College Guide

Rankings

Below are the Washington Monthly's 2012 baccalaureate college 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). For an explanation of each category, click here. For more information about the overall goals of the rankings, click here. To learn more about our methodology, click here.

Use the above dropdown menu to switch to different categories of schools. Click on the "sort" button at the top of each column to sort schools by that category. You can also sort the list by state or by name of college. * 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	Elizabeth City State University (NC)*	100	75%	1442	19%	42%	1	5.58	5	129	120	12	18%	95	16	59
2	Wheeling Jesuit University (WV)	82	34%	17187	56%	60%	143	9.40	2	6	62	134	8%	225	29	23
3	Tuskegee University (AL)	79	63%	17277	36%	46%	91	15.58	1	24	69	2	14%	141	72	71
4	Bethel College (KS)	76	34%	16586	58%	54%	208	0.00	30	3	120	134	24%	54	21	31
5	Cooper Un. Advance. of Science & Art (NY)	71	16%	16883	87%	89%	151	0.37	19	1	120	134	34%	24	72	71
6	Northwestern College (IA)	70	30%	18159	64%	66%	174	0.00	30	42	15	134	17%	105	2	9
7	College of the Ozarks (MO)	68	70%	9854	38%	68%	5	0.00	30	37	120	99	0%	287	17	70
8	Montana Tech of the Univ. of Montana (MT)*	68	33%	11151	51%	51%	64	7.42	4	103	120	134	18%	98	65	5
9	Carson-Newman College (TN)	67	39%	14244	54%	53%	135	0.00	30	33	54	8	9%	219	1	43
10	Messiah College (PA)	66	20%	24434	66%	75%	194	0.00	30	21	8	78	8%	221	7	12
11	Augustana College (SD)	64	28%	17611	70%	67%	210	0.91	12	45	6	62	22%	70	34	66
12	West Virginia Wesleyan College (WV)	63	39%	15115	57%	58%	125	0.00	30	15	120	134	13%	149	8	30
13	Cedarville University (OH)	62	24%	19808	68%	67%	224	0.00	30	13	40	5	21%	73	72	71
14	Taylor University (IN)	62	22%	22831	63%	78%	134	0.00	30	10	19	134	12%	153	35	51
15	Franklin College (IN)	61	42%	17329	51%	54%	146	0.00	30	54	64	86	47%	9	26	14
16	Florida Southern College (FL)	60	32%	15054	56%	52%	185	0.00	30	23	9	10	11%	168	32	55
17	St. Andrews Presbyterian College (NC)	59	28%	24248	55%	43%	338	0.00	30	11	3	134	54%	5	72	71
18	Mars Hill College (NC)	59	56%	17682	44%	35%	288	0.00	30	20	67	134	24%	58	15	27
19	Texas Lutheran University (TX)	57	43%	16645	50%	46%	216	0.00	30	19	120	134	51%	7	37	26
20	Culver-Stockton College (MO)	57	51%	17423	51%	53%	161	0.00	30	47	46	134	45%	16	44	65
21	Unity College (ME)	57	46%	19720	49%	50%	204	0.00	30	173	5	134	11%	167	9	3
22	Asbury University (KY)	55	35%	17743	58%	63%	136	0.00	30	7	77	43	18%	96	72	71
23	Hastings College (NE)	55	36%	18549	56%	65%	118	0.00	30	36	32	134	13%	151	25	40
24	Macon State College (GA)*	55	59%	*	22%	16%	2	0.00	30	173	120	134	12%	152	72	71
25	University of the Ozarks (AR)	55	38%	4987	52%	53%	6	0.00	30	116	1	134	12%	158	72	71
26	Warner Pacific College (OR)	55	59%	17566	43%	94%	12	0.00	30	173	41	134	16%	111	41	15
27	Vanguard Univ. of Southern California (CA)	55	56%	3569	52%	59%	3	0.32	21	133	120	59	6%	279	72	71
28	Clarke University (IA)	54	36%	19181	54%	64%	119	0.00	30	65	21	134	11%	169	4	60
29	Martin Luther College (MN)	53	37%	13062	60%	71%	45	0.00	30	125	45	134	59%	4	72	71
30	Oklahoma Baptist University (OK)	53	33%	13597	54%	53%	121	0.00	30	8	31	88	8%	229	72	71
31	Iowa Wesleyan College (IA)	53	62%	17685	41%	37%	235	0.00	30	126	120	134	31%	28	18	6
32	University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff (AR)*	53	77%	8436	18%	24%	18	8.34	3	130	120	11	11%	173	72	71
33	Cedar Crest College (PA)	53	51%	22098	52%	59%	183	0.00	30	17	76	134	24%	57	61	53
34	Eureka College (IL)	52	41%	18136	52%	39%	322	0.00	30	14	120	134	33%	25	58	47
35	Manchester College (IN)	52	41%	17165	51%	53%	154	0.00	30	30	71	134	10%	196	13	21
36	Atlantic Union College (MA)	51	50%	16258	47%	31%	335	0.00	30	2	120	134	19%	91	72	71
37	Central State University (OH)*	51	87%	8163	18%	19%	26	3.23	8	74	94	20	10%	184	72	71
38	Blue Mountain College (MS)	51	51%	11012	39%	40%	61	0.00	30	4	120	134	0%	287	72	71
39	Trinity Christian College (IL)	50	38%	21412	58%	61%	209	0.00	30	72	22	134	7%	276	36	29
40	Kentucky Wesleyan College (KY)	50	52%	12584	48%	50%	79	0.00	30	51	13	134	21%	78	72	71
41	Ohio Valley University (WV)	50	57%	16333	53%	55%	141	0.00	30	173	120	134	8%	244	59	1
42	Loras College (IA)	50	21%	18920	63%	61%	232	0.00	30	18	79	134	36%	19	20	17
43	Lenoir-Rhyne University (NC)	49	47%	17032	51%	45%	245	0.00	30	34	81	77	8%	223	14	58
44	Benedict College (SC)	49	85%	17287	25%	27%	163	1.53	10	128	120	41	11%	180	39	24
45	Marietta College (OH)	49	34%	19753	63%	59%	265	0.00	30	27	120	134	17%	109	57	25
46	Dordt College (IA)	48	34%	20315	65%	60%	277	0.00	30	35	120	134	14%	144	46	34
47	Morningside College (IA)	48	37%	17753	56%	50%	257	0.00	30	5	120	119	11%	174	72	71
48	Covenant College (GA)	48	38%	19627	59%	55%	259	0.00	30	40	14	134	17%	110	72	71
49	Stephens College (MO)	48	40%	21616	49%	55%	184	0.00	30	16	53	134	23%	61	72	71
50	Fort Valley State University (GA)*	47	73%	11388	21%	34%	23	5.31	6	146	110	13	5%	281	72	71
51	Tabor College (KS)	47	46%	19299	53%	43%	309	0.00	30	31	120	134	34%	22	72	71
52	Mid-Atlantic Christian University (NC)	47	59%	15620	40%	32%	246	0.00	30	173	120	26	27%	36	23	13
53	Defiance College (OH)	46	49%	18630	48%	45%	231	0.00	30	138	120	134	8%	235	5	8
54	East Texas Baptist University (TX)	46	38%	13530	48%	36%	271	0.00	30	12	120	134	8%	241	52	18
55	Silver Lake College (WI)	45	53%	14808	30%	36%	85	0.00	30	99	120	134	35%	21	71	4
56	Buena Vista University (IA)	45	44%	17343	58%	58%	176	0.00	30	89	73	33	7%	270	68	32
57	Martin Methodist College (TN)	44	55%	27356	41%	75%	84	0.00	30	173	120	134	11%	179	11	16
58	Northland International University (WI)	44	60%	15440	39%	59%	38	0.00	30	173	120	134	51%	8	72	71
59	Carroll College (MT)	43	22%	20605	60%	58%	253	0.00	30	29	20	16	9%	205	72	71
60	University of Mount Union (OH)	43	39%	19862	59%	63%	181	0.00	30	53	120	40	7%	272	30	62
61	Ohio Northern University (OH)	43	27%	24116	73%	66%	314	0.31	22	32	120	121	16%	112	72	71
62	Virginia Union University (VA)	43	66%	17770	31%	32%	173	0.00	30	49	120	51	8%	246	38	38
63	Ohio Christian University (OH)	43	86%	23952	35%	31%	294	0.00	30	173	120	134	26%	42	64	63
64	University of Maine-Farmington (ME)*	43	42%	13133	45%	59%	33	0.00	30	83	17	134	23%	62	72	71
65	Elizabethtown College (PA)	43	20%	23387	64%	78%	145	0.51	17	59	48	134	7%	275	6	71
66	Jamestown College (ND)	43	28%	15838	58%	41%	336	0.00	30	9	18	134	10%	193	72	71
67	Voorhees College (SC)	42	87%	7380	20%	28%	9	0.00	30	173	120	6	0%	287	72	71
68	Free Will Baptist Bible College (TN)	42	41%	14587	48%	53%	92	0.00	30	173	120	61	0%	287	19	2
69	Huntingdon College (AL)	42	41%	16191	47%	47%	157	0.00	30	70	65	72	21%	72	55	46
70	MacMurray College (IL)	42	80%	16084	35%	35%	158	0.00	30	173	25	134	19%	86	72	71
71	Missouri Western State University (MO)*	41	49%	9048	33%	29%	58	0.00	30	164	91	46	8%	240	28	19
72	Embry Riddle Aero. Univ.-Prescott (AZ)	41	32%	28962	60%	60%	300	0.00	30	85	120	1	0%	287	72	71
73	Coker College (SC)	40	49%	12107	46%	54%	44	0.00	30	106	120	134	19%	94	53	39
74	University of South Carolina-Aiken (SC)*	39	43%	9543	38%	38%	46	0.34	20	94	108	132	26%	41	63	48
75	Wilmington College (OH)	39	49%	17725	49%	45%	233	0.00	30	96	120	134	8%	224	56	49
76	Missouri Southern State University (MO)*	39	49%	7384	38%	34%	34	0.00	30	91	117	134	25%	48	72	71
77	Adrian College (MI)	39	36%	19355	55%	44%	318	0.00	30	39	82	104	39%	17	72	71
78	Milligan College (TN)	38	36%	14890	56%	56%	133	0.00	30	38	120	134	16%	119	72	71
79	Monroe College-New Rochelle (NY)°	38	80%	16423	48%	75%	30	0.00	30	173	120	134	0%	287	72	71
80	John Brown University (AR)	38	25%	18907	61%	61%	197	0.00	30	56	30	57	14%	137	72	71
81	University of Minnesota-Crookston (MN)*	38	41%	11465	41%	37%	110	0.00	30	173	120	130	20%	84	24	28
82	Kuyper College (MI)	38	48%	17527	52%	40%	307	0.00	30	173	120	134	9%	217	66	7
83	Lewis-Clark State College (ID)*	38	52%	12936	30%	29%	113	0.00	30	159	95	108	32%	26	48	67
84	Marian University (IN)	38	44%	17085	52%	54%	155	0.00	30	141	120	69	20%	83	12	57
85	Chadron State College (NE)*	38	37%	8719	44%	46%	29	0.00	30	90	93	35	22%	68	72	71
86	Central Baptist College (AR)	38	46%	11263	41%	35%	129	0.00	30	173	120	134	93%	1	72	71
87	Glenville State College (WV)*	38	67%	9032	34%	28%	69	0.00	30	135	120	19	7%	260	72	71
88	West Virginia Univ. Institute of Tech. (WV)*	37	47%	8790	34%	33%	40	0.00	30	22	120	79	0%	287	72	71
89	Catawba College (NC)	37	37%	16611	47%	57%	83	0.00	30	149	72	134	46%	12	45	42
90	Flagler College (FL)	37	26%	17521	58%	64%	127	0.00	30	119	4	134	16%	113	72	71
91	Keystone College (PA)	36	51%	13279	36%	46%	49	0.00	30	173	83	134	8%	227	40	22
92	Rocky Mountain College (MT)	36	33%	17862	55%	52%	222	0.00	30	137	7	63	29%	34	72	71
93	Geneva College (PA)	36	38%	17218	58%	61%	152	0.00	30	46	86	134	7%	266	72	71
94	West Liberty University (WV)*	36	47%	8350	41%	39%	42	1.65	9	79	120	131	15%	135	72	71
95	Jarvis Christian College (TX)	36	83%	6827	23%	29%	8	0.22	27	173	120	134	25%	46	72	71
96	St. Mary-of-the-Woods College (IN)	35	55%	10180	38%	51%	17	0.00	30	68	120	123	0%	286	72	71
97	University of Sioux Falls (SD)	35	31%	18516	56%	50%	273	0.00	30	114	35	117	37%	18	72	71
98	Mount Marty College (SD)	35	50%	18443	47%	56%	116	0.00	30	144	29	76	15%	134	72	71
99	Blackburn College (IL)	35	49%	11881	46%	44%	104	0.00	30	60	36	134	0%	287	72	71
100	Millikin University (IL)	35	37%	18131	52%	59%	126	0.00	30	26	96	134	16%	114	72	71

For items 101-352, click here »