Best Private Colleges in Vermont 2025

Badge for BEST IN VERMONT PRIVATE COLLEGES
By Dr. James Barham
Reviewed By Chloe Dembski
Published:
Updated:

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 Vermont.

Key Takeaways

  • Vermont’s best private colleges often provide small class sizes and individualized attention from faculty, fostering a personalized educational experience where students can form meaningful connections with both professors and peers.
  • Many of the best private colleges in Vermont emphasize sustainability and environmental studies, offering students unique opportunities to engage in hands-on ecological research and conservation efforts, which aligns with the state’s natural landscape and environmental values.
  • With Vermont’s scenic landscapes, students have access to a wide range of outdoor activities like hiking, skiing, and biking, which promote a healthy, active lifestyle and complement the college experience, appealing to those who enjoy nature and outdoor adventures.

Best Private Colleges in Vermont in 2025

  1. Bennington College
    +1
  2. Middlebury College
    –1
  3. Norwich University
    +1
  4. Goddard College
    –1
  5. Saint Michael's College
  6. Champlain College
  7. Landmark College
  8. Sterling College

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 schools in our ranking of the best private colleges in Vermont saw a few slight changes. Bennington College was able to gain the top ranking position as the college expanded its Field Work Term program, offering more diverse internship opportunities both domestically and internationally, giving students real-world experience in their areas of interest.

Additionally, Bennington has enhanced its interdisciplinary curriculum, particularly in the arts and environmental studies, allowing for greater flexibility in course selection and project-based learning. The campus has also seen upgrades in sustainability initiatives, with new eco-friendly facilities and increased integration of sustainability into campus life, reflecting student interest in environmental responsibility.

This list is composed entirely of private colleges and universities that offer bachelor’s degrees. We’ve identified 8 private universities in Vermont. To be included in the list below of the best private universities in Vermont, schools must be fully accredited, private, non-profit institution, and must offer a broad range of bachelor’s degrees.

Best Private Colleges in Vermont

  1. #1

    Bennington College

    Bennington , VT
    #2 Best Colleges and Universities by Academic Stewardship #1 Best Small Colleges in Vermont 2025 #2 Best Colleges in Vermont 2025 #2 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Vermont 2024
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $61K

    Acceptance

    45%

    Graduation

    69%

    Student body

    <1K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1315/31

    Career Outlook for degree at Bennington College

    Cost of Degree: $64,644
    Expenses: $22,640
    Starting Salary: $38,400
    Cost Recoup Time: 25 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
    What is Bennington College known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

    Compare school
  2. #2

    Middlebury College

    Middlebury , VT
    #1 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2024 #1 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Vermont 2024 #2 Best Small Colleges in Vermont 2025 #2 Best Grad Schools in Vermont 2025
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $62K

    Acceptance

    13%

    Graduation

    94%

    Student body

    5K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1482/34

    Career Outlook for degree at Middlebury College

    Cost of Degree: $65,280
    Expenses: $20,600
    Starting Salary: $71,900
    Cost Recoup Time: 18 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
    What is Middlebury College known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

    Compare school
  4. #4

    Goddard College

    Plainfield , VT
    #2 Most Affordable Colleges in Vermont 2024 #3 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Vermont 2024 #4 Best Small Colleges in Vermont 2025 #5 Best Colleges in Vermont 2025

    Tuition + fees

    $18K

    Acceptance

    86%

    Graduation

    57%

    Student body

    <1K

    Career Outlook for degree at Goddard College

    Cost of Degree: $19,568
    Expenses: $3,934
    Starting Salary: $39,700
    Cost Recoup Time: 12 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
    What is Goddard College known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

    Compare school
  6. #5

    Saint Michael's College

    Colchester , VT
    #1 Best Christian Colleges in Vermont 2025 #5 Best Small Colleges in Vermont 2025 #5 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2024 #5 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Vermont 2024
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $50K

    Acceptance

    85%

    Graduation

    74%

    Student body

    2K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1237/28

    Career Outlook for degree at Saint Michael's College

    Cost of Degree: $50,040
    Expenses: $19,182
    Starting Salary: $57,800
    Cost Recoup Time: 18 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
    What is Saint Michael's College known for?

    Saint Michael's College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    Most Influential Alumni

    Compare school
  8. #7

    Landmark College

    Putney , VT
    #10 Best Small Colleges in Vermont 2025 #10 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Vermont 2024

    Tuition + fees

    $63K

    Acceptance

    45%

    Graduation

    34%

    Student body

    <1K

    Career Outlook for degree at Landmark College

    Cost of Degree: $64,290
    Expenses: $19,810
    Starting Salary: $31,800
    Cost Recoup Time: 27 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
    What is Landmark College known for?

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

    Compare school
  9. #8

    Sterling College

    Craftsbury Common , VT

    Tuition + fees

    $39K

    Acceptance

    93%

    Graduation

    30%

    Student body

    <1K

    What is Sterling College known for?

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

    Compare school
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Vermont’s Best Private Colleges in Your Area Interest

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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. Bennington College
  2. Middlebury College
  3. Goddard College
  4. Saint Michael's College
  5. Norwich University
  6. Champlain College
  7. Sterling College

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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