Best Undergraduate Teaching National Universities

Many colleges have a strong commitment to teaching undergraduates instead of conducting graduate-level research. In a survey conducted in spring 2016, the schools on these lists received the most votes from top college administrators for putting a particular focus on undergraduate teaching.

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National Universities, Undergraduate Teaching
< $5,000 - $50,000
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Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN
#10 in Best Undergraduate Teaching (tie)
#15 in National Universities (tie)

Vanderbilt University is a private institution in Nashville, Tenn. with four undergraduate colleges: the College of Arts and Science, the School of Engineering, Peabody College, and the Blair School of Music. More than 40 percent of Vanderbilt students participate in Greek life. more

$45,610 Tuition and Fees
6,883 Undergraduate Enrollment
SAT, GPA and more

College of William & Mary

Williamsburg, VA
#12 in Best Undergraduate Teaching
#32 in National Universities (tie)

The College of William and Mary, located in Williamsburg, Virginia, is the second oldest college in the U.S. King William III and Queen Mary II of England founded the school in 1693. The college has more than 30 undergraduate programs and more than 10 graduate and professional degree programs. Its highly ranked graduate schools include the Marshall-Wythe School of Law, the first law school in the U.S.; the School of Education; and the Mason School of Business. Students can join the Phi Beta Kappa fraternity, the nation’s first academic Greek society, as well as other fraternities and sororities. All freshmen are required to live on campus, and the majority of upperclassmen choose to live on campus as well. more

$41,718 (out-of-state), $18,687 (in-state) Tuition and Fees
6,301 Undergraduate Enrollment
SAT, GPA and more

Purdue University--West Lafayette

West Lafayette, IN
#13 in Best Undergraduate Teaching
#60 in National Universities (tie)

Purdue University's West Lafayette, Indiana, campus is the main campus in the Purdue University system, which encompasses four other campuses throughout the state. Nearly 20 percent of students are affiliated with Greek life, and Purdue offers a wide range of activities and organizations. Performance groups include the "All American" Marching Band, four jazz bands and two symphony orchestras. The Boilermakers, Purdue’s athletic teams, compete in the Division I Big Ten Conference and are well known for their dominant men’s and women’s basketball teams. The Boilermaker Special, Purdue’s official mascot, is a railroad locomotive cared for and maintained by the student-run Purdue Reamer Club. Although no students are required to live in university housing, about one-third of undergraduates live on campus. more

$28,804 (out-of-state), $10,002 (in-state) Tuition and Fees
29,497 Undergraduate Enrollment
SAT, GPA and more

Duke University

Durham, NC
#14 in Best Undergraduate Teaching (tie)
#8 in National Universities (tie)

Located in Durham, North Carolina, Duke University is a private institution that has liberal arts and engineering programs for undergraduates. The Duke Blue Devils sports teams have a fierce rivalry with the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill Tar Heels and are best known for their outstanding men's basketball program. more

$51,265 Tuition and Fees
6,639 Undergraduate Enrollment
SAT, GPA and more

Georgia State University

Atlanta, GA
#14 in Best Undergraduate Teaching (tie)
RNP in National Universities

Georgia State University, located in downtown Atlanta, is one of the largest universities in Georgia. To help ease the college transition, first-year students can opt into the Freshman Learning Communities program, which groups students based on shared interests. more

$28,896 (out-of-state), $10,686 (in-state) Tuition and Fees
25,160 Undergraduate Enrollment
SAT, GPA and more

University of Wisconsin--Madison

Madison, WI
#14 in Best Undergraduate Teaching (tie)
#44 in National Universities (tie)

The University of Wisconsin—Madison lies along the southern shore of Lake Mendota in the city of Madison. The Wisconsin Badgers compete in more than 20 NCAA Division I sports and are part of the Big Ten Conference. Students can get involved in more than 800 organizations on campus. There is also an active Greek life and social scene on campus, evident in Wisconsin’s reputation as one of the top party schools in the country. Freshmen are not required to live on campus, but many choose to do so. Students can opt to live in one of several residential communities where they learn and live with other students and faculty. more

$32,738 (out-of-state), $10,488 (in-state) Tuition and Fees
31,662 Undergraduate Enrollment
SAT, GPA and more

Washington University in St. Louis

St. Louis, MO
#14 in Best Undergraduate Teaching (tie)
#19 in National Universities

Students can study architecture, art, arts and sciences, business, and engineering at  Washington University in St. Louis, a private research institution in Missouri. Outside of class, about a quarter of the student body is involved in Greek life. more

$49,770 Tuition and Fees
7,504 Undergraduate Enrollment
SAT, GPA and more

University of California--Berkeley

Berkeley, CA
#18 in Best Undergraduate Teaching (tie)
#20 in National Universities (tie)

The University of California—Berkeley overlooks the San Francisco Bay in Berkeley, Calif. Students at this public school have more than 700 organizations to get involved in, including more than 55 fraternity and sorority chapters. more

$40,191 (out-of-state), $13,509 (in-state) Tuition and Fees
27,496 Undergraduate Enrollment
SAT, GPA and more

University of Maryland--Baltimore County

Baltimore, MD
#18 in Best Undergraduate Teaching (tie)
#159 in National Universities (tie)

University of Maryland— Baltimore County offers more than 40 undergraduate majors and more than 30 graduate programs. Students can have fun outside of academics by participating in about 250 student organizations, pledging one of the nearly 20 fraternities and sororities and playing Division I sports. more

$24,492 (out-of-state), $11,264 (in-state) Tuition and Fees
11,243 Undergraduate Enrollment
SAT, GPA and more

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Worcester, MA
#18 in Best Undergraduate Teaching (tie)
#60 in National Universities (tie)

Among the 10 colleges located in Worcester, Mass., Worcester Polytechnic Institute stands out as a close-knit private school grounded in scientific education. The student body is actively engaged in campus activities, such as the rivalry contests like the gigantic tug-of-war held throughout the year that pit the freshmen class against the sophomores. More than 30 percent of students are members of the school's 15 or so fraternities and sororities. Even more – close to 70 percent – are involved in campus sports at some level. The WPI Engineers compete in the NCAA Division III New England Men's and Women's Athletic Conference, supported by mascot Gompei, a goat. Though the original school mascot was the head of a once-live goat, the school now uses a man-made replica for a mascot. WPI students also come out in droves for the school's club sports and intramural program, and all students must take four physical education courses, ranging from lifeguarding to plyometrics.
Freshmen do not have to live in campus residence facilities, which include standard dormitories and four houses with student-selected themes. A university seal is imprinted on the ground in the center of campus, but make sure not to step on it; school lore warns that any student who does won't graduate on time. Off campus, students can use Woo Cards to get discounts on food and activities around Worcester. Boston is 45 miles away, or about an hour's trip by train. more

$46,994 Tuition and Fees
4,299 Undergraduate Enrollment
SAT, GPA and more