9 Top Connecticut Colleges and Universities

Connecticut's top colleges and universities range from a large public university to a small, private liberal arts college. Despite the state's small size, Connecticut has great options for a wide range of applicants. My list includes two Catholic universities, an Ivy League school, and a federal military academy. I've listed the top Connecticut colleges alphabetically to avoid the arbitrary distinctions often used to distinguish #1 from #2, and because of the impossibility of comparing such different types of schools. These top colleges were chosen based on factors such as first-year retention rates, four- and six-year graduation rates, academic strengths, value, financial aid and student engagement.

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Coast Guard Academy

Location: New London, Connecticut
Enrollment: 1,071 (all undergraduate)
Type of Institution: federal military academy
Distinctions: 7 to 1 student / faculty ratio; no college costs; five year service requirement after graduation; 80% of graduates go on to graduate school
For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, visit the Coast Guard Academy profile

Connecticut College

Location: New London, Connecticut
Enrollment: 1,844 (all undergraduates)
Type of Institution: private liberal arts college
Distinctions: 9 to 1 student / faculty ratio; average class size of 18; member of Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences; test-optional admissions
For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, visit the Connecticut College profile

Fairfield University

Location: Fairfield, Connecticut
Enrollment: 5,273 (4,177 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: private Catholic university
Distinctions: 12 to 1 student / faculty ratio; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences; one of the top Catholic colleges and universities; strong business school; member of the NCAA Division I Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, visit the Fairfield University profile

The Best New England Colleges and Universities

By Allen Grove

Quinnipiac University

Location: Hamden, Connecticut
Enrollment: 10,207 (7,425 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: private university
Distinctions: home to the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute; 14 to 1 student / faculty ratio; average class size of 25; strengths in business, health, and media fields; member of the NCAA Division I Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, visit the Quinnipiac University profile

Sacred Heart University

Location: Fairfield, Connecticut
Enrollment: 8,958 (5,974 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: private Catholic university
Distinctions: 13 to 1 student / faculty ratio; average class size of 22; good graduation rate in relation to student profile; member of the NCAA Division I Northeast Conference
For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, visit the Sacred Heart University profile

Trinity College

Location: Hartford, Connecticut
Enrollment: 2,235 (2,182 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: private liberal arts college
Distinctions: chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences; 9 to 1 student / faculty ratio; high levels of participation in study abroad, community service and internships; students from 45 states and 47 countries
For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, visit the Trinity College profile

University of Connecticut (UConn)

Starr Hall at the University of Connecticut School of Law.
Smaley / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0

Location: Storrs, Connecticut
Enrollment: 27,412 (19,133 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: public university
Distinctions: chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences; state's flagship institution of higher learning; broad academic offerings through 10 schools and colleges; member of the NCAA Division I American Athletic Conference
For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, visit the University of Connecticut profile

Wesleyan University

Location: Middletown, Connecticut
Enrollment: 3,217 (3,009 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: private liberal arts college
Distinctions: one of the top liberal arts colleges in the country; 8 to 1 student / faculty ratio; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences; over 200 student clubs and organizations
For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, visit the Wesleyan University profile

Yale University

Location: New Haven, Connecticut
Enrollment: 13,433 (5,964 undergraduates)
Type of Institution: private university
Distinctions: one of the eight Ivy League schools; one of the nation's top universities; member of the Association of American Universities for strong research programs; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences; 6 to 1 student / faculty ratio; library holdings of near 13 million volumes; excellent grant aid and few loans
For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, visit the Yale University profile

25 Top New England Colleges and Universities

Dartmouth Hall at Dartmouth College. Allen Grove

If you want to expand your search to the states near Connecticut, be sure to check out these 25 top New England colleges and universities.