Best colleges for 32 top majors
Choosing a college is hard enough, and it helps if students know which major they'd like to pursue. But even then, it's extremely difficult to narrow down the list of potential schools. The options for education keep expanding, while information about what makes each of them unique is scarcer than ever.
The writers at 麻豆原创 remember the college search all too well. To help students decide where they'd like to spend their future, 麻豆原创 compiled data from to create this list of the top three colleges for each major. The rankings are based on , college reviews, and survey responses.
However, rankings are not enough. 麻豆原创 dug into how each college earned its ranking to give readers an idea of the school beyond the figures and pictures of students relaxing on campus lawns. Click through to discover the best colleges for the top 32 majors.
Accounting: University of Pennsylvania
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Acceptance rate: 9%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Overall Niche rank: #6
Net price: $22,944
SAT range: 1380-1570
The at the University of Pennsylvania offers a Master's and Ph.D. program for those ready to go all the way. 97% of the faculty is (in case you ever have real-life questions). Their (which includes , who has written many studies on the effects of big data on our decisions) conducts studies on taxes, economics, and so much more.
Runners up:
#2 college for accounting: Georgetown University (Location: Washington, DC; Acceptance rate: 17%; Overall Niche rank: #22)
#3 college for accounting: University of Notre Dame (Location: Notre Dame, IN; Acceptance rate: 19%; Overall Niche rank: #13)
Agricultural Sciences: Cornell University
Location: Ithaca, NY
Acceptance rate: 14.%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Overall Niche rank: #21
Net price: $30,014
SAT range: 1330-1530
Cornell's Agricultural Sciences program prides itself on 鈥減urpose-driven science,鈥 and you can put your lessons into practice at one of its several . This specialized school includes the famous mycologist , as well as Nobel Laureate .
Runners up:
#2 college for agricultural sciences: University of Florida (Location: Gainesville, FL; Acceptance rate: 46%; Overall Niche rank: #62)
#3 college for agricultural sciences: University of Georgia (Location: Athens, GA; Acceptance rate: 54%; Overall Niche rank: #67)
Anthropology: Harvard University
Location: Cambridge, MA
Acceptance rate: 5%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Overall Niche rank: #3
Net price: $16,205
SAT range: 1430-1600
Harvard's is far from being stuck in the dark ages, like Anthropology of Urbanism, and Language and Politics. Professor Ieva Jusionyte was for her work with immigrants crossing the southern American border. Professor Dav铆d Carrasco was also recently featured in the PBS .
Runners up:
#2 college for anthropology: Yale University (Location: New Haven, CT; Acceptance rate: 6%; Overall Niche rank: #4)
#3 college for anthropology: Columbia University (Location: New York, NY; Acceptance rate: 7%; Overall Niche rank: #7)
Architecture: Washington University in St. Louis
Location: Saint Louis, MO
Acceptance rate: 17%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Overall Niche rank: #11
Net price: $28,824
SAT range: 1400-1570
Looking to learn architecture in a small program? The Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts at Washington University takes and works them hard. The curriculum is , allowing students the opportunity to learn about environmental art and urban design. Alumni include , an invitation designer frequently featured in .
Runners up:
#2 college for architecture: Rice University (Location: Houston, TX; Acceptance rate: 15%; Overall Niche rank: #12)
#3 college for architecture: Cornell University (Location: Ithaca, NY; Acceptance rate: 14.%; Overall Niche rank: #21)
Art: Rhode Island School of Design
Location: Providence, RI
Acceptance rate: 34%
Overall Niche grade: A
Overall Niche rank: #160
Net price: $39,389
SAT range: 1080-1340
The take student support above and beyond, building an that showcases work made only by . The school claims as alumni, nearly all of whom are artists.
Runners up:
#2 college for art: Harvard University (Location: Cambridge, MA; Acceptance rate: 5%; Overall Niche rank: #3)
#3 college for art: The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art (Location: New York, NY; Acceptance rate: 15%; Overall Niche rank: #77)
Biology: Harvard University
Location: Cambridge, MA
Acceptance rate: 5%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Overall Niche rank: #3
Net price: $16,205
SAT range: 1430-1600
Attention science buffs: Harvard offers separate tracks in molecular and cellular, systems, organismic and evolutionary, chemical, human evolutionary, integrative, and human developmental and regenerative biology. There have been plenty of successful alumni in each branch, but the are open to all biology students.
Runners up:
#2 college for biology: Stanford University (Location: Stanford, CA; Acceptance rate: 5%; Overall Niche rank: #2)
#3 college for biology: Yale University (Location: New Haven, CT; Acceptance rate: 6%; Overall Niche rank: #4)
Business: University of Pennsylvania
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Acceptance rate: 9%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Overall Niche rank: #6
Net price: $22,944
SAT range: 1380-1570
Chances are you've heard of . Professors and are two Wharton faculty members frequently called upon by news outlets to discuss management, real estate, and other specialized business topics.
Runners up:
#2 college for business: University of Southern California (Location: Los Angeles, CA; Acceptance rate: 17%; Overall Niche rank: #20)
#3 college for business: University of Michigan - Ann Arbor (Location: Ann Arbor, MI; Acceptance rate: 29.%; Overall Niche rank: #23)
Chemistry: Harvard University
Location: Cambridge, MA
Acceptance rate: 5%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Overall Niche rank: #3
Net price: $16,205
SAT range: 1430-1600
offers three separate focuses as well as the option to earn a double degree. The program boasts Dr. Kang-Kuen Ni (the professor who produced ground-breaking work on ) and revolutionary chemist George M. Whitesides.
Runners up:
#2 college for chemistry: California Institute of Technology (Location: Pasadena, CA; Acceptance rate: 8%; Overall Niche rank: #10)
#3 college for chemistry: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Location: Cambridge, MA; Acceptance rate: 8%; Overall Niche rank: #1)
Communications: Northwestern University
Location: Evanston, IL
Acceptance rate: 11%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Overall Niche rank: #14
Net price: $29,326
SAT range: 1400-1560
is multifaceted, and offers many choices in major. Students can study , or delve into . If alumni and are any indication, this school cultivates people who have something to say.
Runners up:
#2 college for communications: University of Southern California (Location: Los Angeles, CA; Acceptance rate: 17%; Overall Niche rank: #20)
#3 college for communications: University of Pennsylvania (Location: Philadelphia, PA; Acceptance rate: 9%; Overall Niche rank: #6)
Computer Science: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Location: Cambridge, MA
Acceptance rate: 8%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Overall Niche rank: #1
Net price: $21,576
SAT range: 1460-1590
Boasting an average starting salary of $100,000 for graduates, is designed to provide a particular kind of challenge to promising students. Degree paths are flexible, and can be molded to fit a student's aspirations. Alumni include the , and a -award winner.
Runners up:
#2 college for computer-science: Stanford University (Location: Stanford, CA; Acceptance rate: 5%; Overall Niche rank: #2)
#3 college for computer-science: Carnegie Mellon University (Location: Pittsburgh, PA; Acceptance rate: 22%; Overall Niche rank: #33)
Criminal Justice: CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice
Location: New York, NY
Acceptance rate: 34%
Overall Niche grade: B+
Overall Niche rank: #323
Net price: $8,530
SAT range: 890-1070
takes the concept of justice education and expands the definition. Students can take courses like Environmental Racism, and the Ethnography of Youth and Justice. New York City Police Commissioner is a proud alumnus (as well as actress , TV's most famous fictional forensic scientist). John Jay takes care to ensure a as well as a specialization in the justice system.
Runners up:
#2 college for criminal-justice: Liberty University (Location: Lynchburg, VA; Acceptance rate: 24%; Overall Niche rank: #226)
#3 college for criminal-justice: Northeastern University (Location: Boston, MA; Acceptance rate: 29.%; Overall Niche rank: #46)
Culinary Arts: Culinary Institute Lenotre
Location: Houston, TX
Acceptance rate: 100%
Overall Niche grade: B+
Overall Niche rank: Not ranked
Net price: $21,951
SAT range: N/A
from other culinary institutes by its sheer diversity of courses. In addition to culinary education, students learn and , and take . The school is run by a . The heart of the school is its strong student services team that celebrates alumni-run restaurants and .
Runners up:
#2 college for culinary-arts: The Culinary Institute of America (Location: Hyde Park, NY; Acceptance rate: 94%; Overall Niche rank: #837)
#3 college for culinary-arts: Johnson & Wales University - Charlotte (Location: Charlotte, NC; Acceptance rate: 82%; Overall Niche rank: Not ranked)
Design: University of Southern California
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Acceptance rate: 17%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Overall Niche rank: #20
Net price: $32,932
SAT range: 1280-1500
The hosts students' , attracting alumni attendees from all over Southern California. The school embraces its offbeat image, and boasts notable alumni actor as well as artist .
Runners up:
#2 college for design: Rhode Island School of Design (Location: Providence, RI; Acceptance rate: 34%; Overall Niche rank: #160)
#3 college for design: Washington University in St. Louis (Location: Saint Louis, MO; Acceptance rate: 17%; Overall Niche rank: #11)
Economics: Harvard University
Location: Cambridge, MA
Acceptance rate: 5%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Overall Niche rank: #3
Net price: $16,205
SAT range: 1430-1600
The encourages students to work towards a well-rounded education by outside the major. Faculty include a , and a at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.
Runners up:
#2 college for economics: Stanford University (Location: Stanford, CA; Acceptance rate: 5%; Overall Niche rank: #2)
#3 college for economics: University of Chicago (Location: Chicago, IL; Acceptance rate: 8%; Overall Niche rank: #15)
Education: Vanderbilt University
Location: Nashville, TN
Acceptance rate: 11%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Overall Niche rank: #18
Net price: $23,150
SAT range: 1420-1590
Through the and their Peabody College subsidiary, Vanderbilt provides renowned undergraduate programs in elementary and . This program has students working with kids starting in the first week of classes. The small faculty is comprised of experts who and .
Runners up:
#2 college for education: Brown University (Location: Providence, RI; Acceptance rate: 9%; Overall Niche rank: #9)
#3 college for education: University of Michigan - Ann Arbor (Location: Ann Arbor, MI; Acceptance rate: 29.%; Overall Niche rank: #23)
Engineering: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Location: Cambridge, M
Acceptance rate: 8%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Overall Niche rank: #1
Net price: $21,576
SAT range: 1460-1590
Massachusetts Institute of Technology offers an engineering school with a program where you can learn under Turing, MacArthur, and American Society of Mechanical Engineers . Alumni and offer a glimpse into just how wide and varied this program can be.
Runners up:
#2 college for engineering: Stanford University (Location: Stanford, CA; Acceptance rate: 5%; Overall Niche rank: #2)
#3 college for engineering: California Institute of Technology (Location: Pasadena, CA; Acceptance rate: 8%; Overall Niche rank: #10)
English: Columbia University
Location: New York, NY
Acceptance rate: 7%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Overall Niche rank: #7
Net price: $22,973
SAT range: 1410-1590
If there was ever an undergrad English program for the curious, it's . Take courses on Aldous Huxley and Shakespeare from and Guggenheim fellows. Most classes , permitting students to study whatever interests them.
Runners up:
#2 college for English: Yale University (Location: New Haven, CT; Acceptance rate: 6%; Overall Niche rank: #4)
#3 college for English: Brown University (Location: Providence, RI; Acceptance rate: 9%; Overall Niche rank: #9)
Environmental Science: Stanford University
Location: Stanford, CA
Acceptance rate: 5%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Overall Niche rank: #2
Net price: $16,695
SAT range: 1380-1580
At , and come center stage when it comes to environmental conservation. Students work alongside top industrial leaders, and have the option to work in next to the action. The alumni for this program usually pursue careers in environmental science鈥攂ut one of them may be .
Runners up:
#2 college for environmental-science: Duke University (Location: Durham, NC; Acceptance rate: 11%; Overall Niche rank: #8)
#3 college for environmental-science: Harvard University (Location: Cambridge, MA; Acceptance rate: 5%; Overall Niche rank: #3)
Film: University of Southern California
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Acceptance rate: 17%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Overall Niche rank: #20
Net price: $32,932
SAT range: 1280-1500
Only the can claim Judd Apatow, Amy Nicholson, and John Carpenter as alumni. This comprehensive program features classes based on film production, writing, and even . Students will study under as well as .
Runners up:
#2 college for film: New York University (Location: New York, NY; Acceptance rate: 32%; Overall Niche rank: #57)
#3 college for film: University of Pennsylvania (Location: Philadelphia, PA; Acceptance rate: 9%; Overall Niche rank: #6)
History: Yale University
Location: New Haven, CT
Acceptance rate: 6%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Overall Niche rank: #4
Net price: $18,319
SAT range: 1420-1600
Boasting of maps, microforms, and everything in between, Yale's history department takes a humanistic approach to higher education. Students study under field leaders like .
Runners up:
#2 college for history: Harvard University (Location: Cambridge, MA; Acceptance rate: 5%; Overall Niche rank: #3)
#3 college for history: Columbia University (Location: New York, NY; Acceptance rate: 7%; Overall Niche rank: #7)
Information Technology: Carnegie Mellon University
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Acceptance rate: 22%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Overall Niche rank: #33
Net price: $35,250
SAT range: 1380-1550
The is where real-life meets education. Students complete two projects each semester, developing information systems for real companies once they start their careers. Many of the faculty have also taught at the school's .
Runners up:
#2 college for information technology: Brigham Young University (Location: Provo, UT; Acceptance rate: 51%; Overall Niche rank: #69)
#3 college for information technology: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Location: Troy, NY; Acceptance rate: 44%; Overall Niche rank: #79)
International Relations: Georgetown University
Location: Washington, DC
Acceptance rate: 17%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Overall Niche rank: #22
Net price: $26,625
SAT range: 1320-1520
Have a special interest in refugee issues, or how technology affects international affairs? Georgetown University offers taught by experts like global political analyst , and former White House advisor on North Korea .
Runners up:
#2 college for international-relations: Stanford University (Location: Stanford, CA; Acceptance rate: 5%; Overall Niche rank: #2)
#3 college for international-relations: Yale University (Location: New Haven, CT; Acceptance rate: 6%; Overall Niche rank: #4)
Physical Therapy: Rice University
Location: Houston, TX
Acceptance rate: 15%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Overall Niche rank: #12
Net price: $22,061
SAT range: 1410-1570
Rice University's strongly encourages independent study, which is perfect for those looking to lead the way in physical therapy. Rice offers many opportunities to , and boasts an (run by acclaimed EMT instructor Lisa Basgall).
Runners up:
#2 college for physical-therapy: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (Location: Ann Arbor, MI; Acceptance rate: 29.%; Overall Niche rank: #23)
#3 college for physical-therapy: Wake Forest University (Location: Winston-Salem, NC; Acceptance rate: 30%; Overall Niche rank: #45)
Math: Harvard University
Location: Cambridge, MA
Acceptance rate: 5%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Overall Niche rank: #3
Net price: $16,205
SAT range: 1430-1600
offers a staggering , with students able to specialize in their exact mathematical interests. The program also offers a for those continuing their studies. It's the home of .
Runners up:
#2 college for math: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Location: Cambridge, MA; Acceptance rate: 8%; Overall Niche rank: #1)
#3 college for math: University of Chicago (Location: Chicago, IL; Acceptance rate: 8%; Overall Niche rank: #15)
Music: The Curtis Institute of Music
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Acceptance rate: 4%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Overall Niche rank: Not ranked
Net price: $11,345
SAT range: N/A
focuses on music from vocal and pipe organ to orchestral conducting. Students can participate in , and follow in the footsteps of legendary alumni and George Walker. , to the great advantage of students, alumni and parents alike, practically never stop.
Runners up:
#2 college for music: Berklee College of Music (Location: Boston, MA; Acceptance rate: 34%; Overall Niche rank: #386)
#3 college for music: The Juilliard School (Location: New York, NY; Acceptance rate: 6%; Overall Niche rank: Not ranked)
Nursing: University of Pennsylvania
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Acceptance rate: 9%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Overall Niche rank: #6
Net price: $22,944
SAT range: 1380-1570
The University of Pennsylvania's nursing program boasts and as part of its educational program. Nurse's rights' advocate and urban health development specialist number among the forward-looking faculty.
Runners up:
#2 college for nursing: Emory University (Location: Atlanta, GA; Acceptance rate: 25%; Overall Niche rank: #27)
#3 college for nursing: University of Michigan - Ann Arbor (Location: Ann Arbor, MI; Acceptance rate: 29.%; Overall Niche rank: #23)
Theater: The Juilliard School
Location: New York, NY
Acceptance rate: 6%
Overall Niche grade: A
Overall Niche rank: Not ranked
Net price: $29,175
SAT range: N/A
Ever heard of or ? Both are just two in a long list of greats from the . Students act in and learn from expert instructors like and .
Runners up:
#2 college for theater: Columbia University (Location: New York, NY; Acceptance rate: 7%; Overall Niche rank: #7)
#3 college for theater: Northwestern University (Location: Evanston, IL; Acceptance rate: 11%; Overall Niche rank: #14)
Philosophy: Harvard University
Location: Cambridge, MA
Acceptance rate: 5%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Overall Niche rank: #3
Net price: $16,205
SAT range: 1430-1600
Ready for , Ancient Ethics and Modern Morality, and Happiness? These classes, offered at Harvard's , may be just what you've been searching for. Interested students can join the department's intriguing . No wonder "The Big Bang Theory" writer and Vox founder are alumni.
Runners up:
#2 college for philosophy: Columbia University (Location: New York, NY; Acceptance rate: 7%; Overall Niche rank: #7)
#3 college for philosophy: University of Pennsylvania (Location: Philadelphia, PA; Acceptance rate: 9%; Overall Niche rank: #6)
Physics: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Location: Cambridge, MA
Acceptance rate: 8%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Overall Niche rank: #1
Net price: $21,576
SAT range: 1460-1590
Famous for , MIT boasts a physics department filled with for discovering how the world works. Students can take and alumni include , in addition to eight .
Runners up:
#2 college for physics: California Institute of Technology (Location: Pasadena, CA; Acceptance rate: 8%; Overall Niche rank: #10)
#3 college for physics: Harvard University (Location: Cambridge, MA; Acceptance rate: 5%; Overall Niche rank: #3)
Political Science: Harvard University
Location: Cambridge, MA
Acceptance rate: 5%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Overall Niche rank: #3
Net price: $16,205
SAT range: 1430-1600
Harvard's boasts faculty like Stephen Ansolabehere (author of "" and "") and Danielle Allen (author of ""). The school has produced a number of renowned writers and journalists, like and .
Runners up:
#2 college for political-science: Yale University (Location: New Haven, CT; Acceptance rate: 6%; Overall Niche rank: #4)
#3 college for political-science: Georgetown University (Location: Washington, DC; Acceptance rate: 17%; Overall Niche rank: #22)
Psychology: Stanford University
Location: Stanford, CA
Acceptance rate: 5%
Overall Niche grade: A+
Overall Niche rank: #2
Net price: $16,695
SAT range: 1380-1580
Known for its , Stanford's is always featuring famous doctors. Faculty includes , noted for her .
Runners up:
#2 college for psychology: Yale University (Location: New Haven, CT; Acceptance rate: 6%; Overall Niche rank: #4)
#3 college for psychology: Vanderbilt University (Location: Nashville, TN; Acceptance rate: 11%; Overall Niche rank: #18)
Religious Studies: Liberty University
Location: Lynchburg, VA
Acceptance rate: 24%
Overall Niche grade: A-
Overall Niche rank: #226
Net price: $24,794
SAT range: 950-1190
Liberty University's is built for the modern student, offering courses from Biblical Languages to Evangelism and Christian Life. The faculty is small, , 10 of whom have doctorates. on the role of faith in the world is always updated with fresh conversations.
Runners up:
#2 college for religious-studies: Moody Bible Institute (Location: Chicago, IL; Acceptance rate: 62%; Overall Niche rank: Not ranked)
#3 college for religious-studies: University of Notre Dame (Location: Notre Dame, IN; Acceptance rate: 19%; Overall Niche rank: #13)
