAT: 1520 |
| 13 | University of California – San Diego | W | $40,255 | 4.0 | SAT: 1350 |
| 14 | George Washington University | SE | $51,950 | 3.8 | SAT: 1370 |
| 15 | University of Michigan – Ann Arbor | MW | $43,476 | 3.82 | SAT: 1430 |
| 16 | Duke University | SE | $51,510 | 4.17 | SAT: 1540 |
| 17 | American University | SE | $42,556 | 3.72 | SAT: 1340 |
| 18 | Brown University | NE | $48,272 | 4.05 | SAT: 1490 |
| 19 | University of Notre Dame | MW | $47,929 | 4.02 | SAT: 1480 |
| 20 | University of Pennsylvania | NE | $47,544 | 3.81 | SAT: 1350 |
| 21 | University of Texas – Austin | SE | $52,422 | 3.71 | SAT: 1330 |
| 22 | University of Washington | NW | $49,986 | 3.76 | SAT: 1290 |
| 23 | University of Wisconsin – Madison | MW | $47,544 | 3.81 | SAT: 1350 |
| 24 | Boston University | NE | $49,176 | 3.59 | SAT: 1370 |
| 25 | Dartmouth College | NE | $46,764 | 4.1 | SAT: 1510 |
| 26 | University of Indiana Bloomington | MW | $34,246 | 3.62 | SAT: 1250 |
| 27 | Northwestern University | MW | $50,424 | 4.07 | SAT: 1500 |
| 28 | The Ohio State University | NE | $29,229 | 3.7 | SAT: 1320 |
| 29 | Syracuse University | NE | $41,794 | 3.6 | SAT: 1240 |
| 30 | Tufts University | NE | $48,643 | 4.06 | SAT: 1490 |
1.) Harvard University
Founded in 1636 Harvard University is America’s oldest and most prestigious university. In its long history the University has produced 8 American presidents, 47 Noble Laureates, and over 40 Pulitzer Prize winners.
The University is located in historic Cambridge, Massachusetts, separated from Boston by the Charles River, and just a few miles from MIT. Today 20,000 students attend the university, and one fourth of them come from abroad. The school stresses the importance of small class sizes, with half of all classes having fewer than 10 students. Although tuition at Harvard is high, its large endowment allows the university to provide financial aid to 70% of its students.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $ 59,550 | $22,262 | $81,812 |
| Out-of-state | $ 59,550 | $22,262 | $81,812 |
2.) Yale University
Located in Connecticut, Yale University has a prestigious history that stretches back over 300 years. The university is dominant in a wide variety of subjects, and has an alumni network that spreads around the world, including three of the last four US presidents. The university has a suburban campus, two hours from New York City.
The university has been recognized as one of the best schools in the country for undergraduate education. The school’s student-faculty ratio is 6:1, and 70% of its classes have fewer than twenty students.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $45,800 | $18,170 | $63,970 |
| Out-of-state | $45,800 | $18,170 | $63,970 |
3.) Stanford University
Located just south of San Francisco in Silicon Valley; Stanford has a reputation of one of the top tech schools in the US. Alumni of Stanford have gone on to start tech companies such as Google, Snapchat, and Netflix.
The university has over 15,000 students, 20% of whom are international and is one of the most selective universities in the United States, with an admission rate of just 5%. The university has a student-faculty ratio of 3:1 and over 70% of its classes have fewer than twenty students. Some of the most popular majors at Stanford include engineering, computer science, and mathematics.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $45,729 | $13,730 | $59,459 |
| Out-of-state | $45,729 | $13,730 | $59,459 |
4.) Princeton University
Princeton University is a private Ivy League university in Princeton, New Jersey. The school was founded in 1746 and is the fourth oldest university in the United States. Today the university has 5,300 undergraduate students and is consistently ranked in the top 3 for overall US rankings.
Princeton University has a student-faculty ratio of 5:1, and the university is ranked #1 nationally for best undergraduate teaching, thanks to its highly qualified staff and small class is sizes. The university has a long list of well-known alumni, including former president Woodrow Wilson, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, and mathematician Alan Turing.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $41,820 | $14,770 | $56,590 |
| Out-of-state | $41,820 | $14,770 | $56,590 |
5.) University of California – Berkeley
Founded in 1868 as the flagship campus of the University of California, UC Berkeley is one of most prestigious public universities in the country. The university is located in Berkeley, California, overlooking the San Francisco Bay. The university’s proximity to the tech hub of Silicon Valley has allowed it to become one of the premier universities for computer science and engineering studies.
Today the university has an undergraduate enrollment of 28,000 and offers a student-faculty ratio of 17:1. 60% of the courses at Berkeley have fewer than twenty students, and the university has over 1,000 student organizations for the students to participate in outside of the classroom.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $13,509 | $16,042 | $29,551 |
| Out-of-state | $40,176 | $16,042 | $56,218 |
6.) Georgetown University
Founded in 1789 Georgetown University is the oldest university in Washington DC. The university has 7,500 undergraduate students and is located in Washington’s historic Georgetown neighborhood. The university is ranked in top-20 nationally, and has especially strong programs in law, international relations, and business.
The university’s location allows students to find internships or jobs working for political or social groups in the city. It also means students are able to take part in all the cultural and athletic opportunities that DC offers. The university has a student-faculty ratio of 11:1, and 60% of its classes have fewer than twenty students.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $46,744 | $15,568 | $62,312 |
| Out-of-state | $46,744 | $15,568 | $62,312 |
7.) University of Illinois, Chicago
University of Illinois at Chicago, or UIC, is a public university in Chicago, Illinois. The school is the largest university in Chicago, with 17,000 undergraduate students. The university is considered one of the top research universities in the country, and has nationally ranked programs in the social sciences.
Students at UIC are able to participate in over 200 different student clubs and organizations. The school is also conveniently located in the city so that students can take advantage of professional, cultural, and entertainment options in Chicago. The university has a student-faculty ratio of 18:1, and 35% of its classes have fewer than twenty students.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $13,670 | $10,882 | $24,552 |
| Out-of-state | $26,520 | $10,882 | $37,402 |
8.) University of California – Los Angeles
UCLA is a public university located in Los Angeles, California, just five miles from the Pacific Ocean. The school has an undergraduate enrollment of 30,000 and is considered to be a one of the Public Ivy schools. The university is consistently ranked as one of the top public schools in the country, and has produced 14 Noble prize winners and over 250 Olympic medalists.
The university has a student-faculty ratio of 17:1 and 50% of its classes have fewer than twenty students. The most popular majors at UCLA are psychology, biomedical sciences, and social sciences.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $12,836 | $15,069 | $27,905 |
| Out-of-state | $40,182 | $15,069 | $55,251 |
9.) Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University is a private university with campuses in Baltimore, Maryland and Washington DC. The school was founded in 1876 and has grown into one of the United State’s top universities for studying medicine, education, and engineering.
Today the university has an undergraduate enrollment of 6,500, and is ranked in the top 10 for national universities overall. The student-faculty ratio is 8:1 and 70% of its classes have fewer than twenty students. The most popular majors include public health, biomedical engineering, and international affairs.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $48,710 | $ 14,976 | $63,686 |
| Out-of-state | $48,710 | $14,976 | $63,686 |
10.) New York University
New York University is a private university based in New York City. the school was founded in 1831 and is considered one of the most influential research universities in the world. The university’s campus is located in six centers around NYC, and the largest center is in Lower Manhattan.
The school has over 50,000 students from more than 180 foreign countries. The university is ranked in the top-40 nationally, and has a student-faculty ratio of 10:1. The school is especially well-known for its film, writing, and business programs.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $42,419 | $17,578 | $59,997 |
| Out-of-state | $42,419 | $17,578 | $59,997 |
11.) Cornell University
Cornell University is a private Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York. The school offers over 100 different majors and has 14,000 undergraduate students. Today the diverse student body includes students from over 120 countries and all 50 American states.
Cornell has top ranked programs in several fields of study, and both their engineering and business programs are in the top 10 nationally. The school has a student-faculty ratio of 9:1, and 55% of its classes have fewer than twenty students.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $50,953 | $13,950 | $64,903 |
| Out-of-state | $50,953 | $13,950 | $64,903 |
12.) Massachusetts Institute of Technology
MIT is a private research university located in historic Cambridge, Massachusetts, across the Charles River from Boston, MA. Since its founding in 1861 the school has become one of the most selective universities in the country, accepting just 8% of all applicants.
Today the school is most well-known for its top-ranked engineering and computer science programs. 33% of the university’s students are international, and they come from over 150 different countries. Some famous alumni of the university include Buzz Aldrin, Kofi Annan, Ben Bernanke and Richard Feynman.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $45,016 | $13,730 | $58,746 |
| Out-of-state | $45,016 | $13,730 | $58,746 |
13.) University of California – San Diego
The University of California, Sand Diego is a public university in San Diego, California. The main campus is located near the Pacific Ocean and enrolls 23,000 undergraduate students. The university has been recognized as a Public Ivy and is consistently ranked as one of the top schools in the country for research and as a best-value school.
UC San Diego has a thriving campus life, with lots of entertainment options, including hundreds of student organizations and an aquarium. The university has a student-faculty ratio of 19:1 and 35% of its classes have fewer than twenty students.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $14,705 | $12,477 | $28,182 |
| Out-of-state | $40,255 | $12,477 | $52,732 |
14.) George Washington University
George Washington University a private university located in downtown Washington DC. The school is the largest university in DC, and has an undergraduate student enrollment of 10,000. The school is one of the top schools in the world for its international affairs program, and the university is considered to be one of the most politically active in the country.
The schools location in downtown DC is ideal for fans of politics and city life. There are many nearby museums and parks, in addition to the 400 on campus organizations. The school has a student-faculty ratio of 13:1, and over 50% of its classes have fewer than twenty students.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $51,950 | $12,500 | $64,450 |
| Out-of-state | $51,950 | $12,500 | $64,450 |
15.) University of Michigan – Ann Arbor
The University of Michigan is a public university that was founded in 1817. It is has developed a strong reputation for its strong business and engineering schools, as well as for its athletic programs that provide on campus entertainment options for students.
Located 35 miles west of Detroit, Ann Arbor allows students to enjoy all of the benefits of the large city while still being able to live in a quieter town. The university has a student-faculty ratio of 15:1, and 57% of its classes have fewer than 20 students. The university spends more than $1 billion a year on a research, allowing students from all programs to collaborate on these initiatives.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $13,856 | $10,554 | $24,410 |
| Out-of-state | $43,476 | $10,554 | $44,132 |
16.) Duke University
Duke University a private university located in suburban North Carolina. The university has a wide variety of programs including very successful business and engineering schools. The university currently has 6,000 undergraduate students, along with another 6,000 graduate students.
Duke is ranked 8th in the national overall and is tied for 14th nationally for its undergraduate teaching. Duke believes in small class sizes and maintains a student-faculty ratio of 6:1, one of the lowest undergraduate ratios in the country.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $51,510 | $15,116 | $56,626 |
| Out-of-state | $51,510 | $15,116 | $56,626 |
17.) American University
American University is a private university in Washington DC. The university was created in 1893 and has become one of the most politically active schools in the US. The university is ranked in the top ten nationally for its International Affairs program, and it also has top programs in Political Science and Public Affairs.
Today the university has 7,000 undergraduate students on a campus near the DC and Maryland border. Students at AU can enjoy a wide-range of cultural and social opportunities in DC, and always have the option of getting involved politically. AU has a student-faculty ratio of 12:1, and 48% of its classes have fewer than twenty students.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $42,556 | $14,526 | $57,082 |
| Out-of-state | $42,556 | $14,526 | $57,082 |
18.) Brown University
Brown University is a private Ivy League university in Providence, Rhode Island. The school was founded in 1764, and is the 7th oldest university in the United States. The university has a long history of excellence, and has produced eight Noble Prize laureates along with Rhodes Scholars, Pulitzer Prize winners, and several US Secretaries of State.
Brown University is ranked fourth in the country for best undergraduate teaching and has a student-faculty ratio of 7:1. 70% of the classes at brown have fewer than twenty students, and the school has a freshman retention rate of 98%.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $48,272 | $13,200 | $61,472 |
| Out-of-state | $48,272 | $13,200 | $61,472 |
19.) University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame is a private university located in South Bend, Indiana, 100 miles from Chicago. The school is highly regarded for its undergraduate education, and enrolls 8,500 students in its programs. The school’s business and law schools are nationally ranked, and its athletic program has fans across the country.
The University of Notre Dame is ranked 7th in the United States for undergraduate teaching. The school has a student-faculty ratio of 10:1, and 60% of its classes have fewer than twenty students. The school has a popular study abroad program, and over half of the students at Notre Dame spend a semester in a foreign country.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $47,929 | $14,358 | $62,287 |
| Out-of-state | $47,929 | $14,358 | $62,287 |
20.) University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania, or U Penn, is a private Ivy League university located in Philadelphia. The school was founded in 1757 by Benjamin Franklin, making it the 6th oldest universities in the United States. The University is located on a large urban campus, separated from downtown Philadelphia but still close enough to allow easy access to the city’s amenities.
U Penn has a student-faculty ratio of 6:1 and 70% of its classes have fewer than twenty students. The university’s business school is the oldest business school in the US, and its alumni include business titans such as Warren Buffet, Elon Musk, and Donald Trump.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $47,668 | $13,990 | $61,658 |
| Out-of-state | $47,668 | $13,990 | $61,658 |
21.) University of Texas – Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a public school in Austin, Texas. The university is the largest school in Texas and the 7th largest in the country, with over 50,000 students enrolled. The university has over 900 student clubs and two of the largest student publications in the country. In addition to on campus activities students are also able to enjoy cultural and academic opportunities in the surrounding city of Austin.
Austin is divided into 18 different schools, including its highly ranked business, education, and engineering schools. The student-faculty ratio at Austin is 18:1, and 25% of its classes have fewer than twenty students. Alumni of Austin include 15 former US congressman, two former first ladies, and the founder of Dell computers.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $9,806 | $ 11,456 | $20,770 |
| Out-of-state | $34,676 | $11,456 | $46,132 |
22.) University of Washington
The University of Washington, or UW, is the flagship public university in Washington State, and is based in Seattle. The university was founded in 1861 and is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast. The university has an undergraduate population of 31,000 students and is spread across three urban campuses.
The university offers a wide-range of student activities, including clubs, intramural sports, and school newspapers. The university has highly ranked programs in medicine, engineering, and business, and is ranked in the top twenty nationally for public universities. The student-faculty ratio is 21:1 and 35% of its classes have fewer than twenty students.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $10,753 | $11,691 | $22,444 |
| Out-of-state | $49,986 | $11,691 | $61,677 |
23.) University of Wisconsin – Madison
University of Wisconsin-Madison is a public university in Madison, Wisconsin. The university was founded in 1848 and has an undergraduate enrollment of 30,000 students. Today the university offers over 125 undergraduate majors, 25 collegiate sports, and 800 student organizations.
Wisconsin is consistently rated in the top-10 for public schools in the country, and has exceptional undergraduate programs for business and engineering. The university has a student-faculty ratio of 17:1 and 45% of its classes have fewer than twenty students. Some of the most popular majors include economics, biology, and political science.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $10,488 | $8,804 | $19,292 |
| Out-of-state | $32,738 | $8,804 | $42,542 |
24.) Boston University
Boston University is a private university located in Boston, Massachusetts. The university’s campus is situated along the Charles River, near Fenway Park. The school was established in 1839 and has 16,000 undergraduate students.
Boston University has top-ranked programs for law, business, engineering, and education. The university has a student-faculty ratio of 12:1, and 605 of its classes have fewer than twenty students. Famous alumni of BU include Martin Luther King Jr and Bill O’Reilly.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $50,240 | $14,870 | $65,110 |
| Out-of-state | $50,240 | $14,870 | $65,110 |
25.) Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private Ivy League university located in rural Hanover, New Hampshire. The university was founded in 1769 and is one of the nine US universities that predate the American Revolution. The school has an enrollment of 4,300 students and offers 57 different academic majors.
The school has a very active campus with 25% of its students participating in varsity sports and 60% of its students participating in Greek life on campus. The school has a student-faculty ratio of 7:1 and 60% of the classes at Dartmouth have fewer than twenty students The school strong alumni network which has produced 164 congressman, 22 US governors, and 13 Pulitzer Prize winners.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $46,764 | $14,736 | $61,500 |
| Out-of-state | $46,764 | $14,736 | $61,500 |
26.) Indiana University – Bloomington
Indiana University is a public university located in Bloomington, Indiana. The university has over 48,000 students and is the flagship institution of the Indiana system. The school is popular with international students with students from over 165 countries enrolling in the university.
The university has programs ranked in the top ten nationally for business, accounting, and marketing. Students at Indiana are able to participate in a wide variety of student activities, in addition to cheering on their consistently successful sports teams. The school has a student-faculty ratio of 17:1 and one third of its classes have fewer than twenty students.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $10,388 | $10,040 | $20,428 |
| Out-of-state | $34,246 | $10,040 | $44,286 |
27.) Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university located on the shores of Lake Michigan in Evanston, Illinois. The school was founded in 1851 to serve the Northwest Territory and has grown into one of the country’s top schools. Today the school enrolls 21,000 undergraduate students and has the 8th largest university endowment in the United States.
Northwestern University has a very low student-faculty ratio of 7:1, and 77% of its classes have fewer than twenty students. The school has a high freshman retention rate, with 97% of Northwestern students continuing there after their first year.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $50,424 | $15,489 | $65,913 |
| Out-of-state | $50,424 | $15,489 | $65,913 |
28.) Ohio State University
Ohio State is a public university located in Columbus, Ohio. The university has 45,000 undergraduate students and an extensive student life program, with over 1,000 student organizations and a popular athletic program. In addition to on campus activities, students at Ohio State benefit from living in the city of Columbus, which is the 15th largest city in the US and is home to a variety of entertainment and professional opportunities.
Ohio State has a student-faculty ratio of 19:1 and 30% of its classes have fewer than twenty students. The school is ranked in the top twenty national for top public universities, business, and for biological engineering.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $10,037 | $11,666 | $21,703 |
| Out-of-state | $29,229 | $11,666 | $40,895 |
29.) Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private university in the city of Syracuse, New York in central New York. The university has a history that goes back to 1831 and has an undergraduate enrollment of 15,000 students. The university has a large campus split into 13 different schools with nationally recognized programs in architecture, business, education, and engineering.
Syracuse offers over 300 clubs, including many skiing and snowboarding clubs that take advantage of Syracuse’s long winters. The university offers many study abroad programs, and has a second campus in Florence, Italy. The school has a student-faculty ratio of 16:1 and 60% of its classes have fewer than twenty students.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $41,794 | $15,217 | $57,011 |
| Out-of-state | $41,794 | $15,217 | $57,011 |
30.) Tufts University
Tufts University is a private university located in the town of Medford, Massachusetts, twenty minutes north of Boston. The university has 5,200 undergraduate students and offers over 100 degree programs. The school is typically ranked in the top 30 nationally for all universities, with strong programs in a variety of subjects.
The university has a popular study abroad program, which of its students participate in. The school has a student-faculty ratio of 9:1, and 65% of the classes at Tufts have fewer than twenty students. The most popular majors at Tufts include biological science, engineering, and the performing arts.
| Tuition | Housing | Total | |
| In-state | $48,643 | $13,566 | $62,209 |
| Out-of-state | $48,643 | $13,566 | $62,209 |