The top 20 US universities

Princeton University is the top university in America, according to the newest version of US News & World Report’s annual ranking.

The 2016 list marks the third consecutive year that Princeton has been ranked No. 1 in the US.

Williams College was named the best liberal-arts college in the country for the 13th consecutive year.

In creating the list of the best US universities, US News includes input from both academic peers and high-school guidance counselors, according to its website. The ranking also uses data such as alumni giving, graduation and retention rates, and selectivity.

Because of US News’ grading system, many of the colleges end up in ties and have the same number ranking as other schools.

1. Princeton University
2. Harvard University
3. Yale University
4. Columbia University
4. Stanford University
4. University of Chicago
7. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
8. Duke University
9. University of Pennsylvania
10. California Institute of Technology
10. Johns Hopkins University
12. Dartmouth College
12. Northwestern University
14. Brown University
15. Cornell University
15. Vanderbilt University
15. Washington University in St. Louis
18. Rice University
18. University of Notre Dame
20. University of California at Berkeley

This article is published in collaboration with Business Insider UK. Publication does not imply endorsement of views by the World Economic Forum.

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Author: Peter Jacobs is an education reporter at Business Insider.

Image: Profile of students taking their seats for the diploma ceremony at Harvard University in Cambridge REUTERS/Brian Snyder.