2026 College Rankings

Best Small Colleges

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Best Small Colleges

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Love the idea of a small class size and campus? Then a small college may be right for you! Attending one of these top best small colleges affords its students the opportunity to join a tight-knit community and a unique opportunity for your voice to be heard. For this ranking list, we counted any college with fewer than 3,000 total students enrolled (includes undergraduates and graduate students).

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Rank	Institution	Undergraduates	Acceptance Rate	SAT Score	Your Est. Net Price Avg. Net Price	Median Starting Salary	Save
1	California Institute of Technology	987	2.57	1,540 – 1,590	23397	132140	#1 Best Small Colleges California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA Also known as Caltech, the California Institute of Technology is a private, doctoral/research university located on a 124-acre campus in Pasadena. The school's motto is, “the truth shall make you free.” Computer Science, Physics, and General are top majors among students, and there have been over 75 Nobel laureates that have......Read more Undergraduates 987 Acceptance Rate 2.6% SAT Score 1,540 – 1,590 Avg. Net Price $23,397 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $132,140
2	Swarthmore College	1623	7.46	1,490 – 1,560	17930	56211	#2 Best Small Colleges Swarthmore College Swarthmore, PA Swarthmore College was one of the first coeducational colleges in the country. It is associated with the Tri-College Consortium and the Quaker Consortium, which means students can take classes at the University of Pennsylvania, Bryn Mawr, and Haverford, in addition to Swarthmore....Read more Undergraduates 1,623 Acceptance Rate 7.5% SAT Score 1,490 – 1,560 Avg. Net Price $17,930 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $56,211
3	Pomona College	1766	7.09	1,490 – 1,560	17423	60850	#3 Best Small Colleges Pomona College Claremont, CA Pomona College is a private, liberal arts college offering 39 major programs. Three commonly chosen majors include Econometrics and Quantitative Economics, Computer Science, and Neuroscience. The school was created with a “college of the New England type” in mind. Their mascot is Cecil the Sagehen. Undergraduates 1,766 Acceptance Rate 7.1% SAT Score 1,490 – 1,560 Avg. Net Price $17,423 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $60,850
4	Bowdoin College	1881	7.13	1,470 – 1,550	23110	61692	#4 Best Small Colleges Bowdoin College Brunswick, ME Bowdoin College is an extremely selective private liberal arts school. The college offers more than 40 majors, including joint Engineering programs with Columbia, Dartmouth, Caltech, and the University of Maine....Read more Undergraduates 1,881 Acceptance Rate 7.1% SAT Score 1,470 – 1,550 Avg. Net Price $23,110 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $61,692
5	Williams College	2101	8.25	1,500 – 1,560	16988	71754	#5 Best Small Colleges Williams College Williamstown, MA Although it was originally founded as a men’s college in 1793, Williams College is composed of 48% men and 51% women today. It was created out of the funds of Ephraim Williams, who died in the French and Indian War. The college received 15,000 applications during the last admissions cycle and accepted 1,270. Undergraduates 2,101 Acceptance Rate 8.3% SAT Score 1,500 – 1,560 Avg. Net Price $16,988 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $71,754
6	Amherst College	1914	9.01	1,480 – 1,570	17965	62537	#6 Best Small Colleges Amherst College Amherst, MA Amherst College is an extremely selective school. A majority of their first-year students come from NY. The third oldest institution of higher education in the state, Amherst was originally a men’s college, becoming coeducational in 1975....Read more Undergraduates 1,914 Acceptance Rate 9.0% SAT Score 1,480 – 1,570 Avg. Net Price $17,965 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $62,537
7	Hillsdale College	1649	20.72	1,350 – 1,480	26030	63721	#7 Best Small Colleges Hillsdale College Hillsdale, MI Hillsdale College’s motto is “Virtus Tentamine Gaudet” or “Strength Rejoices in the Challenge.” The school has a 97% first year retention rate and an 8 to 1 student-to-faculty ratio. All students have to take courses on the “Great Books” and the United States Constitution. 78% will graduate within 4 years. Undergraduates 1,649 Acceptance Rate 20.7% SAT Score 1,350 – 1,480 Avg. Net Price $26,030 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $63,721
8	Washington and Lee University	1886	13.97	1,450 – 1,530	24667	76516	#8 Best Small Colleges Washington and Lee University Lexington, VA Originally known as the Augusta Academy and established in 1749, it would later be named after George Washington and Robert E. Lee, the latter of which was the president of the school for five years....Read more Undergraduates 1,886 Acceptance Rate 14.0% SAT Score 1,450 – 1,530 Avg. Net Price $24,667 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $76,516
9	Wellesley College	2407	14.05	1,460 – 1,560	21501	65961	#9 Best Small Colleges Wellesley College Wellesley, MA Wellesley College is a private women’s liberal arts college going back to 1870. It’s the largest women’s college, and it has seen famous alumni including Hillary Clinton, Madeleine Albright, and Katharine Lee Bates. Econometrics and Quantitative Economics is the most commonly chosen area of study. Undergraduates 2,407 Acceptance Rate 14.1% SAT Score 1,460 – 1,560 Avg. Net Price $21,501 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $65,961
10	Harvey Mudd College	921	12.66	1,500 – 1,580	42720	115107	#10 Best Small Colleges Harvey Mudd College Claremont, CA Harvey Mudd College only offers programs related to Science and Engineering. Part of the Claremont Colleges, their colors are black and gold. The men’s teams are known as the Stags, and the women are known as the Athenas. It has a 96% first year retention rate and 8 to 1 student-to-faculty ratio. Undergraduates 921 Acceptance Rate 12.7% SAT Score 1,500 – 1,580 Avg. Net Price $42,720 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $115,107
11	Franklin W Olin College of Engineering	402	23.81	1,490 – 1,560	40370	105483	#11 Best Small Colleges Franklin W Olin College of Engineering Needham, MA The Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering was established fairly recently in 1997. Half of the student’s tuition is covered by the Olin Scholarship, and students can choose from three majors: Engineering, General, Mechanical Engineering, and Electrical and Electronics Engineering....Read more Undergraduates 402 Acceptance Rate 23.8% SAT Score 1,490 – 1,560 Avg. Net Price $40,370 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $105,483
12	Soka University of America	476	69.52	1,220 – 1,460	18807	51242	#12 Best Small Colleges Soka University of America Aliso Viejo, CA The Soka University of America, a fairly new school (founded in 2001), focuses on pacifism, human rights, and the creative coexistence of nature and humanity. It was created by the founder of the Soka Gakkai International Buddhist movement, Daisaku Ikeda. Students enjoy a cozy 7 to 1 student-to-faculty ratio. Undergraduates 476 Acceptance Rate 69.5% SAT Score 1,220 – 1,460 Avg. Net Price $18,807 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $51,242
13	Claremont McKenna College	1390	9.59	1,470 – 1,560	29978	87603	#13 Best Small Colleges Claremont McKenna College Claremont, CA Claremont McKenna College, a private liberal arts school, was founded as a men’s college in 1946. It became co-educational in 1976. The most commonly chosen major is Econometrics and Quantitative Economics. With an 8 to 1 student-to-faculty ratio, 98% of students will stay after their freshman year. Undergraduates 1,390 Acceptance Rate 9.6% SAT Score 1,470 – 1,560 Avg. Net Price $29,978 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $87,603
14	Hamilton College	2037	13.62	1,460 – 1,550	26021	60082	#14 Best Small Colleges Hamilton College Clinton, NY With nearly 60 areas of study, a majority of Hamilton College students opt to major in Econometrics and Quantitative Economics. Their motto is in Ancient Greek: Γνῶθι Σεαυτόν, which translates to “Know Thyself.” The school has been coeducational since 1978 after merging with its sister school, Kirkland College. Undergraduates 2,037 Acceptance Rate 13.6% SAT Score 1,460 – 1,550 Avg. Net Price $26,021 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $60,082
15	Carleton College	2128	20.41	1,450 – 1,560	29434	53989	#15 Best Small Colleges Carleton College Northfield, MN Part of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, the most popular sports at Carleton College are Track and Field and Cross Country (combined), Football, and Swimming and Diving (combined). They’re known as the Knights and wear blue and maize. Computer Science is a commonly chosen undergraduate major. Undergraduates 2,128 Acceptance Rate 20.4% SAT Score 1,450 – 1,560 Avg. Net Price $29,434 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $53,989
16	Smith College	2549	21	1,430 – 1,540	27823	45731	#16 Best Small Colleges Smith College Northampton, MA Located just west of the Connecticut River, Smith College is among the largest women’s colleges in the US. It doesn’t cost anything to apply as an undergraduate. Students enjoy a cozy 7 to 1 student-to-faculty ratio and a 94% first year retention rate. Notable alumni include Julia Child, Gloria Steinman, and Sylvia Plath. Undergraduates 2,549 Acceptance Rate 21.0% SAT Score 1,430 – 1,540 Avg. Net Price $27,823 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $45,731
17	Davidson College	1869	13.37	1,400 – 1,520	26510	62866	#17 Best Small Colleges Davidson College Davidson, NC Davidson College was founded in 1837 and started trying to reduce the cost of higher education for students by the 1850’s. Today, the school meets students’ financial needs through grants, employment, and more. 65% of students receive institutional grant aid....Read more Undergraduates 1,869 Acceptance Rate 13.4% SAT Score 1,400 – 1,520 Avg. Net Price $26,510 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $62,866
18	Vassar College	2462	18.57	1,460 – 1,550	29733	49177	#18 Best Small Colleges Vassar College Poughkeepsie, NY Vassar College offers 50 majors and programs, with the most popular being Economics, General. A few former students of Vassar include Anne Hathaway, Jane Fonda, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, and Anthony Bourdain. Opened in 1861, it was the second institution in the United States that granted degrees to women. Undergraduates 2,462 Acceptance Rate 18.6% SAT Score 1,460 – 1,550 Avg. Net Price $29,733 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $49,177
19	Middlebury College	2760	10.75	1,460 – 1,550	22912	57291	#19 Best Small Colleges Middlebury College Middlebury, VT The first operating higher education institution in Vermont was Middlebury College, founded in 1800. It’s also the first in the United States to award a bachelor’s degree to an African American (in 1823). Although it was originally all-male, the school started admitting women in 1883. Undergraduates 2,760 Acceptance Rate 10.8% SAT Score 1,460 – 1,550 Avg. Net Price $22,912 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $57,291
20	United States Coast Guard Academy	1081	24.32	1,190 – 1,380	0	63721	#20 Best Small Colleges United States Coast Guard Academy New London, CT “Scientiæ Cedit Mare,” or “the sea yields to knowledge,” is the motto of the United States Coast Guard Academy. Founded in 1876, it’s the smallest of the five service academies. The most popular majors are Business Administration and Management, General, Political Science and Government, General, and Mechanical Engineering. Undergraduates 1,081 Acceptance Rate 24.3% SAT Score 1,190 – 1,380 Avg. Net Price $0 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $63,721
21	Bates College	1760	13.32	1,380 – 1,510	26658	59202	#21 Best Small Colleges Bates College Lewiston, ME Bates College, the first coeducational college in New England, was founded in 1855. It also admitted minority students before the Emancipation Proclamation. An extremely selective school, Bates has a 91% first year retention rate, 88% four-year graduation rate, and a 9 to 1 student-to-faculty ratio. Undergraduates 1,760 Acceptance Rate 13.3% SAT Score 1,380 – 1,510 Avg. Net Price $26,658 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $59,202
22	Grinnell College	1788	14.51	1,410 – 1,530	33446	49004	#22 Best Small Colleges Grinnell College Grinnell, IA The most popular majors at Grinnell College include Computer Science, Econometrics and Quantitative Economics, Biology/Biological Sciences, and General. Part of the Midwest Conference and NCAA Division III with football, the Pioneers, wearing scarlet and black, have a wide variety of sports to choose from, such as Football,......Read more Undergraduates 1,788 Acceptance Rate 14.5% SAT Score 1,410 – 1,530 Avg. Net Price $33,446 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $49,004
23	Haverford College	1431	12.37	1,460 – 1,550	22828	53353	#23 Best Small Colleges Haverford College Haverford, PA Haverford College is a liberal arts school founded in 1833 by the Religious Society of Friends, also known as Quakers. It’s part of the Tri-College Consortium, so students can attend classes at nearby schools: Bryn Mawr and Swarthmore....Read more Undergraduates 1,431 Acceptance Rate 12.4% SAT Score 1,460 – 1,550 Avg. Net Price $22,828 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $53,353
24	Colby College	2412	7.09	1,460 – 1,540	15163	60052	#24 Best Small Colleges Colby College Waterville, ME Colby College is a private liberal arts school and home to the Perkins Arboretum and Bird Sanctuary. It boasts a strong student-to-faculty of 10 to 1, a 93% first year retention rate, and an 81% four-year graduation rate....Read more Undergraduates 2,412 Acceptance Rate 7.1% SAT Score 1,460 – 1,540 Avg. Net Price $15,163 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $60,052
25	Jewish Theological Seminary of America	172	45.07	1,370 – 1,490	54588	53468	#25 Best Small Colleges Jewish Theological Seminary of America New York, NY The Jewish Theological Seminary of America's main building is located along the Hudson River. Though many alumni have gone onto careers in theology, several others have also had notable careers in music, academia, and politics. JTS has a 100% first year retention rate. Undergraduates 172 Acceptance Rate 45.1% SAT Score 1,370 – 1,490 Avg. Net Price $54,588 Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Median Starting Salary $53,468