MIT takes top spot in U.S. News college rankings, ending Ivy League school's 15-year run
MIT has taken the top spot in U.S News & World Report's 2027 ranking of the best colleges, ending Princeton University's 15-year run at No. 1.
Princeton had been atop the list every year since the magazine began its rankings in 2012. But this year's edition included "significant methodology changes" that included a greater focus on the value of an education and graduate earnings.
"With families increasingly scrutinizing the true cost and return on investment of a college degree, our goal is to provide clear, actionable data," LaMont Jones, the managing editor for education at U.S. News, said in a statement.
MIT was also No. 1 on a recent Forbes list of "America's Top Colleges," which also emphasized earning potential for graduates. Forbes said the median 20-year salary for MIT graduates is $131,182.
Last year, MIT went tuition-free for families that make less than $200,000 annually. Families making under $100,000 a year don't have to pay fees for housing, dining, books or other expenses.
Massachusetts colleges are well-represented in the new U.S. News rankings. Harvard University is No. 3 on the national list, and Williams College and Amherst College took the top two spots for the best liberal arts colleges in the country.
Babson College in Wellesley was named the best "regional university" in the north, followed by Bentley University in Waltham.
The other Massachusetts colleges making the top 100 in the U.S. News ranking were Boston College (No. 31), Tufts University (tied at 31), Boston University (34), Northeastern University (42), Brandeis University (59), UMass-Amherst (tied at 59) and WPI (73).
