Is a liberal arts college right for me?–

Often referred to as “teaching colleges” liberal arts colleges put a premium on undergraduate studies and offers a broad range of subjects for students to study. A college of liberal arts 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. Do you want your professors to know you? Liberal arts colleges strive to cultivate campus cultures that encourage tight bonds between professors and students. Professors at these schools will typically conduct original research. Yet the best of these schools offer their faculty reduced teaching loads so that they can both be productive researchers and still have plenty of time for students (both in and outside the classroom). Do you want to feel like you know everybody? One of the most enticing features of a liberal arts college is that in very little time, you can feel like you know who’s who, which can create strong friendships, but also more pleasurable walks across campus. While your sports teams may never be on ESPN, it’s more likely that you’ll know the athletes as your peers. Beyond student and faculty relationships, it’s not unusual for the school president and other administrators to learn who you are. When faced with problems with your student account or the need to switch classes, this can be comforting during a stressful moment. Read more about the differences between research universities and liberal arts colleges.

50 Best Christian Liberal Arts Colleges and Universities 2024

Badge for BEST IN THE US CHRISTIAN LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGES

By Dr. James Barham

Published: Jan 19, 2021
Updated: Apr 2, 2024

Key Takeaways

The country’s best Christian liberal arts colleges and universities offer holistic undergraduate and graduate degree programs that engage students’ intellect, body, and soul and equip them with critical thinking abilities, job readiness, lifelong connections, and a closer relationship with God.
Christian liberal arts colleges and universities have small class sizes, allowing students to engage in a tight-knit community while still practicing their faith.
The average tuition fees at Christian liberal arts colleges and universities are around $40,000.

College of the Holy Cross
Wheaton College
Lafayette College
Davidson College
Earlham College
University of Portland
St. Olaf College
Macalester College
Ohio Wesleyan University
Loyola University Maryland

Iona University 96%
Xavier University of Louisiana 95%
La Salle University 94%
Wittenberg University 94%
University of Portland 93%
Niagara University 90%
Saint Joseph's University 89%
Saint Mary's College of California 88%
Wheaton College 88%
St. Mary's University, Texas 86%

Oral Roberts University 17 to 1
High Point University 17 to 1
Iona University 15 to 1
John Carroll University 14 to 1
Florida Southern College 14 to 1
Wagner College 14 to 1
Abilene Christian University 13 to 1
Hamline University 13 to 1
Dillard University 13 to 1
Grove City College 13 to 1

Macalester College $62,500
Lafayette College $59,368
College of the Holy Cross $58,360
Providence College $57,928
Davidson College $57,340
St. Olaf College $54,650
Fairfield University $54,455
Saint Mary's College of California $53,932
Loyola University Maryland $53,430
Gustavus Adolphus College $53,030

Rhodes College $52,000
Hendrix College $34,750
University of Dallas $33,750
Saint Mary's College of California $32,335
Ohio Northern University $31,900
Stonehill College $31,867
University of Evansville $29,501
High Point University $29,500
La Salle University $26,400
Siena College $25,660

Wofford College
Saint Mary's College of California
Stonehill College
Ohio Northern University
Oral Roberts University
High Point University
Grove City College
University of Evansville
University of Scranton
Eckerd College

Canisius University
Iona University
Stonehill College
Eckerd College
Siena College
Wofford College
High Point University
Ohio Northern University
Xavier University of Louisiana
Florida Southern College

Davidson College 17%
Macalester College 28%
Trinity University 31%
Lafayette College 34%
College of the Holy Cross 36%
Sewanee: The University of the South 52%
Ohio Wesleyan University 52%
Fairfield University 52%
Providence College 53%
Rhodes College 54%

Earlham College 6 to 1
Trinity University 9 to 1
University of Portland 9 to 1
Davidson College 9 to 1
Saint Mary's College of California 9 to 1
Rhodes College 9 to 1
Sewanee: The University of the South 10 to 1
Wittenberg University 10 to 1
College of the Holy Cross 10 to 1
Macalester College 10 to 1

Grove City College $19,990
Dillard University $20,224
Ashland University $24,140
Xavier University of Louisiana $26,863
Canisius University $31,800
Oral Roberts University $32,640
La Salle University $33,890
Hendrix College $35,100
St. Mary's University, Texas $35,226
Ohio Northern University $36,730

Ashland University $7,656
Wittenberg University $8,027
Grove City College $8,550
Hamline University $10,321
Providence College $11,070
University of Scranton $11,580
Oral Roberts University $11,623
Calvin University $11,880
Xavier University $12,060
Niagara University $14,040

Table of Contents

Featured Programs

Getting to Know America’s Best Christian Liberal Arts and Colleges

Students interested in a faith-based education have sometimes pondered whether Christian colleges are more expensive than other institutions of higher learning. The answer is yes; Christian liberal arts colleges and universities cost substantially more than public colleges and universities. However, Christian liberal arts colleges, compared to secular private schools, are less expensive and provide better benefits.

Christian liberal arts colleges provide several benefits, making them very attractive to Christian and non-Christian students.

Christian Schools vs. Secular Schools

Christian schools are typically less expensive than secular ones despite being private organizations. This is due to the school’s priority of reducing obstacles to a faith-based education over having expensive tuition.

Christian institutions have larger endowments that individual donors sponsor with ample funds, while secular colleges rely significantly on tuition and fees each student pays.

Christian college students also typically finish their degrees faster than students at other institutions, which eliminates the need for tuition for at least one full academic term.

Benefits of Attending a Christian College

Despite high tuition and fees, an education from a Christian liberal arts college or university is worth it. However, it is not for everyone. But a Christian college or university may be the best option if you firmly commit to your faith and want your higher education to be concentrated on it. It might offer a beneficial educational setting with a solid biblical foundation.

Strong and Supportive Community

Students feel isolated and uncomfortable during their first year of study, especially non-residents, since they’re adjusting to a new atmosphere, which may be dissimilar from their familiar one at home. The advantage of attending Christian institutions is that students are more likely to establish friends and develop strong bonds with people who share their religious beliefs.

Staff and faculty at a Christian liberal arts college or university are committed to supporting students’ professional success while serving as mentors and close friends. In addition to furthering one’s knowledge, attending college allows one to interact with other Christians and live out their faith.

Low Student to Faculty Ratio

Since students pay a high price for their education, a private Christian college maintains a small, average student-to-faculty ratio. The biggest one might be a tenth the size of a state’s public institution.

Numerous benefits come with a smaller student body. Students receiving individualized attention and attaining a more personalized liberal arts education is one of the major benefits of attending Christian liberal arts colleges and universities. Additionally, this creates a tight-knit community, which often results in high student retention rates.

Healthy Character Development Due to Combined Liberal Arts Education and Christian Values

You shouldn’t have to choose between your studies and your beliefs when it comes to college life. You can learn new things in various topics, such as science, history, and art, while having your faith integrated into the setting of your studies if you attend a Christian liberal arts college.

Life Beyond the Classroom

Christian college students have many opportunities to experience life beyond the classroom. Christian college students may benefit from volunteer work, studying abroad, and professional internships.

Christian college students frequently embark on domestic and foreign mission trips to share the gospel with various individuals. Students develop essential life skills, such as independence, social competence, and clear communication.

Expand Your Social Network

Contrary to popular belief that a Christian school will prevent you from having the chance to interact with a wide range of people, students have the opportunity to interact with students of all year levels. Christian students come from diverse racial, ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic origins, yet they all have a common belief in God and the same religion.

Attending a Christian university can expose you to a wide range of people from all over the world, many of whom have inspiring conversion stories. You’ll broaden your perspective and gain a greater understanding of the diversity in the world around you by hearing these stories and relating to them.

How do we determine the best Christian liberal arts colleges and universities for undergraduates?

Methodology

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

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

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

The following list of the best Christian liberal arts colleges consists entirely of liberal arts colleges and universities that offer bachelor’s degrees. We’ve identified a total of 486 Christian liberal arts colleges in the US. In order to be included in this ranking list of best Christian colleges and universities, a schools must be regionally accredited, classified as a liberal arts college, and it must self-identify as being a Christian institution.

The Best Christian Liberal Arts Colleges & Universities 2023

Frequently Asked Questions About Attending a Christian Liberal Arts College

Christian colleges are private, independent schools that receive their funding through a combination of endowment income and student tuition fees, as well as in some cases through denominational giving. The best Christian colleges in America will create learning opportunities that balance academic inquiry with Christian faith and tradition. For many students, Christian college also represents the chance to earn an undergraduate degree in a wholesome environment among classmates who share a common set of Christian values.

Some will argue that many of these technically Christian schools no longer actively advocate Christian values, and that they are as secularized as any secular university. If that is your concern, we have ranked Christian colleges and universities that meet the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU standards for promoting Christian values on campus.

Christian colleges come in all shapes and sizes, from highly observant religious institutions to largely secular schools steeped in Christian history and tradition. As you seek the right school, it’s entirely possible that your search will lead you to a Christian college. The primary reason a non-Christian might enroll in a Christian college is because it may be a good academic, financial, and cultural match regardless of its religious affiliation.

Often referred to as “teaching colleges” liberal arts colleges put a premium on undergraduate studies and offers a broad range of subjects for students to study. A college of liberal arts 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.

Do you want your professors to know you? Liberal arts colleges strive to cultivate campus cultures that encourage tight bonds between professors and students. Professors at these schools will typically conduct original research. Yet the best of these schools offer their faculty reduced teaching loads so that they can both be productive researchers and still have plenty of time for students (both in and outside the classroom).
Do you want to feel like you know everybody? One of the most enticing features of a liberal arts college is that in very little time, you can feel like you know who’s who, which can create strong friendships, but also more pleasurable walks across campus. While your sports teams may never be on ESPN, it’s more likely that you’ll know the athletes as your peers. Beyond student and faculty relationships, it’s not unusual for the school president and other administrators to learn who you are. When faced with problems with your student account or the need to switch classes, this can be comforting during a stressful moment.

You know that the best Christian colleges will combine an excellent education with Christian faith and tradition.

A Christian college will allow you to earn an undergraduate degree among classmates who share your Christian values. If attending a school near home is also important to you, check out our Complete List of Colleges and Universities by State.

Find the Best Christian Liberal Arts Colleges and Universities in Your Discipline of Choice

The Best Christian Colleges and Universities by Disciplines

Check out the College Admissions Process Guide for additional tips on finding, applying to, and getting into the college of your choice.

See our Resources Guide for much more on studying, starting your job search, and more.

Photo Credit: College of the Holy Cross, Carlin Hall. By Taliskerbay, via Wikimedia Commons, CC by 3.0.

Do you have a question about this topic? Ask it here

50 Best Christian Liberal Arts Colleges and Universities 2024

Key Takeaways

10 Best Christian Liberal Arts Colleges

Featured Programs

Getting to Know America’s Best Christian Liberal Arts and Colleges

Christian Schools vs. Secular Schools

Benefits of Attending a Christian College

Strong and Supportive Community

Low Student to Faculty Ratio

Healthy Character Development Due to Combined Liberal Arts Education and Christian Values

Life Beyond the Classroom

Expand Your Social Network

The Best Christian Liberal Arts Colleges & Universities 2023

Career Outlook for degree at College of the Holy Cross

What We Love About The College of the Holy Cross

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Wheaton College

What We Love About Wheaton College

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Lafayette College

What We Love About Lafayette College

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Davidson College

What We Love About Davidson College

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Earlham College

What We Love About Earlham College

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at University of Portland

What We Love About the University of Portland

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at St. Olaf College

What We Love About St. Olaf College

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Macalester College

What We Love About Macalester College

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Ohio Wesleyan University

What We Love About Ohio Wesleyan University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Loyola University Maryland

What We Love About Loyola University Maryland

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Drew University

What We Love About Drew University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Manhattan College

What We Love About Manhattan College

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Calvin University

What We Love About Calvin University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Hope College

What We Love About Hope College

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Providence College

What We Love About Providence College

Most Influential Alumni

Providence College’s Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Wagner College

What We Love About Wagner College

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Wittenberg University

What We Love About Wittenberg University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Xavier University

What We Love About Xavier University

Most Influential Alumni

Xavier University’s Online Degrees

Degree Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at Fairfield University

What We Love About Fairfield University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Saint Joseph's University

What We Love About Fairfield University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Ashland University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Dillard University

Most Influential Alumni