Top-ranked national universities in 2009 edition of “America's Best Colleges” from U.S. News & World Report (last year's ranking in parentheses).

1. Harvard University (2)

2. Princeton University (1)

3. Yale University (3)

4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (7)

4. Stanford University (4)

6. California Institute of Technology (5)

6. University of Pennsylvania (5)

8. Columbia University (9)

8. Duke University (8)

8. University of Chicago (9)