Setting
These colleges are classified as suburban in the federal locale data. 68 of the 354 colleges in our dataset qualify for this list, and colleges with a missing value for the fields used here are left out rather than guessed. The table below shows the top 20, led by University of Virginia (Virginia).
Across all 68 qualifying colleges the graduation rate runs from 22.1% (Governors State University) to 95.6% (University of Virginia), with a median of 81.0%. For comparison, the median across the 353 colleges in the full dataset that report it is 73.1%.
| # | College | State | Graduation rate | Acceptance rate | Net price | Undergrads |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Virginia | VA | 95.6% | 16.8% | $21,565 | 17,597 |
| 2 | University of Notre Dame | IN | 95.2% | 11.3% | $26,780 | 8,818 |
| 3 | Washington University in St Louis | MO | 94.3% | 12.1% | $21,786 | 7,857 |
| 4 | Tufts University | MA | 93.5% | 11.5% | $39,998 | 7,061 |
| 5 | Pomona College | CA | 93.2% | 7.1% | $19,285 | 1,666 |
| 6 | Babson College | MA | 93.1% | 17.1% | $40,514 | 2,728 |
| 7 | United States Naval Academy | MD | 92.9% | 9.3% | — | 4,474 |
| 8 | Swarthmore College | PA | 92.3% | 7.5% | $23,149 | 1,613 |
| 9 | Harvey Mudd College | CA | 91.9% | 12.7% | $35,924 | 921 |
| 10 | Stanford University | CA | 91.9% | 3.6% | $13,807 | 7,554 |
| 11 | Villanova University | PA | 91.9% | 27.0% | $43,756 | 6,938 |
| 12 | Wellesley College | MA | 91.5% | 14.1% | $25,496 | 2,300 |
| 13 | Claremont McKenna College | CA | 91.4% | 9.6% | $28,849 | 1,388 |
| 14 | Davidson College | NC | 91.1% | 13.4% | $17,379 | 1,867 |
| 15 | Vassar College | NY | 91.1% | 18.6% | $39,343 | 2,444 |
| 16 | Hamilton College | NY | 90.6% | 13.6% | $28,985 | 2,030 |
| 17 | Haverford College | PA | 89.6% | 12.4% | $25,314 | 1,430 |
| 18 | William & Mary | VA | 89.4% | 34.1% | $19,096 | 7,055 |
| 19 | University of Maryland-College Park | MD | 88.6% | 44.8% | $15,678 | 30,760 |
| 20 | Lafayette College | PA | 87.6% | 31.4% | $34,433 | 2,757 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution, May 2026 release (file published 2026-05-26). Data fetched 2026-10-14. Open any row for the full college profile.
Of the 68 qualifying colleges, 31 are public and 37 are private nonprofit. Within the table, California appears 4 times, Pennsylvania appears 4 times, Massachusetts appears 3 times. The median acceptance rate among the 20 listed colleges that report it is 13.1%, against 44.6% for the whole dataset. The median net price among the 19 listed colleges that report it is $25,496, against $19,857 for the whole dataset. 20 of the 20 listed colleges report an SAT range, and the midpoints of those ranges have a median near 1500.
Locale comes from the NCES classification of the area around each campus. Suburban campuses sit near a larger city but with a quieter, more residential setting.
Each column in the table means the following.
A suburban label is a classification, not a description of campus life. Look at the college profile and a map for the real picture.
To see how your own score compares, read what a 1500 SAT or a 34 ACT means for a college list, then check college costs by state for price context.
University of Virginia is first on this list, with graduation rate of 95.6%. It leads 68 qualifying colleges in the dataset, so check what the number measures before treating it as a recommendation.
68 of the 354 colleges in our dataset qualify, and the table shows the top 20. Colleges with a missing value are excluded.
No. The list sorts on one number. It does not measure teaching, fit, program strength or what you would pay, so use it to find colleges to look at and then check each profile and the college's own website.
Colleges are drawn from the 354-college dataset built from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (May 2026 release (file published 2026-05-26); fetched 2026-10-14). Selection: Four-year public and private nonprofit colleges with at least 500 undergraduates: every college admitting 55% or fewer applicants, plus the 150 largest by undergraduate enrollment. Colleges that do not report test ranges are included with ranges shown as not reported. Reporting periods for the fields on this page: AcadYr 2021-22; Fall 2016 or AcadYr 2016-17 entry cohort, as applicable; Fall 2022. Full definitions are on the methodology page, and the numbers are available as an open download.
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