Best Private Colleges in Utah 2025

Badge for BEST IN UTAH PRIVATE COLLEGES

Private colleges, unlike large public institutions, can be a great option for students wanting a more intimate campus experience, more personal attention from excellent professors, and more immediate access to support services. Here is our list of the best private colleges in Utah.

Key Takeaways

  • Many private colleges in Utah have religious affiliations, offering students the opportunity to integrate their faith with their academic experience, which appeals to those seeking a values-based education.
  • The best private colleges in Utah often emphasize smaller class sizes and a more intimate learning environment, allowing for personalized attention from professors and fostering strong student-faculty relationships.
  • With Utah’s natural landscapes, these colleges provide students with easy access to outdoor activities like hiking, skiing, and climbing, promoting a healthy balance between academic pursuits and outdoor adventure.

2025 Ranking Update

Our Influence Ranking Engine™ leverages machine learning to track the real-world influence of colleges and universities over time. Below you’ll see which schools gained or lost ground for the 2025 school year.

In 2025, the top ten schools in our ranking of the best private colleges in Utah remained largely stable. Provo College gained two ranking positions as the college expanded its healthcare programs, particularly in nursing and allied health, with new specialized certifications and hands-on training facilities.

Additionally, Provo College has enhanced its career services, offering students increased access to internships and job placement assistance in the growing healthcare field. The college has also upgraded its online learning platform, providing more flexible learning options for students balancing education with work or family responsibilities, ensuring a comprehensive and adaptable educational experience.

This list is composed entirely of private colleges and universities that offer bachelor’s degrees. We’ve identified 6 private universities in Utah. To be included in the list below of the best private universities in Utah, schools must be fully accredited, private, non-profit institution, and must offer a broad range of bachelor’s degrees.

Best Private Colleges in Utah

  1. Tuition + fees

    $6K

    Acceptance

    67%

    Graduation

    79%

    Student body

    39K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1374/29

    Career Outlook for degree at Brigham Young University

    Cost of Degree: $6,496
    Expenses: $16,496
    Starting Salary: $71,500
    Cost Recoup Time: 7 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
  2. #2

    Western Governors University

    Salt Lake City , UT

    Tuition + fees

    $8K

    Graduation

    49%

    Student body

    214K

    Career Outlook for degree at Western Governors University

    Cost of Degree: $8,300
    Starting Salary: $48,100
    What is Western Governors University known for?

    Western Governors University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    Most Influential Alumni

  3. #4

    Provo College

    Provo , UT

    Tuition + fees

    $17K

    Graduation

    51%

    Student body

    <1K

    Career Outlook for degree at Provo College

    Cost of Degree: $16,491
    Starting Salary: $26,800
    What is Provo College known for?

    Provo College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

  4. #5

    Westminster College, Utah

    Salt Lake City , UT

    Tuition + fees

    $40K

    Acceptance

    70%

    Graduation

    65%

    Student body

    2K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1269/26

    Career Outlook for degree at Westminster College, Utah

    Cost of Degree: $41,416
    Expenses: $16,451
    Starting Salary: $58,100
    Cost Recoup Time: 16 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
    What is Westminster College, Utah known for?

    Westminster College, Utah’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

  5. #6

    Broadview College

    West Jordan , UT

    Tuition + fees

    $16K

    Student body

    <1K

    What is Broadview College known for?
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Utah’s Best Private Colleges in Your Area Interest

2021 Ranking Archive

Many of our 2024 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2023. That’s because we took a fundamentally different approach. For 2024 we utilized our Concentrated Influence algorithm, designed to take away the size advantage larger schools have when we rank their faculty and alumni’s academic influence. Concentrated influence highlights smaller schools that are proportionally as successful as larger universities at cultivating influential alumni and faculty.

  1. Brigham Young University
  2. Westminster College, Utah
  3. Western Governors University

Check out our directory of private colleges throughout the U.S. for a look at the top private schools in every state.

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