College Guide

2013 Liberal Arts College Rankings

Read Liberal Arts Colleges Rankings in the chart below and use this drop-down menu to check out Rankings charts for other school types:

About the Rankings: We rate schools based on their contribution to the public good in three broad categories: Social Mobility (recruiting and graduating low-income students), Research (producing cutting-edge scholarship and PhDs), and Service (encouraging students to give something back to their country).

First time ever on the Web -- see our "Best Bang for the Buck" schools with this drop-down menu.

* Indicates a public school, ° indicates a for-profit school.

sort	Institution sort a-z sort by state		Social Mobility sort					Research sort			Service sort

		Overall Score	Students receiving Pell grants	Net price	Predicted grad rate Actual grad rate Rank			Research expenditures, in millions Rank		Bachelor's to PhD rank	Peace Corps Rank	ROTC Rank	Federal work-study funds spent on service Rank		Community service participation and hours served Rank	Service staff, courses and financial aid support Rank
1	Bryn Mawr College (PA)	100	18%	$25,791	88%	87%	199	8.39	5	11	14	120	66%	1	4	11
2	Carleton College (MN)	86	13%	$28,818	96%	93%	227	5.38	9	4	8	120	12%	146	61	29
3	Berea College (KY)	86	93%	$909	63%	62%	1	0.21	124	120	88	120	7%	212	41	54
4	Harvey Mudd College (CA)	84	12%	$30,171	99%	84%	250	3.86	24	1	70	91	20%	64	118	119
5	Swarthmore College (PA)	82	14%	$20,427	97%	95%	146	2.99	31	2	35	120	8%	205	92	69
6	Bates College (ME)	80	13%	$21,402	92%	92%	139	1.90	48	25	67	120	18%	75	1	2
7	Pomona College (CA)	80	15%	$18,255	97%	95%	103	3.64	25	3	65	108	9%	190	90	74
8	New College of Florida (FL)*	76	26%	$11,069	81%	68%	78	1.05	66	8	162	120	64%	2	118	119
9	Grinnell College (IA)	74	24%	$21,855	86%	88%	120	1.34	59	6	4	120	9%	184	118	119
10	Reed College (OR)	74	18%	$19,767	90%	80%	206	1.84	49	5	7	107	15%	110	118	119
11	Haverford College (PA)	73	16%	$21,449	93%	92%	155	2.77	34	7	54	120	12%	153	25	105
12	Knox College (IL)	73	27%	$22,201	82%	78%	182	0.00	130	44	27	120	44%	4	20	82
13	Macalester College (MN)	73	18%	$22,376	93%	87%	205	4.65	15	12	18	85	21%	59	118	31
14	Oberlin College (OH)	70	10%	$34,797	93%	88%	242	1.71	55	9	24	120	25%	31	30	46
15	Williams College (MA)	70	21%	$16,493	93%	95%	58	4.51	19	10	36	120	18%	84	118	119
16	Rhodes College (TN)	69	16%	$25,540	83%	75%	233	0.79	81	59	48	56	15%	117	2	3
17	Michigan Jewish Institute (MI)	68	99%	$10,136	39%	83%	2	0.00	130	209	195	120	19%	70	118	119
18	Wesleyan University (CT)	66	16%	$21,854	92%	92%	153	10.37	2	19	59	120	19%	72	101	101
19	Whitman College (WA)	66	14%	$29,293	85%	86%	219	1.14	64	18	3	120	23%	43	56	110
20	Amherst College (MA)	65	23%	$17,574	93%	96%	66	4.62	16	15	103	109	24%	35	118	119
21	Lewis & Clark College (OR)	65	20%	$27,229	78%	73%	228	2.78	33	65	11	84	20%	65	3	55
22	Claflin University (SC)	64	85%	$10,453	35%	40%	12	5.44	8	191	195	14	14%	121	53	7
23	Davidson College (NC)	63	13%	$23,623	87%	92%	123	1.98	45	21	69	25	24%	36	16	38
24	Allegheny College (PA)	62	29%	$25,140	73%	80%	121	0.71	84	32	28	113	30%	22	28	75
25	Illinois College (IL)	62	45%	$15,074	59%	57%	64	0.00	130	110	81	120	12%	147	5	1
26	Wellesley College (MA)	62	19%	$18,400	92%	92%	94	7.24	7	22	86	79	24%	37	118	119
27	Vassar College (NY)	62	27%	$18,438	92%	91%	96	1.84	50	16	47	120	19%	73	118	119
28	Xavier University of Louisiana (LA)	61	66%	$18,127	50%	55%	57	9.85	3	128	183	41	8%	201	79	94
29	Morehouse College (GA)	61	54%	$23,324	47%	55%	100	8.06	6	154	90	7	18%	85	71	45
30	Lyon College (AR)	60	52%	$12,031	66%	50%	157	0.18	127	92	151	120	14%	125	86	13
31	Occidental College (CA)	60	25%	$27,846	83%	83%	212	1.81	51	42	96	112	30%	20	48	57
32	Colorado College (CO)	58	12%	$22,430	89%	88%	165	1.20	62	27	10	115	18%	86	33	65
33	Smith College (MA)	58	20%	$22,586	83%	85%	133	4.53	18	14	32	120	25%	32	118	119
34	Kalamazoo College (MI)	58	18%	$26,347	77%	80%	179	0.49	94	37	23	120	16%	97	55	20
35	Centre College (KY)	57	16%	$22,462	82%	82%	156	0.48	95	55	42	40	22%	51	18	71
36	Bowdoin College (ME)	57	17%	$22,525	95%	92%	177	2.88	32	13	52	120	12%	149	118	119
37	Central College (IA)	57	39%	$20,786	64%	63%	129	0.00	130	119	79	120	26%	30	10	15
38	St. Olaf College (MN)	57	17%	$26,276	88%	85%	220	1.13	65	30	19	120	8%	200	74	72
39	Ohio Wesleyan University (OH)	56	28%	$25,917	72%	61%	241	0.72	83	56	43	110	29%	25	34	43
40	Hamilton College (NY)	56	17%	$20,355	91%	89%	140	3.11	30	47	12	120	27%	29	118	119
41	Wesleyan College (GA)	56	50%	$13,482	52%	52%	34	0.00	130	127	195	120	19%	68	6	12
42	College of the Atlantic (ME)	55	43%	$15,958	65%	71%	37	0.00	130	40	38	120	31%	19	118	119
43	Southwestern University (TX)	55	24%	$23,120	74%	73%	171	0.48	96	62	94	120	14%	118	27	9
44	Spelman College (GA)	55	51%	$27,648	56%	77%	77	2.27	40	31	120	38	9%	185	11	81
45	Emory and Henry College (VA)	55	48%	$18,613	50%	59%	48	0.00	130	103	132	120	11%	168	8	5
46	Washington and Lee University (VA)	55	11%	$20,585	93%	91%	142	0.46	100	50	164	30	40%	6	43	41
47	Illinois Wesleyan University (IL)	54	20%	$27,134	79%	82%	188	1.01	70	54	51	72	13%	130	13	42
48	Barnard College (NY)	54	22%	$22,868	90%	92%	151	4.05	23	20	116	101	22%	52	118	119
49	Lawrence University (WI)	53	20%	$26,229	75%	77%	183	0.24	119	17	49	120	23%	42	70	97
50	Tougaloo College (MS)	53	85%	$8,212	32%	48%	3	2.75	35	107	195	51	10%	179	118	119
51	Colgate University (NY)	52	11%	$18,647	88%	92%	69	2.29	39	34	55	120	36%	11	102	113
52	Mount Holyoke College (MA)	52	21%	$23,910	86%	85%	181	3.32	27	26	29	90	23%	45	118	119
53	St. John's College (MD)	52	21%	$25,302	79%	69%	238	0.00	130	24	26	120	15%	109	118	119
54	Agnes Scott College (GA)	52	43%	$19,044	66%	65%	106	0.94	73	39	87	67	34%	15	95	112
55	Warren Wilson College (NC)	52	26%	$25,512	65%	45%	252	0.00	130	147	30	120	2%	233	15	4
56	Gustavus Adolphus College (MN)	51	28%	$22,597	79%	82%	124	0.33	111	78	95	45	11%	155	47	66
57	Rust College (MS)	51	88%	$6,808	32%	28%	8	0.00	130	203	195	120	9%	191	85	47
58	Doane College-Crete (NE)	51	43%	$17,884	59%	63%	62	1.02	67	117	195	73	39%	7	94	59
59	Hendrix College (AR)	50	21%	$19,788	83%	73%	215	0.97	71	46	78	106	17%	89	118	119
60	Fisk University (TN)	50	53%	$18,718	41%	45%	72	4.85	13	73	74	20	14%	120	118	119
61	Calvin College (MI)	50	29%	$24,334	71%	77%	118	3.11	29	85	143	54	7%	215	78	14
62	William Jewell College (MO)	50	32%	$21,467	71%	63%	208	0.00	130	80	105	97	21%	58	22	44
63	Ripon College (WI)	50	41%	$19,475	66%	70%	79	0.00	130	142	174	18	15%	114	51	28
64	Lake Forest College (IL)	50	42%	$22,738	65%	68%	132	0.57	91	130	80	120	16%	100	12	37
65	Colby College (ME)	50	10%	$19,699	88%	91%	88	1.77	53	23	17	111	22%	50	118	119
66	Drew University (NJ)	50	36%	$28,361	61%	68%	172	5.08	11	52	61	120	23%	44	118	119
67	Wheaton College (IL)	49	20%	$23,640	84%	87%	147	1.19	63	63	73	10	21%	56	118	119
68	Maryville College (TN)	49	46%	$16,425	65%	54%	170	0.00	130	185	176	120	8%	209	7	19
69	Franklin and Marshall College (PA)	49	13%	$24,005	88%	85%	198	3.44	26	49	163	120	12%	140	42	60
70	Hobart William Smith Colleges (NY)	49	17%	$31,546	77%	75%	235	1.57	57	131	53	120	28%	26	14	52
71	College of Saint Benedict (MN)	48	25%	$24,141	75%	81%	125	0.87	78	141	45	120	27%	28	98	26
72	Kenyon College (OH)	48	10%	$30,779	88%	87%	231	0.43	103	28	5	120	21%	57	118	119
73	Judson College (AL)	48	52%	$17,016	51%	38%	204	0.00	130	180	89	26	12%	151	58	10
74	Dillard University (LA)	48	87%	$12,355	35%	24%	90	9.26	4	171	153	29	0%	235	118	119
75	Wittenberg University (OH)	48	27%	$25,981	67%	71%	168	0.24	117	71	108	120	20%	66	31	33
76	Whittier College (CA)	48	34%	$25,733	58%	55%	216	0.00	130	98	185	120	61%	3	104	67
77	Presbyterian College (SC)	47	29%	$16,465	62%	68%	41	0.00	130	140	83	8	18%	80	17	27
78	Denison University (OH)	47	19%	$26,907	84%	79%	229	0.00	130	118	13	114	16%	96	50	100
79	University of Hawaii-Hilo (HI)*	47	41%	$8,079	32%	36%	7	42.98	1	186	172	53	12%	152	118	119
80	Marlboro College (VT)	47	32%	$29,564	60%	66%	190	0.00	130	135	2	120	18%	79	118	119
81	College of Idaho (ID)	47	36%	$16,742	65%	63%	82	0.00	130	96	64	71	40%	5	118	119
82	Earlham College (IN)	47	31%	$19,665	66%	66%	107	0.47	97	45	6	120	15%	107	118	119
83	Alma College (MI)	47	36%	$19,001	65%	67%	92	0.00	130	183	98	120	10%	169	21	18
84	Ursinus College (PA)	47	30%	$26,859	74%	80%	163	0.59	90	81	122	120	7%	226	77	51
85	Pitzer College (CA)	46	14%	$21,637	79%	81%	117	0.27	115	101	100	74	13%	128	23	6
86	Juniata College (PA)	46	23%	$23,814	72%	76%	136	0.47	98	61	22	120	10%	172	72	104
87	College of the Holy Cross (MA)	46	20%	$22,778	83%	91%	93	0.96	72	74	133	16	13%	132	26	91
88	Centenary College of Louisiana (LA)	45	48%	$15,383	61%	58%	70	0.00	130	94	112	120	8%	204	113	76
89	Thomas Aquinas College (CA)	45	37%	$19,121	76%	69%	173	0.00	130	69	97	120	0%	235	118	119
90	Hiram College (OH)	45	54%	$21,652	53%	66%	60	0.00	130	97	182	120	9%	183	62	70
91	Dickinson College (PA)	45	12%	$27,871	83%	84%	201	2.05	44	111	25	19	18%	76	45	68
92	McDaniel College (MD)	44	32%	$21,752	63%	74%	68	0.00	130	124	56	11	16%	95	49	93
93	Simpson College (IA)	44	35%	$19,044	58%	69%	46	0.00	130	184	99	120	15%	112	67	21
94	Albion College (MI)	44	25%	$21,039	68%	68%	122	0.80	80	36	68	120	8%	199	69	77
95	Savannah State University (GA)*	44	80%	$8,308	28%	30%	10	2.70	36	206	195	6	18%	77	118	119
96	Salem College (NC)	44	53%	$15,243	53%	53%	55	0.00	130	114	126	92	34%	14	118	119
97	Connecticut College (CT)	44	13%	$23,809	85%	84%	178	1.80	52	70	62	120	29%	23	103	87
98	Granite State College (NH)*	44	74%	$9,076	30%	45%	5	0.00	130	209	195	120	17%	88	118	119
99	University of Maine-Machias (ME)*	44	69%	$8,579	27%	38%	6	0.00	130	209	195	120	23%	40	118	119
100	Claremont McKenna College (CA)	44	15%	$23,064	89%	91%	152	5.32	10	72	84	12	14%	124	118	119

For items 101-255, click here »