Updated July 11, 2026, 7:26 p.m. CT
Every year, U.S. News & World Report publishes an academic ranking of all United States universities, including yearly tuition, enrollment and acceptance rates. Fifteen of the 18 Big Ten programs rank among the top 100 academically heading into the 2026-2027 school year.
The Big Ten has one school among the top 10 and 12 in the top 50.
Overall, the Wisconsin Badgers hold up nicely and are up there with the conference’s newest additions, the University of Southern California and the University of California – Los Angeles.
Not surprisingly, the same school again claimed the top spot. In fact, none of the top four schools underwent any movement.
No. 18 University of Nebraska – Lincoln
City: Lincoln, Nebraska
Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!
2025 Big Ten Rank: No. 18
Undergraduate enrollment: 19,701
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2025: No. 152
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2026: No. 158
In-state cost: $10,434
No. 17: University of Oregon
City: Eugene, Oregon
2025 Big Ten Rank: No. 17
Undergraduate enrollment: 20,622
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2025: No. 109
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2026: No. 110
In-state cost: $15,904
No. 16: University of Iowa
City: Iowa City, Iowa
2025 Big Ten Rank: No. 16
Undergraduate enrollment: 22,738
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2025: No. 98
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2026: No. 102
In-state cost: $11,622
No. 15: Indiana University – Bloomington
City: Bloomington, Indiana
2025 Big Ten Rank: No. 15
Undergraduate enrollment: 38,093
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2025: No. 73
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2026: No. 73
In-state cost: $12,144
No. 14: Michigan State University
City: East Lansing, Michigan
2025 Big Ten Rank: No. 13 (tied)
Undergraduate enrollment: 41,234
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2025: No. 63
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2026: No. 64
In-state cost: $19,742
T-No. 12: Penn State University – University Park
City: University Park, Pennsylvania
2025 Big Ten Rank: No. 13 (tied)
Undergraduate enrollment: 42,619
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2025: No. 63
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2026: No. 59
In-state cost: $21,098
T-No. 12: University of Minnesota – Twin Cities
City: Minneapolis, Minnesota
2025 Big Ten Rank: No. 12
Undergraduate enrollment: 41,303
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2025: No. 54
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2026: No. 59
In-state cost: $18,482
No. 11: Purdue University – Main Campus
City: West Lafayette, Indiana
2025 Big Ten Rank: No. 10 (tied)
Undergraduate enrollment: 44,819
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2025: No. 46
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2026: No. 46
In-state cost: $9,992
T-No. 8: Rutgers University – New Brunswick
City: Piscataway, New Jersey
2025 Big Ten Rank: No. 7 (tied)
Undergraduate enrollment: 37,985
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2025: No. 41
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2026: No. 42
In-state cost: $18,827
T-No. 8: University of Maryland, College Park
City: College Park, Maryland
2025 Big Ten Rank: No. 9
Undergraduate enrollment: 31,133
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2025: No. 44
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2026: No. 42
In-state cost: $11,809
T-No. 8: University of Washington
City: Seattle, Washington
2025 Big Ten Rank: No. 10 (tied)
Undergraduate enrollment: 40,754
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2025: No. 46
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2026: No. 42
In-state cost: $13,406
No. 7: The Ohio State University
City: Columbus, Ohio
2025 Big Ten Rank: No. 7 (tied)
Undergraduate enrollment: 46,815
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2025: No. 41
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2026: No. 41
In-state cost: $13,641
T-No. 5: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
City: Champaign, Illinois
2025 Big Ten Rank: No. 5
Undergraduate enrollment: 37,140
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2025: No. 33
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2026: No. 36
In-state cost: $18,046
T-No. 5: University of Wisconsin – Madison
City: Madison, Wisconsin
2025 Big Ten Rank: No. 6
Undergraduate enrollment: 23,181
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2025: No. 39
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2026: No. 36
In-state cost: $16,035
No. 4: University of Southern California
City: Los Angeles, California
2025 Big Ten Rank: 4
Undergraduate enrollment: 20,630
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2025: No. 27
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2026: No. 28
Cost: $75,162
No. 3: University of Michigan – Ann Arbor
City: Ann Arbor, Michigan
2025 Big Ten Rank: No. 3
Undergraduate enrollment: 34,454
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2025: No. 21
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2026: No. 20
In-state cost: $19,497
No. 2: University of California – Los Angeles
City: Los Angeles, California
2025 Big Ten Rank: No. 2
Undergraduate enrollment: 33,471
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2025: No. 15
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2026: No. 17
In-state cost: $14,824
No. 1: Northwestern University
City: Evanston, Illinois
2025 Big Ten Rank: No. 1
Undergraduate enrollment: 9,060
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2025: No. 6
U.S. News & World Report ranking 2026: No. 7
Cost: $70,589
National schools ahead of Northwestern
Johns Hopkins University, Duke University, University of Chicago, Yale University, Stanford University, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Princeton University.
Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Jordon Lawrenz on X @jordonlaw_pxp.