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National Liberal Arts Colleges Rankings

The National Liberal Arts Colleges, including schools like Wellesley College and Bowdoin College, emphasize undergraduate education and award at least half of their degrees in the liberal arts fields of study.

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Williams College

Williamstown, MA
#1 in National Liberal Arts Colleges

Founded in 1793, Williams College is a private institution. Williams College follows a 4-1-4-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered Most selective.

$50,070 Tuition and Fees
2,045 Undergraduate Enrollment

Amherst College

Amherst, MA
#2 in National Liberal Arts Colleges

Founded in 1821, Amherst College is a private institution. The school has 70.7 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students, and the student-faculty ratio at Amherst College is 8:1.

$50,562 Tuition and Fees
1,792 Undergraduate Enrollment

Swarthmore College

Swarthmore, PA
#3 in National Liberal Arts Colleges

Founded in 1864, Swarthmore College is a private institution. Swarthmore College offers a Greek system, where 12 percent of the student body is involved in a sorority and 5 percent is involved in a fraternity.

$47,442 Tuition and Fees
1,542 Undergraduate Enrollment

Bowdoin College

Brunswick, ME
#4 in National Liberal Arts Colleges (tie)

Founded in 1794, Bowdoin College is a private institution. Bowdoin College follows a Semester-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered Most selective.

$48,212 Tuition and Fees
1,805 Undergraduate Enrollment

Middlebury College

Middlebury, VT
#4 in National Liberal Arts Colleges (tie)

Founded in 1800, Middlebury College is a private institution. The school has 66.7 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students, and the student-faculty ratio at Middlebury College is 9:1.

$47,828 Tuition and Fees
2,526 Undergraduate Enrollment

Pomona College

Claremont, CA
#4 in National Liberal Arts Colleges (tie)

Founded in 1887, Pomona College is a private institution. Pomona College offers a Greek system, where 5 percent of the student body is involved in a sorority and 0 percent is involved in a fraternity.

$47,620 Tuition and Fees
1,650 Undergraduate Enrollment

Wellesley College

Wellesley, MA
#4 in National Liberal Arts Colleges (tie)

Founded in 1870, Wellesley College is a private institution. Wellesley College follows a Semester-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered Most selective.

$46,836 Tuition and Fees
2,323 Undergraduate Enrollment

Carleton College

Northfield, MN
#8 in National Liberal Arts Colleges

Founded in 1866, Carleton College is a private institution. The school has 70.9 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students, and the student-faculty ratio at Carleton College is 9:1.

$49,263 Tuition and Fees
2,057 Undergraduate Enrollment

Claremont McKenna College

Claremont, CA
#9 in National Liberal Arts Colleges (tie)

Founded in 1946, Claremont McKenna College is a private institution.

$49,045 Tuition and Fees
1,301 Undergraduate Enrollment

Davidson College

Davidson, NC
#9 in National Liberal Arts Colleges (tie)

Founded in 1837, Davidson College is a private institution. Davidson College follows a Semester-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered Most selective.

$46,966 Tuition and Fees
1,770 Undergraduate Enrollment

United States Naval Academy

Annapolis, MD
#9 in National Liberal Arts Colleges (tie)

Founded in 1845, United States Naval Academy is a public institution. The school has 69.5 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students, and the student-faculty ratio at United States Naval Academy is 8:1.

N/A (out-of-state), N/A (in-state) Tuition and Fees
4,511 Undergraduate Enrollment

Haverford College

Haverford, PA
#12 in National Liberal Arts Colleges (tie)

Founded in 1833, Haverford College is a private institution. Haverford College offers a Greek system, where 0 percent of the student body is involved in a sorority and 0 percent is involved in a fraternity.

$49,098 Tuition and Fees
1,194 Undergraduate Enrollment

Vassar College

Poughkeepsie, NY
#12 in National Liberal Arts Colleges (tie)

Founded in 1861, Vassar College is a private institution. Vassar College follows a Semester-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered Most selective.

$51,300 Tuition and Fees
2,418 Undergraduate Enrollment

Hamilton College

Clinton, NY
#14 in National Liberal Arts Colleges (tie)

Founded in 1812, Hamilton College is a private institution. The school has 74 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students, and the student-faculty ratio at Hamilton College is 9:1.

$49,500 Tuition and Fees
1,900 Undergraduate Enrollment

Harvey Mudd College

Claremont, CA
#14 in National Liberal Arts Colleges (tie)

Founded in 1955, Harvey Mudd College is a private institution. Harvey Mudd College offers a Greek system, where 0 percent of the student body is involved in a sorority and 0 percent is involved in a fraternity.

$48,594 Tuition and Fees
804 Undergraduate Enrollment

Smith College

Northampton, MA
#14 in National Liberal Arts Colleges (tie)

Founded in 1871, Smith College is a private institution. Smith College follows a Semester-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered More selective.

$46,288 Tuition and Fees
2,563 Undergraduate Enrollment

Washington and Lee University

Lexington, VA
#14 in National Liberal Arts Colleges (tie)

Founded in 1749, Washington and Lee University is a private institution. The school has 71.5 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students, and the student-faculty ratio at Washington and Lee University is 8:1.

$46,417 Tuition and Fees
1,890 Undergraduate Enrollment

Wesleyan University

Middletown, CT
#14 in National Liberal Arts Colleges (tie)

Founded in 1831, Wesleyan University is a private institution. Wesleyan University offers a Greek system, where 1 percent of the student body is involved in a sorority and 1 percent is involved in a fraternity.

$48,974 Tuition and Fees
2,928 Undergraduate Enrollment

Colby College

Waterville, ME
#19 in National Liberal Arts Colleges (tie)

Founded in 1813, Colby College is a private institution. Colby College follows a 4-1-4-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered More selective.

$49,120 Tuition and Fees
1,847 Undergraduate Enrollment

Colgate University

Hamilton, NY
#19 in National Liberal Arts Colleges (tie)

Founded in 1819, Colgate University is a private institution. The school has 74 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students, and the student-faculty ratio at Colgate University is 9:1.

$49,970 Tuition and Fees
2,875 Undergraduate Enrollment

Grinnell College

Grinnell, IA
#19 in National Liberal Arts Colleges (tie)

Founded in 1846, Grinnell College is a private institution. Grinnell College offers a Greek system, where 0 percent of the student body is involved in a sorority and 0 percent is involved in a fraternity.

$46,990 Tuition and Fees
1,734 Undergraduate Enrollment

United States Military Academy

West Point, NY
#22 in National Liberal Arts Colleges

Founded in 1802, United States Military Academy is a public institution. United States Military Academy follows a Semester-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered More selective.

N/A (out-of-state), N/A (in-state) Tuition and Fees
4,414 Undergraduate Enrollment

Macalester College

St. Paul, MN
#23 in National Liberal Arts Colleges (tie)

Founded in 1874, Macalester College is a private institution. The school has 71.3 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students, and the student-faculty ratio at Macalester College is 10:1.

$48,887 Tuition and Fees
2,073 Undergraduate Enrollment

Oberlin College

Oberlin, OH
#23 in National Liberal Arts Colleges (tie)

Founded in 1833, Oberlin College is a private institution. Oberlin College offers a Greek system, where 0 percent of the student body is involved in a sorority and 0 percent is involved in a fraternity.

$50,586 Tuition and Fees
2,961 Undergraduate Enrollment

Bates College

Lewiston, ME
#25 in National Liberal Arts Colleges (tie)

Founded in 1855, Bates College is a private institution. Bates College follows a 4-4-1-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered Most selective.

$48,435 Tuition and Fees
1,773 Undergraduate Enrollment