Best Development Studies Universities in United States [2026 Rankings]

1

Massachusetts | Cambridge, MA

Harvard University

For Development Studies

#1 in North America #1 in the World

4% Acceptance

1,489 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1636 Founded

2

Michigan | Ann Arbor

University of Michigan – Ann Arbor

For Development Studies

#2 in North America #2 in the World

16% Acceptance

10,603 Enrollment

1445 Avg SAT

1817 Founded

3

Maryland | Baltimore

Johns Hopkins University

For Development Studies

#4 in North America #4 in the World

6% Acceptance

6,636 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1876 Founded

4

California | Stanford

Stanford University

For Development Studies

#5 in North America #5 in the World

4% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1885 Founded

5

Washington | Seattle

University of Washington – Seattle

For Development Studies

#6 in North America #6 in the World

39% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1315 Avg SAT

1861 Founded

6

New York State | New York City

Columbia University

For Development Studies

#7 in North America #7 in the World

4% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1754 Founded

7

California | Berkeley

University of California – Berkeley

For Development Studies

#8 in North America #10 in the World

11% Acceptance

26,133 Enrollment

1175 Avg SAT

1868 Founded

8

Pennsylvania | Philadelphia

University of Pennsylvania

For Development Studies

#9 in North America #11 in the World

5% Acceptance

1,947 Enrollment

1540 Avg SAT

1740 Founded

9

North Carolina | Chapel Hill

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

For Development Studies

#10 in North America #12 in the World

15% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1460 Avg SAT

1789 Founded

10

Illinois | Chicago

University of Chicago

For Development Studies

#11 in North America #13 in the World

4% Acceptance

7,598 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1891 Founded

11

California | Los Angeles

University of California – Los Angeles

For Development Studies

#12 in North America #14 in the World

9% Acceptance

37,297 Enrollment

1500 Avg SAT

1919 Founded

12

Connecticut | New Haven

Yale University

For Development Studies

#13 in North America #15 in the World

4% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1520 Avg SAT

1701 Founded

13

Minnesota | Minneapolis

University of Minnesota – Twin Cities

For Development Studies

#14 in North America #16 in the World

80% Acceptance

15,019 Enrollment

1400 Avg SAT

1851 Founded

14

New York State | Ithaca

Cornell University

For Development Studies

#15 in North America #17 in the World

9% Acceptance

16,128 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1865 Founded

15

Wisconsin | Madison, WI

University of Wisconsin – Madison

For Development Studies

#16 in North America #18 in the World

45% Acceptance

38,040 Enrollment

1450 Avg SAT

1848 Founded

16

California | San Francisco

University of California – San Francisco

For Development Studies

#17 in North America #19 in the World

13% Acceptance

2,942 Enrollment

1100 Avg SAT

1864 Founded

17

New York State | New York City

New York University

For Development Studies

#19 in North America #24 in the World

9% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1520 Avg SAT

1831 Founded

18

Pennsylvania | University Park, PA

Pennsylvania State University

For Development Studies

#20 in North America #25 in the World

61% Acceptance

42,604 Enrollment

1330 Avg SAT

1855 Founded

19

Massachusetts | Cambridge, MA

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

For Development Studies

#21 in North America #26 in the World

5% Acceptance

4,535 Enrollment

1550 Avg SAT

1861 Founded

20

Ohio | Columbus, OH

Ohio State University

For Development Studies

#22 in North America #27 in the World

61% Acceptance

10,603 Enrollment

1395 Avg SAT

1870 Founded

21

Michigan | East Lansing

Michigan State University

For Development Studies

#23 in North America #30 in the World

85% Acceptance

10,603 Enrollment

1270 Avg SAT

1855 Founded

22

Illinois | Champaign

University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign

For Development Studies

#24 in North America #33 in the World

42% Acceptance

37,140 Enrollment

1415 Avg SAT

1867 Founded

23

North Carolina | Durham, NC

Duke University

For Development Studies

#25 in North America #35 in the World

6% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1838 Founded

24

Illinois | Evanston

Northwestern University

For Development Studies

#26 in North America #36 in the World

8% Acceptance

9,399 Enrollment

1540 Avg SAT

1851 Founded

25

Texas | Austin, TX

University of Texas at Austin

For Development Studies

#27 in North America #37 in the World

27% Acceptance

43,165 Enrollment

1380 Avg SAT

1883 Founded

26

New Jersey | Princeton, NJ

Princeton University

For Development Studies

#28 in North America #39 in the World

5% Acceptance

5,813 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1746 Founded

27

Pennsylvania | Pittsburgh

University of Pittsburgh

For Development Studies

#29 in North America #40 in the World

58% Acceptance

25,900 Enrollment

1370 Avg SAT

1787 Founded

28

Arizona | Tempe

Arizona State University – Tempe

For Development Studies

#30 in North America #42 in the World

90% Acceptance

38,313 Enrollment

970 Avg SAT

1885 Founded

29

New Jersey | New Brunswick, NJ

Rutgers University – New Brunswick

For Development Studies

#31 in North America #43 in the World

58% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1405 Avg SAT

1766 Founded

30

California | Los Angeles

University of Southern California

For Development Studies

#32 in North America #44 in the World

10% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1500 Avg SAT

1880 Founded

31

Florida | Gainesville, FL

University of Florida

For Development Studies

#34 in North America #46 in the World

24% Acceptance

36,573 Enrollment

1400 Avg SAT

1853 Founded

32

Maryland | College Park

University of Maryland – College Park

For Development Studies

#35 in North America #47 in the World

45% Acceptance

31,133 Enrollment

1465 Avg SAT

1856 Founded

33

Massachusetts | Boston

Boston University

For Development Studies

#36 in North America #48 in the World

11% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1475 Avg SAT

1869 Founded

34

California | San Diego

University of California-San Diego

For Development Studies

#37 in North America #49 in the World

27% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1500 Avg SAT

1960 Founded

35

Georgia, US | Atlanta

Emory University

For Development Studies

#38 in North America #52 in the World

11% Acceptance

967 Enrollment

1510 Avg SAT

1836 Founded

36

California | Davis

University of California – Davis

For Development Studies

#39 in North America #54 in the World

42% Acceptance

25,685 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1905 Founded

37

Illinois | Chicago

University of Illinois at Chicago

For Development Studies

#42 in North America #59 in the World

77% Acceptance

22,495 Enrollment

1240 Avg SAT

1858 Founded

38

Tennessee | Nashville

Vanderbilt University

For Development Studies

#43 in North America #62 in the World

6% Acceptance

7,221 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1873 Founded

39

Arizona | Tucson

University of Arizona

For Development Studies

#45 in North America #66 in the World

86% Acceptance

37,297 Enrollment

1285 Avg SAT

1885 Founded

40

District of Columbia | Washington, DC

George Washington University

For Development Studies

#46 in North America #68 in the World

47% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1425 Avg SAT

1821 Founded

41

Indiana | West Lafayette

Purdue University

For Development Studies

#47 in North America #72 in the World

50% Acceptance

44,819 Enrollment

1340 Avg SAT

1869 Founded

42

Virginia | Charlottesville

University of Virginia

For Development Studies

#48 in North America #76 in the World

17% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1475 Avg SAT

1819 Founded

43

Iowa State | Iowa City

University of Iowa

For Development Studies

#50 in North America #80 in the World

84% Acceptance

22,738 Enrollment

1230 Avg SAT

1847 Founded

44

Utah | Salt Lake

University of Utah

For Development Studies

#52 in North America #83 in the World

86% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1285 Avg SAT

1850 Founded

45

Rhode Island | Providence

Brown University

For Development Studies

#53 in North America #84 in the World

5% Acceptance

7,910 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1764 Founded

46

Texas | College Station

Texas A&M University – College Station

For Development Studies

#54 in North America #85 in the World

57% Acceptance

60,710 Enrollment

1275 Avg SAT

1876 Founded

47

Missouri | St. Louis

Washington University in St Louis

For Development Studies

#55 in North America #89 in the World

12% Acceptance

2,256 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1853 Founded

48

California | Irvine

University of California – Irvine

For Development Studies

#56 in North America #93 in the World

29% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1500 Avg SAT

1965 Founded

49

District of Columbia | Washington, DC

Georgetown University

For Development Studies

#57 in North America #94 in the World

13% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1470 Avg SAT

1789 Founded

50

Colorado | Denver

University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus

For Development Studies

#58 in North America #96 in the World

75% Acceptance

2,256 Enrollment

1100 Avg SAT

1912 Founded

51

New York State | Rochester, NY

University of Rochester

For Development Studies

#59 in North America #98 in the World

40% Acceptance

6,580 Enrollment

1475 Avg SAT

1850 Founded

52

Florida | Tallahassee

Florida State University

For Development Studies

#60 in North America #100 in the World

24% Acceptance

6,768 Enrollment

1340 Avg SAT

1851 Founded

52 Best Universities in United States for Development Studies

Academic Filters

Academic Filters

Join our global network