National Liberal Arts College Rankings

National Liberal Arts College Methodology

Among the National Liberal Arts Colleges are schools like Amherst College and Middlebury College, which emphasize undergraduate education and award at least half of their degrees in the liberal arts fields of study.

To see full rankings, SAT/ACT scores, scholarship and grant information, graduation rates, and more, sign up for the U.S. News College Compass!

U.S. News rank	School	Tuition	Total enrollment	Fall 2011 acceptance rate	Average freshman retention rate	6-year graduation rate	Classes with under 20 students	SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile
Rank Not Published	Savannah State University Savannah, GA	N/A	4,552	71.2%	72%	30	Locked	Locked
Rank Not Published	Shawnee State University Portsmouth, OH	N/A	4,711	84.6%	54%	22	Locked	Locked
Rank Not Published	Shimer College ¹ Chicago, IL	N/A	N/A	46.3%	78% ⁸	35 ⁶	Locked	Locked
Rank Not Published	Shorter University Rome, GA	$18,830	1,696	65.0%	73% ⁸	45	Locked	Locked
Rank Not Published	Simpson University Redding, CA	$22,400	1,297	81.5%	67%	43	Locked	Locked
Rank Not Published	Stillman College Tuscaloosa, AL	$14,710	1,072	43.7%	57%	34	Locked	Locked
Rank Not Published	SUNY College–Old Westbury Old Westbury, NY	N/A	4,459	44.8%	75%	36	Locked	Locked
Rank Not Published	Talladega College ¹ Talladega, AL	N/A	N/A	51.2% ⁴	59% ⁸	40 ⁶	Locked	Locked
Rank Not Published	Thomas More College of Liberal Arts ¹ Merrimack, NH	$19,200	N/A	N/A	72% ⁸	45 ⁶	Locked	Locked
Rank Not Published	Tougaloo College Tougaloo, MS	$10,210	945	37.3%	74%	48	Locked	Locked
Rank Not Published	University of Hawaii–Hilo ¹ Hilo, HI	N/A	N/A	70.9% ⁴	69%	32 ⁶	Locked	Locked
Rank Not Published	University of Maine–Machias Machias, ME	N/A	863	78.5%	69%	38	Locked	Locked
Rank Not Published	University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma Chickasha, OK	in-state: $5,400, out-of-state: $12,720	1,033	64.6%	67%	39	Locked	Locked
Rank Not Published	University of Virginia–Wise Wise, VA	in-state: $8,228, out-of-state: $21,843	2,067	72.9%	66%	39	Locked	Locked
Rank Not Published	University of Wisconsin–Parkside Kenosha, WI	N/A	4,887	67.3%	63%	27	Locked	Locked
Rank Not Published	Virginia Intermont College Bristol, VA	$24,542	558	97.0%	63% ⁸	25	Locked	Locked
Rank Not Published	Virginia Wesleyan College Norfolk, VA	$30,998	1,404	86.0%	65%	48	Locked	Locked
Rank Not Published	Western State Colorado University Gunnison, CO	in-state: $6,449, out-of-state: $16,318	2,242	92.5%	61%	39	Locked	Locked
Rank Not Published	West Virginia State University Institute, WV	N/A	2,827	62.4%	56% ⁸	25	Locked	Locked
Rank Not Published	William Peace University Raleigh, NC	$23,900	657	53.0%	67%	37	Locked	Locked
#178	Bethany College Bethany, WV	$23,880	811	59.5%	64%	48	Locked	Locked
#178	Northland College Ashland, WI	$28,568	554	72.8%	71%	48	Locked	Locked
#178	Wisconsin Lutheran College Milwaukee, WI	$23,620	1,022	65.1%	76%	63	Locked	Locked
#178	Xavier University of Louisiana New Orleans, LA	$18,700	3,399	64.1%	69%	53	Locked	Locked
#175	Eastern Mennonite University Harrisonburg, VA	$27,970	1,521	68.4%	78%	66	Locked	Locked
#175	Purchase College–SUNY Purchase, NY	in-state: $6,829, out-of-state: $15,879	4,268	33.7%	81%	57	Locked	Locked
#175	Warren Wilson College Asheville, NC	$27,740	983	93.3%	68%	45	Locked	Locked
#172	Albright College Reading, PA	$35,320	2,411	49.1%	74%	60	Locked	Locked
#172	Emory and Henry College Emory, VA	$28,122	982	70.9%	72%	45	Locked	Locked
#172	Monmouth College Monmouth, IL	$30,450	1,315	64.6%	75%	56	Locked	Locked
#170	Centenary College of Louisiana ¹ Shreveport, LA	$29,500	N/A	63.1%	71% ⁸	60 ⁶	Locked	Locked
#170	Ouachita Baptist University Arkadelphia, AR	$21,440	1,594	63.8%	78%	63	Locked	Locked
#167	Doane College Crete, NE	$25,080	1,066	78.3%	76%	62	Locked	Locked
#167	Guilford College Greensboro, NC	$31,380	2,739	64.3%	75%	59	Locked	Locked
#167	Hiram College ¹ Hiram, OH	N/A	N/A	63.0%	77%	66 ⁸	Locked	Locked
#164	College of Idaho Caldwell, ID	$23,025	1,041	65.6%	81%	63	Locked	Locked
#164	Hartwick College Oneonta, NY	$37,460	1,578	77.1%	74%	55	Locked	Locked
#164	Oglethorpe University Atlanta, GA	$30,150	1,144	82.6%	77%	48	Locked	Locked
#161	Carthage College Kenosha, WI	$33,000	3,082	69.5%	77%	59	Locked	Locked
#161	Maryville College Maryville, TN	$30,522	1,078	66.3%	71%	54	Locked	Locked
#161	University of Minnesota–Morris Morris, MN	N/A	1,932	62.1%	85%	60	Locked	Locked
#156	Erskine College ¹ Due West, SC	N/A	N/A	66.8%	74%	63 ⁸	Locked	Locked
#156	Illinois College Jacksonville, IL	$26,500	956	64.8%	83%	56	Locked	Locked
#156	Lycoming College Williamsport, PA	$32,756	1,369	69.5%	80%	70	Locked	Locked
#156	Lyon College Batesville, AR	$23,594	600	62.3%	65%	48	Locked	Locked
#156	University of North Carolina–Asheville Asheville, NC	in-state: $5,866, out-of-state: $19,682	3,863	68.5%	81%	61	Locked	Locked
#151	American Jewish University Bel-Air, CA	$27,080	268	94.9%	90%	38	Locked	Locked
#151	Central College Pella, IA	$29,540	1,604	73.2%	80%	63	Locked	Locked
#151	Georgetown College Georgetown, KY	$30,770	1,818	89.2%	78%	59	Locked	Locked
#151	Wartburg College Waverly, IA	$32,740	1,805	76.0%	80%	63	Locked	Locked

Save

U.S. News rank

School

Tuition

Total enrollment

Fall 2011 acceptance rate

Average freshman retention rate

6-year graduation rate

Classes with under 20 students

SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile

Rank Not Published

Savannah State University

Savannah, GA

N/A

4,552

71.2%

72%

Locked

Rank Not Published

Shawnee State University

Portsmouth, OH

N/A

4,711

84.6%

54%

Locked

Rank Not Published

Shimer College ¹

Chicago, IL

N/A

46.3%

78% ⁸

35 ⁶

Locked

Rank Not Published

Shorter University

Rome, GA

$18,830

1,696

65.0%

73% ⁸

Locked

Rank Not Published

Simpson University

Redding, CA

$22,400

1,297

81.5%

67%

Locked

Rank Not Published

Stillman College

Tuscaloosa, AL

$14,710

1,072

43.7%

57%

Locked

Rank Not Published

SUNY College–Old Westbury

Old Westbury, NY

N/A

4,459

44.8%

75%

Locked

Rank Not Published

Talladega College ¹

Talladega, AL

N/A

51.2% ⁴

59% ⁸

40 ⁶

Locked

Rank Not Published

Thomas More College of Liberal Arts ¹

Merrimack, NH

$19,200

N/A

72% ⁸

45 ⁶

Locked

Rank Not Published

Tougaloo College

Tougaloo, MS

$10,210

945

37.3%

74%

Locked

Rank Not Published

University of Hawaii–Hilo ¹

Hilo, HI

N/A

70.9% ⁴

69%

32 ⁶

Locked

Rank Not Published

University of Maine–Machias

Machias, ME

N/A

863

78.5%

69%

Locked

Rank Not Published

University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma

Chickasha, OK

in-state: $5,400, out-of-state: $12,720

1,033

64.6%

67%

Locked

Rank Not Published

University of Virginia–Wise

Wise, VA

in-state: $8,228, out-of-state: $21,843

2,067

72.9%

66%

Locked

Rank Not Published

University of Wisconsin–Parkside

Kenosha, WI

N/A

4,887

67.3%

63%

Locked

Rank Not Published

Virginia Intermont College

Bristol, VA

$24,542

558

97.0%

63% ⁸

Locked

Rank Not Published

Virginia Wesleyan College

Norfolk, VA

$30,998

1,404

86.0%

65%

Locked

Rank Not Published

Western State Colorado University

Gunnison, CO

in-state: $6,449, out-of-state: $16,318

2,242

92.5%

61%

Locked

Rank Not Published

West Virginia State University

Institute, WV

N/A

2,827

62.4%

56% ⁸

Locked

Rank Not Published

William Peace University

Raleigh, NC

$23,900

657

53.0%

67%

Locked

#178

Bethany College

Bethany, WV

$23,880

811

59.5%

64%

Locked

#178

Northland College

Ashland, WI

$28,568

554

72.8%

71%

Locked

#178

Wisconsin Lutheran College

Milwaukee, WI

$23,620

1,022

65.1%

76%

Locked

#178

Xavier University of Louisiana

New Orleans, LA

$18,700

3,399

64.1%

69%

Locked

#175

Eastern Mennonite University

Harrisonburg, VA

$27,970

1,521

68.4%

78%

Locked

#175

Purchase College–SUNY

Purchase, NY

in-state: $6,829, out-of-state: $15,879

4,268

33.7%

81%

Locked

#175

Warren Wilson College

Asheville, NC

$27,740

983

93.3%

68%

Locked

#172

Albright College

Reading, PA

$35,320

2,411

49.1%

74%

Locked

#172

Emory and Henry College

Emory, VA

$28,122

982

70.9%

72%

Locked

#172

Monmouth College

Monmouth, IL

$30,450

1,315

64.6%

75%

Locked

#170

Centenary College of Louisiana ¹

Shreveport, LA

$29,500

N/A

63.1%

71% ⁸

60 ⁶

Locked

#170

Ouachita Baptist University

Arkadelphia, AR

$21,440

1,594

63.8%

78%

Locked

#167

Doane College

Crete, NE

$25,080

1,066

78.3%

76%

Locked

#167

Guilford College

Greensboro, NC

$31,380

2,739

64.3%

75%

Locked

#167

Hiram College ¹

Hiram, OH

N/A

63.0%

77%

66 ⁸

Locked

#164

College of Idaho

Caldwell, ID

$23,025

1,041

65.6%

81%

Locked

#164

Hartwick College

Oneonta, NY

$37,460

1,578

77.1%

74%

Locked

#164

Oglethorpe University

Atlanta, GA

$30,150

1,144

82.6%

77%

Locked

#161

Carthage College

Kenosha, WI

$33,000

3,082

69.5%

77%

Locked

#161

Maryville College

Maryville, TN

$30,522

1,078

66.3%

71%

Locked

#161

University of Minnesota–Morris

Morris, MN

N/A

1,932

62.1%

85%

Locked

#156

Erskine College ¹

Due West, SC

N/A

66.8%

74%

63 ⁸

Locked

#156

Illinois College

Jacksonville, IL

$26,500

956

64.8%

83%

Locked

#156

Lycoming College

Williamsport, PA

$32,756

1,369

69.5%

80%

Locked

#156

Lyon College

Batesville, AR

$23,594

600

62.3%

65%

Locked

#156

University of North Carolina–Asheville

Asheville, NC

in-state: $5,866, out-of-state: $19,682

3,863

68.5%

81%

Locked

#151

American Jewish University

Bel-Air, CA

$27,080

268

94.9%

90%

Locked

#151

Central College

Pella, IA

$29,540

1,604

73.2%

80%

Locked

#151

Georgetown College

Georgetown, KY

$30,770

1,818

89.2%

78%

Locked

#151

Wartburg College

Waverly, IA

$32,740

1,805

76.0%

80%

Locked