College Guide

Rankings

Below are the Washington Monthly's 2012 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, ° indicates a for-profit school.

†† Due to an error in compiling the 2012 Washington Monthly college rankings, Colgate University did not receive credit for the number of its graduates who earn PhDs. Colgate should therefore have been ranked 37th overall among Liberal Arts Colleges, not 101st. Had the correct data been included in the original rankings, some institutions would have received a slightly different rank. But because in most cases the difference would be only one ordinal position, and because the error was discovered only after the print issue of the magazine was mailed, we have chosen not to redo the entire rankings. We regret the error.

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	21%	19316	86%	87%	99	7.48	8	13	27	118	66%	1	12	19
2	Swarthmore College (PA)	90	16%	19979	91%	93%	111	2.98	29	1	64	118	8%	202	4	68
3	Berea College (KY)	88	90%	0	50%	64%	1	0.00	105	43	188	118	7%	209	19	45
4	Carleton College (MN)	88	14%	27036	94%	93%	223	4.58	15	3	7	118	12%	144	68	31
5	Harvey Mudd College (CA)	79	12%	28946	95%	87%	244	3.21	25	2	20	118	20%	64	91	93
6	New College of Florida (FL)*	79	25%	9519	73%	68%	21	0.66	77	8	121	118	64%	2	91	93
7	Williams College (MA)	76	18%	16791	91%	95%	55	4.69	13	5	48	118	18%	83	91	93
8	Macalester College (MN)	73	14%	22225	89%	88%	163	4.39	16	21	12	96	21%	59	42	17
9	Wellesley College (MA)	72	15%	18315	91%	90%	92	8.42	3	15	18	80	24%	37	91	93
10	Amherst College (MA)	70	20%	13805	94%	95%	40	3.63	20	9	148	118	24%	35	91	93
11	Knox College (IL)	70	22%	22487	85%	76%	222	0.00	105	30	10	118	44%	4	32	92
12	Oberlin College (OH)	69	10%	32567	92%	88%	246	1.99	45	12	17	118	25%	31	25	51
13	Wesleyan University (CT)	69	17%	20705	91%	94%	115	8.40	4	18	58	116	19%	71	88	82
14	Reed College (OR)	69	15%	19559	85%	79%	157	1.90	47	4	45	118	15%	108	91	93
15	Smith College (MA)	67	17%	22037	84%	83%	162	4.61	14	14	28	118	25%	32	75	72
16	Davidson College (NC)	66	12%	22663	84%	91%	125	1.49	56	16	39	24	24%	36	9	44
17	Tougaloo College (MS)	65	85%	9422	38%	40%	12	2.98	30	58	173	60	10%	176	91	93
18	Haverford College (PA)	65	14%	20368	85%	92%	83	3.62	21	10	88	118	12%	151	34	86
19	St. John's College (MD)	65	14%	23307	77%	73%	197	0.00	105	6	6	118	15%	107	91	93
20	Grinnell College (IA)	64	20%	21813	87%	88%	146	2.07	43	7	19	118	9%	181	91	93
21	Vassar College (NY)	62	20%	19241	92%	93%	96	1.28	61	11	29	118	19%	72	91	93
22	Millsaps College (MS)	61	23%	15937	71%	68%	69	0.72	73	37	98	34	18%	77	28	10
23	Willamette University (OR)	60	23%	25630	79%	78%	208	2.06	44	81	13	94	22%	48	7	75
24	Kalamazoo College (MI)	60	14%	26419	76%	80%	184	0.76	72	20	38	118	16%	95	51	21
25	Warren Wilson College (NC)	59	25%	24663	67%	49%	248	0.00	105	129	5	118	0%	230	10	2
26	Pomona College (CA)	59	17%	17087	94%	94%	68	2.92	31	17	54	106	9%	187	91	93
27	Rhodes College (TN)	58	15%	25639	78%	80%	183	0.80	70	48	32	45	15%	115	1	24
28	Bates College (ME)	57	12%	20084	81%	88%	78	1.59	53	32	125	118	18%	74	13	8
29	Guilford College (NC)	57	59%	22125	59%	58%	158	0.00	105	137	122	78	25%	33	70	15
30	Whitman College (WA)	57	11%	29994	82%	86%	221	1.42	58	22	3	118	23%	43	77	87
31	Xavier University of Louisiana (LA)	56	64%	16833	47%	34%	166	8.03	5	86	172	29	8%	198	91	93
32	Spelman College (GA)	56	46%	26404	54%	73%	107	3.18	28	39	113	18	9%	182	15	37
33	Emory and Henry College (VA)	55	39%	17913	49%	57%	56	0.00	105	111	131	118	11%	165	3	1
34	Wesleyan College (GA)	55	44%	12177	56%	49%	45	0.00	105	74	198	118	19%	68	6	20
35	Hollins University (VA)	55	45%	23922	60%	63%	161	0.00	105	49	77	118	12%	135	61	69
36	Centre College (KY)	55	15%	22102	79%	86%	114	0.00	105	70	60	35	22%	51	33	43
37 ††	Colgate University (NY)	55	11%	18988	89%	88%	110	2.85	32	35	34	117	36%	11	91	93
37	Agnes Scott College (GA)	55	39%	19085	69%	68%	112	1.88	48	26	89	73	34%	15	91	93
38	Claflin University (SC)	54	76%	9034	38%	46%	7	3.25	24	171	198	12	14%	119	47	89
39	Lawrence University (WI)	53	22%	25670	74%	73%	209	0.78	71	34	79	118	23%	42	44	35
40	Earlham College (IN)	53	26%	19921	71%	73%	106	0.00	105	25	2	118	15%	105	91	93
41	Allegheny College (PA)	53	22%	26055	78%	78%	203	0.51	88	27	72	112	30%	22	91	30
42	St. Olaf College (MN)	53	17%	25557	83%	85%	187	1.57	54	46	21	118	8%	197	54	65
43	Mount Holyoke College (MA)	52	18%	23496	87%	82%	204	2.79	34	23	24	86	23%	45	91	93
44	Granite State College (NH)*	52	65%	7485	28%	54%	2	0.00	105	205	198	107	17%	87	91	93
45	Southwestern University (TX)	51	22%	22917	78%	73%	196	0.00	105	64	66	118	14%	116	38	13
46	Washington and Lee University (VA)	51	6%	18829	90%	93%	80	0.94	66	96	106	37	40%	6	39	41
47	Hamilton College (NY)	51	13%	20146	89%	88%	132	3.19	27	45	36	118	27%	29	91	93
48	Morehouse College (GA)	51	44%	23884	53%	57%	154	7.86	6	104	86	5	18%	84	91	93
49	Oglethorpe University (GA)	50	36%	20289	63%	58%	164	0.00	105	95	179	118	14%	125	73	9
50	Illinois Wesleyan University (IL)	50	16%	25821	85%	81%	227	0.71	74	123	50	100	13%	128	14	38
51	Fisk University (TN)	50	47%	19134	39%	59%	41	7.70	7	44	79	74	14%	118	91	93
52	Denison University (OH)	50	17%	24904	83%	83%	192	0.62	81	90	23	102	16%	94	50	53
53	Westminster College (MO)	50	28%	17625	69%	63%	122	0.00	105	126	119	48	23%	41	31	14
54	Claremont McKenna College (CA)	50	10%	20423	87%	93%	86	5.73	9	59	26	8	14%	122	91	93
55	Thomas Aquinas College (CA)	50	39%	18442	81%	73%	152	0.00	105	71	108	118	0%	230	91	93
56	Lewis & Clark College (OR)	49	16%	27403	82%	76%	238	2.75	35	99	4	111	20%	65	91	93
57	Ohio Wesleyan University (OH)	49	22%	23907	72%	63%	231	0.34	101	103	62	118	29%	25	22	57
58	Judson College (AL)	49	43%	13732	47%	39%	65	0.00	105	134	99	63	12%	149	72	6
59	Dillard University (LA)	49	69%	12642	39%	28%	63	8.43	2	118	180	26	0%	230	91	93
60	Wheaton College (IL)	49	20%	21850	81%	88%	108	0.00	105	36	73	11	21%	56	91	93
61	Central College (IA)	48	28%	20012	66%	64%	140	0.00	105	173	70	118	26%	30	18	11
62	Kenyon College (OH)	48	8%	28476	89%	86%	235	0.41	96	19	11	118	21%	57	91	93
63	Pitzer College (CA)	48	14%	23115	82%	79%	185	0.35	98	82	109	66	13%	126	2	7
64	Hobart William Smith Colleges (NY)	48	24%	27898	70%	75%	198	1.43	57	145	44	118	28%	26	8	46
65	Albion College (MI)	48	29%	20678	74%	74%	131	0.00	105	77	67	118	8%	196	63	74
66	Bowdoin College (ME)	48	13%	22467	89%	93%	136	2.63	37	35	55	118	12%	147	91	93
67	Hiram College (OH)	48	39%	20015	61%	68%	77	0.00	105	105	183	105	9%	180	58	33
68	Alma College (MI)	47	37%	17598	71%	63%	137	0.00	105	124	43	118	10%	166	29	16
69	Bucknell University (PA)	47	9%	27173	86%	92%	181	5.46	10	62	96	40	11%	163	35	63
70	Colorado College (CO)	47	9%	23792	85%	87%	165	0.67	76	24	8	82	18%	85	91	93
71	Barnard College (NY)	47	19%	24481	89%	88%	186	3.35	23	42	90	118	22%	52	91	93
72	Franklin and Marshall College (PA)	47	13%	26983	85%	87%	205	3.77	18	73	132	118	12%	138	24	81
73	University of Hawaii-Hilo (HI)*	47	44%	7797	29%	33%	5	14.86	1	187	169	90	12%	150	91	93
74	William Jewell College (MO)	47	27%	19414	71%	65%	153	0.00	105	55	178	101	21%	58	30	39
75	Middlebury College (VT)	47	10%	21594	91%	91%	150	2.29	39	28	53	103	22%	49	91	93
76	Lake Forest College (IL)	47	33%	23534	72%	70%	182	0.53	86	138	71	118	16%	98	26	64
77	Connecticut College (CT)	47	10%	23464	77%	87%	113	1.53	55	52	15	118	29%	23	81	40
78	Occidental College (CA)	47	18%	29060	84%	85%	228	2.29	40	40	81	98	30%	20	91	93
79	Whittier College (CA)	47	32%	25691	69%	66%	220	0.00	105	143	186	118	61%	3	78	34
80	Hendrix College (AR)	46	21%	19896	81%	60%	245	0.66	78	61	114	84	17%	88	91	93
81	College of St. Benedict (MN)	46	22%	22244	73%	79%	118	0.00	105	154	68	72	27%	28	74	25
82	University of Richmond (VA)	46	16%	17372	82%	87%	57	4.05	17	102	94	25	8%	191	76	28
83	Gustavus Adolphus College (MN)	46	22%	20945	78%	77%	145	0.31	103	83	74	47	11%	153	45	66
84	Colby College (ME)	46	9%	19222	85%	90%	75	1.78	52	29	46	92	22%	50	91	93
85	Beacon College (FL)	46	82%	28052	43%	73%	73	0.00	105	205	198	118	0%	230	91	93
86	Doane College (NE)	45	39%	16783	60%	55%	93	0.00	105	186	141	99	39%	7	83	52
87	Coe College (IA)	45	22%	20169	75%	70%	160	0.46	95	128	104	32	37%	10	57	78
88	Illinois College (IL)	45	29%	17009	61%	61%	70	0.00	105	205	87	118	12%	145	5	3
89	Drew University (NJ)	45	26%	30998	67%	71%	230	0.00	105	60	127	91	23%	44	16	71
90	Centenary College of Louisiana (LA)	45	32%	14606	64%	60%	58	0.00	105	107	56	118	8%	201	66	50
91	Juniata College (PA)	44	22%	23009	72%	71%	176	0.51	87	68	41	118	10%	169	64	61
92	Salem College (NC)	44	47%	14381	57%	57%	48	0.00	105	167	84	118	34%	14	91	93
93	Savannah State University (GA)*	44	73%	7563	31%	35%	4	1.87	50	193	198	9	18%	76	91	93
94	Hampshire College (MA)	44	20%	26577	78%	69%	241	0.57	83	31	37	118	14%	117	91	93
95	Dickinson College (PA)	44	10%	25104	83%	82%	201	2.11	41	91	47	13	18%	75	48	62
96	Univ. Science & Arts of Oklahoma (OK)*	44	48%	5246	38%	32%	3	0.00	105	175	198	118	15%	113	91	93
97	Sterling College (VT)	44	46%	16749	45%	50%	50	0.00	105	205	1	118	0%	230	91	93
98	Wartburg College (IA)	44	34%	18838	62%	63%	90	0.00	105	157	171	118	7%	221	20	4
99	Furman University (SC)	44	15%	24142	77%	84%	142	2.31	38	33	92	17	13%	127	91	93
100	St. John's University (MN)	43	19%	21549	70%	74%	127	0.64	80	87	118	3	11%	156	89	22

For items 101-254, click here »