Best small college in every state

- Location: Mobile, AL
- Undergraduate enrollment: 1,150
- Student to faculty ratio: 13:1
- Acceptance rate: 47%
- Graduation rate: 50%
- Six year median earnings: $35,200
- Two year employment rate: 91%

Located just outside the city of Mobile, this Baptist university prides itself on its small enrollment. The University of Mobile is consistently ranked as one of the top regional colleges in the South and offers nearly 100 areas of study.

- Location: Juneau, AK
- Undergraduate enrollment: 644
- Student to faculty ratio: 10:1
- Acceptance rate: 63%
- Graduation rate: 36%
- Six year median earnings: $36,000
- Two year employment rate: 82%

With the capital city as its backdrop, this small school offers picturesque views thanks to dorms overlooking Auke Lake. During the pandemic, when many universities have experienced enrollment drops, the University of Alaska Southeast has been able to sustain encouraging numbers. Students can enroll in unique programs like Alaska Native/Northeast Coast studies and fisheries.

- Location: Prescott, AZ
- Undergraduate enrollment: 2,592
- Student to faculty ratio: 17:1
- Acceptance rate: 67%
- Graduation rate: 65%
- Six year median earnings: $66,200
- Two year employment rate: 94%

Although aeronautics is the focus of study at this campus in the Bradshaw Mountains, Embry-Riddle Prescott offers swing dancing, hang gliding, and martial arts for students when they’re not hitting the books. Students from dozens of countries attend Embry-Riddle Prescott, and they take advantage of an active Greek life and a championship flight team.

- Location: Conway, AR
- Undergraduate enrollment: 1,194
- Student to faculty ratio: 10:1
- Acceptance rate: 72%
- Graduation rate: 71%
- Six year median earnings: $39,700
- Two year employment rate: 91%

Psychology, biology, and other sciences are popular majors at Hendrix. Students can enjoy a pecan court, arboretum, art complex, and physical sciences center. Hendrix in October 2020 announced it was lowering its tuition by 32%.

- Location: Pasadena, CA
- Undergraduate enrollment: 948
- Student to faculty ratio: 3:1
- Acceptance rate: 7%
- Graduation rate: 92%
- Six year median earnings: $85,900
- Two year employment rate: 89%

A small school in name only, CalTech has a gigantic impact on the world. Faculty founded NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the school has produced dozens of Nobel Laureates. Students and faculty engage in research ranging from earthquakes to life on Mars.

- Location: Colorado Springs, CO
- Undergraduate enrollment: 2,098
- Student to faculty ratio: 10:1
- Acceptance rate: 15%
- Graduation rate: 89%
- Six year median earnings: $45,400
- Two year employment rate: 91%

Colorado College draws students from around the country, with over a quarter of the student body coming from the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. The school employs a Block Plan, where students take only one class at a time. An abundance of recreational activities are available in the nearby Rocky Mountains.

- Location: Middletown, CT
- Undergraduate enrollment: 2,928
- Student to faculty ratio: 8:1
- Acceptance rate: 17%
- Graduation rate: 89%
- Six year median earnings: $54,700
- Two year employment rate: 90%

Wesleyan is in a small town in Connecticut, but it has a truly international impact. The university has study abroad programs with over 150 locations and the Freeman Asian Scholars Program provides full tuition for around a dozen students from Asia. Because of its numerous singing and a cappella groups, Wesleyan has been called “The Singing College.”

- Location: Wilmington, DE
- Undergraduate enrollment: 655
- Student to faculty ratio: 20:1
- Acceptance rate: 53%
- Graduation rate: 42%
- Six year median earnings: $44,500
- Two year employment rate: 92%

Despite being a small college in a small state, Goldey-Beacom draws students from over 60 countries. Within months of graduation, Goldey-Beacom graduates report placement at a success rate around 90%.

- Location: Winter Park, FL
- Undergraduate enrollment: 2,433
- Student to faculty ratio: 10:1
- Acceptance rate: 67%
- Graduation rate: 74%
- Six year median earnings: $45,700
- Two year employment rate: 91%

Rollins is the oldest college in Florida and is a top producer of Fulbright Scholars. With a fine arts museum, the longest continuously operating theater in Florida, and one of the oldest Bach Festivals in the country, Rollins has tons of options for arts and culture.

- Location: Atlanta, GA
- Undergraduate enrollment: 2,123
- Student to faculty ratio: 11:1
- Acceptance rate: 39%
- Graduation rate: 75%
- Six year median earnings: $47,000
- Two year employment rate: 94%

Spelman is an Atlanta institution and a pillar of America's Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Spelman is one of the most selective women's colleges in the nation and has educated more Gates Scholars than any other U.S. college or university.

- Location: Laie, HI
- Undergraduate enrollment: 2,868
- Student to faculty ratio: 17:1
- Acceptance rate: 45%
- Graduation rate: 63%
- Six year median earnings: $42,200
- Two year employment rate: 76%

Nearly all BYU-Hawaii students live on campus, soaking in the amenities of a paradise location. Hospitality and tourism management is a popular major, along with international cultural studies. Many students work or volunteer with the Polynesian Cultural Center, which is the top paid tourist attraction in the state.

- Location: Nampa, ID
- Undergraduate enrollment: 1,089
- Student to faculty ratio: 16:1
- Acceptance rate: 71%
- Graduation rate: 59%
- Six year median earnings: $39,600
- Two year employment rate: 93%

Affiliated with the Church of Nazarene, this university has more than 40 clubs and organizations on campus. The city of Nampa is about 20 miles west of Boise.

- Location: Wheaton, IL
- Undergraduate enrollment: 2,326
- Student to faculty ratio: 10:1
- Acceptance rate: 83%
- Graduation rate: 87%
- Six year median earnings: $48,400
- Two year employment rate: 91%

Wheaton has a respected conservatory of music, offering programs in music composition and music pedagogy. Students can also participate in several service/ministry opportunities, as well as write for a variety of independent publications.

- Location: Terre Haute, IN
- Undergraduate enrollment: 2,063
- Student to faculty ratio: 11:1
- Acceptance rate: 68%
- Graduation rate: 81%
- Six year median earnings: $80,900
- Two year employment rate: 97%

Rose-Hulman was founded in 1874. Science is the name of the game here, with unique programs in optical engineering and biomathematics. The Branam and Kremer Innovation Centers provide workspaces for students to work on their wildest inventions.

- Location: Grinnell, IA
- Undergraduate enrollment: 1,679
- Student to faculty ratio: 9:1
- Acceptance rate: 24%
- Graduation rate: 84%
- Six year median earnings: $49,100
- Two year employment rate: 92%

Grinnell offers 3,000 internships home and abroad. Each year, the school hosts more than 500 free performances, lectures, and other events; it also has one of the most exciting basketball teams in the country. Grinnell is very service-oriented, as two out of three students participate in community service projects.

- Location: Baldwin City, KS
- Undergraduate enrollment: 1,062
- Student to faculty ratio: 9:1
- Acceptance rate: 88%
- Graduation rate: 59%
- Six year median earnings: $51,300
- Two year employment rate: 94%

Over the past several decades, Baker has added and expanded schools of  nursing and education. Baker claims that it is the university in Kansas most likely to land its graduates a job. The school also has a thriving Greek life scene.

- Location: Danville, KY
- Undergraduate enrollment: 1,433
- Student to faculty ratio: 11:1
- Acceptance rate: 73%
- Graduation rate: 81%
- Six year median earnings: $45,500
- Two year employment rate: 93%

Centre focuses on a liberal arts education, and its predecessor school was funded in part by George Washington, John Adams, and Aaron Burr. Staying local is big, as almost all students live on campus, creating a tight-knit community. The school is also a draw for some of the world’s most renowned acts, like the Vienna Philharmonic, Yo-Yo Ma, and Mikhail Baryshnikov.

- Location: Baton Rouge, LA
- Undergraduate enrollment: 523
- Student to faculty ratio: 8:1
- Acceptance rate: 59%
- Graduation rate: 35%
- Six year median earnings: $47,200
- Two year employment rate: 94%

Fran U started as a nursing school in Baton Rouge, and now has affiliations with the Carnegie Foundation. As it nears its 100th birthday, Fran U continues to deploy an accelerated teaching program to get nurses in the field more quickly.

- Location: Brunswick, ME
- Undergraduate enrollment: 1,825
- Student to faculty ratio: 9:1
- Acceptance rate: 10%
- Graduation rate: 95%
- Six year median earnings: $65,500
- Two year employment rate: 93%

Community is big at Bowdoin, as only 138 of the school’s nearly 2,000 degree-seeking students live away from campus. Bowdoin has specialty facilities for squash, sailing, and rowing, with popular majors of government and legal studies, neuroscience, and computer science.

- Location: St. Mary's City, MD
- Undergraduate enrollment: 1,503
- Student to faculty ratio: 9:1
- Acceptance rate: 80%
- Graduation rate: 80%
- Six year median earnings: $52,200
- Two year employment rate: 93%

St. Mary's waterfront setting near the Chesapeake Bay creates a unique campus atmosphere. St. Mary's is one of two Public Honors colleges in the nation, and around 30% of students graduate with a STEM major.

- Location: Williamstown, MA
- Undergraduate enrollment: 2,042
- Student to faculty ratio: 6:1
- Acceptance rate: 13%
- Graduation rate: 95%
- Six year median earnings: $59,000
- Two year employment rate: 90%

Economics and math are popular majors at Williams, but students can also major in French, psychology, and astrophysics. Around the community of Williamstown, students volunteer in the colder months to insulate homes, while on-campus they enjoy extracurricular activities such as candlepin bowling and chamber choir.

- Location: Kalamazoo, MI
- Undergraduate enrollment: 1,457
- Student to faculty ratio: 13:1
- Acceptance rate: 73%
- Graduation rate: 79%
- Six year median earnings: $48,700
- Two year employment rate: 89%

Kalamazoo College is among the oldest higher-learning institutions in the country, a short drive to Lake Michigan and within driving distance to Detroit and Chicago. Kalamazoo emphasizes its specialized K-Plan, which includes hands-on learning, study abroad, and an individualized senior project.

- Location: Northfield, MN
- Undergraduate enrollment: 2,077
- Student to faculty ratio: 9:1
- Acceptance rate: 20%
- Graduation rate: 93%
- Six year median earnings: $54,200
- Two year employment rate: 91%

Carleton offers a wide variety of student activities including bridge, forensics society, and robotics club. A whopping 96% of students live on campus and three-quarters of students study abroad as part of their curriculum. Wind turbines and fair trade organic coffees can be found throughout campus, part of a push for a greener society.

- Location: Jackson, MS
- Undergraduate enrollment: 792
- Student to faculty ratio: 9:1
- Acceptance rate: 59%
- Graduation rate: 64%
- Six year median earnings: $48,100
- Two year employment rate: 91%

With 100 sprawling acres in the capital of Mississippi, Millsaps appeals to students from around two dozen countries. There are some commuters, but 86% of students reside on campus, where they luxuriate in the new Campus Life Complex, computer labs, and photography dark rooms.

- Location: Kansas City, MO
- Undergraduate enrollment: 1,456
- Student to faculty ratio: 14:1
- Acceptance rate: 66%
- Graduation rate: 75%
- Six year median earnings: $50,800
- Two year employment rate: 93%

This Kansas City school focuses on a Jesuit tradition and liberal arts education. The science laboratories are an anchor of academic research, while the art galleries and new auditoriums appeal to students with interests in the arts. Actor George Wendt is an alum of Rockhurst.

- Location: Butte, MT
- Undergraduate enrollment: 1,457
- Student to faculty ratio: 13:1
- Acceptance rate: 92%
- Graduation rate: 52%
- Six year median earnings: $41,700
- Two year employment rate: 90%

Montana Tech is cited as one of the best-value schools for engineering, with top nursing and STEM programs. Montana Tech is one of only two schools in the nation to offer a bachelor of science degree in geophysical engineering; they also have rare majors in metallurgical engineering and mining engineering.

- Location: Lincoln, NE
- Undergraduate enrollment: 1,676
- Student to faculty ratio: 10:1
- Acceptance rate: 72%
- Graduation rate: 63%
- Six year median earnings: $46,000
- Two year employment rate: 95%

Nebraska Wesleyan claims to be the #1 liberal arts school in the state, offering 106 majors. Improv, beekeeping, and knitting are some of the unique clubs offered at Nebraska Wesleyan.

- Location: Henderson, NV
- Undergraduate enrollment: 1,805
- Student to faculty ratio: 18:1
- Acceptance rate: 81%
- Graduation rate: 19%
- Six year median earnings: $33,028
- Two year employment rate: 87%

Spread over 500 acres, Nevada State College emphasizes an energy-efficient and sustainable campus. Art is on display in various galleries and public spaces on campus, and liberal arts and nursing are rising focuses of study at the school.

- Location: Manchester, NH
- Undergraduate enrollment: 589
- Student to faculty ratio: 10:1
- Acceptance rate: 68%
- Graduation rate: 41%
- Six year median earnings: $51,400
- Two year employment rate: 96%

UNH-Manchester is only 35 years old and the main building is in a renovated mill. The school is very New Hampshire-centric, with 96% of students from in-state. Students can take advantage of discounts at ski resorts or hang downtown in New Hampshire’s largest city, or stay closer to campus and get involved with one of more than a dozen clubs, including the filmmakers club or women in technology club.

- Location: Madison, NJ
- Undergraduate enrollment: 1,634
- Student to faculty ratio: 11:1
- Acceptance rate: 69%
- Graduation rate: 62%
- Six year median earnings: $52,700
- Two year employment rate: 90%

A former seminar, Drew celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2017-18. The campus is less than an hour from the bright lights of Broadway in New York City, but locally, Drew's theater program is widely recognized as one of the nation's best. Drew is also home to the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, the Center on Religion, Culture & Conflict, and the Center for Holocaust/Genocide Study.

- Location: Socorro, NM
- Undergraduate enrollment: 1,269
- Student to faculty ratio: 8:1
- Acceptance rate: 23%
- Graduation rate: 56%
- Six year median earnings: $50,000
- Two year employment rate: 90%

New Mexico Tech is not only the best small college in its state, but considered one of the best public colleges in the U.S. Founded in 1889 as New Mexico School of Mines, New Mexico Tech is located right next to a famous golf course. A slew of new buildings has been constructed on campus, like the Workman Center and the Fine Arts building.

- Location: New York, NY
- Undergraduate enrollment: 2,519
- Student to faculty ratio: 9:1
- Acceptance rate: 14%
- Graduation rate: 92%
- Six year median earnings: $57,900
- Two year employment rate: 90%

Barnard is located across the street from Columbia University in Manhattan’s Morningside Heights neighborhood, and students at both schools can enjoy nearly all the benefits each one offers. The Barnard Center for Research on Women and the Movement Lab are just two of the unique learning environments available. Alumnae include influencers like author Edwidge Danticat, actress and politician Cynthia Nixon, and entertainer Joan Rivers.

- Location: Davidson, NC
- Undergraduate enrollment: 1,843
- Student to faculty ratio: 9:1
- Acceptance rate: 19%
- Graduation rate: 90%
- Six year median earnings: $58,900
- Two year employment rate: 88%

Davidson is best known in the sports world for building Stephen Curry into one of the world’s best ballers, but the school also has an innovative math department that volunteers in creating stats for the athletic teams. Davidson has multiple sponsored, study-abroad programs and dozens of other partners around the world. It is located about 20 miles north of Charlotte.

- Location: Minot, ND
- Undergraduate enrollment: 1,979
- Student to faculty ratio: 12:1
- Acceptance rate: 50%
- Graduation rate: 46%
- Six year median earnings: $41,200
- Two year employment rate: 91%

You don’t have to live in North Dakota to reap the benefits of Minot State’s in-state tuition rates, as all students pay the same amount. Education & Health Sciences is the most popular school, followed by Arts & Sciences. An entrepreneurship club, gaming club, and mixed martial arts club are among the many student organizations at Minot State.

- Location: Gambier, OH
- Undergraduate enrollment: 1,721
- Student to faculty ratio: 10:1
- Acceptance rate: 36%
- Graduation rate: 87%
- Six year median earnings: $48,700
- Two year employment rate: 94%

Students from around four dozen countries attend Kenyon's 1,000-acre campus in central Ohio. The campus is fully residential, and students participate in over 150 clubs and organizations. Over the last 15 years, 150 Kenyon students have become Fulbright Fellows.

- Location: Oklahoma City, OK
- Undergraduate enrollment: 1,591
- Student to faculty ratio: 11:1
- Acceptance rate: 76%
- Graduation rate: 64%
- Six year median earnings: $42,800
- Two year employment rate: 93%

Despite the industrious growth of Oklahoma City, the namesake university retains a park-like atmosphere. This century, Oklahoma City University added a school of music and a school of business. Martha Burger became the school’s first female president in 2018.

- Location: Portland, OR
- Undergraduate enrollment: 1,453
- Student to faculty ratio: 9:1
- Acceptance rate: 35%
- Graduation rate: 81%
- Six year median earnings: $42,200
- Two year employment rate: 88%

Reed features a wildlife refuge owned and maintained by the college. The school, located in Portland, emphasizes creative thinking and engaged citizenship and has an impressive haul of Fulbright, Gates, Guggenheim, and other prestigious award winners.

- Location: Haverford, PA
- Undergraduate enrollment: 1,308
- Student to faculty ratio: 8:1
- Acceptance rate: 19%
- Graduation rate: 92%
- Six year median earnings: $60,700
- Two year employment rate: 92%

Haverford prioritizes small class sizes and diversity, with more than 10% of the student body coming from countries outside the U.S. Political science, economics, and biology are popular majors, and 98% of students live on campus. More than half of Haverford’s students receive college grants.

- Location: Providence, RI
- Undergraduate enrollment: 1,994
- Student to faculty ratio: 9:1
- Acceptance rate: 24%
- Graduation rate: 89%
- Six year median earnings: $51,100
- Two year employment rate: 89%

Rhode Island School of Design was one of the country’s first art and design schools. Thousands of children and adults can access the school’s facilities, and in 2017, the school helped create a social experiment based on performances from the 2016 presidential campaign trail. International students make up more than one-third of the student body.

- Location: Greenville, SC
- Undergraduate enrollment: 2,665
- Student to faculty ratio: 10:1
- Acceptance rate: 61%
- Graduation rate: 80%
- Six year median earnings: $51,200
- Two year employment rate: 94%

The vast majority of students at Furman participate in internships or research projects. The university has more than 150 clubs and organizations and stands as the oldest private university in South Carolina. Virtually all students find job placement within six months of graduation.

- Location: Sioux Falls, SD
- Undergraduate enrollment: 1,717
- Student to faculty ratio: 12:1
- Acceptance rate: 65%
- Graduation rate: 70%
- Six year median earnings: $43,700
- Two year employment rate: 96%

Augustana reports a 98% job placement rate, with all students receiving merit-, talent-, or need-based financial aid. Nursing, business administration, and exercise science are popular majors, and the campus is minutes from downtown Sioux Falls, a city that is home to almost 200,000 residents.

- Location: Memphis, TN
- Undergraduate enrollment: 1,992
- Student to faculty ratio: 10:1
- Acceptance rate: 45%
- Graduation rate: 85%
- Six year median earnings: $53,600
- Two year employment rate: 92%

Another small school nestled inside a big city, Rhodes College prides itself on its service-oriented student body. The Frazier Jelke Science Center, which once housed an animatronic dinosaur, is always cooking up new wonders. More than half of Rhodes students participate in Greek life.

- Location: San Antonio, TX
- Undergraduate enrollment: 2,433
- Student to faculty ratio: 9:1
- Acceptance rate: 34%
- Graduation rate: 76%
- Six year median earnings: $54,900
- Two year employment rate: 93%

Trinity boasts high rates of acceptance for students applying to law and medical schools. The campus is near downtown San Antonio, and Trinity is regularly cited as one of the best colleges in the West. Many students get involved with startup projects while attending Trinity.

- Location: Salt Lake City, UT
- Undergraduate enrollment: 1,865
- Student to faculty ratio: 8:1
- Acceptance rate: 100%
- Graduation rate: 61%
- Six year median earnings: $49,800
- Two year employment rate: 91%

Westminster offers over 50 areas of study and is particularly popular for veterans. Located in the Sugar House neighborhood of Salt Lake City, Westminster is about 10 minutes from downtown by car.

- Location: Middlebury, VT
- Undergraduate enrollment: 2,551
- Student to faculty ratio: 8:1
- Acceptance rate: 17%
- Graduation rate: 91%
- Six year median earnings: $58,200
- Two year employment rate: 87%

For more than two centuries, Middlebury has been one of the country's most renowned liberal arts colleges. The school has around a dozen summer language schools, hosts the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference, and offers a winter term in which students can specialize in one course or an internship. Middlebury also has a bustling theater and improv community, where actors like Jason Mantzoukas got their start.

- Location: Lexington, VA
- Undergraduate enrollment: 1,825
- Student to faculty ratio: 8:1
- Acceptance rate: 21%
- Graduation rate: 95%
- Six year median earnings: $76,100
- Two year employment rate: 94%

Washington & Lee is notorious for its mock convention held every four years. Politics is one of the more popular majors on campus.

- Location: Walla Walla, WA
- Undergraduate enrollment: 1,436
- Student to faculty ratio: 9:1
- Acceptance rate: 50%
- Graduation rate: 87%
- Six year median earnings: $51,300
- Two year employment rate: 86%

About 60% of students graduate Whitman with no loan debt, making this Pacific Northwest gem a favored small college. Going green is emphasized around campus, and Whitman touts its 1:1 student-to-tree ratio. The Semester in the West program provides experiential learning, including camping and studying climate change.

- Location: Wheeling, WV
- Undergraduate enrollment: 755
- Student to faculty ratio: 11:1
- Acceptance rate: 86%
- Graduation rate: 56%
- Six year median earnings: $46,200
- Two year employment rate: 93%

Wheeling offers a variety of generous scholarship programs and almost 40 bachelor programs. The school also boasts an on-campus pub and a state-of-the-art athletic center.

- Location: Milwaukee, WI
- Undergraduate enrollment: 2,491
- Student to faculty ratio: 15:1
- Acceptance rate: 63%
- Graduation rate: 74%
- Six year median earnings: $71,300
- Two year employment rate: 97%

The Milwaukee School of Engineering guarantees students graduate in four years. Single-stream recycling, biodegradable dining products, and a paper recycling and shredding stream all support MSOE’s green initiatives. The computer and electrical engineering programs consistently rank at the top of college ranking lists.

- Location: Washington, D.C.
- Undergraduate enrollment: 1,066
- Student to faculty ratio: 6:1
- Acceptance rate: 57%
- Graduation rate: 47%
- Six year median earnings: $31,000
- Two year employment rate: 82%

Gallaudet says they are the only university in the world that is barrier-free for deaf and hard-of- hearing students, meaning all programs are able to accommodate students who are deaf or hard of hearing. About 99% of courses have an online component. Gallaudet is also home to the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center.