2024 Best Colleges in the District of Columbia

Georgetown University is the oldest Catholic university in the country. The school's location in Washington, D.C. gives students many opportunities for internships throughout the nation's capital.

George Washington University’s urban location in downtown Washington, D.C., is ideal for fans of politics and city life. The school is spread out across the D.C. Foggy Bottom neighborhood, near the State Department and about a mile away from museums on the National Mall and the Washington Monument. Freshmen and sophomores are required to live on campus, and, starting with the Class of 2018, juniors are required to live on campus as well. The school’s sports teams are nicknamed the Colonials, and compete in the Division I Atlantic 10 Conference. A costumed student called George, named for George Washington, is the school mascot, though an 10-foot inflatable character known as Big George and an on-campus statue of a hippopotamus are unofficial mascots. There are more than 400 organizations on campus, and students can start their own clubs with an original idea and nine other members. About 25 percent of students are involved in the school’s large Greek system. The TRAiL program takes students on outdoor excursions like hiking, kayaking and horseback riding. Student publications include the GW Hatchet, The Daily Colonial and The GW Patriot.

Students at American University benefit from the school's location in the political hub of the nation. Washington, D.C., is a playground for the politically and socially oriented with its countless museums, restaurants, clubs and year-round events. The university, located in a suburban pocket of northwest Washington, is close to a stop on the D.C.-area Metrorail transit system. Rides downtown take about 15 minutes. Students at American have been rated among the most politically active in the nation, and there are more than 270 student clubs and organizations on campus. The school also has a sizable Greek system, with more than 25 fraternities and sororities.

Howard University is a historically black college located in Washington, D.C. Despite its urban setting, students are permitted to bring cars to campus – though freshmen may not apply for on-campus parking.

The Catholic University of America is the national university of the Catholic Church. With the school's location in Washington, D.C., students have easy access to national landmarks.

Founded in 1864, Gallaudet University is a private institution.

Trinity Washington University is a private institution.

Founded in 1976, University of the District of Columbia is a public institution. The student-faculty ratio at University of the District of Columbia is 6:1.

Founded in 1892, Strayer University is a proprietary institution.

Founded in 1991, University of the Potomac is a proprietary institution.