Georgia’s Best Liberal Arts Colleges and Universities of 2021
Liberal arts colleges are a great option for students seeking a well-rounded education in an intimate campus setting. The best liberal arts colleges in Georgia offer a diverse selection of degree programs with opportunities for a highly individualized educational experience.
Colleges and Universities in Georgia
Georgia has 70 colleges and universities, 38 of which are public institutions. The University of Georgia, located in the city of Athens, is the largest, with over 35,000 students. Those attending Georgia State University and Georgia Southern University will enter into a friendly athletics rivalry. Tuition at Georgia State costs $9,000, and at Georgia Southern, $6,000. Of the 20 religiously affiliated schools, Emory University has both the highest tuition, just over $50,000, and student population, with over 13,000 in attendance. Whether you’re looking to earn your associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree, Georgia schools offer plenty of options.
What are Georgia’s Colleges & Universities?
- 9 Research Universities
- 37 Liberal Arts Colleges & Universities
- 11 Graduate Schools
- 22 Public Colleges & Universities
- 24 Private Colleges & Universities
- 17 Christian Colleges & Universities
- 32 Small Colleges & Universities (fewer than 5,000 students)
- 23 Affordable Colleges (below national average of $16,000/year)
Georgia’s Best Overall
Related: Differences between research universities and teaching colleges
A liberal arts college is a school that puts a premium on undergraduate studies and offers a broad range of subjects for students to study. A college of liberal arts typically provides smaller class sizes, more direct engagement with professors, and, most importantly, the opportunity to sample a wide range of subject areas on the way to a bachelor’s degree. We’ve identified a total of 37 liberal arts colleges and universities in Georgia, 15 of which meet our criteria. The list below of the best liberal arts schools in the state satisfies the following four conditions:
- It must be a non-profit institution.
- It must be fully accredited.
- It must offer a broad range of bachelor’s degrees.
- It must have a graduation rate of greater than 40%.
How do we determine Georgia's best colleges and universities?
The best colleges pound for pound!
The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great. This is why, at the undergraduate level, we rank the best colleges and universities based on what we call Concentrated Influence.
Concentrated Influence takes the combined influence score of a college or university’s top academic influencers (including faculty and alums) and divides it by the school’s total number of undergraduates.
Using concentrated influence gives small and mid-sized schools an opportunity to shine by taking away the size advantage of larger universities. A small school with proportionately more influential faculty than a large school, whose influence in absolute terms may be bigger, will nonetheless score higher in a concentrated influence ranking. Our approach highlights undergraduate schools that truly rank for excellence, regardless of size.
Best Liberal Arts Colleges & Universities in Georgia
- #1Morehouse College#331 institution's overall influence#1436 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$28K
Acceptance
58%
Graduation
50%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1110/22
Atlanta, GAView profile
What is Morehouse College known for?
Morehouse College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Education
- Religious Studies
- Political Science
- Philosophy
- Sociology
- History
- Psychology
- Mathematics
- Economics
- Chemistry
Most Influential Alumni
- #2Spelman College#441 institution's overall influence#1205 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$29K
Acceptance
39%
Graduation
77%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1150/24
Atlanta, GAView profile
What is Spelman College known for?
Spelman College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Social Work
- Mathematics
- Literature
- Sociology
- Education
- Computer Science
- History
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Economics
Most Influential Alumni
- #3Agnes Scott College#2562 institution's overall influence#1444 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$41K
Acceptance
70%
Graduation
70%
Student body
<1K
Decatur, GAView profile
What is Agnes Scott College known for?
Agnes Scott College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Mathematics
- Economics
- Sociology
- Physics
- Psychology
- Philosophy
- Political Science
- Literature
- Religious Studies
- Medical
Most Influential Alumni
- #4Wesleyan College#2327 institution's overall influence#173 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$23K
Acceptance
48%
Graduation
59%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
1020/20
Macon, GAView profile
What is Wesleyan College known for?
Wesleyan College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Nursing
- Mathematics
- Religious Studies
- Literature
- Education
- Psychology
- Philosophy
- Engineering
- Economics
- History
Most Influential Alumni
- #5Oglethorpe University#1618 institution's overall influence#643 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$38K
Acceptance
62%
Graduation
47%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1200/24
Atlanta, GAView profile
What is Oglethorpe University known for?
Oglethorpe University's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Biology
- Literature
- Engineering
- Business
- Psychology
- Philosophy
- Economics
- Physics
- Chemistry
- History
Most Influential Alumni
- #6Piedmont College#3113 institution's overall influence#1284 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$26K
Acceptance
60%
Graduation
49%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1075/22
Demorest, GAView profile
What is Piedmont College known for?
Piedmont College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Literature
- Biology
- Psychology
- Philosophy
- Mathematics
- History
- Communications
- Medical
- Education
- Engineering
Most Influential Alumni
- #7Berry College#2601 institution's overall influence#1112 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$37K
Acceptance
66%
Graduation
66%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1210/26
Mount Berry, GAView profile
What is Berry College known for?
Berry College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Sociology
- Business
- Psychology
- Political Science
- Biology
- Education
- Engineering
- Mathematics
- Communications
- Medical
Most Influential Alumni
- #8Georgia College & State University#1266 institution's overall influence#1195 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$9K
Acceptance
78%
Graduation
59%
Student body
7K
Median SAT/ACT
1195/25
Milledgeville, GAView profile
What is Georgia College & State University known for?
Georgia College & State University's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Literature
- Philosophy
- Nursing
- Chemistry
- Physics
- Psychology
- History
- Education
- Biology
- Business
Most Influential Alumni
- #9Covenant College#4139 institution's overall influence#1384 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$34K
Acceptance
97%
Graduation
67%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1235/26
Lookout Mountain, GAView profile
What is Covenant College known for?
Covenant College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Philosophy
- Literature
- Religious Studies
- Psychology
- History
- Business
- Education
Most Influential Alumni
- #10Brenau University#3857 institution's overall influence#489 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$29K
Acceptance
57%
Graduation
45%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1020/20
Gainesville, GAView profile
What is Brenau University known for?
Brenau University's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Nursing
- Psychology
- Business
- Education
- History
- Biology
- Medical
Most Influential Alumni
- #11Andrew College#10183 institution's overall influence#768 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$17K
Acceptance
43%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
930/16
Cuthbert, GAView profile
What is Andrew College known for?
Andrew College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Mathematics
- Communications
- Nursing
- History
- Education
- Medical
Most Influential Alumni
- #12Toccoa Falls College#10388 institution's overall influence#590 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$23K
Acceptance
60%
Graduation
47%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1060/21
Toccoa Falls, GAView profile
What is Toccoa Falls College known for?
Toccoa Falls College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Biology
- Business
- History
- Criminal Justice
- Nursing
- Education
- #13Gordon State College#9134 institution's overall influence#599 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$4K
Acceptance
71%
Graduation
50%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
945/17
Barnesville, GAView profile
What is Gordon State College known for?
Gordon State College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Mathematics
- Nursing
- Education
Most Influential Alumni
- #14Truett-McConnell University#14169 institution's overall influence#966 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$20K
Acceptance
93%
Graduation
42%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1031/19
Cleveland, GAView profile
What is Truett-McConnell University known for?
Truett-McConnell University's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Religious Studies
- Biology
- Medical
- Education
- #15Young Harris College#1453 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$29K
Acceptance
63%
Graduation
42%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1030/20
Young Harris, GAView profile
What is Young Harris College known for?
Young Harris College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Biology
- History
- Education
Most Influential Alumni
