Pursuing a career as a physician in the United States begins with earning either a Doctor of Medicine (MD) or a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree from an accredited medical school. These institutions are recognized by official accrediting bodies, the LCME for MD schools and the COCA for DO schools.
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10 Best Medical Colleges in the U.S.
As of 2025, there are 158 MD-granting and 37 DO-granting accredited medical schools across the United States, and as per US News &World Report rankings, here’s a comprehensive breakdown of the top 10 medical colleges in the United States.
College Name | Location | Tier | In-State Tuition Fees(Full-time) |
Baylor College of Medicine | Houston, TX | Tier 1 in Best Medical Schools: Research | $19,425 |
Case Western Reserve University | Cleveland, OH | Tier 1 in Best Medical Schools: Research | $70,758 |
Emory University | Atlanta, GA | Tier 1 in Best Medical Schools: Research | $55,700 |
Hofstra University/Northwell Health (Zucker) | Hempstead, NY | Tier 1 in Best Medical Schools: Research | $58,000 |
Mayo Clinic School of Medicine (Alix) | Rochester, MN | Tier 1 in Best Medical Schools: Research | $65,920 |
Ohio State University | Columbus, OH | Tier 1 in Best Medical Schools: Research | $31,998 |
University of California--Los Angeles (Geffen) | Los Angeles, CA | Tier 1 in Best Medical Schools: Research | $43,066 |
University of California--San Diego | La Jolla, CA | Tier 1 in Best Medical Schools: Research | $42,240 |
University of California--San Francisco | San Francisco, CA | Tier 1 in Best Medical Schools: Research | $40,770 |
University of North Carolina--Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill, NC | Tier 1 in Best Medical Schools: Research | $32,958 |
How Are Medical Schools Ranked?
These rankings are based on a blend of objective and subjective factors, including:
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Research activity (total federal research grants and average funding per faculty)
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Student selectivity (MCAT scores, GPA, and acceptance rates)
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Faculty resources (ratio of faculty to students)
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Reputation (peer assessment and residency director ratings)
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Graduation rates and job placement
Each school receives a composite score, determining its tier and placement in the rankings. For this list, Tier 1 schools are those with the highest performance across all measured criteria in research-focused medical education.
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Conclusion
So overall, choosing the right medical school is a crucial step toward a successful career in medicine. The top 10 U.S. medical colleges listed above stand out not only for their academic excellence and research output but also for their tier-based reputations and varying tuition structures.
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