Best Small Colleges in Vermont 2024

Badge for BEST IN VERMONT SMALL COLLEGES

Published: Mar 31, 2021
Updated: Mar 25, 2024

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.

Bennington College
Middlebury College
Norwich University
Goddard College
Saint Michael's College
Champlain College
Johnson State College
Castleton University
Vermont Technical College
Landmark College

Sterling College 93%
Goddard College 86%
Saint Michael's College 85%
Norwich University 83%
Castleton University 81%
Johnson State College 73%
Champlain College 56%
Vermont Technical College 50%
Bennington College 45%
Landmark College 45%

Castleton University 16 to 1
Champlain College 14 to 1
Johnson State College 13 to 1
Norwich University 11 to 1
Saint Michael's College 10 to 1
Vermont Technical College 10 to 1
Middlebury College 9 to 1
Bennington College 9 to 1
Landmark College 8 to 1
Goddard College 6 to 1

Landmark College $62,720
Middlebury College $62,460
Bennington College $61,448
Saint Michael's College $49,840
Norwich University $45,340
Champlain College $44,220
Sterling College $39,200
Goddard College $18,477
Vermont Technical College $14,172
Castleton University $11,832

Bennington College $24,617
Goddard College $22,246
Norwich University $20,280
Middlebury College $14,550
Champlain College $14,310
Vermont Technical College $13,410
Castleton University $11,916
Saint Michael's College $11,700
Johnson State College $11,322

Sterling College
Landmark College
Castleton University
Johnson State College
Vermont Technical College
Champlain College
Saint Michael's College
Norwich University
Goddard College
Bennington College

Sterling College
Landmark College
Vermont Technical College
Castleton University
Johnson State College
Champlain College
Saint Michael's College
Goddard College
Norwich University
Middlebury College

Middlebury College 13%
Landmark College 45%
Bennington College 45%
Vermont Technical College 50%
Champlain College 56%
Johnson State College 73%
Castleton University 81%
Norwich University 83%
Saint Michael's College 85%
Goddard College 86%

Goddard College 6 to 1
Sterling College 6 to 1
Landmark College 8 to 1
Middlebury College 9 to 1
Bennington College 9 to 1
Saint Michael's College 10 to 1
Vermont Technical College 10 to 1
Norwich University 11 to 1
Johnson State College 13 to 1
Champlain College 14 to 1

Johnson State College $11,592
Castleton University $11,832
Vermont Technical College $14,172
Goddard College $18,477
Sterling College $39,200
Champlain College $44,220
Norwich University $45,340
Saint Michael's College $49,840
Bennington College $61,448
Middlebury College $62,460

Johnson State College $11,322
Saint Michael's College $11,700
Castleton University $11,916
Vermont Technical College $13,410
Champlain College $14,310
Middlebury College $14,550
Norwich University $20,280
Goddard College $22,246
Bennington College $24,617

Table of Contents

Colleges and Universities in Vermont

Vermont is home to five public universities and colleges. Among these is the state’s largest school, the University of Vermont in Burlington. This college serves almost 13,000 students and boasts alumni like Ben Affleck and John Dewey. The majority of the higher education institutes in Vermont are private schools. Tuition at these schools ranges greatly, from $17,000 to $57,000. Though it is the most expensive private school in the state, Landmark College in Putney is especially unique as its student population is made up entirely of students diagnosed with learning disabilities, attention disorders, and autism. Students here can earn degrees in fields like psychology, studio art, and life science while participating in a more intimate, student-centered learning environment.

Find college admissions consultants in your state.

Almost all of Vermont’s schools could be considered small schools, serving student populations of 5,000 or less. Included on this list are three religiously affiliated schools, like Saint Michael’s College in Colchester. While tuition in Vermont tends to be costly, the state offers several loan forgiveness programs to qualifying dentists, physicians, nurses, and lawyers who work for nonprofits.

While many travelers come to Vermont for its famous maple syrup and stunning fall foliage, they’ll stay for the state’s bounteous farmers markets, wineries, and artisan foods. The magnificent green mountains, pristine skiing resorts, and rugged hiking trails are also major draws for visitors and residents alike. Students aiming to earn their degree while enjoying the outdoors and eating locally-sourced meals can attend one of Vermont’s 22 higher learning institutes.

Learn more about Vermont’s higher education opportunities by checking out the state’s array of picturesque colleges and universities.

What are Vermont’s Colleges & Universities?

Vermont’s Best Overall

The following list of the best small colleges and universities in Vermont is composed mainly of four-year undergraduate schools (though a handful also offer graduate programs). We’ve identified 11 small colleges in Vermont. The list below of the best small colleges in Vermont. To be included schools must fully accredited, and must have student body populations below 5,000 students.

How do we determine Vermont's best small colleges and universities?

Methodology

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great! If you are serious about finding the best colleges and universities for a bachelor’s degree, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching and whether their graduates are themselves advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence in their fields of study.

Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Concentrated Influence provides a ranking that is freer from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

To rank the influence of schools, we first determine the influence of scholars and professionals based on the number of citations and publications they have had over the past 10 years. In addition to publications and citations, we consider the web links to and from these sources, and the page views of those sources. We then match the influential people to their alma maters and institutions of employment, so that their influence is attributed to those schools. Our machine-learning Influence Ranking algorithm produces a numerical score of academic achievements, merits, and citations across Wikipedia, wikidata, Crossref, Semantic Scholar and an ever-growing body of data. If you are interested in exploring how and why we rank by influence, explore our methodology in more depth.

Best Small Colleges in Vermont 2023

Build your own college rankings

Vermont’s Best Small College in Your Area of 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.

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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Best Small Colleges in Vermont 2024

10 Best Small Colleges in Vermont 2024

Colleges and Universities in Vermont

What are Vermont’s Colleges & Universities?

Vermont’s Best Overall

Best Small Colleges in Vermont 2023

Middlebury College

Career Outlook for degree at Middlebury College

Most Influential Alumni

Bennington College

Career Outlook for degree at Bennington College

Most Influential Alumni

Goddard College

Career Outlook for degree at Goddard College

Most Influential Alumni

Norwich University

Career Outlook for degree at Norwich University

Most Influential Alumni

Saint Michael's College

Career Outlook for degree at Saint Michael's College

Most Influential Alumni

Champlain College

Career Outlook for degree at Champlain College

Vermont Technical College

Career Outlook for degree at Vermont Technical College

Johnson State College

Career Outlook for degree at Johnson State College

Most Influential Alumni

Castleton University

Career Outlook for degree at Castleton University

Landmark College

Career Outlook for degree at Landmark College

Sterling College

Vermont’s Best Small College in Your Area of Interest