20 Top Liberal Arts Colleges

Students at Bates College can expect a lot of interaction between students and faculty for the college places emphasis on seminar classes, research, service-learning, and senior thesis work. The college has been true to the spirit of a liberal education since its founding in 1855 by Maine abolitionists.

• Location: Lewiston, Maine
• Enrollment: 1,660 (all undergraduate)
• Type of College: Private
• Distinctions: 10 to 1 student / faculty ratio; high participation in study abroad, chapter of Phi Beta Kappa; highly selective admissions; test-optional admissions; high percentage of students go on to graduate school
• See cost, financial aid, and admissions data in the Bates profile
• GPA, SAT and ACT graph for Bates

Located in Brunswick, Maine, a town of 21,000 on the Maine coast, Bowdoin takes pride in both its beautiful location and its academic excellence. Eight miles away from the main campus is Bowdoin's 118 acres Coastal Studies Center on Orr's Island.

• Location: Brunswick, Maine
• Enrollment: 1,716 (all undergraduate)
• Type of College: Private
• Distinctions: loan-free financial aid; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa; highly selective admissions; interesting mix of historic and state-of-the-art buildings
• See cost, financial aid, and admissions data in the Bowdoin profile
• GPA, SAT and ACT graph for Bowdoin

A top women's college, Bryn Mawr is a member of the Tri-College Consortium with Swarthmore and Haverford. Shuttles run between the three campuses. The college is also close to Philadelphia, and students can register for courses at the University of Pennsylvania. Along with strong academics, Bryn Mawr is rich in history and traditions.

• Location: Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania
• Enrollment: 1,790 (1,287 undergraduates)
• Type of College: Private women's college
• Distinctions: 8 to 1 student / faculty ratio; diverse student body; high number of students go on to earn PhDs; more than 5,000 classes available to Bryn Mawr students through the Tri-College Consortium
• See cost, financial aid, and admissions data in the Bryn Mawr profile
• GPA, SAT and ACT graph for Bryn Mawr

Located about 35 miles from Los Angeles, Claremont McKenna's small 50-acre campus sits in the heart of the Claremont Colleges, and students at CMC share facilities and often cross-register for classes at the other schools -- Scripps College, Pomona College, Harvey Mudd College, and Pitzer College.

• Location: Claremont, California
• Enrollment: 1,135 (all undergraduate)
• Type of College: Private
• Distinctions: 9 to 1 student / faculty ratio; member of the Claremont Colleges; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa; highly selective admissions
• See cost, financial aid, and admissions data in the Claremont McKenna profile
• GPA, SAT and ACT graph for Claremont McKenna

Colby College frequently ranks among the top 20 liberal arts colleges in the country. The 714-acre campus houses attractive red-brick buildings and a 128-acre arboretum. Colby wins high marks for its environmental initiatives and for its emphasis on study abroad and internationalization.

• Location: Waterville, Maine
• Enrollment: 1,867 (all undergraduate)
• Type of College: Private
• Distinctions: 10 to 1 student / faculty ratio; Division I alpine and Nordic ski teams; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa; selective admissions
• See cost, financial aid, and admissions data in the Colby profile
• GPA, SAT and ACT graph for Colby

Located in a small town in the picturesque rolling hills of central Upstate New York, Colgate University frequently ranks among the top 25 liberal arts colleges in the United States. Colgate has an impressive 90% 6-year graduation rate, and roughly 2/3 of students eventually go on to do some form of graduate study.

• Location: Hamilton, NY
• Enrollment: 2,841 (2,831 undergraduates)
• Type of College: Private
• Distinctions: chapter of Phi Beta Kappa; highly selective admissions; member of the NCAA Division I Patriot League
• See cost, financial aid, and admissions data in the Colgate profile
• GPA, SAT and ACT graph for Colgate

Founded by the Jesuits in 1843, Holy Cross is the oldest Catholic college in New England. Holy Cross has an impressive retention and graduation rate, with well over 90% of entering students earning a degree within six years.

• Location: Worcester, Massachusetts
• Enrollment: 2,847(all undergraduate)
• Type of College: Private Catholic
• Distinctions: 10 to 1 student / faculty ratio; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa; highly selective admissions; member of the NCAA Division I Patriot League
• See cost, financial aid, and admissions data in the Holy Cross profile
• GPA, SAT and ACT graph for Holy Cross

Established by the Presbyterians of North Carolina in 1837, Davidson College is now a highly-ranked liberal arts college. The college has a strict honor code that allows students to schedule their own exams and take them in any academic classroom.

• Location: Davidson, North Carolina
• Enrollment: 1,674 (all undergraduate)
• Type of College: Private
• Distinctions: strong athletic program in the NCAA Division I Southeastern Conference; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa; highly selective admissions; member of the NCAA Division III Centennial Conference
• See cost, financial aid, and admissions data in the Davidson profile
• GPA, SAT and ACT graph for Davidson

Denison is a highly-rated liberal arts college located about 30 miles east of Columbus, Ohio. The 900-acre campus is home to a 550-acre biological reserve. Denison does well with financial aid -- the majority of aid comes in the form of grants, and students graduate with less debt than at most comparable colleges.

• Location: Granville, Ohio
• Enrollment: 2,242 (all undergraduate)
• Type of College: Private
• Distinctions: 10 to 1 student / faculty ratio, chapter of Phi Beta Kappa; strong financial aid; selective admissions
• See cost, financial aid, and admissions data in the Denison profile
• GPA, SAT and ACT graph for Denison

With small classes, students at Dickinson will receive a lot of personal attention from the faculty. Chartered in 1783 and named after a signer of the Constitution, the college has a long and rich history.

• Location: Carlisle, Pennsylvania
• Enrollment: 2,381 (all undergraduate)
• Type of College: Private
• Distinctions: 10 to 1 student / faculty ratio; average class size of 17; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa; selective admissions
• See cost, financial aid, and admissions data in the Dickinson profile
• GPA, SAT and ACT graph for Dickinson