100 Best colleges for Liberal Arts & Social Sciences in the United States
Updated:
Below is a list of best universities in the United States ranked based on their research performance in Liberal Arts & Social Sciences. A graph of 415M citations received by 12M academic papers made by 1,761 universities in the United States was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.
We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.
1. Harvard University
- Acceptance Rate
- 3%
- Average SAT
- 1540
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $17,900
2. Stanford University
- Acceptance Rate
- 4%
- Average SAT
- 1545
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $17,998
3. University of California - Berkeley
- Acceptance Rate
- 12%
- Receiving Aid
- 61%
- Average Aid
- $25,951
- Enrollment
- 45,699
4. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
- Acceptance Rate
- 18%
- Average SAT
- 1440
- Average ACT
- 33
- Receiving Aid
- 66%
5. University of Washington - Seattle
- Acceptance Rate
- 43%
- Receiving Aid
- 55%
- Average Aid
- $14,390
- Enrollment
- 55,620
6. Columbia University
- Acceptance Rate
- 4%
- Average SAT
- 1530
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $20,869
7. Cornell University
- Acceptance Rate
- 8%
- Average SAT
- 1520
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $26,455
8. University of Pennsylvania
- Acceptance Rate
- 6%
- Average SAT
- 1535
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $26,017
9. Yale University
- Acceptance Rate
- 5%
- Average SAT
- 1540
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $26,044
10. Johns Hopkins University
- Acceptance Rate
- 8%
- Average SAT
- 1555
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $22,844
11. University of California - Los Angeles
- Acceptance Rate
- 9%
- Receiving Aid
- 60%
- Average Aid
- $22,441
- Enrollment
- 46,678
12. University of Chicago
- Acceptance Rate
- 5%
- Average SAT
- 1540
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $27,979
13. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Acceptance Rate
- 5%
- Average SAT
- 1545
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $21,519
14. University of Wisconsin - Madison
- Acceptance Rate
- 43%
- Average SAT
- 1435
- Average ACT
- 30
- Receiving Aid
- 60%
15. University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign
- Acceptance Rate
- 44%
- Average SAT
- 1390
- Average ACT
- 32
- Receiving Aid
- 61%
16. New York University
- Acceptance Rate
- 9%
- Average SAT
- 1525
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $30,730
17. Pennsylvania State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 54%
- Average SAT
- 1310
- Average ACT
- 30
- Receiving Aid
- 66%
18. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
- Acceptance Rate
- 77%
- Average SAT
- 1395
- Average ACT
- 29
- Receiving Aid
- 81%
19. Ohio State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 51%
- Average SAT
- 1405
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 75%
20. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Acceptance Rate
- 19%
- Average SAT
- 1450
- Average ACT
- 32
- Receiving Aid
- 58%
21. University of Texas at Austin
- Acceptance Rate
- 29%
- Average SAT
- 1360
- Average ACT
- 30
- Receiving Aid
- 69%
22. Princeton University
- Acceptance Rate
- 4%
- Average SAT
- 1540
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $19,811
23. University of California-San Diego
- Acceptance Rate
- 25%
- Receiving Aid
- 70%
- Average Aid
- $24,176
- Enrollment
- 42,376
24. University of Southern California
- Acceptance Rate
- 10%
- Average SAT
- 1495
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $41,496
25. University of Maryland - College Park
- Acceptance Rate
- 45%
- Average SAT
- 1445
- Average ACT
- 34
- Receiving Aid
- 65%
26. University of Pittsburgh
- Acceptance Rate
- 50%
- Average SAT
- 1360
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 87%
27. Duke University
- Acceptance Rate
- 7%
- Average SAT
- 1540
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $23,422
28. Rutgers University - New Brunswick
- Acceptance Rate
- 65%
- Average SAT
- 1375
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 71%
29. Carnegie Mellon University
- Acceptance Rate
- 11%
- Average SAT
- 1535
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $32,964
30. Arizona State University - Tempe
- Acceptance Rate
- 90%
- Receiving Aid
- 93%
- Average Aid
- $11,992
- Enrollment
- 79,593
31. University of Florida
- Acceptance Rate
- 24%
- Average SAT
- 1390
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 92%
32. Michigan State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 84%
- Average SAT
- 1250
- Average ACT
- 29
- Receiving Aid
- 97%
33. Northwestern University
- Acceptance Rate
- 7%
- Average SAT
- 1525
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $23,341
34. University of California - San Francisco
- Acceptance Rate
- 13%
- Enrollment
- 3,126
- Male:Female
- 35:65
- Founded
- 1864
35. University of California - Davis
- Acceptance Rate
- 42%
- Receiving Aid
- 58%
- Average Aid
- $21,258
- Enrollment
- 39,707
36. University of Arizona
- Acceptance Rate
- 86%
- Average SAT
- 1290
- Average ACT
- 26
- Receiving Aid
- 98%
37. University of Virginia
- Acceptance Rate
- 17%
- Average SAT
- 1470
- Average ACT
- 33
- Receiving Aid
- 44%
38. Boston University
- Acceptance Rate
- 11%
- Average SAT
- 1460
- Average ACT
- 33
- Net Price
- $27,551
39. Purdue University
- Acceptance Rate
- 50%
- Average SAT
- 1325
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 60%
40. Washington University in St Louis
- Acceptance Rate
- 12%
- Average SAT
- 1535
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $22,440
41. Texas A&M University - College Station
- Acceptance Rate
- 63%
- Average SAT
- 1260
- Average ACT
- 28
- Receiving Aid
- 77%
42. Emory University
- Acceptance Rate
- 11%
- Average SAT
- 1505
- Average ACT
- 33
- Net Price
- $27,986
43. University of California - Irvine
- Acceptance Rate
- 26%
- Receiving Aid
- 71%
- Average Aid
- $21,533
- Enrollment
- 36,582
44. University of Iowa
- Acceptance Rate
- 85%
- Average SAT
- 1225
- Average ACT
- 25
- Receiving Aid
- 88%
45. University of Utah
- Acceptance Rate
- 87%
- Average SAT
- 1289
- Average ACT
- 26
- Receiving Aid
- 79%
46. Vanderbilt University
- Acceptance Rate
- 6%
- Average SAT
- 1535
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $26,689
47. University of Illinois at Chicago
- Acceptance Rate
- 79%
- Average SAT
- 1230
- Average ACT
- 29
- Receiving Aid
- 80%
48. University of California - Santa Barbara
- Acceptance Rate
- 28%
- Receiving Aid
- 58%
- Average Aid
- $21,732
- Enrollment
- 26,068
49. University of Rochester
- Acceptance Rate
- 36%
- Average SAT
- 1470
- Average ACT
- 33
- Net Price
- $40,900
50. Georgetown University
- Acceptance Rate
- 13%
- Average SAT
- 1470
- Average ACT
- 33
- Net Price
- $37,967
51. Georgia Institute of Technology
- Acceptance Rate
- 16%
- Average SAT
- 1430
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 73%
52. University of Colorado Boulder
- Acceptance Rate
- 83%
- Average SAT
- 1325
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 66%
53. University of Massachusetts - Amherst
- Acceptance Rate
- 58%
- Average SAT
- 1390
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 87%
54. Iowa State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 89%
- Average SAT
- 1230
- Average ACT
- 25
- Receiving Aid
- 89%
55. University of Georgia
- Acceptance Rate
- 37%
- Average SAT
- 1275
- Average ACT
- 29
- Receiving Aid
- 84%
56. Brown University
- Acceptance Rate
- 5%
- Average SAT
- 1535
- Average ACT
- 35
- Net Price
- $26,608
57. University of Miami
- Acceptance Rate
- 19%
- Average SAT
- 1400
- Average ACT
- 32
- Net Price
- $41,028
58. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 57%
- Average SAT
- 1330
- Average ACT
- 30
- Receiving Aid
- 69%
59. University of Kentucky
- Acceptance Rate
- 92%
- Average SAT
- 1185
- Average ACT
- 25
- Receiving Aid
- 97%
60. Florida State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 25%
- Average SAT
- 1315
- Average ACT
- 29
- Receiving Aid
- 95%
61. University of Missouri - Columbia
- Acceptance Rate
- 77%
- Average SAT
- 1240
- Average ACT
- 26
- Receiving Aid
- 90%
62. George Washington University
- Acceptance Rate
- 44%
- Average SAT
- 1425
- Average ACT
- 33
- Net Price
- $45,466
63. Case Western Reserve University
- Acceptance Rate
- 29%
- Average SAT
- 1485
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $41,351
64. University of Notre Dame
- Acceptance Rate
- 12%
- Average SAT
- 1490
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $29,083
65. North Carolina State University at Raleigh
- Acceptance Rate
- 40%
- Average SAT
- 1380
- Average ACT
- 30
- Receiving Aid
- 68%
66. University of South Florida
- Acceptance Rate
- 41%
- Average SAT
- 1235
- Average ACT
- 27
- Receiving Aid
- 88%
67. University at Buffalo
- Acceptance Rate
- 69%
- Average SAT
- 1295
- Average ACT
- 30
- Receiving Aid
- 86%
68. Indiana University - Bloomington
- Acceptance Rate
- 80%
- Average SAT
- 1285
- Average ACT
- 30
- Receiving Aid
- 83%
69. University of South Carolina - Columbia
- Acceptance Rate
- 61%
- Average SAT
- 1280
- Average ACT
- 29
- Receiving Aid
- 95%
70. California Institute of Technology
- Acceptance Rate
- 3%
- Net Price
- $23,397
- Receiving Aid
- 68%
- Average Aid
- $60,201
71. University of Tennessee - Knoxville
- Acceptance Rate
- 46%
- Average SAT
- 1265
- Average ACT
- 28
- Receiving Aid
- 90%
72. University of Connecticut
- Acceptance Rate
- 54%
- Average SAT
- 1315
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 83%
73. Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science
- Acceptance Rate
- 39%
- Net Price
- $11,577
- Receiving Aid
- 100%
- Average Aid
- $1,900
74. University of Kansas
- Acceptance Rate
- 88%
- Average SAT
- 1170
- Average ACT
- 24
- Receiving Aid
- 93%
75. University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
- Acceptance Rate
- 78%
- Average SAT
- 1100
- Average ACT
- 24
- Receiving Aid
- 90%
76. George Mason University
- Acceptance Rate
- 89%
- Average SAT
- 1240
- Average ACT
- 28
- Receiving Aid
- 80%
77. University of Cincinnati
- Acceptance Rate
- 88%
- Average SAT
- 1255
- Average ACT
- 27
- Receiving Aid
- 87%
78. Tufts University
- Acceptance Rate
- 10%
- Average SAT
- 1505
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $33,333
79. Tulane University of Louisiana
- Acceptance Rate
- 15%
- Average SAT
- 1450
- Average ACT
- 32
- Net Price
- $50,631
80. Temple University
- Acceptance Rate
- 83%
- Receiving Aid
- 94%
- Average Aid
- $11,891
- Enrollment
- 30,205
81. Stony Brook University
- Acceptance Rate
- 49%
- Average SAT
- 1405
- Average ACT
- 31
- Receiving Aid
- 89%
82. Dartmouth College
- Acceptance Rate
- 6%
- Average SAT
- 1535
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $17,322
83. Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College
- Acceptance Rate
- 74%
- Average SAT
- 1240
- Average ACT
- 27
- Receiving Aid
- 93%
84. University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Acceptance Rate
- 88%
- Average SAT
- 1265
- Average ACT
- 26
- Receiving Aid
- 97%
85. Colorado State University - Fort Collins
- Acceptance Rate
- 90%
- Receiving Aid
- 74%
- Average Aid
- $10,554
- Enrollment
- 33,500
86. Brigham Young University - Provo
- Acceptance Rate
- 69%
- Average SAT
- 1370
- Average ACT
- 30
- Net Price
- $14,643
87. University of Nebraska - Lincoln
- Acceptance Rate
- 77%
- Average SAT
- 1210
- Average ACT
- 25
- Receiving Aid
- 97%
88. Syracuse University
- Acceptance Rate
- 42%
- Average SAT
- 1345
- Average ACT
- 30
- Net Price
- $51,520
89. Georgia State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 62%
- Average SAT
- 1160
- Average ACT
- 23
- Receiving Aid
- 94%
90. Boston College
- Acceptance Rate
- 16%
- Average SAT
- 1485
- Average ACT
- 34
- Net Price
- $32,590
91. Wayne State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 82%
- Average SAT
- 1150
- Average ACT
- 25
- Receiving Aid
- 97%
92. Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis
- Acceptance Rate
- 81%
- Average SAT
- 1135
- Average ACT
- 25
- Receiving Aid
- 91%
93. Baylor College of Medicine
- Acceptance Rate
- 9%
- Enrollment
- 1,699
- Male:Female
- 41:59
- Founded
- 1900
94. University of Maryland, Baltimore
- Acceptance Rate
- 65%
- Enrollment
- 6,667
- Male:Female
- 27:73
- Founded
- 1807
95. University of California - Santa Cruz
- Acceptance Rate
- 63%
- Receiving Aid
- 71%
- Average Aid
- $21,564
- Enrollment
- 19,764
96. University of Delaware
- Acceptance Rate
- 65%
- Average SAT
- 1280
- Average ACT
- 29
- Receiving Aid
- 92%
97. Oregon State University
- Acceptance Rate
- 79%
- Receiving Aid
- 92%
- Average Aid
- $9,922
- Enrollment
- 35,622
98. University of California - Riverside
- Acceptance Rate
- 63%
- Receiving Aid
- 75%
- Average Aid
- $21,566
- Enrollment
- 26,426
99. University of Houston
- Acceptance Rate
- 70%
- Average SAT
- 1240
- Average ACT
- 26
- Receiving Aid
- 83%
100. University of New Mexico
- Acceptance Rate
- 95%
- Average SAT
- 1030
- Average ACT
- 23
- Receiving Aid
- 100%