Forbes recently released its list of "New Ivies," highlighting non-Ivy League universities that employers rate highly for the quality of their graduates. Based on surveys of more than 100 senior executives and recruiters, the list shows that all 20 schools share a strong focus on artificial intelligence proficiency as a core part of education.

Purdue University, for instance, recently became the first public university to require AI proficiency for graduation. At Rice University, advanced data science students must have AI models such as ChatGPT and Claude debate each other before analyzing their arguments.

Northwestern University students on graduation day, May 2025. Photo by Northwestern University

Many of these schools are also expanding AI-related courses and faculty. Case Western Reserve University has tripled its offerings to more than 100 courses and places students in groups for hands-on experience with companies. The University of Florida, Notre Dame, Wisconsin-Madison and Texas-Austin are among institutions planning to add 40 to 50 AI-focused teaching positions.

Most of the universities are ranked among the top 50 nationally by U.S. News for 2026. Tuition for international students at these in-demand schools ranges from $30,900 to $71,300 per year.

"Artificial intelligence has entirely redefined the anatomy of the entry-level role. Consequently, the baseline for new hires has skyrocketed and lessened our need for traditional entry-level headcount," a C-suite level executive told Forbes.

The top 20 most sought-after U.S. universities by employers, according to Forbes: