National Liberal Arts Colleges
This ranking spotlights the finest liberal arts colleges in the U.S., where small class sizes and close faculty mentorship define the experience. These schools emphasize critical thinking, broad intellectual exploration across humanities, sciences, and arts, making them ideal for students who value a deeply personal and transformative undergraduate education.
182 schools ranked in this list.
| Rank | School |
|---|---|
| #1 | Williams CollegeWilliamstown, MA, 01267 |
| #2 | Amherst CollegeAmherst, MA, 01002 |
| #3 | United States Naval AcademyAnnapolis, MD, 21403 |
| #4 | Swarthmore CollegeSwarthmore, PA, 19081 |
| #5 | Bowdoin CollegeBrunswick, ME, 04011 |
| #5 | United States Air Force AcademyUSAF Academy, CO, 80840 |
| #7 | Claremont McKenna CollegeClaremont, CA, 91711 |
| #7 | Pomona CollegeClaremont, CA, 91711 |
| #7 | Wellesley CollegeWellesley, MA, 02481 |
| #10 | Carleton CollegeNorthfield, MN, 55057 |
| #10 | Harvey Mudd CollegeClaremont, CA, 91711 |
| #10 | United States Military Academy at West PointWest Point, NY, 10996 |
| #13 | Barnard CollegeNew York, NY, 10027 |
| #13 | Davidson CollegeDavidson, NC, 28035 |
| #13 | Grinnell CollegeGrinnell, IA, 50112 |
| #13 | Hamilton CollegeClinton, NY, 13323 |
| #13 | Middlebury CollegeMiddlebury, VT, 05753 |
| #13 | Smith CollegeNorthampton, MA, 01063 |
| #13 | Vassar CollegePoughkeepsie, NY, 12604 |
| #13 | Wesleyan UniversityMiddletown, CT, 06459 |
| #21 | Washington and Lee UniversityLexington, VA, 24450 |
| #22 | Colgate UniversityHamilton, NY, 13346 |
| #22 | University of Richmondof Richmond, VA, 23173 |
| #24 | Bates CollegeLewiston, ME, 04240 |
| #24 | Colby CollegeWaterville, ME, 04901 |
| #24 | Haverford CollegeHaverford, PA, 19041 |
| #27 | College of the Holy CrossWorcester, MA, 01060 |
| #28 | Macalester CollegePaul, MN, 55105 |
| #29 | Mount Holyoke CollegeSouth Hadley, MA, 01075 |
| #30 | Bryn Mawr CollegeBryn Mawr, PA, 19010 |
| #30 | Bucknell UniversityLewisburg, PA, 17837 |
| #30 | Colorado CollegeColorado Springs, CO, 80903 |
| #30 | Lafayette CollegeEaston, PA, 18042 |
| #34 | Denison UniversityGranville, OH, 43023 |
| #35 | Franklin & Marshall CollegeLancaster, PA, 17604 |
| #35 | Occidental CollegeLos Angeles, CA, 90041 |
| #37 | Pitzer CollegeClaremont, CA, 91711 |
| #37 | Scripps CollegeClaremont, CA, 91711 |
| #37 | Skidmore CollegeSaratoga Springs, NY, 12866 |
| #37 | Soka University of AmericaAliso Viejo, CA, 92656 |
| #37 | Spelman CollegeAtlanta, GA, 30314 |
| #37 | Trinity CollegeHartford, CT, 06106 |
| #37 | Trinity UniversitySan Antonio, TX, 78212 |
| #44 | Union CollegeSchenectady, NY, 12308 |
| #45 | Berea CollegeBerea, KY, 40404 |
| #45 | Dickinson CollegeCarlisle, PA, 17013 |
| #45 | Furman UniversityGreenville, SC, 29613 |
| #45 | Kenyon CollegeGambier, OH, 43022 |
| #45 | The University of the SouthSewanee, TN, 37383 |
| #50 | Connecticut CollegeNew London, CT, 06320 |
| #50 | Hillsdale CollegeHillsdale, MI, 49242 |
| #50 | St. Olaf CollegeNorthfield, MN, 55057 |
| #50 | Wabash CollegeCrawfordsville, IN, 47933 |
| #50 | Wheaton College (IL)Wheaton, IL, 60187 |
| #55 | Centre CollegeDanville, KY, 40422 |
| #55 | Rhodes CollegeMemphis, TN, 38112 |
| #55 | Thomas Aquinas CollegeSanta Paula, CA, 93060 |
| #58 | DePauw UniversityGreencastle, IN, 46135 |
| #58 | Gettysburg CollegeGettysburg, PA, 17325 |
| #58 | Oberlin CollegeOberlin, OH, 44074 |
| #58 | St. Lawrence UniversityCanton, NY, 13617 |
| #58 | Whitman CollegeWalla Walla, WA, 99362 |
| #63 | Principia CollegeElsah, IL, 62028 |
| #63 | Reed CollegePortland, OR, 97202 |
| #65 | Lawrence UniversityAppleton, WI, 54911 |
| #65 | Virginia Military InstituteLexington, VA, 24450 |
| #67 | Agnes Scott CollegeDecatur, GA, 30030 |
| #67 | Kalamazoo CollegeKalamazoo, MI, 49006 |
| #67 | Wofford CollegeSpartanburg, SC, 29303 |
| #70 | Bard CollegeAnnandale on Hudson, NY, 12504 |
| #70 | Gustavus Adolphus CollegePeter, MN, 56082 |
| #70 | Muhlenberg CollegeAllentown, PA, 18104 |
| #73 | College of St. BenedictJoseph, MN, 56321 |
| #73 | Hobart and William Smith CollegesGeneva, NY, 14456 |
| #75 | Lake Forest CollegeLake Forest, IL, 60045 |
| #76 | Allegheny CollegeMeadville, PA, 16335 |
| #76 | The College of WoosterWooster, OH, 44691 |
| #76 | Earlham CollegeRichmond, IN, 47374 |
| #76 | Knox CollegeGalesburg, IL, 61401 |
| #76 | Wheaton College (MA)Norton, MA, 02766 |
| #76 | Willamette UniversitySalem, OR, 97301 |
| #82 | Saint Johns UniversityCollegeville, MN, 56321 |
| #82 | Stonehill CollegeEaston, MA, 02357 |
| #84 | Austin CollegeSherman, TX, 75090 |
| #84 | Drew UniversityMadison, NJ, 07940 |
| #84 | Hope CollegeHolland, MI, 49422 |
| #84 | Saint Mary's CollegeNotre Dame, IN, 46556 |
| #84 | Southwestern UniversityGeorgetown, TX, 78627 |
| #84 | St. John's College (MD)Annapolis, MD, 21401 |
| #84 | Ursinus CollegeCollegeville, PA, 19426 |
| #84 | Washington & Jefferson CollegeWashington, PA, 15301 |
| #92 | Beloit CollegeBeloit, WI, 53511 |
| #92 | Juniata CollegeHuntingdon, PA, 16652 |
| #92 | Washington CollegeChestertown, MD, 21620 |
| #92 | Whittier CollegeWhittier, CA, 90608 |
| #96 | Augustana CollegeRock Island, IL, 61201 |
| #96 | Hendrix CollegeConway, AR, 72032 |
| #96 | Lewis & Clark CollegePortland, OR, 97219 |
| #96 | Lycoming CollegeWilliamsport, PA, 17701 |
| #96 | Morehouse CollegeAtlanta, GA, 30314 |
| #96 | Randolph-Macon CollegeAshland, VA, 23005 |
| #96 | Saint Anselm CollegeManchester, NH, 03102 |
| #96 | St. John's College (NM)Santa Fe, NM, 87505 |
| #96 | St. Mary's College of MarylandMarys City, MD, 20686 |
| #96 | Susquehanna UniversitySelinsgrove, PA, 17870 |
| #96 | University of Puget SoundTacoma, WA, 98416 |
| #107 | Hampden-Sydney CollegeSydney, VA, 23943 |
| #107 | Patrick Henry CollegePurcellville, VA, 20132 |
| #109 | Sarah Lawrence CollegeBronxville, NY, 10708 |
| #109 | Transylvania UniversityLexington, KY, 40508 |
| #111 | Illinois CollegeJacksonville, IL, 62650 |
| #111 | Linfield UniversityMcMinnville, OR, 97128 |
| #111 | Luther CollegeDecorah, IA, 52101 |
| #111 | St. Norbert CollegeDe Pere, WI, 54115 |
| #115 | Hanover CollegeHanover, IN, 47243 |
| #115 | Massachusetts College of Liberal ArtsNorth Adams, MA, 01247 |
| #115 | Meredith CollegeRaleigh, NC, 27607 |
| #115 | Saint Michael's CollegeColchester, VT, 05439 |
| #115 | University of Minnesota-MorrisMorris, MN, 56267 |
| #115 | Westmont CollegeSanta Barbara, CA, 93108 |
| #121 | Bennington CollegeBennington, VT, 05201 |
| #121 | Cornell CollegeMount Vernon, IA, 52314 |
| #121 | Ohio Wesleyan UniversityDelaware, OH, 43015 |
| #121 | Saint Vincent CollegeLatrobe, PA, 15650 |
| #121 | Westminster College (PA)New Wilmington, PA, 16172 |
| #126 | Coe CollegeCedar Rapids, IA, 52402 |
| #126 | College of the AtlanticBar Harbor, ME, 04609 |
| #126 | Covenant CollegeLookout Mountain, GA, 30750 |
| #126 | Goucher CollegeBaltimore, MD, 21204 |
| #126 | Roanoke CollegeSalem, VA, 24153 |
| #131 | Albion CollegeAlbion, MI, 49224 |
| #131 | Central CollegePella, IA, 50219 |
| #131 | Purchase College--SUNYPurchase, NY, 10577 |
| #131 | University of Mary WashingtonFredericksburg, VA, 22401 |
| #135 | Claflin UniversityOrangeburg, SC, 29115 |
| #135 | Concordia College--MoorheadMoorhead, MN, 56562 |
| #135 | Eckerd CollegePetersburg, FL, 33711 |
| #135 | Emmanuel CollegeBoston, MA, 02115 |
| #135 | Hollins UniversityRoanoke, VA, 24020 |
| #135 | New College of FloridaSarasota, FL, 34243 |
| #135 | University of New Hampshire at ManchesterManchester, NH, 03102 |
| #135 | University of North Carolina--AshevilleAsheville, NC, 28804 |
| #143 | Centenary CollegeShreveport, LA, 71104 |
| #143 | Ripon CollegeRipon, WI, 54971 |
| #143 | Salem CollegeSalem, NC, 27101 |
| #146 | Aquinas CollegeGrand Rapids, MI, 49506 |
| #146 | Franklin CollegeFranklin, IN, 46131 |
| #146 | Houghton UniversityHoughton, NY, 14744 |
| #146 | Millsaps CollegeJackson, MS, 39210 |
| #146 | New Saint Andrews College |
| #151 | Hartwick CollegeOneonta, NY, 13820 |
| #151 | Ouachita Baptist UniversityArkadelphia, AR, 71998 |
| #151 | University of Puerto Rico--CayeyCayey, PR, 00736 |
| #154 | Bethany Lutheran CollegeMankato, MN, 56001 |
| #154 | Monmouth CollegeMonmouth, IL, 61462 |
| #156 | Dillard UniversityNew Orleans, LA, 70122 |
| #156 | Fisk UniversityNashville, TN, 37208 |
| #156 | Gordon CollegeWenham, MA, 01984 |
| #156 | Hampshire CollegeAmherst, MA, 01002 |
| #156 | Oglethorpe UniversityAtlanta, GA, 30319 |
| #156 | Randolph CollegeLynchburg, VA, 24503 |
| #156 | Wartburg CollegeWaverly, IA, 50677 |
| #163 | Presbyterian CollegeClinton, SC, 29325 |
| #164 | Sweet Briar CollegeSweet Briar, VA, 24595 |
| #164 | Westminster College (MO)Fulton, MO, 65251 |
| #164 | Wittenberg UniversitySpringfield, OH, 45501 |
| #167 | Bridgewater CollegeBridgewater, VA, 22812 |
| #167 | Lyon CollegeBatesville, AR, 72503 |
| #167 | University of Virginia's College at WiseWise, VA, 24293 |
| #170 | Albright CollegeReading, PA, 19612 |
| #170 | Maryville CollegeMaryville, TN, 37804 |
| #172 | Guilford CollegeGreensboro, NC, 27410 |
| #173 | Johnson C. Smith UniversityCharlotte, NC, 28216 |
| #173 | Simpson UniversityRedding, CA, 96003 |
| #175 | Ave Maria UniversityAve Maria, FL, 34142 |
| #176 | Medgar Evers College--CUNYBrooklyn, NY, 11225 |
| #176 | Providence Christian CollegePasadena, CA, 91104 |
| #178 | Marymount Manhattan CollegeNew York, NY, 10021 |
| #178 | Virginia Wesleyan UniversityVirginia Beach, VA, 23455 |
| #180 | Bryn Athyn College of the New ChurchBryn Athyn, PA, 19009 |
| #180 | Georgetown CollegeGeorgetown, KY, 40324 |
| #180 | Tougaloo CollegeTougaloo, MS, 39174 |