50 Best Liberal Arts Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students

50 Best Liberal Arts Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students
By James Barham
Published:
Updated:

Liberal arts colleges are a great option for students seeking a well-rounded education in an intimate campus setting. The best liberal arts colleges offer a diverse selection of degree programs with opportunities for a highly individualized educational experience.

10 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in 2022

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  1. Amherst College
    2. 63%
  2. Wesleyan University
    3. 62%
  3. United States Military Academy
    4. 62%
  4. Swarthmore College
    5. 61%
  5. Oberlin College
    6. 61%
  6. Brooklyn College
    7. 60%
  7. Williams College
    8. 60%
  8. Barnard College
    9. 58%
  9. Wellesley College
    10. 58%
  10. Smith College
    11. 58%
  1. San Francisco State University
    2. 93%
  2. California State University, Los Angeles
    3. 91%
  3. California State University, Northridge
    4. 88%
  4. Suffolk University
    5. 88%
  5. Fairleigh Dickinson University
    6. 85%
  6. San Jose State University
    7. 84%
  7. Willamette University
    8. 80%
  8. Hampshire College
    9. 75%
  9. Calvin University
    10. 75%
  10. Morehouse College
    11. 65%
  1. California State University, Northridge
    2. 28 to 1
  2. California State University, Fullerton
    3. 27 to 1
  3. California State University, Los Angeles
    4. 25 to 1
  4. San Jose State University
    5. 25 to 1
  5. California State University, Long Beach
    6. 24 to 1
  6. San Francisco State University
    7. 22 to 1
  7. Baruch College
    8. 20 to 1
  8. Brooklyn College
    9. 17 to 1
  9. Queens College, City University of New York
    10. 17 to 1
  10. Hunter College
    11. 15 to 1
  1. Kenyon College
    2. $63,310
  2. Vassar College
    3. $62,870
  3. Reed College
    4. $62,730
  4. Colorado College
    5. $62,070
  5. Wesleyan University
    6. $62,049
  6. Colgate University
    7. $61,966
  7. Union College, New York
    8. $61,659
  8. Haverford College
    9. $61,210
  9. Amherst College
    10. $61,150
  10. Wellesley College
    11. $60,752
  1. Claremont McKenna College
    2. $64,288
  2. Vassar College
    3. $61,940
  3. Colgate University
    4. $61,594
  4. Wesleyan University
    5. $61,449
  5. Williams College
    6. $59,728
  6. Occidental College
    7. $57,830
  7. Smith College
    8. $55,830
  8. Bryn Mawr College
    9. $48,328
  9. Willamette University
    10. $43,735
  10. Suffolk University
    11. $39,450
  1. Calvin University
    2. 37%
  2. Hampshire College
    3. 41%
  3. Macalester College
    4. 41%
  4. California State University, Long Beach
    5. 42%
  5. Willamette University
    6. 42%
  6. California State University, Los Angeles
    7. 42%
  7. California State University, Fullerton
    8. 43%
  8. Claremont McKenna College
    9. 43%
  9. Fairleigh Dickinson University
    10. 44%
  10. Harvey Mudd College
    11. 44%
  1. Pomona College
    2. 7%
  2. Swarthmore College
    3. 8%
  3. United States Naval Academy
    4. 8%
  4. Amherst College
    5. 9%
  5. Williams College
    6. 9%
  6. Bowdoin College
    7. 9%
  7. Harvey Mudd College
    8. 10%
  8. Claremont McKenna College
    9. 11%
  9. Barnard College
    10. 11%
  10. United States Military Academy
    11. 11%
  1. United States Air Force Academy
    2. 6 to 1
  2. Pomona College
    3. 6 to 1
  3. Williams College
    4. 6 to 1
  4. Amherst College
    5. 7 to 1
  5. Swarthmore College
    6. 7 to 1
  6. Smith College
    7. 7 to 1
  7. Wellesley College
    8. 7 to 1
  8. United States Military Academy
    9. 7 to 1
  9. Dickinson College
    10. 8 to 1
  10. Carleton College
    11. 8 to 1
  1. California State University, Fullerton
    2. $5,742
  2. California State University, Long Beach
    3. $5,742
  3. San Francisco State University
    4. $5,742
  4. California State University, Los Angeles
    5. $5,742
  5. San Jose State University
    6. $5,742
  6. California State University, Northridge
    7. $5,742
  7. Hunter College
    8. $6,930
  8. Baruch College
    9. $6,930
  9. Brooklyn College
    10. $6,930
  10. Queens College, City University of New York
    11. $6,930
  1. Dickinson College
    2. $3,750
  2. California State University, Fullerton
    3. $7,176
  3. California State University, Long Beach
    4. $7,176
  4. San Francisco State University
    5. $7,176
  5. California State University, Los Angeles
    6. $7,176
  6. San Jose State University
    7. $7,176
  7. California State University, Northridge
    8. $7,176
  8. Fairleigh Dickinson University
    9. $9,780
  9. Hunter College
    10. $11,090
  10. Baruch College
    11. $11,090

Key Takeaways

  • The best liberal arts colleges offer a great education that will result in a well-rounded, educated person.
  • The best liberal arts colleges offer smaller class sizes and more opportunities for interaction with professors.
  • The smaller, intimate environment present in the best liberal arts colleges help students to mature and go into their careers confident in the skills they’ve acquired.

Featured Programs

What is a liberal arts college?

A liberal arts college is a school that puts a premium on undergraduate studies and offers a broad range of subjects for students to study. Top liberal arts colleges typically require students to select a major while simultaneously completing a wide array of courses in both the humanities and the sciences. The point of a liberal arts education is not just to learn deeply about some specialized area, but to emerge as a well rounded, broadly educated person with a fuller appreciation of life and the world.

A liberal arts college typically provides smaller class sizes, more direct engagement with professors, and, most importantly, the opportunity to sample a wide range of subject areas on the way to a bachelor’s degree. Liberal arts colleges are often referred to as “teaching colleges”, because of their focus on the students’ needs.

The value of liberal arts colleges is difficult to describe. Smaller campuses, smaller student bodies, more personal attention from professors, and more tightly knit cohorts are a few of the commonly mentioned benefits of liberal arts colleges. What is hard to articulate is that liberal arts students feel known by their professors and school administrators. This “being known” feeling is what keeps alumni feeling a part of their school decades after graduating, and for many alumni, the relationships formed with professors means they could comfortably call a former professor years after graduating.

Liberal arts colleges are not smaller colleges because they’ve been less successful at growing into large universities. Liberal arts colleges do not have second-rate professors who couldn’t get jobs at larger schools. The intentions of liberal arts colleges are to hire faculty who care for students over their own research, and to create an environment that allows them to continue investing in students, helping them mature and go confidently into the workforce.

Best Liberal Arts Colleges and Universities
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The following list of the best arts liberal colleges and universities is composed entirely of four-year undergraduate schools. We’ve identified 1,240 liberal arts colleges in the US. In order to be included in this list of the best liberal arts colleges and universities, a school must be fully accredited non-profit institution.

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50 Best Liberal Arts Colleges and Universities in the US

  1. #1

    Swarthmore College

    Swarthmore , PA
    #3 50 Best Small Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #15 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2023 #15 50 Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2023 #1 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Pennsylvania 2023
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $56K

    Acceptance

    8%

    Graduation

    94%

    Student body

    2K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1467/32

    What is Swarthmore College known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

  2. #2

    Wesleyan University

    Middletown , CT
    #4 50 Best Small Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #1 Best Small Colleges in Connecticut 2023 #1 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Connecticut 2023 #2 Best Private Colleges in Connecticut 2023
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $62K

    Acceptance

    19%

    Graduation

    91%

    Student body

    3K

    What is Wesleyan University known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

  3. #3

    Reed College

    Portland , OR
    #5 50 Best Small Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #10 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2023 #10 50 Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2023 #18 Best Colleges and Universities by Academic Stewardship
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $63K

    Acceptance

    44%

    Graduation

    73%

    Student body

    1K

    What is Reed College known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

  4. #4

    Amherst College

    Amherst , MA
    #6 50 Best Small Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #20 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2023 #21 50 Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2023 #1 Best Small Colleges in Massachusetts 2023
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $61K

    Acceptance

    9%

    Graduation

    92%

    Student body

    2K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1495/33

    What is Amherst College known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

  5. #5

    Williams College

    Williamstown , MA
    #7 50 Best Small Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #23 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2023 #24 50 Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2023 #2 Best Small Colleges in Massachusetts 2023
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $60K

    Acceptance

    9%

    Graduation

    94%

    Student body

    2K

    What is Williams College known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

  8. #7

    United States Military Academy

    West Point , NY
    #11 50 Best Public Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #2 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in New York 2023 #5 Most Affordable Colleges in New York 2023 #5 Best Public Colleges in New York 2023
    Other Rankings

    Acceptance

    11%

    Graduation

    84%

    Student body

    5K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1325/30

    What is United States Military Academy known for?

    United States Military Academy’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    Most Influential Alumni

  9. #8

    Wellesley College

    Wellesley , MA
    #9 50 Best Small Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #3 Best Small Colleges in Massachusetts 2023 #3 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Massachusetts 2023 #10 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts 2023
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $61K

    Acceptance

    16%

    Graduation

    92%

    Student body

    3K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1435/32

    What is Wellesley College known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

  10. #9

    Oberlin College

    Oberlin , OH
    #10 50 Best Small Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #1 Best Small Colleges in Ohio 2023 #1 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Ohio 2023 #2 Best Private Colleges in Ohio 2023
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $60K

    Acceptance

    34%

    Graduation

    82%

    Student body

    3K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1315/30

    What is Oberlin College known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

  11. #10

    Barnard College

    New York , NY
    #11 50 Best Small Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #2 Best Small Colleges in New York 2023 #3 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in New York 2023 #10 Best Private Colleges in New York 2023
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $60K

    Acceptance

    11%

    Graduation

    93%

    Student body

    3K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1434/32

    What is Barnard College known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

  14. #12

    San Francisco State University

    San Francisco , CA
    #1 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in California 2023 #10 Best Public Colleges California 2023 #10 Most Affordable Colleges in California 2023 #1 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Social Work Degrees
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $7K

    Acceptance

    93%

    Graduation

    54%

    Student body

    24K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1030/19

    What is San Francisco State University known for?

    San Francisco State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    Most Influential Alumni

  17. #15

    Vassar College

    Poughkeepsie , NY
    #14 50 Best Small Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #3 Best Small Colleges in New York 2023 #5 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in New York 2023 #2 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Communications Degree
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $63K

    Acceptance

    20%

    Graduation

    93%

    Student body

    2K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1440/33

    What is Vassar College known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

  19. #16

    Haverford College

    Haverford , PA
    #15 50 Best Small Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #25 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2023 #2 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Pennsylvania 2023 #2 Best Small Colleges in Pennsylvania 2023
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $61K

    Acceptance

    18%

    Graduation

    90%

    Student body

    1K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1440/33

    What is Haverford College known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

  21. #18

    Pomona College

    Claremont , CA
    #16 50 Best Small Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #2 Best Small Colleges in California 2023 #3 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in California 2023 #7 Best Private Colleges in California 2023
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $57K

    Acceptance

    7%

    Graduation

    93%

    Student body

    2K

    What is Pomona College known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

  27. #23

    Middlebury College

    Middlebury , VT
    #20 50 Best Small Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #1 Best Small Colleges in Vermont 2023 #1 Best Private Colleges in Vermont 2023 #1 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2023
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $60K

    Acceptance

    13%

    Graduation

    91%

    Student body

    3K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1430/32

    What is Middlebury College known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

  28. #24

    Bowdoin College

    Brunswick , ME
    #21 50 Best Small Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #1 Best Private Colleges in Maine 2023 #1 Best Small Colleges in Maine 2023 #1 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Maine 2023
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $58K

    Acceptance

    9%

    Graduation

    94%

    Student body

    2K

    What is Bowdoin College known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

  32. #27

    Colgate University

    Hamilton , NY
    #23 50 Best Small Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #4 Best Small Colleges in New York 2023 #8 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in New York 2023 #5 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Education Degrees
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $62K

    Acceptance

    17%

    Graduation

    90%

    Student body

    3K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1385/31

    What is Colgate University known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

  40. #34

    Claremont McKenna College

    Claremont , CA
    #4 Best Small Colleges in California 2023 #5 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in California 2023 #10 Best Private Colleges in California 2023 #1 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Earning Business Degrees in 2023
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $58K

    Acceptance

    11%

    Graduation

    93%

    Student body

    1K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1415/32

    What is Claremont McKenna College known for?

    Claremont McKenna College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    Most Influential Alumni

  41. #35

    California State University, Northridge

    Northridge , CA
    #6 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in California 2023

    Tuition + fees

    $7K

    Acceptance

    88%

    Graduation

    54%

    Student body

    34K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1005/19

    What is California State University, Northridge known for?

    California State University, Northridge’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    Most Influential Alumni

    California State University, Northridge’s Online Degrees

    BA in Liberal Studies
    • Required Credits: 60
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BA in Public Sector Management
    • Required Credits: 60
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
  43. #36

    California State University, Fullerton

    Fullerton , CA
    #7 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in California 2023

    Tuition + fees

    $7K

    Acceptance

    59%

    Graduation

    71%

    Student body

    36K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1090/20

    What is California State University, Fullerton known for?

    California State University, Fullerton’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    Most Influential Alumni

    California State University, Fullerton’s Online Degrees

    BA in Business Administration
    • Required Credits: 54
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BA in Humanities and Social Sciences
    • Required Credits: 51
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BA in Sociology
    • Required Credits: 51
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
  45. #38

    California State University, Los Angeles

    Los Angeles , CA
    #8 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in California 2023

    Tuition + fees

    $7K

    Acceptance

    91%

    Graduation

    52%

    Student body

    23K

    Median SAT/ACT

    965/17

    What is California State University, Los Angeles known for?

    California State University, Los Angeles’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    Most Influential Alumni

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Find the Best Liberal Arts Colleges and Universities in Your Area of Interest

The best liberal arts colleges by discipline

Earn a Degree from a Liberal Arts College That is Close to Home

The best liberal arts colleges offer an intimate, but supportive learning environment. Upon graduation, successful students will go into their careers confident in the well-rounded education they’ve received.

If attending a liberal arts school that is close to home is also important to you, check out our Complete List of Colleges and Universities by State.

Photo Credit: Swarthmore College, by Ugen64 at English Wikipedia - Transferred from en.wikipedia to Wikimedia Commons. Public Domain.

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