Top Ranked Liberal Arts Colleges & Universities - U.S. News University Directory
Liberal arts colleges, ranked by U.S. News & World Report as National Liberal Arts Colleges, confer only undergraduate degrees. At least half of the degrees awarded at these institutions are in a liberal arts field. Search below to find the top-ranked liberal arts colleges and universities in the nation. To locate bachelor degree programs or online master's degrees in liberal arts be sure to search our listings of accredited degree programs.
Get Matched With Top Liberal Arts Colleges and Programs Are you ready to begin a liberal arts degree or certificate program now? U.S News University Directory can match you with liberal arts programs that meet your criteria in a few simple steps. Learn more now.
#151
Bel-Air, CA
American Jewish University was founded in 1947 as a private institution in Bel-Air, California. The school's 22 acre campus is classified as an urban setting. The most popular majors at AJU include Business, Management, Marketing, Pschology, Communication, Journalism and Health Professions.
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#151
Pella, IA
Central College was founded in 1853 and is located in Pella, an idyllic Dutch town southeast of Des Moines, Iowa. Central, an NCAA Division III program school, is a nationally recognized leader in international studies, with almost 50% of students participating in a semester abroad. Its private liberal arts education emphasizes service work and community-based learning.
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#151
Georgetown, KY
Georgetown College, located in Georgetown, Kentucky, is a private institution founded in 1787. Georgetown distinguishes itself from many other small liberal arts colleges by offering a combination of rigorous and respected academic programs, a wealth of opportunities for leadership and involvement in extracurricular activities, and a strong commitment to Christian values and principles.
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#151
Waverly, IA
Wartburg College is located in Waverly, IA, and is associated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. From its rural 118-acre campus, Wartburg emphasizes intellectual growth while fostering service, personal beliefs, community and convictions.
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#151
Fulton, MO
Westminster College is a private liberal arts institution that was founded in 1851. It is located in Fulton, Missouri on 86 rural acres just east of the University of Missouri Ashland Wildlife Research Area. Westminster College is known for valuing the traditions it was founded on: integrity, respect, fairness and responsibility.
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#156
Due West, SC
Christian-affiliated Erskine College, located in Due West, North Carolina, is a private institution founded in 1839. The college believes a Christian-based environment allows it to focus on students’ intellectual and spiritual formation. Students can join a variety of clubs and organizations, plus participate in many activities, including a disc golf course and the Galloway Activities Center.
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#156
Jacksonville, IL
Illinois College, located in Jacksonville, Illinois, is a private institution founded in 1829. It is a community committed to the highest standards of scholarship and integrity in the liberal arts. The College develops qualities of mind and character needed for fulfilling lives of leadership and service. The faculty expects excellence and provides the personal attention to help students succeed.
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#156
Williamsport, PA
Lycoming College, located in Williamsport, Penn., is a private institution founded in 1812. The College has established a teaching effectiveness program to focus on new strategies for the classroom, including those involving cutting-edge technology. Students will have the opportunity to bring their academic work together in some sort of major research or artistic presentation.
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#156
Batesville, AR
Lyon College, located in Batesville, Ark., is a private institution founded in 1872. One of the country’s best liberal arts colleges, Lyon is a residential, undergraduate school affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. The oldest institution in Arkansas, it’s distinguished by the quality of its faculty, the beauty of its campus, and its endowed international studies program.
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#156
Asheville, NC
University of North Carolina- Asheville, founded in 1927, sits on 265 acres in beautiful Asheville, NC. Students benefit from top academics, award-winning faculty and internships while enjoying the City of Asheville's arts, music, and year-round outdoor recreation.
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#161
Kenosha, WI
Carthage College is a private liberal arts institution that was founded in 1847. It is located in Kenosha, Wisconsin on 95 suburban acres near the shore of Lake Michigan. Carthage College is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and is known for hiring faculty from the top graduate schools in their disciplines.
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#161
Maryville, TN
Maryville College, located in Maryville, Tenn., is a private institution founded in 1819. Hands-on field studies, eye-opening study abroad, challenging internships, rewarding service-learning, and dynamic leadership opportunities are all part of the total learning experience offered at Maryville. Incoming freshmen will form lifelong friendships through a nationally recognized First-Year program.
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#161
Morris, MN
The University of Minnesota- Morris is a public institution founded in 1959 and located in Morris, MN. The school provides a liberal arts experience, broadening global knowledge and encouraging students to expand lifelong critical thinking skills.
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#164
Caldwell, ID
College of Idaho, a private institution founded in 1891, is affiliated with the Association of Presbyterian Colleges and Universities. Its distinct PEAK curriculum (Professional, Ethical, Articulate and Knowledgeable) lets students design personal major and minor programs across four areas.
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#164
Oneonta, NY
Hartwick College, located in Oneonta, New York, is a private institution founded in 1797. As a small liberal arts college, it focuses on fostering student-faculty relationships – Hartwick’s faculty bring the latest insights from the world into the classroom to deepen student learning. Hartwick offers a Three-Year Bachelor’s Degree that dramatically reduces the cost of a private college education.
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#164
Atlanta, GA
Oglethorpe University is a private liberal arts institution that was founded in 1835. It is located in Atlanta, Georgia on 100 suburban acres in the city’s Brookhaven area. Oglethorpe University is dedicated to teaching students how to become community leaders who are distinctive in their ability to think, communicate and contribute.
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#167
Crete, NE
Doane College promotes a family-oriented approach to living and learning on its rural 300-acre campus in Crete, NE. Along with a quality education and the opportunity to study abroad, the college guarantees students will graduate in four years and also promises job placement for its teaching majors.
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#167
Greensboro, NC
Guilford College, located in Greensboro, North Carolina, is a private institution founded in 1837. Guilford draws on Quaker and liberal arts traditions to produce lifelong learners and agents of change in the world. Because of its scheduling flexibility – classes are held Monday through Saturday, from early morning to 10 at night, Guilford attracts both traditional residential students and adults.
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#167
Hiram, OH
Hiram College, located in Hiram, Ohio, is a private institution founded in 1850. Hiram is a small liberal arts school with distinctive programs. About half of Hiram’s students study abroad at some point during their four years. Because students receive credits for the courses taught by Hiram faculty on these trips, studying abroad will not impede progress in their majors or delay graduation.
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#170
Shreveport, LA
Centenary College of Louisiana is a private liberal arts institution founded in 1825. Located in Shreveport, LA, and affiliated with The United Methodist Church, Centenary College aims to cultivate moral and compassionate leadership while broadening students’ world views.
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#170
Arkadelphia, AR
A private liberal arts institution founded in 1886, Ouachita Baptist University is located in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. It is situated on 85 rural acres and is affiliated with the Arkansas State Baptist Convention. The sports teams of Ouachita Baptist University – known as the Tigers – compete in the NCAA Division II conference.
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#172
Reading, PA
Located in Reading, Pennsylvania, Albright College is a private liberal arts institution. The school was founded in 1856 and now resides on 118 suburban acres just east of beautiful Hampden Park. Albright College sports teams – known as the Lions – are part of the NCAA division III athletic conference.
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#172
Emory, VA
Emory and Henry College, located on a rural setting in Emory, Virginia, is a private institution founded in 1836. Many of its professors have been named Virginia Professor of the Year of the Carnegie Foundation. Each year, Emory & Henry features close to 100 concerts, theater and dance performances, films, exhibits and poetry readings to complement its students’ academic experience.
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#172
Monmouth, IL
Monmouth College, located in Monmouth Illinois, is a private institution founded in 1853. It has earned respect among its peers for the impressive percentage of graduates who attend top graduate and professional schools, and form successful careers in science, education, business and the arts. The campus is acclaimed for its beauty and for facilities that surpass those of comparable schools.
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#175
Harrisonburg, VA
Christian liberal arts institution Eastern Mennonite University is located in the scenic Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Guided by the Anabaptist peace-oriented tradition, all university coursework emphasizes faith, ethics and values, and community service and study abroad are required of every student.
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