TIME is joining the ranks of publications that publish their own versions of "America's Best Colleges." Through a partnership with research firm Statista, TIME ranked colleges it says provide the best student outcomes, learning environments and student appeal.

Those that rank highest on the list tend to offer strong STEM programs, which are often viewed as pipelines to high-paying jobs. The No. 1 university on TIME's list, Stanford University, is renowned for its connection to Silicon Valley and its startup culture.

Next on the list is the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, often referred to as a patent powerhouse and best known for its world-class programs and groundbreaking STEM research.

Schools in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania that ranked in TIME's top 25 include Princeton University (No. 4), the University of Pennsylvania (No. 7), Columbia University (No. 8), Cornell University (No. 13), Carnegie Mellon University (No. 17) and Lehigh University (No. 21).

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Other highly ranked schools in the tri-state area include Stevens Institute of Technology (No. 30), Villanova University (No. 33), CUNY Lehman College (No. 36), CUNY Baruch College (No. 47), the Fashion Institute of Technology (No. 51), Bucknell University (No. 56), Binghamton University (No. 58) and Swarthmore College (No. 60).

Other college rankings include those published annually by U.S. News & World Report, Forbes and LinkedIn.

The U.S. News & World Report college rankings, first released in 1983, are widely considered the most influential institutional rankings in the country. Several quality indicators are weighed in determining rankings for the publication's "Best Colleges" guide. The most significant is "outcomes," which accounts for 52% of a school's ranking and includes bachelor's degree graduation rates, first-year retention rates, median federal loan debt and earnings five years after graduation.

U.S. News ranks schools in separate categories: National Universities, National Liberal Arts Colleges, Regional Universities (North, South, Midwest and West) and Public National Universities.

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Among National Universities, Princeton has held the top spot for the past 15 years. In the 2026 guide, it was followed by MIT, Harvard, Stanford and Yale, which tied for fourth, and the University of Chicago.

Among National Liberal Arts Colleges in the 2026 guide, Williams College ranked first, followed by Amherst College, the U.S. Naval Academy, Swarthmore College, and Bowdoin College and the U.S. Air Force Academy, which tied for fifth.

For Regional Universities — North, the top four are Bentley University, Providence College, the Rhode Island School of Design and The College of New Jersey.

The top five Public National Universities are the University of California, Berkeley; the University of California, Los Angeles; the University of Michigan; the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and the University of Virginia.

Susan Alaimo is the founder & director of Collegebound Review, offering PSAT/SAT preparation & private college advising by Ivy League-educated instructors. Visit CollegeboundReview.com or call 908-369-5362.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: TIME ranked America's best colleges. See where NJ schools landed