On September 4th, The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse released the 2025 Best Universities in America rankings, with Princeton University maintaining its top spot and Babson College coming in second, replacing last year’s Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Many of the schools ranking high this year are newcomers.
Unlike other rankings, The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse ranking focuses on how well a university can increase the likelihood of students graduating on time and improve their post-graduation salary levels. It does not take into account the school’s reputation or financial status.
Among the schools that rose in the rankings this year, public universities stood out with two making the top 10 – the University of California, Berkeley at eighth place and the Georgia Institute of Technology at ninth place. Additionally, six public universities made it into the top 20. Last year, no public universities were in the top 10, with only two making the top 20. Three Ivy League schools are in the top ten.
Schools with outstanding technology or business programs also performed well, including Babson College at second place and Stanford University at third. Despite being globally renowned for its business programs, Babson College remains unfamiliar to many and has never appeared on the U.S. News university rankings. This is because Babson College is not a comprehensive university or a liberal arts college but a highly specialized business school that focuses on business education and fostering entrepreneurial spirit, hence not participating in the comprehensive university rankings.
Stanford University, ranked third, moved up one spot from last year and is one of 17 California universities in the top 50. California has the most highly-ranked universities in the country.
Yale University and Claremont McKenna College ranked fourth and fifth, respectively, while MIT dropped to sixth place, followed by Harvard University in seventh and Davidson College in tenth.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Princeton University, ranked first in the nation, excelled in all ranking metrics. The university boasts the highest graduation rate and almost surpasses all other schools in preparing students for financial success in their post-college lives, accounting for 70% of each university’s score.
At Princeton, preparation for future careers starts early, closely tied to the influential alumni network. A few months after freshmen arrive on campus, they can apply for the “Princeton Internships,” a program that offers short-term internships and job shadowing opportunities during the first winter break. This initiative provides students with early opportunities to explore career paths, gain practical experience, and build relationships with alumni.
Babson College, ranked second, is renowned for its Entrepreneurship program, consistently ranking first in the U.S. News rankings, surpassing other top business schools like Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, Stanford, MIT, and UC Berkeley that offer similar programs.
Babson College emphasizes hands-on experience from the moment freshmen step foot on campus. Its curriculum includes experiential learning opportunities such as the required Management and Entrepreneurship Foundations course where students can start a startup in small groups in the first two semesters with a loan of up to $3,000 provided by the school. The program also teaches students how to tackle any unexpected challenges a new business may face.
Graduates of Babson College include top industry leaders such as Roger Enrico, CEO of PepsiCo, Akio Toyoda, President of Toyota Motor Corporation, Arthur M. Blank, co-founder of The Home Depot and owner of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks, Edsel Ford, Vice President of Ford Motor Company, Kevin Colleran, former President of Pixar Animation Studios, and partner at Facebook, among others.
Schools with strong technology and engineering programs fared well in this year’s rankings, partly due to the industry’s strong demand for these skills. Georgia Institute of Technology, ranked ninth, is one of these schools, as is UC Berkeley.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Ava Maalouf graduated earlier this year from Georgia Tech with a degree in Chemical Engineering. Maalouf started college at nearby Georgia State University, majoring in music.
She mentioned that during her time at Georgia Tech, she received four to five internship opportunities every year and recently received seven full-time job offers.
“Receiving so many job offers, despite the challenging coursework, is very rewarding,” she said.