The Massachusetts Institute of Technology claimed the top spot in the latest U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings released Tuesday, ending Princeton University's 15-year run as the nation's highest-ranked national university.

MIT took first place among national universities in the 2027 edition, with Princeton dropping to second and Harvard University holding at third. The shift comes after U.S. News introduced a new outcomes-focused metric measuring graduates' earnings by major four years after graduation.

U.S. News cited MIT's strong performance in faculty research, incoming student test scores, and post-graduation earnings as key factors. The rankings evaluated nearly 1,700 institutions using up to 17 measures of academic quality.

MIT also led in several undergraduate programs, including engineering, computer science, and economics. Its business program ranked second nationally. The institute placed first for undergraduate research and creative projects.

Princeton had held the No. 1 position since the 2012 rankings. The change reflects adjustments in methodology that reward schools with stronger graduate outcomes and earnings data.

Other top national universities included Yale at fourth, with California Institute of Technology and Stanford tied for fifth. Williams College retained its position as the top national liberal arts college, followed by Amherst College.

The rankings highlight growing emphasis on return on investment in higher education amid scrutiny over costs and graduate success. U.S. News expanded eligibility this year, resulting in more schools ranked than in prior editions.