Best Colleges and Universities by Academic Stewardship
Key Takeaways
- Academic Stewardship asks how effectively schools manage their financial and human resources while remaining academically excellent.
- The core of academic stewardship focuses on how well schools use the resources available to them to advance the education of their students.
- HBCUs dominate the top 15 schools with the most effective academic stewardship.
Best Colleges by Academic Stewardship
- Reed College
- Bennington College
- Fisk University
- Hampshire College
- Harvey Mudd College
- Earlham College
- Dillard University
- Beloit College
- Tougaloo College
- New College of Florida
- California Institute of Technology
- Reed College
- Haverford College
- Bennington College
- Fisk University
- Hampshire College
- Rockford University
- Wabash College
- Harvey Mudd College
- Earlham College
- Eastern Mennonite University 99%
- Chestnut Hill College 98%
- Trinity Washington University 97%
- West Virginia Wesleyan College 96%
- Elmira College 96%
- Goshen College 94%
- Hiram College 93%
- University of Jamestown 92%
- Monmouth College 91%
- Transylvania University 91%
- Wiley College 18 to 1
- Virginia Union University 17 to 1
- Oglethorpe University 16 to 1
- Menlo College 15 to 1
- Olivet College 14 to 1
- Ripon College 14 to 1
- Georgetown College 14 to 1
- Cornell College 13 to 1
- Pacific Union College 13 to 1
- Dillard University 13 to 1
- Reed College $64,760
- Haverford College $63,628
- Harvey Mudd College $62,817
- Bennington College $61,448
- California Institute of Technology $60,864
- Beloit College $56,312
- Albion College $54,930
- Hampshire College $54,452
- Knox College $53,259
- Washington & Jefferson College $50,192
- California Institute of Technology $58,479
- Hendrix College $34,750
- Pacific Union College $32,655
- Albion College $30,000
- Goshen College $29,678
- Bennington College $24,617
- Millsaps College $23,568
- Fisk University $21,600
- Houghton University $20,905
- Earlham College $17,863
- Illinois College
- Rockford University
- Friends University
- Oglethorpe University
- Ohio Wesleyan University
- Cazenovia College
- Albion College
- Trinity Washington University
- Hanover College
- Chestnut Hill College
- Cazenovia College
- Houghton University
- Rust College
- New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
- Georgetown College
- Eastern Mennonite University
- University of Jamestown
- Ripon College
- West Virginia Wesleyan College
- Monmouth College
- California Institute of Technology 3%
- Harvey Mudd College 13%
- Haverford College 14%
- Reed College 31%
- William Jewell College 41%
- Bennington College 45%
- Pacific Union College 48%
- Tougaloo College 49%
- Ohio Wesleyan University 52%
- Rockford University 55%
- California Institute of Technology 3 to 1
- Earlham College 6 to 1
- Elmira College 7 to 1
- New College of Florida 7 to 1
- Hollins University 8 to 1
- Rust College 8 to 1
- Harvey Mudd College 8 to 1
- Haverford College 8 to 1
- Wabash College 9 to 1
- Goshen College 9 to 1
- New College of Florida $5,227
- New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology $7,664
- Rust College $9,900
- Tougaloo College $10,861
- Wiley College $13,500
- Virginia Union University $14,305
- Houghton University $16,446
- Shaw University $16,480
- William Jewell College $19,610
- Dillard University $20,224
- William Jewell College $4,800
- Hiram College $6,612
- New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology $8,005
- Illinois College $9,000
- New College of Florida $9,555
- Tougaloo College $10,134
- Shaw University $10,404
- Georgetown College $11,070
- West Virginia Wesleyan College $11,128
- University of Jamestown $11,128
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.
CalTech moved up to the number 1 position in our 2025 ranking of the best colleges by academic stewardship.
For the 2025 school year, CalTech has reinstated standarized testing to ensure that students entering the institution are well-prepared for success. The school is also hosting The Student Life and Experience Conference (SLEC), which is a major initiative aimed at engaging students, faculty, and administrators in discussions about enhancing academic life and student support. This initiative includes the collection of community feedback through surveys and focus groups, ensuring that policies and programs are aligned with the needs of all stakeholders.
Haverford College also entered the top 10 this year. The school is increasing its investment in financial aid, working to ensure that admitted students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds can access its education. In addition, the college is engaged in long-term projects aimed at growing its endowment and maintaining financial sustainability, which reflects a careful management of funds without waste.
What are the best colleges and universities if, instead of rewarding waste and extravagance, we reward schools for making the best use of their limited resources? Taking our cue from Malcolm Gladwell’s podcast series “The Myths of Meritocracy,” we invented the Academic Stewardship metric to reward schools for making the most of what they have.
Specifically, Academic Stewardship asks how effectively schools manage their financial and human resources to gain the influence that makes them academically excellent. Schools that are exemplary in Academic Stewardship are doing everything in their power to help students and faculty achieve their full potential. Evaluated in terms of Academic Stewardship, the big wealthy schools fall by the wayside, whereas less affluent smaller schools that do more with less rise to the top, notably HBCUs.
Colleges and universities deserve to be recognized when they do more with less. It’s impressive when a large wealthy school can spend money lavishly on expensive buildings and programs. But it’s even more impressive when a small school with limited means is able to train and inspire students that the larger wealthier schools tend to ignore.
The American Association of Colleges and Universities reported in late 2021 that almost 75 percent of higher-education professionals at US colleges and universities felt financial constraints prevented their schools from effectively attracting students. Distracted by the size and amenities of larger schools, prospective students tended especially to be overawed by the big research universities.
America’s smaller schools, especially its liberal arts colleges, need effective ways of communicating their value to a world that celebrates “bigger is better” and “you need the best.” Unfortunately, most college ranking companies, such as U.S. News & World Report, define “best” in a way that devalues schools with smaller budgets and fewer students even when these schools do remarkable work in advancing their students’ education. By and large, college rankings penalize schools that serve underserved populations.
Inspired by Malcolm Gladwell, who for years now has criticized conventional college rankings for misrepresenting what’s good and valuable in education, we decided to construct a new ranking metric that highlights those schools that do more with less. That metric—called the Academic Stewardship metric—takes away both the size and the wealth advantage of schools, and focuses instead on how well schools use the resources available to them to advance the education of their students.
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How We Measure Academic Stewardship
As a metric, Academic Stewardship is defined by a precise mathematical formula, which can be found in our Academic Stewardship white paper. Nevertheless, it’s worth giving an overview of the metric here. Measuring Academic Stewardship requires measuring two forms of stewardship: 1) Stewardship of financial resources (using the money they have responsibility without waste) and 2) Stewardship of human resources (doing their best to help students, faculty, and administration to flourish). Together, these two types of stewardship form what we call Academic Stewardship. If you want to learn more about the factors involved in Academic Stewardship, click the more button below.
- Stewardship of financial resources: To determine a school’s stewardship of financial resources, we factored in its undergraduate size, budget, endowments and reserves, as well as tuition and fees. All these data are available from the National Center for Educational Statistics Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. In addition, we factored in a school’s financial responsibility as gauged by the Federal Student Aid Office at the US Department of Education through its financial responsibility composite scores.
- Stewardship of human resources: To determine a school’s stewardship of human resources, we used our InfluenceRanking engine to track the influence of the school’s faculty and alumni but also to control for size of the undergraduate student body. We’ve found that measuring a school’s influence based on the contributions of faculty and alumni make in their fields of study but then also controlling for size of the undergraduate population is the single best indicator of academic excellence. We call this Concentrated Influence. Schools that rank highly in Concentrated Influence are schools that, given their available human resources, invest heavily in their students and faculty, and the results are demonstrable.
- We measure the influence of colleges and universities based on the publications and citations of the schools’ faculty and alumni who are teaching in and working in areas related to their degrees. To do this, we take publicly available databases, such as Semantic Scholar, Crossref, and Wikipedia and use these to measure the influence of academics in their disciplines. Having measured the influence of persons, we then identify the schools that they’re affiliated with, adding up the influence scores of the faculty and alumni to measure the influence of the schools and their disciplinary programs. Finally, we control these influence scores by size of undergraduate student body so that schools do not score high in influence simply because of a size advantage. We lay out these methodological considerations on our methodology page.
- Academic Stewardship: Having measured a school’s stewardship of financial and human resources in the two previous points, we now divide the second measure by the first to define the Academic Stewardship metric. This metric spotlights smaller schools, with fewer financial resources and people, that invest wisely and do proportionately better in building influence than large wealthy schools. Many of these smaller, less wealthy schools are incentivized to make better use of their resources but would never get recognized in conventional school rankings, which directly or indirectly put a premium on the wealth of schools.
Academic Stewardship as so defined is connected to keeping tuition and other costs down, but it should not be confused with affordability or frugality. The schools that this metric ranks as exemplary academic stewards tend to be all over the map when it comes to tuition and other costs. At issue is the influence of schools given the financial and human resources they have on hand. If a school is going to charge more for tuition, then that needs to be reflected in the school having proportionately greater influence.
Why Academic Stewardship Matters to Students and Their Families
The benefits of attending a school with strong academic stewardship include:
- A clear reason for why students are at the school in the first place. Without the distraction of amenities and luxuries, these schools are at once unpretentious but also passionately committed to their educational mission. The schools in this ranking are financially efficient and academically rigorous. By avoiding frills, these schools take the most direct path to accomplishing their mission of educating students.
- Valuing character over prestige and self-indulgence. A school that’s a good steward of its resources doesn’t instill shame in its students over what they are missing (such as elite cuisine) but rather pride in what they have and making the most of it. These schools exhibit a culture of good stewardship, which tends to build good character in the students that attend these schools.
- Avoiding the spoiled-student syndrome. It’s easy to think that offering students endless options and opportunities will enrich their time at school in every way. But spoiling people—whether in business, sports, or academics—has the opposite effect, causing people to take their advantages for granted and in the end achieving less than they might otherwise, a point well-documented in Daniel Coyle’s The Talent Code. Schools exhibiting academic stewardship avoid this pitfall.
- The best schools vs. the schools that help students to be their best. Students at schools demonstrating outstanding academic stewardship aren’t so much concerned about being at the “best” school, whatever that may mean, as about being at a school that helps them to be their best. These schools pay attention to their students, hoping that any glory goes to them rather than to the school. Small schools, and especially liberal arts colleges, help themselves by communicating this advantage to prospective students.
- Emphasizing development over talent and achievement. Schools like Harvard and Stanford have their pick of academic talent, and their students have a long record of achievement even before they apply to such elite schools. But if a school doesn’t have the resources of a Harvard or Stanford, how does it build a great team of students? In that case, it must focus on student development. Colleges exemplifying academic stewardship emphasize student growth and development, ensuring that the schools are doing everything in their power to help students reach their full potential and thereby become their best selves.
Malcolm Gladwell’s Challenge Accepted
In 2021, Malcolm Gladwell released a series of poignant podcasts about schools that were doing phenomenal work in advancing higher education but that were getting no recognition for it from the standard academic ranking organizations such as U.S. News & World Report. Especially noteworthy among these podcasts were “Project Dillard,” “Lord of the Rankings,” and “My Little Hundred Million.”
What troubled Gladwell is that schools like Dillard University and Reed College could never, given the way college rankings were set up, receive the recognition they deserved. The whole ranking system was rigged against them. Gladwell focused especially on Dillard University, an HBCU in New Orleans. By making its mission to serve underserved populations, Dillard was, in effect, getting penalized by U.S. News & World Report, which puts a premium in its rankings on schools that have a lot of money and spend it lavishly. In fact, the U.S. News rankings have a long history of penalizing schools that focus on making education more accessible to those with little or no money.
Our entire team at AcademicInfluence.com was tasked with listening to Gladwell’s series of podcasts on higher education. Some of us listened to it through the subscription service Scribd.com, which made Gladwell’s series conveniently available in a five-hour audio book titled “The Myths of Meritocracy.” We saw in these podcasts a real challenge to our ranking enterprise, and one that we could not dismiss lightly or simply rationalize away.
At AcademicInfluence.com, we use publicly available databases, such as Semantic Scholar, Crossref, and Wikipedia to measure the influence of academics in their disciplines. Having measured the influence of academic persons, we then identify the schools with which they’re affiliated, adding up the influence scores of the faculty and alumni to measure the influence of the schools and their disciplinary programs. We lay out this methodology in detail on our about pages.
Not surprisingly, rich and large schools have a huge advantage in scoring highly on influence-based rankings. Influence is an asset that people (notably faculty and alumni) confer on the schools with which they’re affiliated. As a result, the bigger wealthier schools have an easier time accumulating such assets and thereby raising their influence scores. In our influence-based rankings of schools, the bigger wealthier schools therefore tend to come out on top.
But not always. In 2020, we invented our Concentrated Influence metric to remove the size advantage of bigger schools, allowing smaller schools to punch above their weight class to compete successfully against larger schools. But Concentrated Influence does not control for wealth. Prompted by Gladwell, we therefore introduced our Academic Stewardship metric to control not just for a school’s size advantage but also for its wealth advantage, thereby gauging to what degree schools are good stewards of their resources.
Our Most Surprising Discovery - The Triumph of Historically Black Colleges and Universities
We invented the Academic Stewardship metric to highlight schools that make the most of their limited resources. In inventing this metric, we didn’t set out to artificially elevate or downgrade any schools. Our aim was to simply give schools credit for doing the best they could given their financial and human resources. Schools are dealt different cards. We wanted our Academic Influence metric to reflect making the most of the cards actually dealt.
What did we find? Simply scan the ranking below to answer that question for yourself. The most obvious thing that leaps out at you is this: Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) crushed it in this ranking. In all the earlier experimental versions of the Academic Stewardship metric that we formulated, including the one we finally settled on, HBCUs kept coming up at the top.
Three HBCUs appear in the top five of this ranking, and five appear in the top fifteen. Dillard University, about which Gladwell did an entire podcast, appears at #14. The recognition that the Academic Stewardship metric gives to HBCUs is remarkable and unanticipated. Yet in hindsight, this stunning performance of HBCUs is also easily explained: HBCUs, underfunded and underappreciated for so many years, have nonetheless, as a matter of pride, striven to do the best they can with what limited resources they have. Our earnest wish is that this Academic Stewardship ranking plays some small part in giving these schools the recognition they deserve.
If you would like to take a deeper dive into the history of HBCUs, check out our article The History of HBCUs in America.
We also take a look at the best HBCUs over the past twenty years in Most Influential HBCUs 2000-2020.
So too, if you are interested in attending an HBCU but aren’t able to attend college on a traditional campus, or you need the flexibility an online school offers, we’ve got you covered:
Colleges and Universities Exemplary in Academic Stewardship
- #17 50 Best Small Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2025 #17 50 Best Liberal Arts Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students #1 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Oregon 2025 #1 Best Small Colleges in Oregon 2024
Other Rankings
- #1 Best Private Colleges in Oregon 2024
- #1 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2024
- #3 Best Colleges in Oregon 2025
- #11 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Physics Degrees
- #11 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Psychology Degrees
- #11 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Math Degrees
- #12 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Chemistry Degrees 2025
- #12 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Sociology Degrees 2025
- #12 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Economics Degree
- #12 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Earning Computer Science Degrees 2025
- #12 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Philosophy Degrees 2025
- #12 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for a Biology Degree
- #13 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Political Science Degrees 2025
- #13 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Anthropology Degrees
- #14 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for English Degrees 2025
- #19 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for History Degrees
Tuition + fees
$65K
Acceptance
31%
Graduation
80%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1410/31
Career Outlook for degree at Reed College
Cost of Degree: $67,020Expenses: $19,520Starting Salary: $52,700Cost Recoup Time: 21 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryReed College is a liberal arts college located in Portland. It was founded in 1908. It has around 1,500 students and is widely recognized for a high proportion of students who go on to earn a PhD.
What we love about Reed College:
With a nature preserve at its center, it has arguably one of the most beautiful campuses in the country.
Reed College is ideal for students who:
Progressive/open-minded people who welcome quirkiness.
Reed College may not be ideal for students who:
Won’t enjoy its academic rigor.
Reed College’s academic strengths:
- Anthropology
- Psychology
- Economics
- Computer Science
- Philosophy
- Literature
- Sociology
- Mathematics
- History
- Physics
Reed College’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
- #1 Best Private Colleges in Vermont 2025 #1 Best Small Colleges in Vermont 2025 #1 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Vermont 2025 #2 Best Colleges in Vermont 2025
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: $64,644Expenses: $22,640Starting Salary: $38,400Cost Recoup Time: 25 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryBennington College started as a women-only college upon its founding in 1932, eventually becoming co-educational back in 1969. It offers undergraduate and graduate programs to 800 students.
What we love about Bennington College:
It is known for the Plan Process, which lets students take the lead in planning out their degree.
Bennington College is ideal for students who:
Are independent and academically driven.
Bennington College may not be ideal for students who:
Aren’t decisive or are still unsure about their chosen academic path.
Bennington College’s academic strengths:
- Literature
- Communications
- Anthropology
- Sociology
- Education
- Philosophy
- History
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Economics
Bennington College’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
- Michael Pollan
- Bret Easton Ellis
- Donna Tartt
- Jonathan Lethem
- Sheila Miyoshi Jager
- Sally Mann
- Alec Wilkinson
- Anne Waldman
- Kiran Desai
- Ann Goldstein
See more of notable alumni and faculty from Bennington College
- #4 Most Influential HBCUs in the US Ranked for 2024 #1 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Tennessee 2025 #1 Best Small Colleges in Tennessee 2024 #2 Best Private Colleges in Tennessee 2025
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$24K
Acceptance
71%
Graduation
56%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
1270/22
Career Outlook for degree at Fisk University
Cost of Degree: $24,298Expenses: $17,198Starting Salary: $36,300Cost Recoup Time: 17 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryFisk University is one of 7 HBCUs in the state and currently has around 1,000 students. It is the oldest college/university in Nashville and the first SBCU that received accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
What we love about Fisk University:
Its small size means students get a lot of focus and support.
Fisk University is ideal for students who:
Want to be in a tight-knit learning environment.
Fisk University may not be ideal for students who:
Would prefer a bigger and more bustling student population.
Fisk University’s academic strengths:
- Sociology
- Political Science
- Literature
- Education
- History
- Mathematics
- Chemistry
- Business
- Physics
- Psychology
Fisk University’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
Tuition + fees
$54K
Acceptance
69%
Graduation
60%
Student body
<1K
Career Outlook for degree at Hampshire College
Cost of Degree: $56,630Expenses: $17,644Starting Salary: $39,900Cost Recoup Time: 23 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryHampshire College was first established in 1960. Now, with a student population of 500, It is a member of the Five College Consortium.
What we love about Hampshire College:
Its alternative curriculum emphasizes a more progressive and self-directed approach.
Hampshire College is ideal for students who:
Want a thorough exploration of their academic ideas and interests.
Hampshire College may not be ideal for students who:
Lack a clear sense of discipline and direction.
Hampshire College’s academic strengths:
- Literature
- Physics
- Anthropology
- Communications
- Mathematics
- Sociology
- Computer Science
- Psychology
- History
- Education
Hampshire College’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
- Lee Smolin
- Jon Krakauer
- Gary Marcus
- David Shulkin
- Norton Juster
- Benjamin Mako Hill
- Naomi Wallace
- Ellis Henican
- Carrie Mae Weems
- Heather Boushey
See more of notable alumni and faculty from Hampshire College
- #4 Best Small Colleges in California 2025 #7 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in California 2025 #15 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Engineering Degrees 2025 #21 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Earning Computer Science Degrees 2025
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$63K
Acceptance
13%
Graduation
92%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
1520/35
Career Outlook for degree at Harvey Mudd College
Cost of Degree: $66,255Expenses: $23,910Starting Salary: $104,200Cost Recoup Time: 15 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryHarvey Mudd College is a relatively young liberal arts college, having been founded in 1955. It is a rather specialized institution, with its academic offerings largely focused on science and engineering fields. It currently has a population of over 900 students.
What we love about Harvey Mudd College:
It consistently takes the upper tiers of best-value liberal arts colleges in the country.
Harvey Mudd College is ideal for students who:
Want a good education in engineering and the sciences.
Harvey Mudd College may not be ideal for students who:
Might be looking to study in the field of business.
Harvey Mudd College’s academic strengths:
- Mathematics
- Computer Science
- Engineering
- Physics
- Sociology
- Chemistry
- Biology
- Economics
- Political Science
- Psychology
Harvey Mudd College’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
- Donald D. Chamberlin
- Arthur T. Benjamin
- Robert Freitas
- Maria Klawe
- Sal Restivo
- Patri Friedman
- Stanley G. Love
- Nick Pippenger
- Arif Zaman
- Eric B. Kim
See more of notable alumni and faculty from Harvey Mudd College
- #5 50 Best Christian Liberal Arts Colleges and Universities 2025 #2 Best Small Colleges in Indiana 2025 #2 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Indiana 2025 #2 Best Christian Colleges in Indiana 2025
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$50K
Acceptance
73%
Graduation
75%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
1255/28
Career Outlook for degree at Earlham College
Cost of Degree: $51,840Expenses: $16,538Starting Salary: $39,200Cost Recoup Time: 22 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryEarlham College was founded by the Quakers in 1847 and continues to integrate Quaker values into its academic programs. Its enrollment currently stands at over 600 students.
Wha we love about Earlham College:
Earlham is noted for its semester-long off-campus programs, which around 70% of Earlham students take part in.
Earlham College is ideal for students who:
Are looking to pursue graduate degrees in Ministry, Divinity, or Religion.
Earlham College may not be ideal for students who:
Might want to participate in Greek Life on campus.
Earlham College’s academic strengths:
- Philosophy
- Chemistry
- Religious Studies
- Biology
- Physics
- Earth Sciences
- Political Science
- Education
- Literature
- History
Earlham College’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
- #2 Best Small Colleges in Wisconsin 2025 #2 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Wisconsin 2024 #3 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2024 #3 Best Private Colleges in Wisconsin 2025
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$56K
Acceptance
66%
Graduation
71%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1275/28
Career Outlook for degree at Beloit College
Cost of Degree: $58,554Expenses: $13,405Starting Salary: $47,700Cost Recoup Time: 20 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryBeloit College, the oldest continuously operating college in Wisconsin, was founded in 1846—predating Wisconsin’s statehood. It currently has around 1,000 students enrolled in mainly undergraduate programs.
What we love about Beloit College:
It is known for excellence in the fields of Anthropology & Geology.
Beloit College is ideal for students who:
Want a tight-knit environment and a lot of activities & opportunities.
Beloit College may not be ideal for students who:
Are resistant to overcoming their preconceptions & biases.
Beloit College’s academic strengths:
- Anthropology
- Political Science
- Literature
- Economics
- Biology
- Communications
- History
- Physics
- Computer Science
- Earth Sciences
Beloit College’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
- #17 Most Influential HBCUs in the US Ranked for 2024 #21 50 Best Christian Liberal Arts Colleges and Universities 2025 #2 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Louisiana 2024 #2 Best Christian Colleges in Louisiana 2025
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$20K
Acceptance
80%
Graduation
48%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1082/22
Career Outlook for degree at Dillard University
Cost of Degree: $22,194Expenses: $19,010Starting Salary: $37,900Cost Recoup Time: 17 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryDillard University is both an HBCU and a Christian institution, maintaining affiliations with the United Methodist Church and the United Church of Christ. It has over 35 majors on offer and a little over 1,300 students.
What we love about Dillard University:
In terms of cultural significance, Dillard University runs the Institute of Jazz Culture, which provides specialized curriculum and education services.
Dillard University is ideal for students who:
Have a strong background in the arts.
Dillard University may not be ideal for students who:
Can’t handle academic rigor too well.
Dillard University’s academic strengths:
- Nursing
- Sociology
- Communications
- Physics
- Medical
- Political Science
- Mathematics
- Literature
- Chemistry
- Social Work
Dillard University’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
- Ruth Simmons
- Michelle Miller
- Jericho Brown
- Carl E. Stewart
- Andrew Young
- Brenda Marie Osbey
- Michael Lomax
- Robert Frederick Collins
- Beverly Anderson
- Samuel DuBois Cook
See more of notable alumni and faculty from Dillard University
- #1 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Mississippi 2025 #1 Best Christian Colleges in Mississippi 2025 #3 Best Private Colleges in Mississippi 2024 #5 Best Colleges in Mississippi 2024
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$11K
Acceptance
49%
Graduation
31%
Student body
<1K
Career Outlook for degree at Tougaloo College
Cost of Degree: $10,735Expenses: $13,384Starting Salary: $32,400Cost Recoup Time: 13 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryTougaloo College is both a Christian institution affiliated with the United Church of Christ and an HBCU. Founded in 1869, this small institution has roughly 600 students and an endowment of $10 million.
What we love about Tougaloo College:
The Tougaloo Art Collection holds a special place in the country’s culture.
Tougaloo College is ideal for students who:
Would benefit from being in a small & tight-knit community.
Tougaloo College may not be ideal for students who:
Don’t have a strong work ethic.
Tougaloo College’s academic strengths:
- Literature
- History
- Political Science
- Sociology
- Mathematics
- Chemistry
- Economics
- Education
- Psychology
- Physics
Tougaloo College’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
- Karen Weaver
- Anne Moody
- Aaron Shirley
- Bennie Thompson
- Joan Trumpauer Mulholland
- Hakeem Oluseyi
- Joyce Ladner
- Dorie Ladner
- Reuben V. Anderson
- Geraldine Hines
See more of notable alumni and faculty from Tougaloo College
- #3 Best Small Colleges in Florida 2025 #4 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Florida 2024 #8 Most Affordable Colleges in Florida 2025 #8 Best Public Colleges in Florida 2025
Tuition + fees
$7K
Acceptance
75%
Graduation
63%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
1231/27
The New College of Florida is the smallest member of the State University System of Florida, with around 600 students.
What we love about the New College of Florida:
Students have access to the resources and classes of four other institutions through the Cross College Alliance.
New College of Florida is ideal for students who:
Are open-minded and tolerant of other ideas and perspectives.
New College of Florida may not be ideal for students who:
Might be on the more conservative side of the spectrum.
New College of Florida’s academic strengths:
- Computer Science
- Biology
- Pre-law
New College of Florida’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
- William Thurston
- Jennifer Granick
- Robert D. Atkinson
- William C. Dudley
- David Allen
- Rick Doblin
- Victoria Kolakowski
- Margee Ensign
- David M. Smolin
- Nancy McEldowney
See more of notable alumni and faculty from New College of Florida
- #8 Best Private Colleges in Virginia 2025 #8 Best Small Colleges in Virginia 2025 #11 Best Online Master's Programs in Virginia 2025
Tuition + fees
$41K
Acceptance
72%
Graduation
66%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
1205/27
Career Outlook for degree at Hollins University
Cost of Degree: $42,260Expenses: $18,400Starting Salary: $37,900Cost Recoup Time: 21 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryHollins University is a private women’s university and one of the oldest women’s institutions in the country. It currently has close to 800 students and is known for its unique curriculum called Education through Skills and Perspectives (ESP).
What we love about Hollins University:
Hollins University is well-known for its high-quality writing programs, which have produced Pulitzer Prize winners in the past.
Hollins University is ideal for students who:
Might want to hone & explore their literary skills.
Hollins University may not be ideal for students who:
Might not be too comfortable in an all-women environment.
Hollins University’s academic strengths:
- Philosophy
- Literature
- Communications
- Sociology
- Education
- History
- Political Science
- Economics
- Mathematics
- Psychology
Hollins University’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
- Lawrence C. Becker
- Ann Compton
- Lee Smith
- Balli Kaur Jaswal
- Henry S. Taylor
- Annie Dillard
- Christine Schutt
- Donna Richardson
- Susan Campbell Bartoletti
- Lyda Hill
See more of notable alumni and faculty from Hollins University
Tuition + fees
$49K
Acceptance
62%
Graduation
57%
Student body
<1K
Career Outlook for degree at Menlo College
Cost of Degree: $51,070Expenses: $21,299Starting Salary: $59,700Cost Recoup Time: 18 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryMenlo College was founded back in 1927 and grew out of a School for Boys. With over 800 students, it offers only undergraduate degrees in fields mainly related to Business.
What we love about Menlo College:
Its Business programs are AACSB-accredited, and it consistently makes the ranks of the best colleges in its region.
Menlo College is ideal for students who:
Want excellent academics with a lot of opportunities after graduation.
Menlo College may not be ideal for students who:
Might not take too well to its residential college setup.
Menlo College’s academic strengths:
- Business
- Psychology
- Communications
Menlo College’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
- #6 Best Christian Colleges in Indiana 2025 #7 Best Small Colleges in Indiana 2025 #7 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Indiana 2025 #10 Best Private Colleges in Indiana 2024
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$37K
Acceptance
94%
Graduation
64%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
1095/25
Career Outlook for degree at Goshen College
Cost of Degree: $37,760Expenses: $15,470Starting Salary: $42,400Cost Recoup Time: 18 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryGoshen College is a liberal arts college affiliated with the Mennonite Church and was founded in 1894. It offers over 40 undergraduate majors and three master’s degree programs. Its enrollment currently stands at around 950 students.
What we love about Goshen College:
Goshen College operates the Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center, a 1,100-acre nature preserve where its MA in Environmental Learning is offered.
Goshen College is ideal for students who:
Are open-minded and tolerant.
Goshen College may not be ideal for students who:
Tend to be resistant to debate and dialogue.
Goshen College’s academic strengths:
- Sociology
- Religious Studies
- Biology
- History
- Literature
- Physics
- Political Science
- Communications
- Nursing
- Social Work
Goshen College’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
- #2 Best Small Colleges in Missouri 2024 #5 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Missouri 2025 #5 Best Private Colleges in Missouri 2025 #9 Most Affordable Colleges in Missouri 2024
Tuition + fees
$20K
Acceptance
41%
Graduation
62%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
1080/23
Career Outlook for degree at William Jewell College
Cost of Degree: $19,890Expenses: $16,049Starting Salary: $51,300Cost Recoup Time: 13 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWilliam Jewell College was established in 1849 and is named after its founding benefactor, who endowed $10,000 at the time. It currently has 800 students studying over 40 majors and ten pre-professional programs.
What we love about William Jewell College:
It has its own Oxbridge Honors Program, where students get the chance to study abroad at Oxford University.
William Jewell College is ideal for students who:
Are ready to grab every academic opportunity that comes their way while in college.
William Jewell College may not be ideal for students who:
Might not be too confident passing a selective admissions process.
William Jewell College’s academic strengths:
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Philosophy
- Business
- History
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Mathematics
- Engineering
- Biology
William Jewell College’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
- Don Page
- Dallas Willard
- Robin Carnahan
- Terry Teachout
- Harold E. Brooks
- Donald Marolf
- Josephine Staton
- Brian Knight
- Orvar Swenson
- Zel Fischer
See more of notable alumni and faculty from William Jewell College
- #1 Best Christian Colleges in North Dakota 2024 #1 Best Private Colleges in North Dakota 2024 #2 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in North Dakota 2024 #2 Best Small Colleges in North Dakota 2024
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$24K
Acceptance
92%
Graduation
49%
Student body
2K
Career Outlook for degree at University of Jamestown
Cost of Degree: $24,820Expenses: $13,420Starting Salary: $49,600Cost Recoup Time: 14 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryThe University of Jamestown was founded by the Presbyterian Church in 1883, whom it maintains strong affiliations with. It earned university status in 2013, and it currently has an enrollment of around 1,300 students.
What we love about the University of Jamestown:
It continues to emphasize moral development and wholeness in education in developing its students.
The University of Jamestown is ideal for students who:
Enjoy involvement in both academics and extracurriculars.
The University of Jamestown may not be ideal for students who:
Might prefer big-city campuses.
Univeristy of Jamestown’s academic strengths:
- Philosophy
- Nursing
- Education
- Biology
- History
- Business
- Medical
- Sociology
- Criminal Justice
- Communications
University of Jamestown’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
- Alvin Plantinga
- Ralph R. Erickson
- Dick Armey
- Larry Woiwode
- George W. Johnson
- Barbara McClintock
- Jasper Schneider
- Vernon Robert Pearson
- David Nething
- Jessica Haak
See more of notable alumni and faculty from University of Jamestown
- #2 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in New Mexico 2025 #2 Best Small Colleges in New Mexico 2025 #3 Best Grad Schools in New Mexico 2025 #3 Best Colleges in New Mexico 2024
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$9K
Acceptance
74%
Graduation
55%
Student body
2K
Career Outlook for degree at New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Cost of Degree: $9,058Expenses: $16,142Starting Salary: $58,500Cost Recoup Time: 9 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryThe New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (or New Mexico Tech) was first established in 1889 with the goal of teaching mining technologies. With over 1,700 students, it continues to maintain its focus on technology, the sciences, and other related fields.
What we love about the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology:
Students get access to a wide range of affiliated science and engineering centers.
New Mexico Tech is ideal for students who:
Want to study the sciences or tech-related fields.
New Mexico Tech may not be ideal for students who:
Want to study the liberal arts or business fields.
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology’s academic strengths:
- Earth Sciences
- Physics
- Engineering
- Chemistry
- Computer Science
- Biology
- Mathematics
- Psychology
- Education
- Criminal Justice
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
- Valerie Aurora
- Axel Scherer
- Jeffrey A. Lockwood
- Lukas Lundin
- Terry Wallace
- Penelope Boston
- Tim Callahan
- Ibrahim Bahr al-Uloom
- Larry Soderblom
- Baojun Bai
See more of notable alumni and faculty from New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
- #5 Best Christian Colleges in Mississippi 2025 #6 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Mississippi 2025 #6 Best Private Colleges in Mississippi 2024 #9 Best Small Colleges in Mississippi 2024
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$10K
Acceptance
79%
Graduation
25%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
889/17
Career Outlook for degree at Rust College
Cost of Degree: $13,840Expenses: $9,480Starting Salary: $26,600Cost Recoup Time: 15 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryRust College is one of the longest-lived colleges and HBCUs in Mississippi established in 1866. It currently has 900 students at most and an endowment of $43 million.
What we love about Rust College:
It continues to grow and has had a number of recent acquisitions and expansions.
Rust College is ideal for students who:
Want a large amount of off-classroom access to professors’ inputs.
Rust College may not be ideal for students who:
Aren’t very driven and dedicated to their academics.
Rust College’s academic strengths:
- Mathematics
- Sociology
- Political Science
- Computer Science
- Literature
- Biology
- Criminal Justice
- Chemistry
- Education
- Business
Rust College’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
Tuition + fees
$14K
Graduation
24%
Student body
<1K
Career Outlook for degree at Wiley College
Cost of Degree: $12,500Expenses: $6,800Starting Salary: $30,700Cost Recoup Time: 12 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWiley University is an HBCU established by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1873. It has over 600 students and became a university in 2023 with the introduction of its first graduate programs.
What we love about Wiley University:
It may be a small college, but around 96% of its students receive financial aid.
Wiley University is ideal for students who:
Perhaps want to join a top-notch debate team (Wiley’s debate team is well-known).
Wiley University may not be ideal for students who:
Tend to slack off on their academics.
Wiley College’s academic strengths:
- Mathematics
- Criminal Justice
- Sociology
- History
- Education
- Chemistry
- Religious Studies
- Communications
- Biology
- Literature
Wiley College’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
- #7 Best Christian Colleges in Michigan 2025 #10 Best Private Colleges in Michigan 2024 #10 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Michigan 2024 #10 Best Small Colleges in Michigan 2024
Tuition + fees
$32K
Acceptance
85%
Graduation
44%
Student body
<1K
Career Outlook for degree at Olivet College
Cost of Degree: $33,076Expenses: $15,852Starting Salary: $42,200Cost Recoup Time: 18 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryThe University of Olivet is a Christian college first established in 1844. It maintains affiliations with the United Church of Christ and the NACCC and currently has close to 1,000 students.
What we love about the University of Olivet:
100% of the students receive financial aid, and student support from faculty is very high.
The University of Olivet is ideal for students who:
Want a close-knit and supportive learning environment.
The University of Olivet may not be ideal for students who:
Might want to study engineering and technology (it’s not the most popular major)
Olivet College’s academic strengths:
- Computer Science
- Literature
- Biology
- History
- Mathematics
- Chemistry
- Sociology
- Business
- Psychology
- Anthropology
Olivet College’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
- #20 Best CCCU Colleges and Universities 2024 #3 Best Online Associate in Christian Ministry #9 Best Online MBA Programs in New York 2025 #9 Best Online Associate Degrees in New York 2025
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$16K
Acceptance
77%
Graduation
60%
Student body
1K
Career Outlook for degree at Houghton University
Cost of Degree: $17,290Expenses: $14,310Starting Salary: $42,400Cost Recoup Time: 13 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryHoughton University is affiliated with the Wesleyan Church and named after its founder, Willard Houghton, who was a Protestant clergyman. While offering mainly undergraduate degrees, it also has six graduate programs.
What we love about Houghton University:
It runs a notable First Year Honors Program for freshmen who qualify.
Houghton University is ideal for students who:
Are highly disciplined and motivated.
Houghton University may not be ideal for students who:
Might prefer a more urban campus.
Houghton College’s academic strengths:
- Religious Studies
- Computer Science
- Sociology
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Education
- Engineering
- History
- Literature
- Mathematics
Houghton College’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
- Kim Pegula
- Douglas Comer
- Richard Mouw
- Bruce Waltke
- Ronald Enroth
- Joseph Hupp
- Neil MacBride
- Deborah Birx
- Anthony C. Yu
- Alan Heatherington
See more of notable alumni and faculty from Houghton College
Houghton University’s Online Degrees
BS/BBA in Human Resource Management
- Required Credits: 124
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS/BBA in Integrated Marketing Communication
- Required Credits: 124
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS/BBA in Leadership Development
- Required Credits: 124
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS/BBA in Organizational Management
- Required Credits: 124
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Criminal Justice
- Required Credits: 124
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
- #1 Best Christian Colleges in Arkansas 2025 #1 Best Small Colleges in Arkansas 2025 #1 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Arkansas 2025 #1 Best Private Colleges in Arkansas 2024
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$35K
Acceptance
60%
Graduation
69%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1230/26
Career Outlook for degree at Hendrix College
Cost of Degree: $36,650Expenses: $18,794Starting Salary: $44,500Cost Recoup Time: 18 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryHendrix College’s academic strengths:
- Anthropology
- Psychology
- Computer Science
- Physics
- Religious Studies
- Sociology
- Chemistry
- Literature
- History
- Biology
Hendrix College’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
- #2 Best Private Colleges in Mississippi 2024 #3 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Mississippi 2025 #3 Best Christian Colleges in Mississippi 2025 #3 Best Small Colleges in Mississippi 2024
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$44K
Acceptance
68%
Graduation
57%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
1244/26
Career Outlook for degree at Millsaps College
Cost of Degree: $43,815Expenses: $16,652Starting Salary: $54,500Cost Recoup Time: 17 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryMillsaps College’s academic strengths:
- Earth Sciences
- Sociology
- Religious Studies
- Philosophy
- History
- Literature
- Economics
- Chemistry
- Physics
- Political Science
Millsaps College’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
- Kiese Laymon
- Randall Pinkston
- Thomas Naylor
- Robert C. Robbins
- Ellen Gilchrist
- Alan Hunter
- James E. Graves Jr.
- Lisa D'Amour
- Cassandra Wilson
- Jim Barnett
See more of notable alumni and faculty from Millsaps College
- #3 Best Small Colleges in Indiana 2025 #3 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Indiana 2025 #7 Best Private Colleges in Indiana 2024
Tuition + fees
$47K
Acceptance
61%
Graduation
75%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
1221/26
Career Outlook for degree at Wabash College
Cost of Degree: $49,125Expenses: $16,100Starting Salary: $64,000Cost Recoup Time: 16 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWabash College’s academic strengths:
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Literature
- Philosophy
- Physics
- History
- Religious Studies
- Political Science
- Economics
- Psychology
Wabash College’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
- #6 Best Private Colleges in Kentucky 2025 #7 Best Christian Colleges in Kentucky 2024 #7 Best Small Colleges in Kentucky 2025 #9 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Kentucky 2024
Tuition + fees
$42K
Acceptance
72%
Graduation
46%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1130/21
Career Outlook for degree at Georgetown College
Cost of Degree: $42,010Expenses: $15,091Starting Salary: $50,500Cost Recoup Time: 17 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryGeorgetown College’s academic strengths:
- Sociology
- Physics
- Philosophy
- Computer Science
- Literature
- History
- Political Science
- Biology
- Religious Studies
- Chemistry
Georgetown College’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
- Scott Pruitt
- Jacqueline Taylor
- Woo Chia-wei
- James C. Klotter
- Gary Bauer
- Billy Ray Cyrus
- Joe Dan Osceola
- Susan Johns
- Kenneth Davis
- Bruce McNorton
See more of notable alumni and faculty from Georgetown College
- #1 50 Best Small Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2025 #8 America's 15 Most Technologically Advanced Colleges #12 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2025 #12 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2025
Other Rankings
- #12 50 Best Research Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2024
- #15 Best Universities in the US Ranked for Prospective Students in 2025
- #15 50 Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2025
- #15 50 Best Graduate Schools Ranked for Prospective Students in 2025
- #1 Best Small Colleges in California 2025
- #2 Best Private Colleges in California 2025
- #4 Best Grad Schools California 2025
- #4 Best Research Universities in California 2025
- #4 Best Colleges in California 2025
- #4 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2024
- #5 Best Research Universities for Physics Degrees
- #5 Best Research Universities for Chemistry Degrees
- #8 Best Research Universities for Business Degrees 2025
- #10 Best Research Universities for Engineering Degrees
- #10 Best Research Universities for Earth Sciences Degrees
- #14 Best Research Universities for Biology Degrees 2025
- #15 Best Research Universities for Math Degrees
- #15 Best Research Universities for Computer Science Degrees
- #15 Best Research Universities for Economics Degrees 2025
Tuition + fees
$61K
Acceptance
3%
Graduation
94%
Student body
3K
Career Outlook for degree at California Institute of Technology
Cost of Degree: $63,255Expenses: $23,631Starting Salary: $106,300Cost Recoup Time: 14 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryCaltech’s academic strengths:
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Earth Sciences
- Engineering
- Computer Science
- Mathematics
- Biology
- Economics
- Business
- History
Caltech’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
- #2 Best Christian Colleges in West Virginia 2024 #3 Best Small Colleges in West Virginia 2025 #4 Best Private Colleges in West Virginia 2024 #6 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in West Virginia 2024
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$33K
Acceptance
96%
Graduation
53%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1045/20
Career Outlook for degree at West Virginia Wesleyan College
Cost of Degree: $33,494Expenses: $16,045Starting Salary: $48,800Cost Recoup Time: 16 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWest Virginia Wesleyan College’s academic strengths:
- Nursing
- Biology
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Economics
- Psychology
- Literature
- History
- Mathematics
- Medical
West Virginia Wesleyan College’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
- Robin Davis
- Lewis C. Cantley 2.
- Denise Giardina
- Jason Koon
- Emanuel Todorov
- Katherine A. Hoadley
- Anthony Peters
- Anthony Peters
- John Swan
- Pamela Balch
See more of notable alumni and faculty from West Virginia Wesleyan College
- #4 Top 10 Best Online Business Management Bachelor's Programs 2025 #5 Best Online Colleges in Ohio 2024
Tuition + fees
$26K
Acceptance
93%
Graduation
53%
Student body
1K
Career Outlook for degree at Hiram College
Cost of Degree: $26,265Expenses: $14,932Starting Salary: $46,900Cost Recoup Time: 15 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryHiram College’s academic strengths:
- Literature
- Economics
- Communications
- Biology
- Psychology
- Philosophy
- History
- Medical
- Mathematics
- Physics
Hiram College’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
Hiram College’s Online Degrees
BS in Accounting And Financial Management
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Management
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
- #3 Best Small Colleges in Illinois 2025 #4 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Illinois 2025 #10 Best Private Colleges in Illinois 2024
Tuition + fees
$53K
Acceptance
73%
Graduation
75%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1290/30
Career Outlook for degree at Knox College
Cost of Degree: $55,587Expenses: $13,039Starting Salary: $43,500Cost Recoup Time: 21 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryKnox College’s academic strengths:
- Literature
- Computer Science
- Mathematics
- History
- Education
- Psychology
- Political Science
- Physics
- Philosophy
- Biology
Knox College’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
- #19 50 Best Liberal Arts Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students #20 50 Best Small Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2025 #2 Best Small Colleges in Pennsylvania 2024 #2 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Pennsylvania 2024
Other Rankings
- #5 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2024
- #6 Best Private Colleges in Pennsylvania 2024
- #8 Best Colleges in Pennsylvania 2024
- #8 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Earth Sciences Degrees 2025
- #8 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Religious Studies Degrees 2025
- #12 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Physics Degrees
- #12 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Math Degrees
- #13 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Chemistry Degrees 2025
- #13 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Sociology Degrees 2025
- #13 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Economics Degree
- #13 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Earning Computer Science Degrees 2025
- #13 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Philosophy Degrees 2025
- #13 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for a Biology Degree
- #14 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Political Science Degrees 2025
- #15 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Anthropology Degrees
- #16 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for English Degrees 2025
- #21 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for History Degrees
- #24 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Psychology Degrees
Tuition + fees
$64K
Acceptance
14%
Graduation
91%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1485/34
Career Outlook for degree at Haverford College
Cost of Degree: $68,020Expenses: $22,082Starting Salary: $75,100Cost Recoup Time: 18 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryHaverford College’s academic strengths:
- Religious Studies
- Philosophy
- Mathematics
- Literature
- Sociology
- Anthropology
- Political Science
- History
- Physics
- Chemistry
Haverford College’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
- Fredric Jameson
- Dave Barry
- Juan Williams
- Jane Silber
- Jon Kabat-Zinn
- Howard Lutnick
- Mark Geragos
- Andy Gavin
- John C. Whitehead
- Arn Tellem
See more of notable alumni and faculty from Haverford College
- #3 Best Christian Colleges in Virginia 2025 #6 Best Private Colleges in Virginia 2025 #6 Best Small Colleges in Virginia 2025 #8 Most Affordable Colleges in Virginia 2025
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$14K
Acceptance
81%
Graduation
39%
Student body
2K
Career Outlook for degree at Virginia Union University
Cost of Degree: $14,880Expenses: $14,552Starting Salary: $34,200Cost Recoup Time: 15 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryVirginia Union University’s academic strengths:
- Religious Studies
- Social Work
- History
- Education
- Sociology
- Chemistry
- Communications
- Literature
- Psychology
- Computer Science
virginiai Union University’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
- Iyanla Vanzant
- Roslyn Brock
- Randall Robinson
- Wyatt Tee Walker
- Henry L. Marsh
- Ben Wallace
- Leontine T. Kelly
- Douglas Wilder
- Charles Oakley
- Yvonne Maddox
See more of notable alumni and faculty from virginiai Union University
Tuition + fees
$42K
Acceptance
91%
Graduation
57%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
1110/26
Career Outlook for degree at Monmouth College
Cost of Degree: $43,520Expenses: $14,366Starting Salary: $46,500Cost Recoup Time: 18 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryMonmouth College’s academic strengths:
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Engineering
- Philosophy
- Economics
- Computer Science
- Biology
- History
- Literature
- Sociology
Monmouth College’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
- Ann Garry
- Steven Pressman
- Joe Tait
- Harold Arthur Poling
- Chad Simpson
- Danielle Nierenberg
- William J. Winslade
- Karen Bush
- Kennedy J. Reed
- Jane Kurtz
See more of notable alumni and faculty from Monmouth College
- #1 Best Christian Colleges in Kentucky 2024 #1 Best Private Colleges in Kentucky 2025 #1 Best Small Colleges in Kentucky 2025 #4 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Kentucky 2024
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$44K
Acceptance
91%
Graduation
69%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
1240/26
Career Outlook for degree at Transylvania University
Cost of Degree: $44,980Expenses: $17,735Starting Salary: $50,100Cost Recoup Time: 18 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryTransylvania University’s academic strengths:
- Chemistry
- History
- Literature
- Business
- Biology
- Communications
- Political Science
- Education
- Economics
- Philosophy
Transylvania University’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
- Seamus Carey
- Matt Jones
- Richard Berman
- Daniel Mongiardo
- Peter S. Fosl
- Charles L. Shearer
- Claria Horn Boom
- Karen K. Caldwell
- Tracy Clayton
- Tisa Mason
See more of notable alumni and faculty from Transylvania University
Tuition + fees
$37K
Acceptance
96%
Graduation
56%
Student body
<1K
Career Outlook for degree at Elmira College
Cost of Degree: $37,932Expenses: $15,140Starting Salary: $48,500Cost Recoup Time: 17 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryElmira College’s academic strengths:
- Nursing
- Psychology
- Medical
- Economics
- Sociology
- Earth Sciences
- Literature
- Chemistry
- Biology
- History
Elmira College’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
Elmira College’s Online Degrees
BS in Business Administration
Degree Concentrations
- Management
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
Tuition + fees
$41K
Acceptance
99%
Graduation
63%
Student body
2K
Career Outlook for degree at Eastern Mennonite University
Cost of Degree: $41,860Expenses: $16,640Starting Salary: $44,700Cost Recoup Time: 19 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryEastern Mennonite University’s academic strengths:
- Sociology
- Criminal Justice
- Religious Studies
- Social Work
- Political Science
- Chemistry
- Mathematics
- Psychology
- Biology
- Economics
Eastern Mennonite University’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
- Leymah Gbowee
- Donald Kraybill
- Hassan Sheikh Mohamud
- Ali Gohar
- Howard Zehr
- Emmanuel Bombande
- David Augsburger
- Myron Augsburger
- Mohamud Siad Togane
- Jeremy Yoder
See more of notable alumni and faculty from Eastern Mennonite University
- #3 Best Christian Colleges in North Carolina 2024 #4 Best Small Colleges in North Carolina 2024 #5 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in North Carolina 2025 #8 Best Private Colleges in North Carolina 2024
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$16K
Acceptance
61%
Graduation
14%
Student body
1K
Career Outlook for degree at Shaw University
Cost of Degree: $17,272Expenses: $13,680Starting Salary: $30,500Cost Recoup Time: 16 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryShaw University’s academic strengths:
- Social Work
- Education
- Medical
- Political Science
- Chemistry
- Communications
- Philosophy
- Sociology
- Biology
- Criminal Justice
Shaw University’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
Tuition + fees
$34K
Acceptance
48%
Graduation
47%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1095/20
Career Outlook for degree at Pacific Union College
Cost of Degree: $35,214Expenses: $14,388Starting Salary: $61,700Cost Recoup Time: 14 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryPacific Union College’s academic strengths:
- Religious Studies
- Literature
- Medical
- History
- Biology
- Social Work
- Nursing
- Communications
- Sociology
- Education
Pacific Union College’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
- Stanley G. Payne
- George R. Knight
- Lisa Breckenridge
- Jon Dybdahl
- Vincent W. Patton III
- Loree Sutton
- Niels-Erik Andreasen
- Larry Geraty
- Peter Monge
- J. Russell Nelson
See more of notable alumni and faculty from Pacific Union College
- #2 Best Christian Colleges in Iowa 2024 #3 Best Private Colleges in Iowa 2024 #5 Best Small Colleges in Iowa 2025 #5 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Iowa 2025
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$49K
Acceptance
79%
Graduation
63%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1275/26
Career Outlook for degree at Cornell College
Cost of Degree: $50,634Expenses: $15,718Starting Salary: $45,400Cost Recoup Time: 20 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryCornell College’s academic strengths:
- Philosophy
- Mathematics
- Anthropology
- Chemistry
- Psychology
- Physics
- Computer Science
- Literature
- Engineering
- History
Cornell College’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
Cornell College’s Online Degrees
BFA/MFA in Fine Arts
Degree Concentrations
- Creative Writing Low-Residency
- Required Credits: None Reported
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: None Reported
Tuition + fees
$50K
Acceptance
88%
Graduation
74%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1130/23
Career Outlook for degree at Washington & Jefferson College
Cost of Degree: $28,185Expenses: $16,110Starting Salary: $60,100Cost Recoup Time: 13 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWashington & Jefferson College’s academic strengths:
- Medical
- Business
- History
- Literature
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Education
- Biology
- Political Science
- Communications
Washington & Jefferson College’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
- Roger Goodell
- Jonathan Gottschall
- David A. Steinberg
- John S. Reed
- Gary Namie
- Joe Philbin
- William L. Thomas
- Richard Clark
- Tom Rooney
- Frederick E. Grine
See more of notable alumni and faculty from Washington & Jefferson College
Tuition + fees
$50K
Acceptance
81%
Graduation
56%
Student body
<1K
Career Outlook for degree at Ripon College
Cost of Degree: $50,700Expenses: $12,840Starting Salary: $51,300Cost Recoup Time: 18 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryRipon College’s academic strengths:
- Physics
- Anthropology
- Communications
- Philosophy
- History
- Economics
- Sociology
- Psychology
- Biology
- Mathematics
Ripon College’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
- #3 15 Colleges with the Happiest Freshmen #3 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Georgia 2025 #3 Best Christian Colleges in Georgia 2025 #4 Best Small Colleges in Georgia 2025
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$46K
Acceptance
67%
Graduation
77%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1240/27
Career Outlook for degree at Agnes Scott College
Cost of Degree: $48,150Expenses: $16,662Starting Salary: $46,300Cost Recoup Time: 19 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryAgnes Scott College’s academic strengths:
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Philosophy
- Economics
- Psychology
- Political Science
- Literature
- History
- Sociology
- Medical
Agnes Scott College’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
- Wasfia Nazreen
- Jordan Casteel
- Jennifer Nettles
- Loretta Ross
- Susan M. Phillips
- Sue Jinks-Robertson
- Kimberly Belle
- Marsha Norman
- Katherine Harris
- Marilyn Breen
See more of notable alumni and faculty from Agnes Scott College
- #10 Best Christian Colleges in Pennsylvania 2025 #14 Best Online Master's Programs in Pennsylvania 2025
Tuition + fees
$39K
Acceptance
98%
Graduation
62%
Student body
2K
Career Outlook for degree at Chestnut Hill College
Cost of Degree: $39,410Expenses: $19,444Starting Salary: $46,800Cost Recoup Time: 18 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryChestnut Hill College’s academic strengths:
- Computer Science
- Mathematics
- Psychology
- Education
- History
- Criminal Justice
- Communications
- Sociology
- Literature
- Medical
Chestnut Hill College’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
- Frances Spence
- Frederica Massiah-Jackson
- Kathleen Byerly
- Margaret McKenna
- Ana Marjanović-shane
- Nicole M. Monteiro
- Yefim Kats
- Joseph Kulkosky
- George Willis Diemer
- Scott W. Browning
See more of notable alumni and faculty from Chestnut Hill College
- #8 Best Christian Colleges in Indiana 2025 #9 Best Small Colleges in Indiana 2025 #10 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Indiana 2025
Tuition + fees
$42K
Acceptance
74%
Graduation
69%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1180/26
Career Outlook for degree at Hanover College
Cost of Degree: $41,983Expenses: $16,258Starting Salary: $51,600Cost Recoup Time: 17 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryHanover College’s academic strengths:
- Biology
- Earth Sciences
- Physics
- Chemistry
- History
- Mathematics
- Literature
- Political Science
- Education
- Engineering
Hanover College’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
- #4 Best Christian Colleges in DC 2025 #4 Best Small Colleges in DC 2024 #7 Best Private Colleges in DC 2024 #8 Best Colleges in DC 2024
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$26K
Acceptance
97%
Graduation
38%
Student body
2K
Career Outlook for degree at Trinity Washington University
Cost of Degree: $26,110Expenses: $15,190Starting Salary: $43,100Cost Recoup Time: 16 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryTrinity Washington University’s academic strengths:
- Political Science
- Nursing
- Sociology
- Education
- Literature
- Criminal Justice
- Communications
- Religious Studies
- Psychology
- Medical
Trinity Washington University’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
- Kellyanne Conway
- Nancy Pelosi
- Cathie Black
- Rosemary M. Collyer
- Kathleen Sebelius
- Maggie Williams
- Claire Eagan
- Tina Darragh
- M. Patricia Smith
- Kate Moira Ryan
See more of notable alumni and faculty from Trinity Washington University
- #5 Best Private Colleges in Michigan 2024 #5 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Michigan 2024 #5 Best Small Colleges in Michigan 2024 #21 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Earning Business Degrees in 2025
Tuition + fees
$55K
Acceptance
67%
Graduation
59%
Student body
2K
Career Outlook for degree at Albion College
Cost of Degree: $55,746Expenses: $14,370Starting Salary: $55,700Cost Recoup Time: 18 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryAlbion College’s academic strengths:
- Earth Sciences
- Chemistry
- Computer Science
- Physics
- Mathematics
- Biology
- Political Science
- Business
- Literature
- Economics
Albion College’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
Tuition + fees
$37K
Acceptance
75%
Graduation
55%
Student body
<1K
Cazenovia College’s academic strengths:
- Business
- Psychology
- Communications
- Criminal Justice
- Education
- Biology
- Sociology
- Literature
- Social Work
- Medical
Cazenovia College’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
- Hind Rassam Culhane
- Joseph R. Ferrari
- Barbara W. Woodlee
- David Rogers Andrews
- John Robert Greene
- Judy Fenster
- Rachel E. Dinero
- Barbara J. Hager
- Jessica N. Essary
- Jesse Owen Harasta
See more of notable alumni and faculty from Cazenovia College
- #11 50 Best Christian Liberal Arts Colleges and Universities 2025 #2 Best Christian Colleges in Ohio 2025 #4 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Ohio 2025 #6 Best Small Colleges in Ohio 2024
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$50K
Acceptance
52%
Graduation
66%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1240/26
Career Outlook for degree at Ohio Wesleyan University
Cost of Degree: $52,296Expenses: $17,026Starting Salary: $51,600Cost Recoup Time: 19 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryOhio Wesleyan University’s academic strengths:
- Law
- Business
- Religious Studies
- Political Science
- Education
- Physics
- Sociology
- History
- Literature
- Economics
Ohio Wesleyan University’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
- Richard North Patterson
- Ezra Vogel
- William Hsiao
- Tremper Longman
- George Conrades
- William H. Gass
- Ram Samudrala
- Jeffrey Ford
- Don Saliers
- Kathryn Barger
See more of notable alumni and faculty from Ohio Wesleyan University
- #4 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Georgia 2025 #5 Best Small Colleges in Georgia 2025 #8 Best Private Colleges in Georgia 2024
Tuition + fees
$44K
Acceptance
71%
Graduation
57%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1185/25
Career Outlook for degree at Oglethorpe University
Cost of Degree: $45,806Expenses: $19,250Starting Salary: $49,400Cost Recoup Time: 19 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryOglethorpe University’s academic strengths:
- History
- Physics
- Political Science
- Literature
- Business
- Philosophy
- Communications
- Economics
- Sociology
- Engineering
Oglethorpe University’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
- Dar'shun Kendrick
- Diana Fleischman
- Lawrence Schall
- Michael J. Beran
- Hugh P. Thompson
- Sable Elyse Smith
- John Burke
- Ahmet Cumhur Akin
- Christopher J. McFadden
- Reginald F. Frye
See more of notable alumni and faculty from Oglethorpe University
- #2 Best Christian Colleges in Kansas 2024 #3 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Kansas 2024 #3 Best Private Colleges in Kansas 2024 #4 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2024
Tuition + fees
$32K
Acceptance
63%
Graduation
45%
Student body
4K
Median SAT/ACT
1065/22
Career Outlook for degree at Friends University
Cost of Degree: $32,748Expenses: $16,876Starting Salary: $46,900Cost Recoup Time: 17 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryFriends University’s academic strengths:
- Biology
- Psychology
- Mathematics
- Religious Studies
- Literature
- Social Work
- Communications
- Criminal Justice
- Computer Science
- Sociology
Friends University’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
- James F. Crow
- Antwan Wilson
- R. C. Buford
- Darrel Ray
- Bruce P. Blake
- Mitch McVicker
- Jeff Fraser
- Michael O'Donnell
- Aaron Jack
- Matt Lundy
See more of notable alumni and faculty from Friends University
Tuition + fees
$35K
Acceptance
55%
Graduation
40%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
963/16
Career Outlook for degree at Rockford University
Cost of Degree: $37,000Expenses: $15,600Starting Salary: $47,800Cost Recoup Time: 17 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryRockford University’s academic strengths:
- Sociology
- Political Science
- Philosophy
- Literature
- Biology
- History
- Education
- Psychology
- Medical
- Mathematics
Rockford University’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
- Stephen Hicks
- Hind Rassam Culhane
- Robin Schone
- Roland Poska
- Mark Pedowitz
- Barbara Santucci
- Deb Patterson
- Jane Addams
- Joyce Holmberg
- Maurice West
See more of notable alumni and faculty from Rockford University
Rockford University’s Online Degrees
BSMS in Bachelor Of Science In Management Studies
- Required Credits: 60
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BSAS in Bachelors Of Science In Accounting Studies
- Required Credits: 60
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
- #7 Best Christian Colleges in Illinois 2025 #6 Best Online Bachelor’s in Agribusiness and Agriculture Degree Programs #13 Best Online Colleges in Illinois 2024
Tuition + fees
$36K
Acceptance
77%
Graduation
67%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1043/23
Career Outlook for degree at Illinois College
Cost of Degree: $37,470Starting Salary: $49,100Illinois College’s academic strengths:
- Biology
- Medical
- Economics
- Political Science
- History
- Business
- Literature
- Chemistry
- Physics
- Education
Illinois College’s most influential faculty and alumni today:
- Cheri Bustos
- Brian Sherwin
- Bob Schillerstrom
- Steve Hochstadt
- Richard Henry Mills
- Paul Findley
- Nancy Farmer
- Maurice West
- Edward E. Johnston
- Marina Verenikina
See more of notable alumni and faculty from Illinois College
Illinois College’s Online Degrees
BA in Accounting
- Required Credits: 42
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Agribusiness Management
- Required Credits: 42
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Human Resources Management
- Required Credits: 46
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Business Administration
Degree Concentrations
- Management
- Required Credits: 42-44
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
More about Measuring Academic Stewardship
At AcademicInfluence.com, we measure the influence of schools. By taking publicly available databases, such as Semantic Scholar and Wikipedia, we can measure the influence of academic persons in their respective disciplines, and then by looking at what schools they’re affiliated with (faculty and alums), we can measure the influence of the schools and their disciplinary programs. All of this we cover in our methodology and related articles.
Go to: The Best Colleges and Universities by Academic Stewardship
Not surprisingly, rich and large schools have a huge advantage in scoring high on influence. Influence can be viewed as an educational asset, and the bigger wealthier schools are in a strong position go acquire a lot of it. But what happens when smaller schools with fewer resources invest in influence wisely and, proportionately, do better in acquiring influence than large wealthy schools? Large wealthy schools have a lot of money to burn in acquiring influence. Academic Stewardship imposes a cost on poor stewardship, rewarding schools not for influence per se but for their effectiveness in acquiring influence with limited means.
Academic Stewardship is getting the most influence for the actual resources on hand. As a ranking metric, it asks how effectively schools use the financial and human resources they have to obtain influence. Academic Stewardship rewards wise stewardship, penalizes waste and extravagance. Cost-effectiveness analyses are widely used in business, but Academic Stewardship goes beyond mere cost-effectiveness. When the topic of money comes up in higher education, the focus is often on affordability and keeping costs down, rather than on clarifying how a school’s resources are contributing optimally to its academic impact.
Many of the schools that rank highly by Academic Stewardship would never get recognized in conventional school rankings, which directly or indirectly put a premium on the wealth of schools. An Academic Stewardship ranking determines which schools are most influential in light of the limits on financial and human resources that they face.
Academic Stewardship intersects with affordability and getting the best value for one’s tuition dollar, but it should not be confused with frugality or even financial responsibility. Indeed, some very wealthy schools are, by any measure, financially responsible, as witnessed by their ever growing endowments.
By contrast, the schools that appear high up in our Academic Stewardship rankings tend to be all over the map when it comes to standard accounting measures, such as tuition costs. At issue is the influence that schools can acquire given the financial and human resources available to them. If a school high in Academic Stewardship is going to charge more for tuition, such an increase needs to be reflected in the school having proportionately greater influence.
Academic Stewardship as a Metric
So what exactly is Academic Stewardship? Academic Stewardship, as we define it, is a metric for measuring influence as a function of human and financial resources. The influence score of a school, as we note in our methodology statement and expand on in our InfluenceRanking™ engine description, is the combined influence of all the people affiliated with the school, which includes both faculty and alumni.
The formula for Academic Stewardship is a fraction, and so has a numerator and denominator. We put the overall influence score of a school in the numerator. The denominator of Academic Stewardship then consists of multiplying three factors. These three factors are entirely constructed from the National Center for Educations Statistics’s IPEDS data:
- FACTOR 1
- The size of the undergraduate student body. The idea here is that large schools with large numbers of undergraduates dilute their influence across many students, but smaller schools may be able to concentrate their influence more effectively. If this were the only factor in the denominator, Academic Stewardship would coincide with an earlier metric we’ve developed and used widely across this site, namely, Concentrated Influence. But there’s more to Academic Stewardship.
- FACTOR 2
- The school’s budget. A school’s annual budget gives a good sense of what a school has to spend in acquiring influence. The budget will include salaries of faculty, which enables them to affiliate with the school and thereby contribute their influence to it. At the same time, the budget covers the cost of educating students, who by becoming influential alumni will also contribute to the school’s influence.
- FACTOR 3
- The maximum of i) total tuition and fees income for the year, ii) five percent of the endowment, and iii) 8,000 times size of undergraduate student body. This factor controls for wealth of schools in terms of tuitions charged and tuition costs capable of being covered by endowments (5 percent being a very modest return on an endowment and thus easily spent on influence). It also controls for public institutions that charge virtually no tuition and may have no endowment, but which clearly are getting their money from somewhere (tax payers). In our research $8,000 is as low as an education per student can go without becoming overwhelmingly subsidized.
ACADEMIC STEWARDSHIP = (OVERALL INFLUENCE SCORE OF SCHOOL)/
(FACTOR1 x FACTOR2 x FACTOR3)
Note that the last factor may seem a bit jury-rigged, but it works. It holds wealthy schools accountable for their wealth, especially those with large endowments, treating 5 percent of the endowment as a financial resource that schools readily have available to them without undercutting their bottom line. At the same time, this factor holds seemingly poor schools honest about their subsidization (such as through taxes or religious donations) if they show very little income from tuitions. The point is to prevent schools from claiming unfair advantages or disadvantages.
The second and third factors suggest some redundancy, with budget ordinarily incorporating income from tuition and fees. That’s true, but we are simultaneously trying to control for wealthy schools that can dip into huge endowments as well as for seemingly poor schools that can report low budget and tuition figures, but still have access to considerable financial resources. Taken together, these two factors control for fudging of budget and tuition figures.
Two more tweaks are needed for our Academic Stewardship metric. First, we limited our attention to schools with at least 700 students. To go smaller invited a lot of specialty schools, including some really fine music conservatories. But we wanted this ranking to serve nonspecialist readers interested in schools with a diversity of offerings, and so 700 seemed like a reasonable cutoff.
Also, we limited our attention to American schools that were in the top 1,000 for overall influence. We did this because we wanted to avoid schools that had extremely small overall influence but that would still come up high in Academic Stewardship because their financial resources were proportionately even more extremely small.
In formulating our Academic Stewardship metric, we needed to calibrate it to ensure that schools that do more with less do indeed get properly rewarded. We expect that this metric can still be improved. But we’re also confident that in its present form, it is closely on target.
Our Most Surprising Find
Interestingly, in the various earlier experimental versions of the Academic Stewardship metric that we formulated, and also in the one we settled on here, we found a consistent pattern: Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) kept coming up at the top, with Fisk University in particular dominating the ranking at the #1 spot.
The special recognition that this metric gave to HBCUs was remarkable and unanticipated. You can see how HBCUs thrive under the Academic Stewardship metric by using our Custom College Ranking tool set to Academic Stewardship.
Image Credit: Dillard University, New Orleans, Louisiana Infrogmation of New Orleans, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons.