Considering that the United States was born from a revolution waged along the Eastern Seaboard, it makes sense that the roots of the country's higher education system were also planted there. Harvard University—founded in 1636—came first, predating the Declaration of Independence by 140 years.

In the following decades, more colleges opened along the East Coast, but they weren't picky about who could attend. If a student lived nearby and could afford it, they enrolled. Prestige developed in the late 1800s when Cornell University and Johns Hopkins University opened as institutions that fostered top-tier research. In response, other established universities developed their own programs to draw in top talent.

As more people went to college, these research universities needed a way to ensure they had the top students. The selective admissions process began at Columbia in 1919, establishing the process that high school students undergo today in the hope of gaining admission to a top school.

The East Coast's private and public colleges consistently top "best of" lists, highlighted by the prestigious Ivy League eight. High school hopefuls eager to attend one of those schools could stand a better chance these days. Many Ivy League schools admitted a higher percentage of applicants in 2025.

While gaining admission to an East Coast school in the North may become easier, top colleges in the South have become more selective, as more high school seniors seek out more affordable top universities in warmer climates that offer strong school spirit, good weather, and are often associated with better job prospects after graduation.

Stacker combed through Niche's 2026 Best Colleges in America list to discover which 30 East Coast schools, old and new, are the cream of the crop. Niche ranks colleges by analyzing student and alumni reviews, as well as data on admissions, academic, and student life from the Department of Education. Four-year colleges in the following states were considered: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.

Keep reading to discover the best schools on the East Coast—and find out if any among them beat out the Ivies for the top spot.

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#30. Wake Forest University

- Location: Winston-Salem, NC
- National rank: #52
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 5,413
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 2:1
- Acceptance rate: 22%
- Typical SAT range: not available
- Athletic conference: Atlantic Coast Conference

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#29. Florida State University

- Location: Tallahassee, FL
- National rank: #51
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 29,011
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 16:1
- Acceptance rate: 25%
- Typical SAT range: 1240-1390
- Athletic conference: Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)

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#28. University of Georgia

- Location: Athens, GA
- National rank: #50
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 29,799
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 13:1
- Acceptance rate: 37%
- Typical SAT range: 1160-1390
- Athletic conference: Southeastern Conference (SEC)

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#27. University of Miami

- Location: Coral Gables, FL
- National rank: #49
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 13,250
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1
- Acceptance rate: 19%
- Typical SAT range: 1330-1470
- Athletic conference: Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)

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#26. Tufts University

- Location: Medford, MA
- National rank: #46
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 6,685
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 6:1
- Acceptance rate: 10%
- Typical SAT range: 1460-1550
- Athletic conference: New England Small College Athletic Conference

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#25. Boston College

- Location: Chestnut Hill, MA
- National rank: #45
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 9,654
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 9:1
- Acceptance rate: 16%
- Typical SAT range: 1430-1540
- Athletic conference: Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)

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#24. Amherst College

- Location: Amherst, MA
- National rank: #44
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,910
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 7:1
- Acceptance rate: 10%
- Typical SAT range: 1360-1550
- Athletic conference: New England Small College Athletic Conference

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#23. Barnard College

- Location: New York
- National rank: #42
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 3,183
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 10:1
- Acceptance rate: 8%
- Typical SAT range: 1450-1550
- Athletic conference: Ivy League

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#22. Williams College

- Location: Williamstown, MA
- National rank: #40
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 2,070
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 6:1
- Acceptance rate: 10%
- Typical SAT range: 1470-1560
- Athletic conference: New England Small College Athletic Conference

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#21. Northeastern University

- Location: Boston
- National rank: #39
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 15,857
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1
- Acceptance rate: 6%
- Typical SAT range: 1460-1550
- Athletic conference: Coastal Athletic Association (CAA)

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#20. Boston University

- Location: Boston
- National rank: #38
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 17,899
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 5:1
- Acceptance rate: 11%
- Typical SAT range: 1400-1520
- Athletic conference: Patriot League (Patriot)

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#19. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

- Location: Chapel Hill, NC
- National rank: #37
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 19,939
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 9:1
- Acceptance rate: 19%
- Typical SAT range: 1370-1530
- Athletic conference: Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)

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#18. Davidson College

- Location: Davidson, NC
- National rank: #35
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,904
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1
- Acceptance rate: 14%
- Typical SAT range: 1360-1510
- Athletic conference: Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10)

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#17. New York University

- Location: New York
- National rank: #34
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 28,692
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 3:1
- Acceptance rate: 9%
- Typical SAT range: not available
- Athletic conference: University Athletic Association

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#16. Emory University

- Location: Atlanta
- National rank: #33
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 7,263
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 4:1
- Acceptance rate: 11%
- Typical SAT range: 1460-1550
- Athletic conference: University Athletic Association

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#15. Bowdoin College

- Location: Brunswick, ME
- National rank: #32
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,873
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1
- Acceptance rate: 8%
- Typical SAT range: 1480-1550
- Athletic conference: New England Small College Athletic Conference

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#14. Washington and Lee University

- Location: Lexington, VA
- National rank: #31
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 1,887
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 7:1
- Acceptance rate: 17%
- Typical SAT range: 1410-1530
- Athletic conference: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

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#13. University of Florida

- Location: Gainesville, FL
- National rank: #30
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 31,571
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 10:1
- Acceptance rate: 24%
- Typical SAT range: 1300-1480
- Athletic conference: Southeastern Conference (SEC)

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#12. Georgia Institute of Technology

- Location: Atlanta
- National rank: #29
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 17,171
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 13:1
- Acceptance rate: 16%
- Typical SAT range: 1330-1530
- Athletic conference: Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)

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#11. University of Virginia

- Location: Charlottesville, VA
- National rank: #28
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 16,829
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 7:1
- Acceptance rate: 17%
- Typical SAT range: 1410-1530
- Athletic conference: Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)

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#10. Johns Hopkins University

- Location: Baltimore
- National rank: #24
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 5,607
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 1:1
- Acceptance rate: 8%
- Typical SAT range: 1530-1580
- Athletic conference: Centennial Conference

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#9. Cornell University

- Location: Ithaca, NY
- National rank: #21
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 15,899
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 8:1
- Acceptance rate: 8%
- Typical SAT range: 1480-1560
- Athletic conference: Ivy League

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#8. Duke University

- Location: Durham, NC
- National rank: #14
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 6,474
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 1:1
- Acceptance rate: 7%
- Typical SAT range: 1510-1570
- Athletic conference: Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)

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#7. Brown University

- Location: Providence, RI
- National rank: #11
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 7,220
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 7:1
- Acceptance rate: 5%
- Typical SAT range: 1500-1570
- Athletic conference: Ivy League

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#6. Princeton University

- Location: Princeton, NJ
- National rank: #8
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 5,598
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 5:1
- Acceptance rate: 4%
- Typical SAT range: 1500-1580
- Athletic conference: Ivy League

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#5. Columbia University

- Location: New York
- National rank: #6
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 8,428
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 2:1
- Acceptance rate: 4%
- Typical SAT range: not available
- Athletic conference: Ivy League

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#4. Dartmouth College

- Location: Hanover, NH
- National rank: #5
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 4,419
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 5:1
- Acceptance rate: 6%
- Typical SAT range: 1500-1570
- Athletic conference: Ivy League

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#3. Harvard University

- Location: Cambridge, MA
- National rank: #4
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 7,316
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 4:1
- Acceptance rate: 3%
- Typical SAT range: 1500-1580
- Athletic conference: Ivy League

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#2. Yale University

- Location: New Haven, CT
- National rank: #2
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 6,805
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 2:1
- Acceptance rate: 5%
- Typical SAT range: 1500-1580
- Athletic conference: Ivy League

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#1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

- Location: Cambridge, MA
- National rank: #1
- Full-time undergraduate enrollment: 4,543
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 3:1
- Acceptance rate: 5%
- Typical SAT range: 1510-1580
- Athletic conference: New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference