The Northeastern United States is a small corner of the country that packs a big punch in higher education. There you will find the Ivy League, a selection of eight universities known for their academic excellence and strong research output.
A member of the Ivy League is Harvard University, located in the state of Massachusetts. Harvard has reached its peak Times Higher Education Reputation Ranking for 10 consecutive years, based on the opinions of academics from around the world.
However, the area is not just about the Ivy League. In the Northeast, you'll also find prestigious specialty universities like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a host of high-quality liberal arts colleges like Wellesley College and Amherst College.
Each state in the region has a huge amount to offer students, whether you want the hustle and bustle of New York, the mountains of Vermont or the community feel of Rhode Island.
See the best universities in the Northeast United States, based on data compiled for the 2022 THE/WSJ US College Rankings.
Maine
Maine is known for its rocky coastline and mountainous landscape, as well as its seafood, especially lobster and clams.
It is also home to a number of liberal arts colleges, including Bowdoin College and Bates College.
However, if liberal arts colleges aren't what you're looking for, there's the University of Maine, the flagship of the University of Maine system. Located in Orono, Maine.
New York
There is so much to say about New York, but there is never enough space to say it all. There's something new to see around every corner, a new cuisine to try every night and a new area to explore every weekend.
New York State is home to an impressive number of top-ranked universities. Two Ivy League schools can be found in the state: Columbia University and Cornell University.
If you want to study in the heart of New York City, New York University may be the institution for you. It is one of the largest institutions of higher education in the US and its campus consists of more than 20 colleges and schools in five different locations around New York City, including Lower Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn.
There are also several liberal arts and specialty universities in the state, including Vassar College, Rochester Institute of Technology, and Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.
With nearly 80 institutions of higher education in the state, there is sure to be one that suits you.
New Jersey
New Jersey borders New York, but is arguably a quieter, greener spot in the United States.
The most famous institution of higher learning located in New Jersey is Princeton University. It is one of the oldest universities in the US and is one of the most research-intensive in the world. He has connections to more than 40 Nobel laureates, 17 National Medal of Science winners and five National Humanities Medal recipients.
Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey has a number of campuses across the state and the university prides itself on its cutting-edge research. It has been classified as a research-intensive university by the Carnegie Foundation.
But there are many more institutions to choose from, including Drew University, Rider University, and Rowan University.
Vermont
Vermont is known for its ski resorts and is also the leading producer of maple syrup in the United States. It's a good state to head to if you're a student who likes the outdoors.
Middlebury College is a private liberal arts college in Middlebury, Vermont. It was the first institution of higher education to grant a degree to an African-American student, Alexander Twilight.
Another higher education institution worth considering is the University of Vermont, a large, public research university in Burlington. A number of high achievers are part of the alumni group, including novelist Annie Proulx, founder of The New York Times Henry Jarvis Raymond, hockey player Martin St. Louis and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Jody Williams.
Massachusetts
Massachusetts is home to arguably one of the most famous and well-known universities in the world: Harvard University. Harvard has one of the strongest reputations in higher education and is world-renowned for its high-quality teaching and high-achieving graduates.
A very close neighbor of Harvard is the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, also known as MIT. MIT's impressive alumni group includes 85 Nobel laureates, 58 National Medal of Science winners, 29 National Medal of Technology and Innovation winners, and 45 MacArthur Fellows (recipients of which are often referred to as “genius grants”).
Massachusetts probably has one of the highest concentrations of top-tier universities, including Amherst College, Tufts University, Boston University, Brandeis University, and Wellesley College.
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Rhodes island
Rhode Island's official nickname is the “Ocean State,” a reference to the large bays that surround the state.
Also part of the Ivy League, Brown University is the highest ranked university in the state of Rhode Island. Its picturesque campus consists of 230 buildings over 150 acres in downtown Providence. It is also close to the busy areas of the city where students can go for dining, shopping and visiting entertainment venues.
Brown is followed by the Rhode Island School of Design, a specialized arts and design institution. It shares many of its facilities with Brown University, offering joint classes and social events for students.
Connecticut
The state of Connecticut was influential in the development of the federal government in the United States, and more about it can be discovered in museums across the state.
One of the most famous universities in the country, Yale University, is located in the state of Connecticut. Yale regularly ranks in the top 10 of world university rankings and boasts an incredible alumni list that includes five US presidents, 19 US Supreme Court justices, 20 living billionaires, 61 Nobel laureates and 78 MacArthur fellows.
Several high-performance actors, writers, composers, photographers and sports figures have also attended the university.
Other institutions in the state include the liberal arts college Wesleyan University, the University of Connecticut, and Trinity College.
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state full of winter sports, breweries and sleigh rides.
Dartmouth College is New Hampshire's Ivy League research-intensive institution, with more than 40 departments and programs.
There aren't as many universities to choose from in New Hampshire as there are in some of the other states in the Northeast, but there is a variety of universities, including Saint Anselm College, the liberal arts college the University of New Hampshire, and Franklin Pierce University.
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania is one of the 13 original founding states, and the state is rich in historic sites and collections that will appeal to the curious student.
The top institution in Pennsylvania is the University of Pennsylvania. The university is famous for being the first to have many facilities, including the first student union, the first two-story college football stadium, and the world's first business school – The Wharton School.
Pennsylvania has a huge range of institutions to choose from that cater to a variety of different things for students.
These include Carnegie Mellon University, Swarthmore College, Bryn Mawr College, and the University of Pittsburgh system.
