2020 Liberal Arts Colleges Ranking

Since 2005, the Washington Monthly has ranked colleges based on what they do for the country. It’s our answer to U.S News & World Report, which relies on crude and easily manipulated measures of wealth, exclusivity, and prestige. We rank liberal arts colleges—four-year institutions that award almost exclusively bachelor’s degrees and that focus on arts and sciences rather than professional programs—based on their contribution to the public good in three broad categories: social mobility, research, and promoting public service.

Click here for detailed methodology, here for the rest of our rankings, and here to download the full data set.

Rank	Name	8-year graduation rate	Number of Pell graduates	Median earnings 10 yrs after entering college	Predicted median earnings 10 yrs after entering college	Net price of attendance for families below $75,000 income	Percent repaying $1 in loan principal 5 yrs after leaving college	Social mobility rank	Research rank	Service rank
1	Amherst College (MA)	95%	79	61559	57511	8904	87%	6	13	24
2	Wesleyan University (CT)	93%	140	51804	54271	9200	92%	9	5	63
3	Berea College (KY)	65%	233	33666	26938	2149	69%	1	107	53
4	Washington and Lee University (VA)	90%	46	75316	58550	4566	92%	2	88	55
5	Harvey Mudd College (CA)	92%	27	78218	66278	17809	N/A	12	1	162
6	Pomona College (CA)	95%	65	56501	60886	6376	N/A	17	10	27
7	Vassar College (NY)	91%	140	52833	54151	9542	93%	10	15	31
8	Middlebury College (VT)	95%	62	57478	56892	9422	88%	22	26	6
9	Claremont McKenna College (CA)	92%	30	72913	60336	12575	N/A	4	25	60
10	Williams College (MA)	96%	98	56921	58346	5987	89%	8	9	126
11	Bowdoin College (ME)	94%	59	61037	58439	9133	90%	18	19	13
12	Haverford College (PA)	92%	45	59071	58491	11864	92%	37	11	16
13	Wellesley College (MA)	93%	94	60364	59068	8847	92%	25	6	80
14	Grinnell College (IA)	88%	90	46428	51786	14192	91%	52	8	20
15	Swarthmore College (PA)	95%	53	53630	60880	9013	90%	49	3	66
16	Hamilton College (NY)	92%	69	59336	55995	10240	94%	14	40	32
17	Bryn Mawr College (PA)	84%	50	54905	49761	15191	86%	55	4	52
18	College of the Holy Cross (MA)	91%	116	67794	56579	14424	94%	3	97	101
19	Carleton College (MN)	93%	57	53178	56943	13396	93%	62	2	72
20	Trinity College (CT)	84%	54	61063	54273	11114	85%	11	81	42
21	Bates College (ME)	88%	47	56630	56471	9326	95%	32	42	22
22	Colgate University (NY)	91%	79	63026	55240	11541	90%	7	35	155
23	Smith College (MA)	88%	123	46117	50929	11734	81%	66	12	14
24	Barnard College (NY)	92%	108	58241	55996	10175	94%	13	22	134
25	Franklin and Marshall College (PA)	87%	83	56197	52589	13340	90%	20	29	87
26	Lafayette College (PA)	90%	61	69757	59108	13695	91%	16	44	84
27	Connecticut College (CT)	84%	64	54448	53161	18815	92%	38	54	23
28	Dickinson College (PA)	84%	63	56314	52788	14492	89%	28	89	36
29	St. Mary's College of Maryland (MD)*	78%	51	50353	49461	12554	87%	42	72	15
30	Beloit College (WI)	79%	58	41435	44735	8614	84%	30	73	43
31	College of Saint Benedict (MN)	83%	107	50960	44085	18518	94%	15	115	57
32	New College of Florida (FL)*	68%	39	N/A	34068	7881	72%	96	32	5
33	Colby College (ME)	92%	50	56268	57566	7841	92%	46	23	40
34	Allegheny College (PA)	76%	120	50537	47487	18433	85%	48	60	25
35	Virginia Military Institute (VA)*	76%	45	63992	60577	8379	87%	81	157	1
36	Davidson College (NC)	94%	51	56225	55275	9359	91%	33	36	113
37	Lake Forest College (IL)	73%	111	50018	46705	18341	86%	24	99	88
38	Union College (NY)	87%	75	65558	58052	14405	89%	26	117	65
39	University of Richmond (VA)	83%	105	62983	56490	11673	79%	27	47	153
40	Knox College (IL)	80%	80	40729	41352	17437	81%	50	85	33
41	Gustavus Adolphus College (MN)	81%	126	50705	49339	14806	88%	36	96	62
42	Mount Holyoke College (MA)	83%	72	47222	45957	15324	82%	58	16	100
43	Bucknell University (PA)	89%	78	70151	59996	22502	94%	45	28	92
44	Providence Christian College (CA)	73%	3	N/A	28556	21555	N/A	5	211	214
45	Agnes Scott College (GA)	71%	91	39043	39975	18187	66%	138	67	3
46	Tougaloo College (MS)	46%	67	27298	24163	12305	41%	23	77	170
47	Macalester College (MN)	90%	74	47449	52078	15845	91%	87	20	38
48	Blackburn College (IL)	44%	37	38161	35558	12365	65%	64	175	7
49	Denison University (OH)	82%	103	49947	50285	16141	83%	78	94	18
50	Gettysburg College (PA)	85%	83	55160	53622	15645	93%	40	64	102
51	Kalamazoo College (MI)	83%	61	50473	50370	15665	84%	77	41	44
52	Susquehanna University (PA)	74%	99	53284	46097	19562	88%	35	134	85
53	Willamette University (OR)	79%	83	50883	45910	23052	88%	54	53	76
54	Cornell College (IA)	68%	84	42574	45227	22242	83%	114	74	11
55	Hobart and William Smith Colleges (NY)	79%	83	52155	51500	20743	87%	124	116	4
56	Illinois College (IL)	72%	60	40814	40116	13552	85%	34	147	105
57	Saint Mary's College (IN)	80%	70	47255	44458	14959	89%	39	124	95
58	Dillard University (LA)	40%	110	34366	31633	17262	52%	53	33	156
59	Goucher College (MD)	65%	67	48186	43533	19863	82%	79	132	17
60	Saint John's University (MN)	79%	68	59818	54933	17002	92%	57	80	81
61	Lycoming College (PA)	65%	86	45910	43007	14834	80%	21	145	189
62	University of Minnesota–Morris (MN)*	62%	74	40534	39925	5260	79%	67	90	50
63	Whitman College (WA)	88%	32	48188	52523	21751	93%	143	24	21
64	Ripon College (WI)	67%	53	44709	42252	15460	82%	44	111	103
65	DePauw University (IN)	83%	91	51839	45696	15961	87%	47	70	141
66	Kenyon College (OH)	89%	35	46850	51121	12893	90%	97	21	83
67	Rust College (MS)	24%	86	23719	26531	9900	27%	19	194	212
68	Centre College (KY)	85%	51	45229	49565	17452	86%	88	87	35
69	Drew University (NJ)	65%	78	52342	45060	18538	81%	61	106	70
70	Skidmore College (NY)	88%	81	47547	54544	12252	91%	71	57	90
71	Transylvania University (KY)	73%	63	42694	43894	19788	82%	134	79	9
72	St. Olaf College (MN)	88%	93	48543	53541	12549	91%	73	31	140
73	Juniata College (PA)	76%	70	47799	47067	20961	88%	90	65	49
74	Salem College (NC)	56%	51	34183	31201	15161	64%	41	156	116
75	Wabash College (IN)	72%	54	55295	48354	14866	78%	69	59	96
76	Wheaton College (IL)	90%	104	46293	50745	17826	95%	70	30	164
77	Thomas Aquinas College (CA)	78%	25	38184	33178	17492	90%	29	128	214
78	Reed College (OR)	81%	44	39204	50494	17197	88%	186	7	30
79	Muhlenberg College (PA)	84%	41	58192	52587	17926	87%	76	123	48
80	Simpson College (IA)	68%	71	46067	44709	19730	84%	117	162	8
81	Bard College (NY)	77%	69	38904	41768	19978	85%	153	63	12
82	Albion College (MI)	70%	53	47133	44795	12600	84%	59	71	161
83	Occidental College (CA)	85%	91	50643	56914	16624	91%	93	56	73
84	St. John's College (MD)	72%	20	36244	34684	17773	83%	125	14	108
85	Univ. of NH–Manchester (NH)*	61%	5	49915	45438	12608	87%	31	207	187
86	Colorado College (CO)	87%	43	43196	55110	7348	89%	111	27	86
87	Soka University of America (CA)	85%	31	N/A	33192	9559	79%	51	125	137
88	Whittier College (CA)	67%	99	45564	49218	21015	78%	85	149	45
89	Univ. of Virginia's College–Wise (VA)*	44%	77	38184	34771	9790	67%	43	191	146
90	Lewis & Clark College (OR)	77%	106	44528	49009	21710	89%	118	51	54
91	Hanover College (IN)	68%	79	44497	42452	17642	81%	74	86	132
92	Spelman College (GA)	76%	169	47586	38653	36566	57%	108	34	106
93	Illinois Wesleyan University (IL)	82%	72	57535	52666	20730	90%	68	98	150
94	Linfield College (OR)	69%	85	54381	45426	22794	84%	63	137	124
95	Ursinus College (PA)	79%	76	54789	50807	23946	87%	92	76	109
96	Southwestern University (TX)	74%	63	51496	50722	20287	87%	112	62	77
97	Warren Wilson College (NC)	53%	44	26692	37909	21258	78%	183	126	2
98	Houghton College (NY)	73%	69	40577	35827	20200	84%	56	114	188
99	St. Lawrence University (NY)	85%	88	48344	50929	15483	87%	107	120	51
100	Hope College (MI)	79%	143	45119	49149	17632	86%	129	50	74
101	Wofford College (SC)	80%	70	51461	50731	18769	84%	91	150	79
102	Furman University (SC)	82%	68	48923	50094	19770	88%	147	49	58
103	Gordon College (MA)	70%	97	41247	45421	22766	89%	113	109	64
104	Moravian Coll./Moravian Theo. Sem. (PA)	71%	76	50333	46765	23876	85%	83	165	89
105	Sewanee–University of the South (TN)	79%	67	43099	48418	16650	85%	148	112	26
106	Stonehill College (MA)	83%	75	60582	51657	24703	89%	72	144	163
107	Wittenberg University (OH)	77%	78	43053	43842	20921	81%	119	83	78
108	Washington & Jefferson College (PA)	76%	63	52382	48724	21302	84%	89	113	120
109	Augustana College (IL)	76%	116	50492	50348	18791	87%	84	118	139
110	St. Norbert College (WI)	72%	103	46043	46781	19993	85%	133	129	37
111	Wheaton College (MA)	79%	77	47093	49438	22201	89%	109	167	59
112	Westmont College (CA)	77%	58	50149	50295	25057	89%	95	102	158
113	College of Wooster (OH)	77%	100	47015	50565	17180	83%	126	58	110
114	Monmouth College (IL)	58%	86	41145	40769	13944	78%	94	135	122
115	Mansfield University of PA (PA)*	53%	104	38770	37294	17197	70%	75	179	171
116	Scripps College (CA)	88%	27	51566	57934	16361	91%	123	48	152
117	Univ. of North Carolina–Asheville (NC)*	64%	94	35133	41549	9818	65%	146	84	75
118	Sweet Briar College (VA)	67%	29	38954	37707	20872	82%	139	68	97
119	Hendrix College (AR)	80%	48	41131	48983	17250	79%	182	39	28
120	Albright College (PA)	57%	103	46701	43307	20186	77%	65	176	193
121	Westminster College (PA)	72%	94	43884	44229	17960	85%	86	172	129
122	Hampshire College (MA)	71%	32	34107	39829	21372	76%	192	43	10
123	Randall University (OK)	38%	5	35754	29643	15620	56%	60	201	214
124	Bennett College (NC)	44%	47	29388	21865	20650	33%	122	161	69
125	Hartwick College (NY)	59%	88	44365	44988	21542	79%	145	133	61
126	Ohio Wesleyan University (OH)	68%	78	44749	45378	21132	85%	141	61	130
127	Coe College (IA)	69%	70	45150	47842	17375	84%	127	105	104
128	University of Wisconsin–Parkside (WI)*	35%	90	38889	40885	8957	59%	142	186	47
129	Fort Lewis College (CO)*	47%	91	35227	34702	14549	62%	104	153	135
130	Pitzer College (CA)	87%	27	47943	55679	12432	77%	150	95	98
131	Wartburg College (IA)	69%	78	44682	46762	18112	86%	166	141	34
132	Saint Anselm College (NH)	73%	69	56679	52355	22633	90%	115	168	107
133	Saint Vincent College (PA)	72%	75	47748	49079	16947	85%	98	138	174
134	Oberlin College (OH)	87%	59	41291	50438	17168	89%	179	17	111
135	Sterling College (VT)	56%	3	N/A	31399	26152	79%	130	183	67
136	Bryn Athyn College (PA)	51%	11	N/A	35586	14983	72%	82	189	186
137	Sarah Lawrence College (NY)	81%	40	40777	36260	25229	84%	128	55	185
138	Franklin College (IN)	61%	61	42906	40757	17051	81%	102	197	125
139	Wells College (NY)	51%	47	35601	37814	17694	74%	120	100	165
140	Presbyterian College (SC)	66%	47	43312	44775	15864	84%	121	130	121
141	Penn State–Brandywine (PA)*	47%	54	49789	46011	14190	76%	80	205	203
142	Austin College (TX)	74%	68	49122	54891	17171	79%	151	82	136
143	Lawrence University (WI)	78%	65	43180	45765	18516	84%	154	78	133
144	Virginia Wesleyan University (VA)	51%	84	39806	37820	23082	66%	160	181	46
145	Massachusetts Coll. of Liberal Arts (MA)*	56%	68	35909	36407	14774	69%	103	180	167
146	St. John's College (NM)	48%	16	30939	26919	23696	78%	169	45	115
147	Univ. of Pittsburgh–Greensburg (PA)*	44%	54	52188	46506	15544	80%	105	187	169
148	Rhodes College (TN)	80%	72	52754	55582	18273	89%	161	93	99
149	SUNY–Purchase College (NY)*	65%	152	35877	38973	15663	71%	116	177	149
150	Randolph College (VA)	57%	28	40538	39019	22426	74%	175	66	71
151	Bethany Lutheran College (MN)	52%	31	35265	37707	12926	82%	99	169	201
152	University of Maine–Machias (ME)*	34%	19	27402	31203	7858	61%	135	170	114
153	Cheyney University of PA (PA)* ^^	24%	43	29993	28674	13867	28%	140	163	117
154	Bethune-Cookman University (FL)	43%	248	29619	28664	16291	27%	100	171	196
155	Central College (IA)	66%	67	44135	48372	17981	84%	180	140	29
156	Earlham College (IN)	70%	45	35020	43124	16108	84%	176	46	91
157	University of Puget Sound (WA)	78%	85	51416	50788	31222	88%	185	69	41
158	Univ. of Wisconsin–Superior (WI)*	45%	43	36551	35162	11004	65%	159	104	112
159	Elizabethtown College (PA)	75%	72	50498	50297	23164	86%	132	151	142
160	University of the West (CA)	52%	3	N/A	35902	10375	N/A	106	211	178
161	Georgetown College (KY)	61%	50	42162	42141	17061	77%	144	119	183
162	Pacific Rim Christian Univ. (HI)	76%	1	28098	28528	16505	58%	101	211	214
163	Saint Michael's College (VT)	79%	74	49095	50510	24340	92%	163	108	123
164	Bloomfield College (NJ)	34%	92	37501	34538	18715	45%	110	208	199
165	Covenant College (GA)	62%	52	40807	39587	19069	81%	137	146	191
166	Shepherd University (WV)*	48%	101	39510	38914	8495	59%	136	184	173
167	Hollins University (VA)	58%	33	33918	33594	17753	62%	170	92	145
168	College of the Atlantic (ME)	69%	12	25647	25085	15851	83%	165	121	154
169	Washington College (MD)	75%	37	47847	51374	21322	85%	173	159	82
170	Luther College (IA)	79%	86	45137	48267	19757	86%	174	91	131
171	Westminster College (MO)	64%	39	42090	44137	18253	73%	177	38	195
172	Univ. of Science & Arts of Okla. (OK)*	45%	16	32784	31525	6695	61%	152	188	175
173	Chowan University (NC)	26%	105	34139	28489	16252	40%	131	203	205
174	Judson College (AL)	36%	14	28347	29378	16065	59%	155	143	202
175	Concordia College–Moorhead (MN)	73%	116	43622	48313	19521	89%	184	103	94
176	Roanoke College (VA)	66%	85	44830	46377	23286	83%	172	131	127
177	University of Pikeville (KY)	54%	61	29801	34065	16378	54%	157	210	157
178	Lane College (TN)	31%	93	24983	27220	12646	16%	156	202	176
179	Bennington College (VT)	71%	29	27235	37153	23419	85%	191	164	39
180	Virginia University of Lynchburg (VA)	22%	4	N/A	29049	17248	16%	149	199	213
181	College of Idaho (ID)	62%	67	39920	45097	19858	79%	171	136	160
182	Doane University (NE)	61%	61	44724	44286	20997	75%	168	139	172
183	Emory and Henry College (VA)	54%	50	40020	40810	15635	77%	164	152	200
184	Stillman College (AL)	28%	54	27592	26185	14184	26%	162	166	210
185	Randolph-Macon College (VA)	61%	69	47631	48119	21349	81%	181	142	138
186	LA State Univ.–Alexandria (LA)*	28%	6	33659	33541	7728	59%	158	206	204
187	Bridgewater College (VA)	61%	80	42338	46356	17462	82%	167	195	184
188	Emmanuel College (MA)	65%	88	48517	48508	26950	79%	187	204	118
189	Bethany College (WV)	44%	33	40610	38243	18279	69%	197	193	56
190	Aquinas College (MI)	57%	76	36961	41498	13806	67%	188	158	166
191	Williams Baptist University (AR)	43%	30	33152	36080	15655	64%	178	196	208
192	Oglethorpe University (GA)	47%	48	43145	42439	19159	62%	190	174	159
193	Millsaps College (MS)	67%	29	47644	51456	19084	73%	204	52	190
194	Wesleyan College (GA)	47%	23	33883	34088	12995	53%	194	127	179
195	Brewton-Parker College (GA)	24%	14	31866	32421	17956	54%	189	198	206
196	Morehouse College (GA)	52%	136	42860	44472	34329	39%	210	37	148
197	Young Harris College (GA)	44%	42	37984	39482	16609	69%	193	209	151
198	Hampden-Sydney College (VA)	66%	43	51252	56012	26521	79%	200	155	147
199	Fisk University (TN)	39%	40	34265	36942	28168	41%	216	18	68
200	Centenary College of Louisiana (LA)	50%	31	44227	41879	22050	70%	206	75	180
201	Guilford College (NC)	52%	59	37489	42773	21652	58%	205	148	128
202	Eckerd College (FL)	64%	59	42238	49394	27163	69%	214	110	19
203	Lyon College (AR)	43%	32	40070	44725	14559	64%	199	154	182
204	Virginia Union University (VA)	33%	82	32130	35738	20242	26%	195	182	194
205	Southern Virginia University (VA)	35%	21	34761	34013	16976	64%	203	178	144
206	Marymount California University (CA)	37%	40	36769	41099	23643	57%	196	211	192
207	Allen University (SC)	28%	34	22522	29989	14822	17%	198	211	198
208	Spring Hill College (AL)	52%	46	44342	44874	13615	65%	207	160	181
209	Meredith College (NC)	58%	72	38347	43053	21833	71%	209	173	119
210	East-West University (IL)	30%	14	24765	29769	21775	19%	201	211	209
211	Univ. of South Carolina–Beaufort (SC)*	32%	49	34692	40235	14526	55%	208	190	168
212	Stevens-Henager College (UT)	30%	13	28935	29878	25377	26%	202	211	214
213	Johnson C. Smith University (NC)	45%	79	29804	33447	18792	27%	211	122	207
214	Birmingham-Southern College (AL)	64%	34	46452	52273	21836	76%	213	101	143
215	Marymount Manhattan College (NY)	46%	47	40796	37614	32127	67%	215	192	93
216	King's College (NY)	50%	32	N/A	41415	29114	77%	212	211	177
217	Talladega College (AL)	27%	66	24125	26591	14835	19%	217	200	211
218	Ave Maria University (FL)	54%	36	N/A	51168	15736	60%	218	185	197

Definitions:

Median earnings: median annual earnings 10 years after entering college.

Pell/non-Pell graduation gap: graduation rate for Pell students minus the graduation rate for non-Pell students; a positive number indicates that students who receive Pell grants graduate at a higher rate than those who don’t, and vice versa.

First-gen students: percent of students who are the first in their family to go to college.

Predicted median earnings: expected median annual earnings based on student demographic data, adjusted for institutions’ location and academic mission.

Net price: actual cost of attendance for first-time, full-time, in-state students with family incomes below $75,000 per year over the last three years.

2020 Liberal Arts Colleges Ranking

Definitions:

Median earnings: median annual earnings 10 years after entering college.

Pell/non-Pell graduation gap: graduation rate for Pell students minus the graduation rate for non-Pell students; a positive number indicates that students who receive Pell grants graduate at a higher rate than those who don’t, and vice versa.

First-gen students: percent of students who are the first in their family to go to college.

Predicted median earnings: expected median annual earnings based on student demographic data, adjusted for institutions’ location and academic mission.

Net price: actual cost of attendance for first-time, full-time, in-state students with family incomes below $75,000 per year over the last three years.

Loan repayment rate: percent of students who pay back at least $1 in loan principal within 5 years of leaving college.

* = public
° = for-profit

Definitions:

Median earnings: median annual earnings 10 years after entering college.

Pell/non-Pell graduation gap: graduation rate for Pell students minus the graduation rate for non-Pell students; a positive number indicates that students who receive Pell grants graduate at a higher rate than those who don’t, and vice versa.

First-gen students: percent of students who are the first in their family to go to college.

Predicted median earnings: expected median annual earnings based on student demographic data, adjusted for institutions’ location and academic mission.

Net price: actual cost of attendance for first-time, full-time, in-state students with family incomes below $75,000 per year over the last three years.

Loan repayment rate: percent of students who pay back at least $1 in loan principal within 5 years of leaving college.

* = public ° = for-profit

* = public
° = for-profit