Best Small Colleges in Vermont 2026

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

Small colleges in Vermont are a great option for students interested in a more intimate campus experience, more personal attention from excellent professors, and more immediate access to support services. Whether the focus is on the technical or on the liberal arts, small colleges give you the chance to pursue a well-rounded education while working closely with classmates and professors in a dynamic community atmosphere.

Key Takeaways

  • Vermont’s small colleges offer low student-to-faculty ratios, allowing for personalized mentorship and close relationships with professors, fostering an intimate and engaging learning environment.
  • Many small colleges in Vermont integrate the state’s natural beauty into their curriculum, offering outdoor education programs and hands-on experiences in environmental science, sustainable agriculture, and ecology, taking advantage of Vermont’s diverse landscapes.
  • Vermont’s top small colleges often emphasize interdisciplinary learning, allowing students to explore connections across subjects like the arts, social sciences, and environmental studies, with colleges like Bennington encouraging self-directed studies and creative, project-based learning.

10 Best Small Colleges in Vermont in 2026

  1. Bennington College
  2. Middlebury College
  3. Norwich University
  4. Goddard College
  5. Saint Michael's College
  6. Champlain College
  7. Johnson State College
    +1
  8. Castleton University
    –1
  9. Landmark College
    +1
  10. Vermont Technical College
    –1

Choosing a small college in Vermont means balancing academic programs, campus culture, and the advantages of close faculty attention. This list focuses on primarily four‑year, regionally accredited institutions with total enrollments under 5,000 students; we identified 11 small colleges that meet those criteria for 2026. The selections highlight institutions where small size shapes classroom experience, advising access, and opportunities for undergraduate research and leadership.

The entries that follow are organized to help you compare practical factors—academic strengths, typical class sizes, campus setting, and indicators of student fit—so you can narrow choices quickly. Use this overview to identify a handful of campuses worth visiting or investigating further based on program fit, cost, and lifestyle preferences.

Best Small Colleges in Vermont

  1. #1

    Bennington College

    Bennington , VT
    #2 Best Colleges and Universities by Academic Stewardship #1 Best Private Colleges in Vermont 2026 #1 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Vermont 2026 #2 Best Colleges in Vermont 2026

    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 #2 Best Private Colleges in Vermont 2026 #2 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Vermont 2026 #2 Best Grad Schools in Vermont 2025

    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
  3. #3

    Norwich University

    Northfield , VT
    #3 Best Private Colleges in Vermont 2026 #3 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Vermont 2026 #4 Best Colleges in Vermont 2026 #1 Best Online Bachelor's in Cybersecurity in Vermont

    Tuition + fees

    $45K

    Acceptance

    83%

    Graduation

    61%

    Student body

    5K

    Career Outlook for degree at Norwich University

    Cost of Degree: $49,600
    Expenses: $18,260
    Starting Salary: $57,100
    Cost Recoup Time: 18 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
    What is Norwich University known for?

    Norwich University’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 #4 Best Private Colleges in Vermont 2026 #4 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Vermont 2026 #5 Best Colleges in Vermont 2026

    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 Private Colleges in Vermont 2026 #5 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Vermont 2026 #5 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2024

    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
  7. #6

    Champlain College

    Burlington , VT
    #4 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2024 #6 Best Private Colleges in Vermont 2026 #6 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Vermont 2026 #7 Best Colleges in Vermont 2026

    Tuition + fees

    $44K

    Acceptance

    56%

    Graduation

    64%

    Student body

    5K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1255/29

    Career Outlook for degree at Champlain College

    Cost of Degree: $45,550
    Expenses: $20,384
    Starting Salary: $54,400
    Cost Recoup Time: 18 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
    What is Champlain College known for?

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

    Compare school
  9. #8

    Castleton University

    Castleton , VT
    #3 Best Public Colleges in Vermont 2026 #5 Most Affordable Colleges in Vermont 2024 #8 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Vermont 2026 #9 Best Colleges in Vermont 2026

    Tuition + fees

    $13K

    Acceptance

    81%

    Graduation

    54%

    Student body

    3K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1090/24

    What is Castleton University known for?

    Castleton University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    Compare school
  10. #9

    Landmark College

    Putney , VT
    #7 Best Private Colleges in Vermont 2026 #9 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Vermont 2026 #10 Best Colleges in Vermont 2026

    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
  12. #10

    Vermont Technical College

    Randolph , VT
    #3 Most Affordable Colleges in Vermont 2024 #4 Best Public Colleges in Vermont 2026 #10 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Vermont 2026

    Tuition + fees

    $16K

    Acceptance

    50%

    Graduation

    54%

    Student body

    2K

    Career Outlook for degree at Vermont Technical College

    Cost of Degree: $11,400
    Expenses: $15,548
    Starting Salary: $45,900
    Cost Recoup Time: 11 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
    What is Vermont Technical College known for?

    Vermont Technical College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    Compare school
  13. #11

    Sterling College

    Craftsbury Common , VT
    #8 Best Private Colleges in Vermont 2026

    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 Small College in Your Area of 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

Many states have great small colleges. If you’re interested in looking into what other states have to offer, check out the best small colleges in Nevada and Illinois.

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