MIT takes top spot in U.S. News college rankings, ending Ivy League school's 15-year run

MIT has jumped to No. 1 in U.S. News & World Report’s 2027 ranking of best colleges, snapping Princeton’s 15-year streak at the top. U.S. News said this year’s list reflects “significant methodology changes,” including added weight on the value of an education and graduates’ earnings. LaMont Jones, the outlet’s managing editor for education, said the goal is to provide clearer data for families evaluating the cost and return on a degree. MIT has also been No. 1 on Forbes’ recent “America’s Top Colleges,” where median 20-year salary was cited as $131,182. In Massachusetts, Harvard is No. 3, while several other schools placed in the national top 100.