The 30 best colleges for future leaders in 2025

Arizona State University is located in Tempe, AZ, and scored 76.97 points overall. ASU is home to the College of Global Futures, which is an educational center that is comprised of four schools. These schools help students develop knowledge and skills that address areas integral to understanding the future, including sustainability and innovation.

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29. Purdue University -

Purdue University is located in West Lafayette, IN, and scored 76.97 points overall. Additionally, they are in the top 10 most innovative schools in the US for seven years running according to the U.S. News Report, 2025.

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28. University of Washington -

The University of Washington is in Seattle, WA, and scored 77.02 points overall. In the 2022-23 school year, 10 UW students received Fulbright awards and 8 faculty members were named Fulbright Scholars.

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27. George Washington University -

George Washington University is in Washington, DC, and scored 77.03 points overall. Located in the nation’s capital, GWU offers access to government and international institutions, fostering leadership in public policy and global affairs.

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26. University of Minnesota -

The University of Minnesota is located in the Twin Cities (Minneapolis & Saint Paul), MN, and scored 77.08 points overall. The university has produced numerous notable alumni, including five Nobel Prize winners, who have made significant contributions across various fields.

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25. Carnegie Mellon University -

Carnegie Mellon University is in Pittsburgh, PA, and scored 77.19 points overall. Carnegie Mellon is a leader in AI research, shaping the future of technology-driven leadership.

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24. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill -

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is in Chapel Hill, NC, and scored 77.21 points overall. UNC leads in public health education, shaping global health leadership.

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23. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign -

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is in Champaign, IL, and scored 77.27 points overall. Here you'll find 27 Pulitzer Prize winners among faculty and alumni.

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22. University of Wisconsin-Madison -

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is in Madison, WI, and scored 77.47 points overall. Wisconsin is a leader in public service, producing many Peace Corps volunteers annually.

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21. University of Texas at Austin -

The University of Texas at Austin is in Austin, TX, and scored 78.06 points overall. UT Austin is a leader in entrepreneurship, with lots of startup companies launched annually by alumni.

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20. Duke University -

Duke University is in Durham, NC, and scored 78.28 points overall. Duke’s Robertson Scholars Leadership Program equips students for transformational leadership roles.

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19. University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) -

The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is in Los Angeles, CA, and scored 78.42 points overall. UCLA is a leader in sustainability and innovation, helping environmental leaders succeed.

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18. Brown University -

Brown University is in Providence, RI, and scored 78.54 points overall. Brown emphasizes independent learning, cultivating self-driven leaders across multiple disciplines.

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17. University of Southern California (USC) -

University of Southern California (USC) is in Los Angeles, CA, and scored 78.57 points overall. USC is a hub for media and technology innovation.

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16. Dartmouth College -

Dartmouth College is in Hanover, NH, and scored 78.92 points overall. Dartmouth promotes leadership through its Tuck Business Bridge Program.

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15. University of Virginia -

The University of Virginia is in Charlottesville, VA, and scored 79.01 points overall. UVA’s Jefferson Scholars Program is a premier leadership development initiative.

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14. Cornell University -

Cornell University is in Ithaca, NY, and scored 79.38 points overall. Cornell leads in global development studies thereby preparing students for leadership in international arenas.

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13. University of Chicago -

The University of Chicago is in Chicago, IL, and scored 79.82 points overall. Chicago has 94 Nobel laureates and is recognized for critical thinking and leadership.

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12. University of Michigan -

The University of Michigan is in Ann Arbor, MI, and scored 80.85 points overall. Michigan is a leader in public research, producing numerous Fulbright Scholars annually.

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11. Northwestern University -

Northwestern University is in Evanston, IL, and scored 80.93 points overall. Northwestern integrates leadership training into academic programs through its Center for Leadership.

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10. Georgetown University -

Georgetown University is in Washington, DC, and scored 81.91 points overall. Georgetown excels in foreign service and public policy helping to produce diplomatic and government leaders.

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9. Princeton University -

Princeton University is in Princeton, NJ, and scored 81.95 points overall. Princeton emphasizes civic leadership, with programs like the Scholars in the Nation’s Service Initiative.

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8. New York University (NYU) -

New York University (NYU) is in New York, NY, and scored 82.03 points overall. NYU is known for its global focus, with campuses on three continents and a strong emphasis on international leadership.

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7. University of California, Berkeley -

The University of California, Berkeley is in Berkeley, CA, and scored 83.45 points overall. The university has produced an impressive amount of Nobel laureates.

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6. Columbia University -

Columbia University is in New York, NY, and scored 83.74 points overall. Columbia leads in public policy education and has produced Pulitzer Prize winners.

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5. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) -

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is in Cambridge, MA, and scored 84.55 points overall. MIT alumni have founded thousands of companies, creating lots of jobs and contributing to the global economy.

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4. University of Pennsylvania -

The University of Pennsylvania is in Philadelphia, PA, and scored 84.64 points overall. Home to the Wharton School, it is a top institution for producing business leaders and entrepreneurs.

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3. Yale University -

Yale University is in New Haven, CT, and scored 85.34 points overall. Yale develops future leaders through programs like the Brady-Johnson Program in Grand Strategy, preparing students for global challenges.

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2. Stanford University -

Stanford University is in Stanford, CA, and scored 89.80 points overall. Stanford has the highest number of Turing Award recipients among universities, which emphasizes its commitment to leadership in technology and innovation.

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1. Harvard University -

Harvard University is in Cambridge, MA, and scored 100.00 points overall. Harvard produced multiple Rhodes Scholars and continues to lead in academic influence worldwide.

Sources: (Time) (U.S News & World Report) (Rhodes Trust)

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30. Arizona State University -

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29. Purdue University -

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28. University of Washington -

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27. George Washington University -

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26. University of Minnesota -

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25. Carnegie Mellon University -

Carnegie Mellon University is in Pittsburgh, PA, and scored 77.19 points overall. Carnegie Mellon is a leader in AI research, shaping the future of technology-driven leadership.

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24. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill -

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is in Chapel Hill, NC, and scored 77.21 points overall. UNC leads in public health education, shaping global health leadership.

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23. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign -

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is in Champaign, IL, and scored 77.27 points overall. Here you'll find 27 Pulitzer Prize winners among faculty and alumni.

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22. University of Wisconsin-Madison -

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is in Madison, WI, and scored 77.47 points overall. Wisconsin is a leader in public service, producing many Peace Corps volunteers annually.

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21. University of Texas at Austin -

The University of Texas at Austin is in Austin, TX, and scored 78.06 points overall. UT Austin is a leader in entrepreneurship, with lots of startup companies launched annually by alumni.

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20. Duke University -

Duke University is in Durham, NC, and scored 78.28 points overall. Duke’s Robertson Scholars Leadership Program equips students for transformational leadership roles.

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19. University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) -

The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is in Los Angeles, CA, and scored 78.42 points overall. UCLA is a leader in sustainability and innovation, helping environmental leaders succeed.

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18. Brown University -

Brown University is in Providence, RI, and scored 78.54 points overall. Brown emphasizes independent learning, cultivating self-driven leaders across multiple disciplines.

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17. University of Southern California (USC) -

University of Southern California (USC) is in Los Angeles, CA, and scored 78.57 points overall. USC is a hub for media and technology innovation.

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16. Dartmouth College -

Dartmouth College is in Hanover, NH, and scored 78.92 points overall. Dartmouth promotes leadership through its Tuck Business Bridge Program.

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15. University of Virginia -

The University of Virginia is in Charlottesville, VA, and scored 79.01 points overall. UVA’s Jefferson Scholars Program is a premier leadership development initiative.

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14. Cornell University -

Cornell University is in Ithaca, NY, and scored 79.38 points overall. Cornell leads in global development studies thereby preparing students for leadership in international arenas.

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13. University of Chicago -

The University of Chicago is in Chicago, IL, and scored 79.82 points overall. Chicago has 94 Nobel laureates and is recognized for critical thinking and leadership.

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12. University of Michigan -

The University of Michigan is in Ann Arbor, MI, and scored 80.85 points overall. Michigan is a leader in public research, producing numerous Fulbright Scholars annually.

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11. Northwestern University -

Northwestern University is in Evanston, IL, and scored 80.93 points overall. Northwestern integrates leadership training into academic programs through its Center for Leadership.

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10. Georgetown University -

Georgetown University is in Washington, DC, and scored 81.91 points overall. Georgetown excels in foreign service and public policy helping to produce diplomatic and government leaders.

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9. Princeton University -

Princeton University is in Princeton, NJ, and scored 81.95 points overall. Princeton emphasizes civic leadership, with programs like the Scholars in the Nation’s Service Initiative.

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8. New York University (NYU) -

New York University (NYU) is in New York, NY, and scored 82.03 points overall. NYU is known for its global focus, with campuses on three continents and a strong emphasis on international leadership.

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7. University of California, Berkeley -

The University of California, Berkeley is in Berkeley, CA, and scored 83.45 points overall. The university has produced an impressive amount of Nobel laureates.

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6. Columbia University -

Columbia University is in New York, NY, and scored 83.74 points overall. Columbia leads in public policy education and has produced Pulitzer Prize winners.

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5. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) -

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4. University of Pennsylvania -

The University of Pennsylvania is in Philadelphia, PA, and scored 84.64 points overall. Home to the Wharton School, it is a top institution for producing business leaders and entrepreneurs.

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3. Yale University -

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2. Stanford University -

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1. Harvard University -

Harvard University is in Cambridge, MA, and scored 100.00 points overall. Harvard produced multiple Rhodes Scholars and continues to lead in academic influence worldwide.

Sources: (Time) (U.S News & World Report) (Rhodes Trust)

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The 30 best colleges for future leaders in 2025

Curious which one captured the top spot?

4 hours ago | StarsInsider

LIFESTYLE Higher education

Today, big-name universities are held to rigorous standards that push them to produce impressive future leaders. Time and Statista partnered up to look at the top colleges for future leaders in 2025 and this gallery will showcase the top 30.

The methodology used looked at 4,000 influential leaders from different industries in the US, tracking their education and career paths to see what helped them succeed. It analyzed 16,000 career milestones, focusing on schools and jobs that shaped their leadership, while balancing the impact of organization size with an overall leadership index score (described as points in this gallery).

Curious about which school made the top spot? Click through now to find out.