College Guide

Rankings

Below are the Washington Monthly's 2011 liberal arts 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.

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

		Overall Score	Students receiving Pell grants	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	Berea College (KY)	100	80%	46%	65%	5	$0.00	98	63	75	122	10%	163	19	39
2	Morehouse College (GA)	98	50%	50%	60%	20	$5.02	4	103	115	3	15%	94	75	63
3	Bryn Mawr College (PA)	96	13%	80%	80%	145	$2.97	15	4	77	105	30%	13	10	36
4	Spelman College (GA)	95	39%	52%	83%	1	$2.01	27	25	127	25	9%	172	18	59
5	Swarthmore College (PA)	93	10%	94%	93%	161	$1.74	34	2	74	122	7%	222	24	37
6	Macalester College (MN)	88	10%	89%	86%	171	$2.46	21	17	2	94	18%	59	28	10
7	Amherst College (MA)	86	13%	93%	94%	126	$3.36	10	9	98	122	41%	6	125	124
8	Pomona College (CA)	85	14%	97%	95%	166	$3.29	12	7	76	111	11%	135	112	89
9	Harvey Mudd College (CA)	85	11%	99%	91%	208	$3.01	14	1	111	122	14%	100	125	124
10	Carleton College (MN)	84	9%	92%	92%	152	$1.94	30	5	20	122	8%	203	81	51
11	Wesleyan University (CT)	84	13%	90%	93%	92	$7.08	1	13	37	107	15%	87	125	124
12	Wellesley College (MA)	82	15%	88%	90%	112	$4.56	5	10	51	80	23%	32	125	124
13	Williams College (MA)	82	14%	92%	96%	89	$4.08	7	11	24	122	15%	89	125	124
14	Rhodes College (TN)	79	12%	79%	79%	137	$0.47	77	89	12	37	13%	114	3	2
15	Haverford College (PA)	79	11%	90%	92%	118	$1.40	37	6	64	122	16%	79	94	109
16	Fisk University (TN)	79	54%	41%	57%	8	$2.85	16	24	208	62	22%	34	125	124
17	Oberlin College (OH)	78	9%	89%	86%	175	$0.73	61	8	40	122	21%	36	50	67
18	Reed College (OR)	77	16%	87%	78%	213	$1.29	41	3	14	122	11%	142	125	124
19	Occidental College (CA)	76	22%	78%	85%	58	$2.11	26	50	94	93	18%	53	123	8
20	Middlebury College (VT)	76	9%	90%	92%	111	$1.79	32	37	22	103	29%	14	85	75
21	Smith College (MA)	75	17%	80%	84%	87	$4.24	6	21	30	122	16%	77	122	110
22	Lewis & Clark College (OR)	75	11%	83%	78%	186	$1.11	47	35	1	114	21%	37	4	105
23	Washington and Lee University (VA)	73	5%	92%	91%	155	$0.27	90	49	71	44	45%	4	46	56
24	Carson-Newman College (TN)	73	31%	55%	55%	149	$0.00	98	159	197	4	7%	221	1	6
25	Dillard University (LA)	72	73%	29%	28%	160	$1.96	29	170	141	20	0%	244	7	104
26	Davidson College (NC)	72	7%	88%	91%	93	$1.24	44	51	70	35	20%	40	9	79
27	Willamette University (OR)	71	18%	73%	79%	70	$0.46	78	85	10	95	20%	39	6	92
28	Furman University (SC)	70	11%	80%	86%	64	$1.36	38	38	82	13	23%	30	113	123
29	Agnes Scott College (GA)	69	33%	63%	67%	82	$0.00	98	48	13	88	19%	43	86	103
30	Bates College (ME)	69	9%	86%	91%	72	$0.92	53	33	151	122	18%	55	23	13
31	Earlham College (IN)	69	15%	73%	72%	162	$0.00	98	34	7	122	24%	26	52	20
32	Tougaloo College (MS)	69	93%	51%	42%	214	$2.38	22	148	172	122	10%	168	100	124
33	Colgate University (NY)	69	8%	88%	90%	113	$2.56	19	30	26	120	23%	33	119	117
34	Barnard College (NY)	69	18%	84%	91%	55	$2.82	17	32	62	117	16%	81	125	124
35	University of Richmond (VA)	69	9%	79%	86%	52	$2.82	17	66	65	24	13%	108	60	70
36	St. John's University (MN)	69	15%	71%	80%	29	$0.62	67	136	81	2	9%	171	117	27
37	Illinois College (IL)	68	33%	58%	60%	122	$0.00	98	128	45	122	9%	174	8	5
38	Centre College (KY)	68	14%	78%	81%	104	$0.00	98	57	41	16	13%	116	69	22
39	College of the Holy Cross (MA)	67	13%	81%	89%	36	$0.88	54	87	190	26	15%	90	16	33
40	St. Olaf College (MN)	67	11%	80%	87%	56	$1.32	39	29	17	122	7%	227	55	84
41	DePauw University (IN)	67	16%	72%	83%	17	$0.42	80	84	47	122	21%	38	13	54
42	Whitman College (WA)	66	9%	86%	89%	95	$1.17	46	23	16	122	19%	50	107	115
43	Vassar College (NY)	66	13%	89%	92%	103	$1.05	49	16	56	102	20%	42	125	124
44	Bowdoin College (ME)	66	13%	91%	94%	107	$1.94	30	26	35	122	14%	98	125	124
45	Illinois Wesleyan University (IL)	66	15%	78%	86%	38	$1.29	42	61	31	85	8%	198	15	112
46	Kenyon College (OH)	66	8%	84%	89%	79	$0.56	72	14	5	122	16%	82	125	124
47	Westminster College (PA)	66	29%	57%	75%	6	$0.00	98	94	163	122	23%	29	51	30
48	Connecticut College (CT)	65	8%	78%	85%	48	$0.87	56	45	8	122	16%	76	106	44
49	Emory and Henry College (VA)	65	36%	52%	57%	73	$0.00	98	95	208	122	7%	226	11	1
50	Millsaps College (MS)	64	20%	70%	66%	177	$0.59	70	40	95	51	19%	47	59	11
51	Grinnell College (IA)	64	16%	84%	84%	153	$0.96	52	12	18	122	7%	212	125	124
52	Wheaton College (IL)	64	12%	82%	88%	62	$0.00	98	27	84	14	18%	60	125	124
53	Kalamazoo College (MI)	64	10%	79%	75%	182	$0.26	92	15	23	122	13%	107	73	21
54	Allegheny College (PA)	64	21%	72%	74%	115	$0.74	60	36	63	122	26%	23	125	41
55	Mount Holyoke College (MA)	64	14%	84%	83%	158	$3.04	13	41	29	78	15%	92	125	124
56	Claremont McKenna College (CA)	63	11%	90%	93%	110	$0.67	63	88	42	12	16%	75	125	124
57	Beloit College (WI)	63	15%	76%	84%	40	$0.00	98	73	55	122	12%	125	14	32
58	Bethany College (WV)	63	42%	43%	68%	3	$0.00	98	155	168	122	15%	93	48	69
59	Pitzer College (CA)	63	11%	81%	81%	141	$0.21	96	128	178	98	9%	173	2	4
60	Wofford College (SC)	62	14%	75%	82%	49	$0.00	98	137	103	9	6%	236	34	35
61	Susquehanna University (PA)	61	18%	64%	81%	7	$0.00	98	114	90	33	24%	27	67	95
62	Olivet College (MI)	61	59%	38%	40%	117	$0.00	98	204	208	79	27%	16	63	47
63	Bucknell University (PA)	61	8%	84%	90%	68	$2.19	24	104	85	40	7%	216	30	90
64	Alma College (MI)	60	27%	66%	64%	170	$0.00	98	76	46	109	8%	187	21	19
65	Ripon College (WI)	60	24%	64%	76%	13	$0.00	98	117	143	11	10%	166	88	106
66	Hobart and William Smith Colleges (NY)	60	15%	75%	79%	86	$1.44	35	121	32	122	17%	74	68	58
67	Judson College (AL)	60	42%	54%	37%	235	$0.00	98	92	208	8	16%	78	79	12
68	Southwestern University (TX)	59	20%	75%	77%	120	$0.00	98	58	93	122	10%	157	32	50
69	Denison University (OH)	59	13%	80%	85%	78	$0.40	83	81	28	101	11%	140	58	88
70	Knox College (IL)	58	17%	79%	73%	195	$0.00	98	67	9	122	27%	17	104	120
71	Colby College (ME)	58	6%	88%	88%	150	$1.22	45	44	27	91	24%	25	125	124
72	Gustavus Adolphus College (MN)	58	16%	73%	85%	12	$0.17	97	71	142	60	14%	105	64	82
73	Hamilton College (NY)	58	11%	90%	86%	181	$1.26	43	47	131	122	23%	31	98	116
74	College of St. Benedict (MN)	57	16%	69%	78%	28	$0.00	98	115	86	122	28%	15	101	29
75	Wartburg College (IA)	56	25%	62%	69%	51	$0.00	98	139	99	122	7%	213	29	9
76	Lane College (TN)	56	88%	24%	25%	127	$0.00	98	221	208	122	11%	138	125	124
77	West Virginia State University (WV)*	56	63%	33%	28%	189	$4.02	9	223	198	29	11%	137	125	124
78	Presbyterian College (SC)	55	15%	66%	68%	116	$0.00	98	206	118	5	19%	49	44	80
79	Simpson College (IA)	55	29%	61%	65%	85	$0.00	98	145	176	122	14%	96	20	24
80	Colorado College (CO)	55	7%	86%	83%	174	$0.64	66	22	6	115	10%	164	125	124
81	Central College (IA)	55	25%	62%	63%	131	$0.00	98	164	120	122	18%	65	12	14
82	Rust College (MS)	55	77%	20%	23%	105	$0.00	98	202	208	122	10%	147	115	52
83	Juniata College (PA)	54	16%	73%	79%	60	$0.38	84	62	68	122	10%	153	65	93
84	Linfield College (OR)	54	17%	62%	74%	14	$0.00	98	141	25	112	12%	129	53	45
85	Cornell College (IA)	54	18%	72%	71%	159	$0.00	98	39	60	122	19%	52	83	108
86	Gettysburg College (PA)	54	9%	83%	83%	138	$0.47	76	101	21	89	10%	158	82	55
87	Bennett College (NC)	54	64%	22%	48%	2	$0.00	98	171	208	122	8%	190	125	124
88	Millikin University (IL)	54	30%	55%	63%	44	$0.00	98	178	181	122	7%	217	5	18
89	Washington and Jefferson College (PA)	54	21%	65%	73%	35	$0.87	55	150	73	66	19%	45	66	114
90	Skidmore College (NY)	54	12%	78%	85%	45	$0.78	58	82	66	119	11%	141	99	72
91	St. Mary's College of Maryland (MD)*	53	18%	76%	79%	94	$0.28	89	72	11	116	6%	240	120	111
92	New College of Florida (FL)*	53	16%	82%	60%	242	$0.00	98	18	208	122	70%	1	125	124
93	Lindsey Wilson College (KY)	53	55%	37%	33%	179	$0.00	98	224	208	122	11%	132	33	7
94	California State University—Monterey Bay (CA)*	53	28%	51%	42%	211	$5.78	3	224	200	122	21%	35	56	15
95	Salem College (NC)	53	36%	57%	60%	100	$0.00	98	98	112	67	27%	20	125	124
96	Huston-Tillotson University (TX)	53	72%	29%	29%	139	$0.00	98	213	208	19	10%	151	125	124
97	Dickinson College (PA)	53	9%	81%	84%	96	$1.31	40	74	52	22	10%	155	125	124
98	University of Mount Union (OH)	53	29%	54%	63%	27	$0.00	98	133	208	34	7%	229	37	28
99	Lawrence University (WI)	52	14%	81%	76%	190	$0.30	87	46	69	122	10%	154	93	66
100	Whittier College (CA)	52	24%	57%	61%	90	$0.00	98	130	129	58	32%	10	114	49

For items 101-249, click here »