GREENVILLE, N.C. (Stacker.com) Every state approaches education differently. For some states, investment in K-12 and higher education is paramount. For others, there is simply not enough tax money to both fully fund the states public education system and meet certain requirements for higher educationand how that manifests can speak to a students educational experience in that state.

New York, for example, has experienced ahistoric reshuffling of state-based college funding. Since 2012, the state has been pumping money into its higher education system, with total support for the 2020 fiscal year estimated at $7.6 billion. Beginning in the 20192020 academic year, the Excelsior Scholarship has allowed New York State residents who have a household income of $125,000 or less to enroll in a New York State public university tuition-free.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the country, California houses some of the best post-secondary schools in the nation. Well-funded up to the 1970s, the University of California and the California State University systems defined international standards.Budget cuts in the last four decades,however, have slowly driven up the cost of tuition, with state funding priorities now directed toward Californias community colleges instead of the states public universities. In recent years, the deficit has forced California to spend more on reinvestments than any other state.

But Californias situation is not unique. As state education budgets ebb and flow, so too do collegiate rankings.Stackerstudied Niches 2022 Best Colleges in America list, released on August 16, 2021, to determine which states have the most highly ranked colleges. For this list, states are ranked by the number of schools they have in the top 250 ofNiches Best Colleges in America rankings. Ties are broken by the highest-ranked school. Nine statesAlaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Kentucky, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, and West Virginiaare not included as they didnt have any colleges in the top 250.

Keep reading to find out where your state ranks.

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Schools in top 250: 1 Highest ranked schools: Dartmouth College (#10 national rank)

Dartmouth College is New Hampshires Ivy League institution. One of theoldest institutions of higher learningin the United States, the school was founded a full seven years before the United States declared independence. Dartmouth Medical School, in particular, isamong the best in the U.S., according to U.S. News & World Report.

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Schools in top 250: 1 Highest ranked schools: University of Delaware (#144 national rank)

The small state ofDelaware has eight colleges and universities, but the University of Delaware, located in Newark, is the states oldest and largest. U.S. News & World Report ranked the schoolsphysical therapy graduate programas the best in the country for 2020, and it wasthe 38th best public university in 2022.

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Schools in top 250: 1 Highest ranked schools: University of Wyoming (#207 national rank)

Wyoming is home tonine institutions of higher learning. Of these, the University of Wyoming is the only one that is a four-year, degree-granting school. TheUniversity of Wyoming has an acceptance rateof 94% and a graduation rate of 33%.

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Schools in top 250: 1 Highest ranked schools: Middlebury College (#32 national rank)

Middlebury College has deep historical significance for the U.S. One of the best liberal arts schools in America, the college was thefirst in the nation to see a Black graduate,Alexander Twilight, earn a bachelors degree. Twilight would go on to become the nations first Black state legislator.

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Schools in top 250: 2 Highest ranked schools: Arizona State University (#150 national rank), University of Arizona (#174)

Arizona has a strong public university network, withmore than 75 colleges and universitiesthroughout the state. Arizona State University, for example, isone of the nations largest public universitiesby enrollment, andU.S. News & World Report named ASUthe most innovative school in the nation in 2021.

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Schools in top 250: 2 Highest ranked schools: Mississippi State University (#154 national rank), University of Mississippi (#186)

Mississippis schools are steeped in tradition and history, for better or for worse. Reflective of the part of the world they reside in, the states schools have struggled with race issues and coming to terms with their segregationist pasts. In recent years,the University of Mississippiand Mississippi State University have both declared themselves to be welcoming and inclusive.

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Schools in top 250: 2 Highest ranked schools: Kansas State University (#172 national rank), University of Kansas (#204)

Like many of the colleges and universities on this list, the University of Kansas is well known for its athletics along with its educational programs. One of the top Division 1 schools, its mens basketball team regularly participates in March Madness. Success on the court is one thing, but KU also boasts some impressive academics. In 2019,U.S. News & World Report rankedKUs city management and urban policy program the best in the nation.

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Schools in top 250: 2 Highest ranked schools: Creighton University (#180 national rank), University of Nebraska Lincoln (#188)

At 856 acres, theUniversity of Nebraska Lincolnboasts a sprawling campus. The school, which has a strong commitment to research, is also the alma mater of Warren Buffett. Its ranked slightly lower than Creighton University, a private Jesuit university located in downtown Omaha.Creighton has a 97% post-graduation success ratewithin six months and was one of the first schools to offer afinancial technology degree.

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Schools in top 250: 2 Highest ranked schools: Augustana University (#193 national rank), South Dakota School of Mines & Technology (#199)

Augustana University is South Dakotas largest private undergraduate university. The Sioux Falls school was ranked #10 on U.S. News & World Reports list ofBest Regional Universities Midwest 2022. Although Augustana is affiliated with the Lutheran Church, it accepts students of all faiths and promotes academic integrity that is free of religious bias.

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Schools in top 250: 2 Highest ranked schools: Tulane University (#73 national rank), Louisiana Tech University (#210)

New Orleans Tulane University is arguably Louisianas most prestigious school. Founded in 1834 as the Medical College of Louisiana,Tulanes medical and law collegesare among the oldest in the nation.

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Schools in top 250: 2 Highest ranked schools: Brown University (#8 national rank), Rhode Island School of Design (#122)

Rhode Island is the smallest of the nations states, but its also one of the oldest and as such, it holds a significant place in U.S. history. For example, Brown University, one of the oldest colleges in the country, was thefirst to accept students without consideration of religious affiliation.

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Schools in top 250: 2 Highest ranked schools: Brigham Young University (#94 national rank), University of Utah (#146)

Brigham Young University is one of the few religious schools on Nicheslist oftop colleges. Owned and operated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, theschool has an honor codethat forbids extramarital sex, alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine and mandates Bible and LDS scripture studies. The schoolsforeign languageand business programs are among the best in the nation.

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Schools in top 250: 3 Highest ranked schools: University of Tulsa (#118 national rank), Oklahoma State University (#136), University of Oklahoma (#156)

The University of Tulsa manages the Gilcrease Museum, which houses the worlds largest collection of American Western art and indigenous American artifacts. Building on its tradition of conservatorship, the private research universitymade headlines in 2018 for taking over the Bob DylanCenter.

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Schools in top 250: 3 Highest ranked schools: Hendrix College (#151 national rank), University of Arkansas (#179), Ouachita Baptist University (#213)

Arkansas is another state whose schools are known for both athletics and academics, like the University of Arkansas and its Razorbacks. The agricultural university has also earned high ratings for its law and architecture programs.

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Schools in top 250: 3 Highest ranked schools: Johns Hopkins University (#22 national rank), University of Maryland College Park (#109), Loyola University Maryland (#201)

Johns Hopkins University is not only thefirst center for researchin the nation, founded in 1876, but its also regarded as one of the finest to this day. The university is named for its first benefactorabolitionist and philanthropist Johns Hopkinsand its medical university is where thecardiac defibrillator was developed.

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Schools in top 250: 3 Highest ranked schools: Georgia Institute of Technology (#30 national rank), Emory University (#35), University of Georgia (#57)

Georgias capital city of Atlanta is a university-dense metropolitan area. Besides Emory, Georgia Tech, and UGA, the city is home to Morehouse Universitywhich is the alma mater of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.as well Spelman College, Clark Atlanta College, Georgia State University, Oglethorpe University, and many others.

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Schools in top 250: 4 Highest ranked schools: Clemson University (#100 national rank), Furman University (#129), University of South Carolina (#153)

South Carolinas top college, Clemson University,ranked 30th inU.S. News & World Reports 2022 Top Public Schools rankings. The top-tier public research university has also emerged as a football powerhouse.

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Schools in top 250: 4 Highest ranked schools: Auburn University (#140 national rank), University of Alabama Birmingham (#191), The University of Alabama (#192)

Yet another state that houses colleges with strong athletics programs, Alabama is home to Auburn University and the University of Alabama. Typically, both schools have starring roles in the end-of-year bowl games. But their football programs should not overshadow the Alabama schools educational prowessboth Auburn University and the University of Alabama have been recognized as top public universities.https://87813263fe6812e78afeefb4320d44ca.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html

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Schools in top 250: 4 Highest ranked schools: Bowdoin College (#27 national rank), Colby College (#58), Bates College (#62)

Maine is known for its liberal arts schools. Bowdoin College, for example, which is technically older than the state itself by 26 years, regularly ranks among the top liberal arts schools in the nation. The college has formed an athletic andlibrary-exchange consortiumwith fellow Maine liberal arts schools Bates and Colby Colleges.

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Schools in top 250: 4 Highest ranked schools: Princeton University (#5 national rank), Stevens Institute of Technology (#117), Rutgers University New Brunswick (#137)

New Jersey has one of the highest concentrations of colonial-era schools that are still in operation, among them being Princeton University and Rutgers University, which was originally called Queens College.New Jersey has invested a large amount of moneyin its higher education program. While Princeton is a founding member of the Ivy League, Rutgers is considered to be a Public Ivy,meaning its a top school capable of providing students with an education comparable to the Ivy League.

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Schools in top 250: 4 Highest ranked schools: University of Wisconsin (#65 national rank), Milwaukee School of Engineering (#169), Lawrence University (#195)

Like Rutgers, the University of Wisconsin Madisonor the University of Wisconsin for shortis also considered a Public Ivy. The oldest university in Wisconsin, the school scores high points for research, having yieldedrecipients of the coveted Fields Medalin mathematics.

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Schools in top 250: 5 Highest ranked schools: Reed College (#108 national rank), Lewis & Clark College (#155), University of Portland (#184)

If you havent heard of Reed College, its worth taking a look at. The Portland-based school is small yet distinguishedaccording to the National Science Foundation,itranks third in graduates that go on to get doctoratesin physical and social sciences, and fourth in humanities, the arts, and all other disciplines.

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Schools in top 250: 5 Highest ranked schools: Vanderbilt University (#13 national rank), Rhodes College (#141), Union University (#205)

A legacy school,Nashvilles Vanderbilt Universitywas built from a $1 million endowment from railroad tycoon Cornelius Vanderbilt, despite the billionaire never visiting the South. The university has emerged as one of the most prestigious private schools in the region, playing a key part in the intellectual heritage of the South.

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Schools in top 250: 5 Highest ranked schools: University of Michigan Ann Arbor (#25 national rank), Michigan State University (#111), Michigan Technological University (#126)

It is true that the University of Michigan Ann Arbor hasthe largest college football stadiumin the nation. It is also the eighth-best university in the world,per Scimago. One of the best research universities in the U.S., UM is also one of the most well-funded. Ithad a budget of more than $10 billionfor the2021-2022academic year.

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Schools in top 250: 5 Highest ranked schools: Duke University (#6 national rank), Wake Forest University (#45), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (#47)

Another legacy school, Duke University was founded from the Duke Endowment, funded by tobacco industrialist James Buchanan Duke. From 1986 to 2015,Duke had the fifth-highest numberof Rhodes, Marshall, Truman, Goldwater, and Udall Scholars in the nation.

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Schools in top 250: 5 Highest ranked schools: Grinnell College (#60 national rank), Iowa State University (#147), University of Iowa (#149)

Iowa is home tomore than 50 colleges and universities, including Grinnell College, a liberal arts school known for its high endowment,academic rigor, the pursuit of social justice, and diversity.

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Schools in top 250: 5 Highest ranked schools: University of Washington (#99 national rank), Whitman College (#106), Washington State University (#164)

Sometimes, a university can help a city to develop, like Seattles University of Washington, which played a key role in growing the citys tech industry. Boeing, Amazon, and Microsoft all chose the Seattle area for their main campuses in part due to the proximity to the University of Washington.

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Schools in top 250: 6 Highest ranked schools: Washington University in St. Louis (#12 national rank), Saint Louis University (#128), University of Missouri (#166)

One of the best medical schools for research in the nation(ranked by U.S. News & World Report), Washington University in St. Louis is a world-renowned research university. The school has been at the forefront of modern political discussion asthe host of more presidential and vice-presidential debatesthan any other institution.

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Schools in top 250: 6 Highest ranked schools: University of Notre Dame (#19 national rank), Purdue University (#77), Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (#97)

Any college football fan is probably familiar with Indianas schools. Whether its the University of Notre Dames Fighting Irish or Purdues Boilermakers, Indianas football prowess helps to highlight the academic excellence of these schools. One example? Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the Moon, was a graduate of Purdue, and the tradition holds: At least one person on almost one-third of NASAs space flights has been aPurdue alum.

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Schools in top 250: 6 Highest ranked schools: Yale University (#4 national rank), Wesleyan University (#53), University of Connecticut (#157)

Connecticut is one of the smaller states in the Union. Its proximity to New York City, however, positions it as a strategic option geographically for students. Take the University of Connecticut, for example. The schools presence in the New York City media market helped its athletics to draw better talent, which is reflected in the success of the schools mens and womens basketball teams. UConns athletic successes highlight the fact that the school has been recognized as a Public Ivy, one of the best public universities in the nation.

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States with the most highly ranked colleges - WNCT