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!
- Tuition and fees:
- $42,620 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 1,725
- Setting:
- suburban
Madison, NJ
Drew University is located in Madison, N.J., not far from New York City. Students can take advantage of the school’s location through intensive semester-long programs on Wall Street and more.
- Tuition and fees:
- $27,810 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 3,249
- Setting:
- city
Holland, MI
Located in Holland, Mich., Hope College is a private school that offers about 80 bachelor’s degree programs. Founded by settlers from the Netherlands in 1866, Hope College’s sports teams are named the “Flying Dutchmen.”
- Tuition and fees:
- $35,780 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 1,619
- Setting:
- rural
Huntingdon, PA
Located in Huntingdon, Pa., Juniata College is a small, private institution where 95 percent of students graduate in four years. Students at Juniata College participate in many school traditions, such as the Mr. Juniata Pageant and the All Class Night talent show.
- Tuition and fees:
- $38,300 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 1,497
- Setting:
- suburban
Lake Forest, IL
Lake Forest College is a private institution that was founded in 1857. The school has 67.1 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students, and the student-faculty ratio at Lake Forest College is 13:1.
- Tuition and fees:
- $36,100 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 2,471
- Setting:
- rural
Decorah, IA
Luther College was established in 1861 as a private institution. Luther College follows a 4-1-4-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered more selective.
- Tuition and fees:
- $35,110 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 2,471
- Setting:
- suburban
- Tuition and fees:
- $32,325 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 745
- Setting:
- rural
Sweet Briar, VA
Located in Sweet Briar, Va., Sweet Briar College is private, liberal arts institution for women. Horseback riding is often a big part of student life at Sweet Briar College, which has a 130-acre riding center on campus.
- Tuition and fees:
- $35,570 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 1,057
- Setting:
- rural
Hampden-Sydney, VA
Founded in 1775, Hampden-Sydney College is a private institution. Hampden-Sydney College follows a semester-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered selective.
- Tuition and fees:
- $39,150 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 1,829
- Setting:
- suburban
Delaware, OH
Students at Ohio Wesleyan University can choose from more than 90 majors in the fields of arts, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences. Outside the classroom, more than 80 percent of Ohio Wesleyan students volunteer through programs such as Buckeye Valley Reads, which tutors rural children in the county.
- Tuition and fees:
- $26,705 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 3,873
- Setting:
- suburban
Grand Rapids, MI
Calvin College was established in 1876 as a private institution. Calvin College follows a 4-1-4-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered more selective.
- Tuition and fees:
- $37,640 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 1,446
- Setting:
- suburban
- Tuition and fees:
- $34,194 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 1,514
- Setting:
- suburban
Albion, MI
Albion College has a total undergraduate enrollment of 1,514, with a gender distribution of 51.0 percent male students and 49.0 percent female students. At this school, 90.0 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 10.0 percent of students live off campus.
- Tuition and fees:
- $34,220 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 1,369
- Setting:
- city
Cedar Rapids, IA
Founded in 1851, Coe College is a private institution. Coe College follows a semester-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered more selective.
- Tuition and fees:
- $44,700 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 1,500
- Setting:
- rural
Amherst, MA
Hampshire College is a private institution that was founded in 1965. The school has 68.1 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students, and the student-faculty ratio at Hampshire College is 12:1.
- Tuition and fees:
- $30,268 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 1,068
- Setting:
- rural
Hanover, IN
Hanover College was established in 1827 as a private institution. Hanover College follows a other-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered selective.
- Tuition and fees:
- $32,075 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 731
- Setting:
- suburban
- Tuition and fees:
- $34,328 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 1,727
- Setting:
- rural
McMinnville, OR
Linfield College has a residential campus in McMinnville, Ore. All students study a variety of subjects through what’s known as the “Linfield Curriculum.”
- Tuition and fees:
- $31,540 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 571
- Setting:
- city
Lynchburg, VA
Founded in 1891, Randolph College is a private institution. Randolph College follows a semester-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered selective.
- Tuition and fees:
- $33,525 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 1,257
- Setting:
- suburban
Ashland, VA
Randolph-Macon College is located in Ashland, Va. The college operates on a 4-1-4 academic calendar.
- Tuition and fees:
- $28,915 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 3,292
- Setting:
- suburban
Loudonville, NY
Siena College was established in 1937 as a private institution. Siena College follows a semester-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered more selective.
- Tuition and fees:
- $32,680 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 1,202
- Setting:
- rural
Clinton, SC
A private institution, Presbyterian College was founded in 1880. Presbyterian College offers a Greek system, where 43.0 percent of the student body is involved in a sorority and 42.0 percent is involved in a fraternity.
- Tuition and fees:
- $25,960 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 503
- Setting:
- rural
Elsah, IL
Principia College has a total undergraduate enrollment of 503, with a gender distribution of 43.5 percent male students and 56.5 percent female students.
- Tuition and fees:
- $38,030 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 1,901
- Setting:
- city
Springfield, OH
Founded in 1845, Wittenberg University is a private institution. Wittenberg University follows a semester-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered selective.
- Tuition and fees:
- $27,650 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 1,944
- Setting:
- suburban
Mount Berry, GA
Berry College is a private institution that was founded in 1902. The school has 60.3 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students, and the student-faculty ratio at Berry College is 13:1.
- Tuition and fees:
- $29,290 (2011-12)
- Enrollment:
- 1,305
- Setting:
- urban
Birmingham, AL
Birmingham-Southern College was established in 1856 as a private institution. Birmingham-Southern College follows a 4-1-4-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered more selective.
- Tuition and fees:
- $23,792 (2011-12)
- Enrollment:
- 2,441
- Setting:
- urban
- Tuition and fees:
- $30,110 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 990
- Setting:
- rural
Ripon, WI
Ripon College has a total undergraduate enrollment of 990, with a gender distribution of 49.6 percent male students and 50.4 percent female students. At this school, 91.0 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 9.0 percent of students live off campus.
- Tuition and fees:
- $37,280 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 2,261
- Setting:
- rural
Selinsgrove, PA
Founded in 1858, Susquehanna University is a private institution. Susquehanna University follows a semester-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered selective.
- Tuition and fees:
- $32,700 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 1,566
- Setting:
- suburban
New Wilmington, PA
Westminster College is a private institution that was founded in 1852. The school has 67.7 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students, and the student-faculty ratio at Westminster College is 12:1.
- Tuition and fees:
- $30,960 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 1,417
- Setting:
- suburban
Alma, MI
Alma College was established in 1886 as a private institution. Alma College follows a other-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered selective.
- Tuition and fees:
- $32,100 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 1,573
- Setting:
- suburban
- Tuition and fees:
- $33,810 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 1,899
- Setting:
- suburban
Manchester, NH
St. Anselm College has a total undergraduate enrollment of 1,899, with a gender distribution of 42.0 percent male students and 58.0 percent female students. 91.0 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing.
- Tuition and fees:
- $30,860 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 2,746
- Setting:
- suburban
Moorhead, MN
Founded in 1891, Concordia College--Moorhead is a private institution. Concordia College--Moorhead follows a semester-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered more selective.
- Tuition and fees:
- $14,212 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 2,461
- Setting:
- rural
Grove City, PA
Located in northwestern Pennsylvania, Grove City College is a Christian liberal arts school that offers about 20 fields of undergraduate study. More than 90 percent of students at Grove City College live on campus.
- Tuition and fees:
- $34,496 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 2,057
- Setting:
- suburban
Salem, VA
Roanoke College was established in 1842 as a private institution. Roanoke College follows a semester-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered selective.
- Tuition and fees:
- $44,056 (2011-12)
- Setting:
- city
Annapolis, MD
A private institution, St. John's College was founded in 1696.
- Tuition and fees:
- $34,700 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 507
- Setting:
- rural
Aurora, NY
Wells College is a small liberal arts school in Aurora, N.Y. Through a collegiate affiliation, students can cross-register for courses at Cornell University.
- Tuition and fees:
- $35,566 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 1,843
- Setting:
- suburban
St. Petersburg, FL
Founded in 1958, Eckerd College is a private institution. Eckerd College follows a 4-1-4-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered selective.
- Tuition and fees:
- $30,675 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 2,174
- Setting:
- suburban
De Pere, WI
St. Norbert College is a private institution that was founded in 1898. The school has 44.8 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students, and the student-faculty ratio at St. Norbert College is 14:1.
- Tuition and fees:
- $25,700 (2011-12)
- Enrollment:
- 893
- Setting:
- rural
Goshen, IN
Goshen College was established in 1894 as a private institution. Goshen College follows a semester-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered selective.
- Tuition and fees:
- $26,924 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 1,268
- Setting:
- rural
- Tuition and fees:
- $35,800 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 1,629
- Setting:
- suburban
Westminster, MD
McDaniel College has a total undergraduate enrollment of 1,629, with a gender distribution of 47.9 percent male students and 52.1 percent female students. At this school, 81.0 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 19.0 percent of students live off campus.
- Tuition and fees:
- $34,484 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 1,737
- Setting:
- suburban
Bethlehem, PA
The Bethlehem, Pa., campus of Moravian College is home to the small, liberal arts college and the Moravian Theological Seminary. About 20 percent of students get involved in Greek life.
- Tuition and fees:
- $30,200 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 1,060
- Setting:
- suburban
Liberty, MO
William Jewell College is a private institution that was founded in 1849. The school has 70.0 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students, and the student-faculty ratio at William Jewell College is 11:1.
- Tuition and fees:
- $20,391 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 480
- Setting:
- urban
Nashville, TN
Fisk University was established in 1866 as a private institution. Fisk University follows a semester-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered selective.
- Tuition and fees:
- $25,918 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 1,781
- Setting:
- city
Lincoln, NE
A private institution, Nebraska Wesleyan University was founded in 1887. Nebraska Wesleyan University offers a Greek system, where 11.0 percent of the student body is involved in a sorority and 7.0 percent is involved in a fraternity.
- Tuition and fees:
- $29,529 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 1,817
- Setting:
- suburban
Indianola, IA
Simpson College has a total undergraduate enrollment of 1,817, with a gender distribution of 44.3 percent male students and 55.7 percent female students. At this school, 87.0 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 14.0 percent of students live off campus.
- Tuition and fees:
- $29,311 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 1,711
- Setting:
- suburban
Latrobe, PA
Founded in 1846, St. Vincent College is a private institution. St. Vincent College follows a semester-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered selective.
- Tuition and fees:
- $19,000 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 615
- Setting:
- suburban
Macon, GA
Wesleyan College is a private institution that was founded in 1836. The school has 88.4 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students, and the student-faculty ratio at Wesleyan College is 9:1.
- Tuition and fees:
- $38,670 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 1,643
- Setting:
- suburban
Whittier, CA
Whittier College was established in 1887 as a private institution. Whittier College follows a 4-1-4-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered selective.
