Best large colleges

Colleges with 10,000 or more undergraduates, ranked by Compass Score.

Best large colleges256 schools

256 schools qualify, ranked by the Compass Score. The top 25 are shown.

How this list is made

Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
10,000 or more undergraduate students (federal enrollment).
Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
Ordered by Compass Score, highest first. Schools with the same score share a rank.

Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.

1
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor Roll
#2 in New York
- 16,051 undergraduates
- 95% graduate
2
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor Roll
Top 1% for earnings
- 11,611 undergraduates
- 97% graduate
3
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC · PublicHonor Roll
Exceptional: Compass grade A+
- 20,681 undergraduates
- 91% graduate
4
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI · PublicHonor Roll
Exceptional: Compass grade A+
- 33,730 undergraduates
- 93% graduate
5
University of California-Berkeley
Berkeley, CA · PublicHonor Roll
Exceptional: Compass grade A+
- 33,078 undergraduates
- 93% graduate
5
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA · Private nonprofitHonor Roll
Exceptional: Compass grade A+
- 21,023 undergraduates
- 92% graduate
7
Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA · PublicHonor Roll
Top 2% for earnings
- 19,505 undergraduates
- 94% graduate
8
University of California-Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA · PublicHonor Roll
Exceptional: Compass grade A
- 33,040 undergraduates
- 93% graduate
8
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA · PublicHonor Roll
Top 2% for graduation
- 17,612 undergraduates
- 96% graduate
10
Boston University
Boston, MA · Private nonprofitHonor Roll
Exceptional: Compass grade A
- 18,656 undergraduates
- 89% graduate
11
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA · Private nonprofitHonor Roll
Top 2% for earnings
- 10,083 undergraduates
- 91% graduate
12
New York University
New York, NY · Private nonprofitHonor Roll
Exceptional: Compass grade A
- 29,760 undergraduates
- 88% graduate
13
Northeastern University
Boston, MA · Private nonprofitHonor Roll
Top 3% for earnings
- 15,891 undergraduates
- 91% graduate
14
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL · PublicHonor Roll
#1 in Florida
- 34,924 undergraduates
- 91% graduate
15
University of Miami
Coral Gables, FL · Private nonprofitHonor Roll
#2 in Florida
- 12,883 undergraduates
- 84% graduate
16
The University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX · PublicHonor Roll
#2 in Texas
- 42,444 undergraduates
- 89% graduate
17
Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL · PublicHonor Roll
#3 in Florida
- 32,217 undergraduates
- 86% graduate
18
University of California-San Diego
La Jolla, CA · PublicHonor Roll
Exceptional: Compass grade A
- 33,792 undergraduates
- 86% graduate
19
University of California-Irvine
Irvine, CA · PublicHonor Roll
Exceptional: Compass grade A
- 29,503 undergraduates
- 87% graduate
20
University of Georgia
Athens, GA · PublicHonor Roll
#3 in Georgia
- 31,514 undergraduates
- 90% graduate
21
University of Maryland-College Park
College Park, MD · PublicHonor Roll
Top 5% for graduation
- 30,608 undergraduates
- 89% graduate
22
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, WI · PublicHonor Roll
#1 in Wisconsin
- 36,797 undergraduates
- 90% graduate
23
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA · PublicHonor Roll
Top 4% for earnings
- 21,559 undergraduates
- 86% graduate
24
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, IL · PublicHonor Roll
#3 in Illinois
- 35,564 undergraduates
- 85% graduate
25
University of California-Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA · PublicHonor Roll
Exceptional: Compass grade A
- 23,232 undergraduates
- 83% graduate

Compare cost and outcomes

School	Net price a year	Median debt	Earnings 10 years out	Graduation rate
Cornell University	$28,690	$14,000	$104,043	95%
University of Pennsylvania	$28,699	$15,715	$111,371	97%
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	$11,655	$14,000	$72,200	91%
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor	$13,138	$19,500	$83,648	93%
University of California-Berkeley	$13,481	$13,000	$92,446	93%
University of Southern California	$32,740	$18,000	$92,498	92%
Georgia Institute of Technology	$12,116	$21,672	$102,772	94%
University of California-Los Angeles	$12,548	$14,000	$82,511	93%
University of Virginia	$21,565	$17,500	$86,863	96%
Boston University	$24,402	$23,250	$83,238	89%
Boston College	$41,704	$19,000	$103,937	91%
New York University	$37,050	$20,500	$82,509	88%
Northeastern University	$30,915	$24,250	$92,538	91%
University of Florida	$6,541	$15,000	$71,588	91%
University of Miami	$37,244	$17,500	$75,328	84%
The University of Texas at Austin	$19,857	$20,500	$75,121	89%
Florida State University	$11,297	$18,000	$61,675	86%
University of California-San Diego	$12,470	$15,500	$84,943	86%
University of California-Irvine	$14,251	$15,000	$80,735	87%
University of Georgia	$13,936	$18,500	$68,726	90%
University of Maryland-College Park	$15,678	$19,000	$82,860	89%
University of Wisconsin-Madison	$17,354	$20,484	$73,792	90%
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo	$16,665	$18,500	$90,768	86%
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign	$14,355	$19,500	$81,054	85%
University of California-Santa Barbara	$16,109	$13,993	$74,915	83%

Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.

All top school lists →

Best large colleges

How this list is made

Cornell University

University of Pennsylvania

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

University of California-Berkeley

University of Southern California

Georgia Institute of Technology

University of California-Los Angeles

University of Virginia

Boston University

Boston College

New York University

Northeastern University

University of Florida

University of Miami

The University of Texas at Austin

Florida State University

University of California-San Diego

University of California-Irvine

University of Georgia

University of Maryland-College Park

University of Wisconsin-Madison

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

University of California-Santa Barbara

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