Christian colleges are a great option for students seeking a higher education experience that combines Christian faith and academic excellence. The best Christian colleges offer a rigorous curriculum and personalized instruction, all through a Christian lens.
A Christian school is a private college or university with an affiliation to a particular church and denomination. This religious affiliation and its private status means that a Christian college is not beholden to the same rules separating church and state at public colleges and universities. This gives Christian colleges fairly wide latitude when it comes to the integration of faith and learning.
If you are looking for a Christian college with a reputation of promoting Christian values on campus and in student life, consider our ranking of the best CCCU colleges. Christian Colleges and universities endorsed by the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) are accredited, comprehensive colleges and universities whose missions are Christ-centered and rooted in the historic Christian faith.
Many of the top Christian universities are larger research universities. If you are looking for a smaller college, you may be interested in our ranking focused on the best Christian liberal arts colleges.
The primary reason a non-Christian might enroll in a Christian college is because it may be a good academic, financial, and cultural match regardless of its religious affiliation. Matching up with the right college or university is challenging. You must consider a lot of overlapping factors including your intended degree, academic reputation, faculty engagement, class size, campus atmosphere, cost, and access to financial assistance. It’s entirely possible that this combination of factors ultimately leads you to a school with a Christian identity or tradition. Read more to take a closer look as to why non-Christians should consider Christian colleges
Our list of Christian colleges and universities consist of the mor accredited universities that offer 4-year undergraduate degrees. We’ve identified 442 Christian colleges in the US that meet our requirements. In order to be included in this ranking list of best Christian colleges and universities, a school must be fully accredited and must self-identify as Christian.
Tuition + fees
$60K
Acceptance
6%
Graduation
96%
Student body
14K
Median SAT/ACT
1520/34
Duke University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$60K
Acceptance
12%
Graduation
95%
Student body
14K
Median SAT/ACT
1465/33
Georgetown University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$59K
Acceptance
15%
Graduation
96%
Student body
13K
Median SAT/ACT
1475/33
University of Notre Dame’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$55K
Acceptance
13%
Graduation
90%
Student body
13K
Median SAT/ACT
1455/32
Emory University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$62K
Acceptance
19%
Graduation
91%
Student body
13K
Median SAT/ACT
1415/32
Boston College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$6K
Acceptance
59%
Graduation
77%
Student body
35K
Median SAT/ACT
1305/29
Brigham Young University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$53K
Acceptance
64%
Graduation
79%
Student body
11K
Median SAT/ACT
1305/29
American University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$56K
Acceptance
58%
Graduation
83%
Student body
15K
Median SAT/ACT
1320/29
Fordham University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$60K
Acceptance
53%
Graduation
82%
Student body
11K
Median SAT/ACT
1350/31
Southern Methodist University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$50K
Acceptance
57%
Graduation
82%
Student body
18K
Baylor University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$48K
Acceptance
77%
Graduation
72%
Student body
15K
Median SAT/ACT
1230/28
Loyola University Chicago’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$56K
Acceptance
54%
Graduation
91%
Student body
8K
Median SAT/ACT
1360/30
Santa Clara University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$52K
Acceptance
86%
Graduation
74%
Student body
4K
The Catholic University of America’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$46K
Acceptance
86%
Graduation
81%
Student body
10K
Median SAT/ACT
1250/27
Marquette University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$53K
Acceptance
71%
Graduation
76%
Student body
9K
Median SAT/ACT
1235/27
University of San Francisco’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$49K
Acceptance
70%
Graduation
80%
Student body
10K
Median SAT/ACT
1265/28
Saint Louis University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$60K
Acceptance
53%
Graduation
83%
Student body
10K
Median SAT/ACT
1305/28
Pepperdine University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$59K
Acceptance
25%
Graduation
91%
Student body
10K
Median SAT/ACT
1390/31
Villanova University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$42K
Acceptance
69%
Graduation
70%
Student body
19K
DePaul University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$49K
Acceptance
82%
Graduation
75%
Student body
6K
Median SAT/ACT
1230/27
Seattle University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$47K
Acceptance
77%
Graduation
72%
Student body
8K
Median SAT/ACT
1230/27
Seton Hall University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$57K
Acceptance
43%
Graduation
93%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1360/30
College of the Holy Cross’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$46K
Acceptance
85%
Graduation
68%
Student body
14K
Median SAT/ACT
1190/26
St. John's University ’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$59K
Acceptance
60%
Graduation
80%
Student body
9K
Median SAT/ACT
1260/27
Chapman University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$45K
Acceptance
81%
Graduation
80%
Student body
10K
Median SAT/ACT
1190/26
University of Dayton’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$44K
Acceptance
84%
Graduation
78%
Student body
7K
Median SAT/ACT
1195/25
Duquesne University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$53K
Acceptance
53%
Graduation
80%
Student body
8K
University of San Diego’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$46K
Acceptance
75%
Graduation
73%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1205/27
University of Tulsa’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$38K
Acceptance
75%
Graduation
77%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1210/26
Calvin University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$45K
Acceptance
78%
Graduation
79%
Student body
6K
Creighton University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$52K
Acceptance
54%
Graduation
83%
Student body
11K
Median SAT/ACT
1215/28
Texas Christian University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$55K
Acceptance
18%
Graduation
90%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1380/31
Davidson College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$54K
Acceptance
46%
Graduation
79%
Student body
8K
Median SAT/ACT
1300/29
Loyola Marymount University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$61K
Acceptance
31%
Graduation
90%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1365/31
Macalester College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$37K
Acceptance
92%
Graduation
81%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1200/26
Hope College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$23K
Acceptance
70%
Graduation
68%
Student body
4K
Median SAT/ACT
1104/21
Ashland University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$35K
Acceptance
84%
Graduation
79%
Student body
5K
Median SAT/ACT
1150/26
Samford University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$57K
Acceptance
41%
Graduation
88%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1345/30
Lafayette College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$41K
Acceptance
86%
Graduation
88%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1330/29
Wheaton College ’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$30K
Acceptance
93%
Graduation
67%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1155/24
University of Detroit Mercy’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$53K
Acceptance
56%
Graduation
84%
Student body
6K
Median SAT/ACT
1265/28
Fairfield University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$47K
Acceptance
75%
Graduation
77%
Student body
4K
Manhattan College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$50K
Acceptance
81%
Graduation
81%
Student body
4K
Median SAT/ACT
1225/26
University of Portland’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$45K
Acceptance
93%
Graduation
74%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1175/25
Valparaiso University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$43K
Acceptance
78%
Graduation
62%
Student body
4K
Median SAT/ACT
1145/23
Loyola University New Orleans’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$47K
Acceptance
34%
Graduation
80%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1335/30
Trinity University ’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$46K
Acceptance
88%
Graduation
76%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1160/25
John Carroll University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$54K
Acceptance
84%
Graduation
81%
Student body
5K
Loyola University Maryland’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$48K
Acceptance
76%
Graduation
85%
Student body
6K
Median SAT/ACT
1255/27
Gonzaga University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$23K
Acceptance
99%
Graduation
62%
Student body
79K
Median SAT/ACT
1145/25
Liberty University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Find more schools
Many of our 2022 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2021. That’s because we took a fundamentally different apporach. For 2021 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.
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Photo Credit: Duke University Levine Science Research Center, By NPatrick6. Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons.