A total of 52 US universities appear in the Global Employability University Ranking 2026, designed by the HR consultancy Emerging and published exclusively by Times Higher Education. The ranking reveals which universities recruiters at top companies think are best at preparing students for the workplace.
The top 10 includes many of the usual suspects – Harvard University, California Institute of Technology and Stanford University – but also Carnegie Mellon University, which is not always found at the top of university rankings.
Tuition fees at US colleges vary widely, particularly for international students, so value for money arguably depends on both the cost of tuition and the likelihood that graduates will succeed in their future careers.
A number of state universities in the US, such as the University of California, Berkeley, which generally have lower tuition fees, do particularly well when evaluated by employers.
Top universities in the world for employability
Top universities in the UK for employability
Top universities in Canada for employability
Top universities in Australia for employability
Top universities in the Netherlands for employability
Top universities in France for employability
Top universities in Germany for employability
Top three universities in the US for graduate employability
1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Graduates of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have helped develop some of today’s most innovative technologies, such as 3D printing and bionic prostheses.
Among MIT’s alumni are 89 Nobel laureates, 58 National Medal of Science winners and 48 MacArthur fellows.
2. Stanford University
Stanford University is located in Stanford, California, near the world-renowned Silicon Valley.
In total, companies founded by Stanford affiliates and alumni generate more than $2.7 trillion (£21.5 trillion) in annual revenues, which would be the 10th-largest economy in the world. These firms include Google, Nike, Netflix, Hewlett-Packard, Sun Microsystems, Instagram and Charles Schwab.
Stanford alumni have also founded non-profit organisations such as Kiva and SIRUM.
2. California Institute of Technology
According to the Caltech website, a high percentage of graduates go straight into the workforce. Many of these students have been recruited on campus.
The Career Development Center at the university provides networking sessions and twice-yearly careers fairs to assist students in finding jobs. Some 150 recruiters from various fields are present at each fair.
Top universities in the United States for graduate employability 2026
Click each institution to view its full World University Rankings 2026 results.
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