Sep 22, 2016 06:33 AM EDT By Emily Marks, UniversityHerald Reporter

California Institute of Technology, Stanford University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology are among the best universities in the United States. This is according to a report by Times Higher Education (THE).

In the organization's report, it was revealed that the top 5 best universities in the U.S. are based in California, Massachusetts and New Jersey. The list may help future college students find the best institution for their higher education.

1. California Institute of Technology

CalTech boasts of 34 Nobel Prize winners, six Turing Award winners, five Field Medalists as well as a number of national awards. The university is focused on its science and engineering studies. It placed second in terms of engineering and technology, first in physical sciences and fifth in life sciences according to the 2016 rankings of schools. CalTech has also influenced pop culture with "The Big Bang Theory."

2. Stanford University

The school is believed to have a prominent role in encouraging the high-tech industry to develop in Silicon Valley. Several of its faculty members, students and alumni have founded prosperous technology companies. This includes Google, Snapchat and Hewlett-Packard. The school's researchers are also gaining prominence for their studies such as in creating cooling clothing materials and in marine biology.

3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

MIT is believed to be a long-standing rival of CalTech. The institution has also cultivated a strong entrepreneurial culture which resulted to notable companies such as Intel and Dropbox. Its undergraduate program is very selective, only admitting 8 percent of applicants. The school took the first place in the world's best universities 2016 list by QS.

4. Harvard University

Deemed as the most renowned university in the world, Harvard has placed itself on top of reputation rankings during the past years. It is the oldest higher education institution in the United States. The school also takes pride in the education of eight U.S. presidents, about 150 Nobel laureates, 13 Turing Award winners and 62 living billionaires. It recently raised $7 billion for its fundraising campaign.

5. Princeton University

This Ivy League university has a highly-selective application process. It no longer offers an early decision application route. All students have to do independent research as part of their degrees. Some must take a foreign language course as well.

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