College Research

CollegesRankingsMajors

2025-26 Rankings

Best Political Science Colleges

Our rankings are based on rigorous analysis of key statistics including academic selectivity, institutional resources, and tuition costs.

Note: Tuition costs shown for public universities reflect in-state tuition rates.

Historic Columbia University Library in a sunny outdoor setting.
#1
4%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$79,569/yr

SAT RANGE

1510-1580

GRADUATION RATE

92%

"Manhattan's urban Ivy where first-years debate Plato amid skyscrapers and subway rhythms."

Healy Hall, a historic architectural landmark at Georgetown University, Washington, DC.
#2
Georgetown University

Washington, DCPrivate

13%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$83,068/yr

SAT RANGE

1390-1550

GRADUATION RATE

95%

"Georgetown catapults politically savvy, globally minded overachievers into DC's power corridors from its Jesuit hilltop overlooking the Potomac."

University of Michigan - Taubman College
#3
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MIPublic

16%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$32,782/yr

SAT RANGE

1360-1530

GRADUATION RATE

94%

"Michigan equips driven undergrads with Big Ten scale and research muscle in a walkable college town that punches above its weight."

Stunning facade of Powell Library at UCLA in Los Angeles showcasing exquisite Romanesque architecture.
#4
University of California-Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CAPublic

9%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$29,933/yr

SAT RANGE

1330-1530

GRADUATION RATE

94%

"Sun-drenched Bruin hub fuses blockbuster film dreams with biotech breakthroughs in bustling Westwood."

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2026) - All You Need to Know  BEFORE You Go (with Reviews)
#5
15%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$20,823/yr

SAT RANGE

1390-1530

GRADUATION RATE

92%

"At UNC Chapel Hill, you'll join America's first public university, where Tar Heel spirit ignites fierce academics amid pine-scented walks and basketball fever in the Research Triangle."

New York University - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
#6
New York University

New York, NYPrivate

9%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$78,914/yr

SAT RANGE

1480-1560

GRADUATION RATE

87%

"NYU catapults you into New York's electric chaos, where aspiring artists, financiers, and global thinkers hustle amid skyscrapers and street performers."

UC leads American public research universities in global impact, new  rankings show | University of California
#7
11%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$35,314/yr

SAT RANGE

1350-1510

GRADUATION RATE

94%

"Public research powerhouse born from 1868 merger, fueling Silicon Valley brains and Free Speech legacy."

About – Division of Research
#8
Texas A & M University-College Station

College Station, TXPublic

57%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$21,823/yr

SAT RANGE

1150-1400

GRADUATION RATE

86%

"Gig'em Aggies: A colossal Texas powerhouse where unbreakable traditions and the world's largest student-run military corps forge engineers, leaders, and lifelong networkers."

The University of Texas Tower against a clear blue sky in Austin, Texas.
#9
27%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$26,526/yr

SAT RANGE

1250-1510

GRADUATION RATE

84%

"Burnt-orange behemoth fueling ambitious minds amid Austin's live music throb and tech surge."

U.S. Supreme Court Ruling on Race-Conscious Admissions | School of  Engineering & Applied Science | The George Washington University
#10
George Washington University

Washington, DCPrivate

47%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$81,356/yr

SAT RANGE

1350-1500

GRADUATION RATE

84%

"GWU drops you into DC's power corridors, where poli sci classes debate policy by day and you intern at the State Department by afternoon."

Category:University of Wisconsin-Madison - Wikimedia Commons
#11
45%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$21,406/yr

SAT RANGE

1380-1520

GRADUATION RATE

89%

"At UW-Madison, you'll dive into a massive lakeside research engine fueled by Badger loyalty, where Big Ten weekends collide with cutting-edge labs in America's quirkiest state capital."

Campus of the University of Washington - Wikipedia
#12
39%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$29,594/yr

SAT RANGE

1330-1510

GRADUATION RATE

85%

"Nestle into Seattle's tech-fueled, rain-soaked embrace at this massive public powerhouse where you'll code breakthroughs amid evergreen forests and coffee-fueled all-nighters."

Ohio State University Health Sciences Center for Global Health - Wikipedia
#13
61%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$26,263/yr

SAT RANGE

1310-1480

GRADUATION RATE

83%

"At The Ohio State University, you'll dive into Big Ten bigness—endless opportunities in a sea of scarlet-and-gray Buckeye spirit, where football Saturdays eclipse everything else."

Programs & Courses | University of Florida
#14
University of Florida

Gainesville, FLPublic

24%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$16,597/yr

SAT RANGE

1320-1480

GRADUATION RATE

90%

"Florida's massive flagship where gator football roars blend with powerhouse engineering, agriculture, and business programs in humid Gainesville."

University Neighborhood — East Bank Neighborhoods Partnership
#15
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MNPublic

80%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$28,012/yr

SAT RANGE

1300-1500

GRADUATION RATE

84%

"You'll tunnel under a massive Big Ten campus bridged over the Mississippi, chasing top-ranked pharmacy breakthroughs amid Minneapolis winters that test your grit."

Apply to North Carolina State University
#16
42%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$20,867/yr

SAT RANGE

1300-1470

GRADUATION RATE

85%

"Join the rowdy Wolfpack for hands-on engineering and ag innovation smack in the Research Triangle's tech boom."

San Diego
#17
27%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$30,534/yr

SAT RANGE

1340-1540

GRADUATION RATE

90%

"Sunny La Jolla's research powerhouse where biotech breakthroughs happen amid ocean breezes and eucalyptus groves."

American University - Hillel International
#18
American University

Washington, DCPrivate

62%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$71,210/yr

SAT RANGE

1280-1460

GRADUATION RATE

78%

"Private powerhouse in northwest DC fueling careers in policy, diplomacy, journalism, and international affairs."

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
#19
42%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$28,562/yr

SAT RANGE

1310-1520

GRADUATION RATE

87%

"Engineer the next big thing at this Midwest research behemoth, where massive scale delivers top-tier opportunities amid Big Ten roars and relentless winters."

Trustees committee advances five-year University capital plan | Penn State  University
#20
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus

University Park, PAPublic

61%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$34,330/yr

SAT RANGE

1240-1420

GRADUATION RATE

86%

"At Penn State University Park, you'll dive into the thunderous heartbeat of a massive land-grant powerhouse where Nittany Lion pride fuels everything from football frenzies to world-changing research."