121 colleges ranked by the research strength of their Social Sciences faculty — a 0–100 blend of bibliometric quality, top-decile stars, federal R&D funding, and academic notability. Research output, not teaching quality. Reference corpus: 4,869 faculty. Data as of 2026-07-02.
| # | College | Research Strength | Coverage | Median h | FY24 R&D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Chicago Ivy+ · #12 86 matched faculty; median h-index 27; $45m FY24 R&D; led by James J. Heckman (h-index 156). | 82 | A | 27 | $45m |
| 2 | University of California, Los Angeles Public Ivy · #15 120 matched faculty; median h-index 17; $119m FY24 R&D; led by Rogers Brubaker (h-index 59). | 79 | A | 17.5 | $119m |
| 3 | University of California, Berkeley Public Ivy · #10 100 matched faculty; median h-index 18; $101m FY24 R&D; led by Barry Eichengreen (h-index 114). | 79 | A | 18.5 | $101m |
| 4 | New York University Elite Private · #35 84 matched faculty; median h-index 20; $44m FY24 R&D; led by Thomas Sargent (h-index 93). | 78 | A | 20.5 | $44m |
| 5 | Princeton University Ivy League · #1 85 matched faculty; median h-index 18; $75m FY24 R&D; led by G. John Ikenberry (h-index 123). | 77 | A | 18 | $75m |
| 6 | Northwestern University Elite Private · #9 45 matched faculty; median h-index 22; $24m FY24 R&D; led by Martin Eichenbaum (h-index 84). | 76 | B | 22 | $24m |
| 7 | Columbia University Ivy League · #8 67 matched faculty; median h-index 28; $15m FY24 R&D; led by Joseph E. Stiglitz (h-index 174). | 76 | B | 28 | $15m |
| 8 | University of Pennsylvania Ivy League · #6 29 matched faculty; median h-index 36; $70m FY24 R&D; led by Francis X. Diebold (h-index 99). | 74 | A | 36 | $70m |
| 9 | Cornell University Ivy League · #11 93 matched faculty; median h-index 17; $32m FY24 R&D; led by Sidney Tarrow (h-index 70). | 74 | A | 17 | $32m |
| 10 | Duke University Ivy+ · #7 86 matched faculty; median h-index 18; $47m FY24 R&D; led by Tim Bollerslev (h-index 76). | 74 | A | 18.5 | $47m |
| 11 | University of Minnesota, Twin Cities State Flagship · #54 34 matched faculty; median h-index 22; $37m FY24 R&D; led by Aldo Rustichini (h-index 70). | 74 | A | 22 | $37m |
| 12 | Brown University Ivy League · #9 57 matched faculty; median h-index 21; $39m FY24 R&D; led by Sebnem Kalemli-Ozcan (h-index 55). | 73 | A | 21 | $39m |
| 13 | University of California, Irvine Public Ivy · #33 101 matched faculty; median h-index 20; $16m FY24 R&D; led by Elizabeth F. Loftus (h-index 92). | 72 | A | 20 | $16m |
| 14 | University of California, San Diego Public Ivy · #29 71 matched faculty; median h-index 18; $33m FY24 R&D; led by James H. Fowler (h-index 82). | 72 | A | 18 | $33m |
| 15 | Dartmouth College Ivy League · #10 64 matched faculty; median h-index 21; $26m FY24 R&D; led by Ha Yan Lee (h-index 102). | 71 | A | 21 | $26m |
| 16 | University of Maryland, College Park State Flagship · #44 90 matched faculty; median h-index 15; $67m FY24 R&D; led by John C. Haltiwanger (h-index 87). | 70 | A | 15.5 | $67m |
| 17 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Public Ivy · #33 55 matched faculty; median h-index 17; $93m FY24 R&D; led by Ghysels, Eric (h-index 66). | 70 | A | 17 | $93m |
| 18 | Georgetown University Elite Private · #22 77 matched faculty; median h-index 15; $53m FY24 R&D; led by George Akerloff (h-index 62). | 69 | A | 15 | $53m |
| 19 | George Washington University Regional · #63 53 matched faculty; median h-index 16; $41m FY24 R&D; led by Michael N. Barnett (h-index 53). | 68 | A | 16 | $41m |
| 20 | Vanderbilt University Ivy+ · #18 69 matched faculty; median h-index 13; $28m FY24 R&D; led by W. Kip Viscusi (h-index 87). | 66 | A | 13 | $28m |
| 21 | University of Wisconsin-Madison State Flagship · #35 57 matched faculty; median h-index 15; $89m FY24 R&D; led by Chinn, Menzie (h-index 69). | 66 | A | 15 | $89m |
| 22 | Boston University Elite Private · #41 71 matched faculty; median h-index 14; $16m FY24 R&D; led by Laurence J. Kotlikoff (h-index 61). | 65 | A | 14 | $16m |
| 23 | University of Washington State Flagship · #40 52 matched faculty; median h-index 16; $25m FY24 R&D; led by Stephen Turnovsky (h-index 59). | 65 | A | 16 | $25m |
| 24 | Yale University Ivy League · #5 39 matched faculty; median h-index 15; $23m FY24 R&D; led by Ian Shapiro (h-index 69). | 64 | A | 15 | $23m |
| 25 | University of Virginia Public Ivy · #24 68 matched faculty; median h-index 13; $15m FY24 R&D; led by Charles Holt (h-index 58). | 64 | A | 13.5 | $15m |
| 26 | Syracuse University Regional · #73 79 matched faculty; median h-index 12; $16m FY24 R&D; led by Badi H. Baltagi (h-index 72). | 63 | A | 12 | $16m |
| 27 | University of California, Santa Barbara Public Ivy · #39 51 matched faculty; median h-index 16; $11m FY24 R&D; led by Christopher Costello (h-index 58). | 62 | A | 16 | $11m |
| 28 | Tufts University Elite Private · #40 50 matched faculty; median h-index 14; $16m FY24 R&D; led by Cheryl Doss (h-index 48). | 62 | A | 14.5 | $16m |
| 29 | University of Notre Dame Elite Private · #18 83 matched faculty; median h-index 12; $17m FY24 R&D; led by Kenneth Scheve (h-index 54). | 61 | A | 12 | $17m |
| 30 | Washington University in St. Louis Elite Private · #24 48 matched faculty; median h-index 16; $5m FY24 R&D; led by Andrew Jordan (h-index 74). | 59 | A | 16.5 | $5m |
| 31 | University of California, Santa Cruz State Flagship · #84 84 matched faculty; median h-index 12; $8m FY24 R&D; led by Michael M Hutchison (h-index 103). | 58 | A | 12 | $8m |
| 32 | University of Massachusetts Amherst State Flagship · #60 54 matched faculty; median h-index 13; $10m FY24 R&D; led by MJ Peterson (h-index 55). | 57 | A | 13 | $10m |
| 33 | George Mason University Regional · #119 32 matched faculty; median h-index 14; $75m FY24 R&D; led by Jack A. Goldstone (h-index 58). | 56 | A | 14.5 | $75m |
| 34 | University of Florida Public Ivy · #27 52 matched faculty; median h-index 12; $17m FY24 R&D; led by Jonathan Hamilton (h-index 63). | 56 | A | 12 | $17m |
| 35 | University of South Florida State Flagship · #91 65 matched faculty; median h-index 9; $38m FY24 R&D; led by William Greene (h-index 75). | 56 | A | 9 | $38m |
| 36 | Emory University Elite Private · #24 61 matched faculty; median h-index 14; $5m FY24 R&D; led by Juan Rubio-Ramirez (h-index 47). | 56 | A | 14 | $5m |
| 37 | Rice University Elite Private · #13 22 matched faculty; median h-index 15; $25m FY24 R&D; led by Tony N. Brown (h-index 41). | 56 | A | 15 | $25m |
| 38 | Michigan State University State Flagship · #63 20 matched faculty; median h-index 17; $47m FY24 R&D; led by Barbara Schneider (h-index 54). | 55 | A | 17 | $47m |
| 39 | University of Colorado Boulder Selective Public · #98 28 matched faculty; median h-index 16; $18m FY24 R&D; led by Wolfgang Keller (h-index 39). | 55 | A | 16 | $18m |
| 40 | University of Delaware State Flagship · #86 51 matched faculty; median h-index 9; $30m FY24 R&D; led by Amy Ellen Schwartz (h-index 35). | 55 | A | 9 | $30m |
| 41 | Ohio State University State Flagship · #41 28 matched faculty; median h-index 15; $24m FY24 R&D; led by Bruce Weinberg (h-index 40). | 54 | A | 15 | $24m |
| 42 | Stony Brook University (SUNY) State Flagship · #58 31 matched faculty; median h-index 15; $3m FY24 R&D; led by Pradeep Dubey (h-index 60). | 54 | A | 15 | $3m |
| 43 | University of Oregon Regional · #112 39 matched faculty; median h-index 13; $6m FY24 R&D; led by George Evans (h-index 48). | 54 | A | 13 | $6m |
| 44 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign State Flagship · #35 33 matched faculty; median h-index 12; $13m FY24 R&D; led by Jeffrey R Brown (h-index 56). | 53 | A | 12 | $13m |
| 45 | University at Albany (SUNY) State Flagship · #129 57 matched faculty; median h-index 13; $19m FY24 R&D; led by Yue Li (h-index 38). | 53 | A | 13 | $19m |
| 46 | University of Connecticut State Flagship · #70 54 matched faculty; median h-index 10; $13m FY24 R&D; led by Stephen Ross (h-index 69). | 52 | A | 10.5 | $13m |
| 47 | University of Iowa Regional · #98 42 matched faculty; median h-index 14; $5m FY24 R&D; led by Michael Lewis-Beck (h-index 61). | 52 | A | 14.5 | $5m |
| 48 | Binghamton University (SUNY) State Flagship · #73 45 matched faculty; median h-index 9; $23m FY24 R&D; led by Subal C. Kumbhakar (h-index 61). | 52 | A | 9 | $23m |
| 49 | Tulane University Elite Private · #73 68 matched faculty; median h-index 13; $7m FY24 R&D; led by James Alm (h-index 63). | 51 | A | 13 | $7m |
| 50 | University of Denver Regional · #119 37 matched faculty; median h-index 12; $7m FY24 R&D; led by Thomas E. Drabek (h-index 39). | 50 | A | 12 | $7m |
| 51 | Boston College Elite Private · #39 6 matched faculty; median h-index 20; $13m FY24 R&D; led by Christopher Kelly (h-index 46). | 50 | B | 20 | $13m |
| 52 | Brandeis University Regional · #63 41 matched faculty; median h-index 11; $28m FY24 R&D; led by Prakash Kashwan (h-index 24). | 49 | A | 11 | $28m |
| 53 | American University Regional · #91 49 matched faculty; median h-index 11; $11m FY24 R&D; led by Ji-Young Lee (h-index 31). | 49 | B | 11 | $11m |
| 54 | University of Missouri Regional · #105 29 matched faculty; median h-index 15; $8m FY24 R&D; led by William A. Brock (h-index 84). | 49 | A | 15 | $8m |
| 55 | University of Alabama Selective Public · #97 37 matched faculty; median h-index 12; $10m FY24 R&D; led by Karl DeRouen (h-index 29). | 48 | B | 12 | $10m |
| 56 | University of Southern California Elite Private · #28 18 matched faculty; median h-index 11; $84m FY24 R&D; led by Antonio Bento (h-index 28). | 48 | A | 11.5 | $84m |
| 57 | Brigham Young University Regional · #112 46 matched faculty; median h-index 11; $10m FY24 R&D; led by Lars J. Lefgren (h-index 32). | 48 | A | 11.5 | $10m |
| 58 | Claremont McKenna College Elite Private · #33 52 matched faculty; median h-index 9; $5m FY24 R&D; led by Ricardo Fernholz (h-index 31). | 46 | A | 9 | $5m |
| 59 | Clemson University State Flagship · #80 23 matched faculty; median h-index 15; $8m FY24 R&D; led by Paul Wilson (h-index 61). | 46 | A | 15 | $8m |
| 60 | Colorado School of Mines State Flagship · #76 16 matched faculty; median h-index 20; $1m FY24 R&D; led by Morgan D. Bazilian (h-index 76). | 46 | A | 20 | $1m |
| 61 | Wellesley College Elite Private · #28 47 matched faculty; median h-index 12; $1m FY24 R&D; led by Phillip Levine (h-index 43). | 45 | A | 12 | $1m |
| 62 | College of William & Mary Public Ivy · #54 50 matched faculty; median h-index 9; $14m FY24 R&D; led by David H. Feldman (h-index 31). | 45 | A | 9 | $14m |
| 63 | San Diego State University State Flagship · #119 42 matched faculty; median h-index 8; $8m FY24 R&D; led by Joseph Sabia (h-index 41). | 44 | B | 8.5 | $8m |
| 64 | University at Buffalo (SUNY) State Flagship · #76 34 matched faculty; median h-index 10; $4m FY24 R&D; led by Alex Anas (h-index 31). | 43 | A | 10 | $4m |
| 65 | Case Western Reserve University Selective Private · #51 9 matched faculty; median h-index 18; $11m FY24 R&D; led by Roman Sheremeta (h-index 35). | 42 | B | 18 | $11m |
| 66 | Louisiana State University Selective Public · #147 39 matched faculty; median h-index 8; $8m FY24 R&D; led by Matthew R. Lee (h-index 37). | 41 | A | 8 | $8m |
| 67 | Wesleyan University Selective Private · #39 54 matched faculty; median h-index 10; $0m FY24 R&D; led by J. Donald Moon (h-index 54). | 40 | A | 10 | $0m |
| 68 | Southern Methodist University Regional · #91 30 matched faculty; median h-index 10; $2m FY24 R&D; led by Daniel Millimet (h-index 37). | 39 | A | 10 | $2m |
| 69 | University of Vermont State Flagship · #134 26 matched faculty; median h-index 9; $15m FY24 R&D; led by Leigh Raymond (h-index 23). | 38 | A | 9 | $15m |
| 70 | University of Maryland, Baltimore County State Flagship · #129 30 matched faculty; median h-index 7; $22m FY24 R&D; led by Dennis C. Coates (h-index 36). | 38 | A | 7.5 | $22m |
| 71 | Vassar College Top LAC · #13 21 matched faculty; median h-index 8; $0m FY24 R&D; led by Elizabeth H. Bradley (h-index 66). | 38 | B | 8 | $0m |
| 72 | Santa Clara University Regional · #63 21 matched faculty; median h-index 12; $0m FY24 R&D; led by William A. Sundstrom (h-index 42). | 36 | A | 12 | $0m |
| 73 | Middlebury College Elite Private · #30 42 matched faculty; median h-index 10; $0m FY24 R&D; led by Jeffrey Carpenter (h-index 69). | 36 | A | 10 | $0m |
| 74 | Barnard College Top LAC · #12 27 matched faculty; median h-index 11; $1m FY24 R&D; led by Rajiv Sethi (h-index 28). | 34 | B | 11 | $1m |
| 75 | University of Oklahoma Regional · #112 16 matched faculty; median h-index 10; $23m FY24 R&D; led by Firat Demir (h-index 21). | 33 | A | 10.5 | $23m |
| 76 | Wake Forest University Selective Private · #47 49 matched faculty; median h-index 8; $5m FY24 R&D; led by Fred Chen (h-index 31). | 33 | A | 8 | $5m |
| 77 | Bryn Mawr College Top LAC · #33 20 matched faculty; median h-index 7; $1m FY24 R&D; led by Michael H. Allen (h-index 47). | 33 | A | 7.5 | $1m |
| 78 | College of the Holy Cross Top LAC · #30 45 matched faculty; median h-index 6; led by John Carter (h-index 32). | 32 | A | 6 | — |
| 79 | Haverford College Top LAC · #16 17 matched faculty; median h-index 7; $0m FY24 R&D; led by Anne Preston (h-index 25). | 32 | C | 7 | $0m |
| 80 | Pomona College Elite Private · #15 35 matched faculty; median h-index 8; $1m FY24 R&D; led by Gary N. Smith (h-index 29). | 32 | A | 8 | $1m |
| 81 | Colgate University Selective Private · #46 44 matched faculty; median h-index 7; $0m FY24 R&D; led by Michael Johnston (h-index 46). | 32 | A | 7 | $0m |
| 82 | Lafayette College Top LAC · #38 30 matched faculty; median h-index 8; $0m FY24 R&D; led by W. Mark Crain (h-index 32). | 30 | A | 8.5 | $0m |
| 83 | Florida International University State Flagship · #98 26 matched faculty; median h-index 6; $24m FY24 R&D; led by Shlomi Dinar (h-index 17). | 30 | A | 6 | $24m |
| 84 | Bard College Top LAC · #88 46 matched faculty; median h-index 4; led by Walter Russell Mead (h-index 47). | 30 | A | 4 | — |
| 85 | Rhodes College Top LAC · #52 15 matched faculty; median h-index 7; led by Be Stone (h-index 32). | 28 | A | 7 | — |
| 86 | Davidson College Elite Private · #40 20 matched faculty; median h-index 8; $1m FY24 R&D; led by Ken Menkhaus (h-index 21). | 28 | A | 8 | $1m |
| 87 | Trinity College Top LAC · #46 6 matched faculty; median h-index 11; $1m FY24 R&D; led by Miguel D. Ramirez (h-index 20). | 28 | C | 11.5 | $1m |
| 88 | Hamilton College Elite Private · #37 30 matched faculty; median h-index 5; $1m FY24 R&D; led by Ann Owen (h-index 30). | 28 | A | 5.5 | $1m |
| 89 | Bowdoin College Elite Private · #23 36 matched faculty; median h-index 7; $0m FY24 R&D; led by Erik Nelson (h-index 31). | 28 | A | 7 | $0m |
| 90 | Lehigh University Selective Private · #46 17 matched faculty; median h-index 6; $1m FY24 R&D; led by Laura K. Olson (h-index 21). | 27 | A | 6 | $1m |
| 91 | Colby College Elite Private · #47 34 matched faculty; median h-index 7; $0m FY24 R&D; led by Neil Gross (h-index 24). | 27 | A | 7 | $0m |
| 92 | Oberlin College Top LAC · #28 21 matched faculty; median h-index 8; $0m FY24 R&D; led by David Forrest (h-index 35). | 27 | A | 8 | $0m |
| 93 | Texas Christian University Regional · #105 9 matched faculty; median h-index 10; $0m FY24 R&D; led by Stephen Quinn (h-index 43). | 26 | B | 10 | $0m |
| 94 | Loyola University Chicago Regional · #105 24 matched faculty; median h-index 7; $2m FY24 R&D; led by David Doherty (h-index 23). | 26 | A | 7.5 | $2m |
| 95 | Carleton College Top LAC · #6 31 matched faculty; median h-index 6; $1m FY24 R&D; led by Alfred Montero (h-index 19). | 25 | A | 6 | $1m |
| 96 | California State University, Long Beach Public Ivy · #129 17 matched faculty; median h-index 4; $1m FY24 R&D; led by Kerry Woodward (h-index 9). | 25 | B | 4 | $1m |
| 97 | University of Richmond Elite Private · #22 25 matched faculty; median h-index 6; $0m FY24 R&D; led by Dean Croushore (h-index 26). | 25 | A | 6 | $0m |
| 98 | Union College Top LAC · #41 12 matched faculty; median h-index 7; $0m FY24 R&D; led by Lori Jo Marso (h-index 13). | 25 | A | 7.5 | $0m |
| 99 | Reed College Top LAC · #47 13 matched faculty; median h-index 10; $1m FY24 R&D; led by Chris Koski (h-index 23). | 24 | A | 10 | $1m |
| 100 | Grinnell College Top LAC · #14 32 matched faculty; median h-index 7; $1m FY24 R&D; led by Mark Montgomery (h-index 30). | 23 | A | 7 | $1m |
| 101 | Gettysburg College Top LAC · #56 26 matched faculty; median h-index 6; $0m FY24 R&D; led by Bruce Anders Larson (h-index 35). | 23 | A | 6.5 | $0m |
| 102 | Marquette University Regional · #86 13 matched faculty; median h-index 10; $1m FY24 R&D; led by Philip Rocco (h-index 21). | 22 | A | 10 | $1m |
| 103 | Macalester College Top LAC · #24 25 matched faculty; median h-index 9; $0m FY24 R&D; led by Christina Hughes (h-index 25). | 22 | A | 9 | $0m |
| 104 | Bucknell University Top LAC · #35 27 matched faculty; median h-index 6; $0m FY24 R&D; led by David Mitchell (h-index 29). | 22 | A | 6 | $0m |
| 105 | Creighton University Regional · #119 10 matched faculty; median h-index 6; $1m FY24 R&D; led by Colin O'Reilly (h-index 13). | 21 | A | 6 | $1m |
| 106 | Bates College Top LAC · #20 26 matched faculty; median h-index 4; $0m FY24 R&D; led by Michael Rocque (h-index 30). | 21 | A | 4 | $0m |
| 107 | Swarthmore College Elite Private · #17 22 matched faculty; median h-index 10; $1m FY24 R&D; led by John Caskey (h-index 16). | 21 | A | 10 | $1m |
| 108 | Loyola Marymount University Regional · #91 6 matched faculty; median h-index 4; $1m FY24 R&D; led by Nathan Chan (h-index 10). | 21 | B | 4.5 | $1m |
| 109 | Pepperdine University Selective Private · #80 21 matched faculty; median h-index 4; $3m FY24 R&D; led by Joel S. Fetzer (h-index 16). | 20 | A | 4 | $3m |
| 110 | Colorado College Top LAC · #27 23 matched faculty; median h-index 6; $1m FY24 R&D; led by Timothy Fuller (h-index 20). | 20 | A | 6 | $1m |
| 111 | Connecticut College Top LAC · #42 21 matched faculty; median h-index 6; $0m FY24 R&D; led by Robert Gay (h-index 23). | 18 | A | 6 | $0m |
| 112 | Howard University Selective Private · #86 15 matched faculty; median h-index 3; $2m FY24 R&D; led by Keesha M. Middlemass (h-index 12). | 18 | A | 3 | $2m |
| 113 | University of San Diego Regional · #112 19 matched faculty; median h-index 4; $1m FY24 R&D; led by Ronald Niezen (h-index 20). | 18 | B | 4 | $1m |
| 114 | Whitman College Top LAC · #48 19 matched faculty; median h-index 5; $1m FY24 R&D; led by Alissa Cordner (h-index 20). | 17 | A | 5 | $1m |
| 115 | Skidmore College Top LAC · #37 25 matched faculty; median h-index 6; $0m FY24 R&D; led by Christopher B. Mann (h-index 19). | 16 | A | 6 | $0m |
| 116 | Kenyon College Top LAC · #32 25 matched faculty; median h-index 6; $0m FY24 R&D; led by Marci Cottingham (h-index 21). | 14 | A | 6 | $0m |
| 117 | Denison University Top LAC · #39 17 matched faculty; median h-index 4; $0m FY24 R&D; led by Shiri Noy (h-index 15). | 13 | A | 4 | $0m |
| 118 | Centre College Top LAC · #53 9 matched faculty; median h-index 2; led by David A. Anderson (h-index 6). | 13 | B | 2 | — |
| 119 | Furman University Top LAC · #50 22 matched faculty; median h-index 3; $0m FY24 R&D; led by David Fleming (h-index 14). | 12 | A | 3.5 | $0m |
| 120 | Sewanee: The University of the South Top LAC · #43 19 matched faculty; median h-index 3; led by Amy S. Patterson (h-index 15). | 12 | A | 3 | — |
| 121 | St. Olaf College Top LAC · #55 16 matched faculty; median h-index 3; $0m FY24 R&D; led by Seth Binder (h-index 9). | 11 | B | 3.5 | $0m |
Research Strength (0–100) blends four components, re-normalized over whichever are available for each college: Quality 45%, Stars 25%, Funding 20%, Notability 10%. Each college's faculty in Social Sciences are matched to OpenAlex research records; scores use field-relative percentiles across these 192 colleges, not all US institutions. A college needs at least four matched faculty to be ranked.
Research Strength Rankings v1.0 · as of 2026-07-02.