Princeton’s 15-year run as the nation’s top college is over. MIT is now No. 1.

MIT ranked first in the 2026 U.S. News & World Report college rankings, ending Princeton University's 15-year streak at the top of the national rankings. U.S. News modified its ranking methodology for 2026, with changes that increased the weight given to alumni earnings outcomes. Princeton dropped to second place in the updated rankings.

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