The Top 10 Best Liberal Arts Colleges

1. Understanding Liberal Arts Colleges

A liberal arts college offers broad-based instruction focused on undergraduate education, with at least 50% of degrees awarded in liberal arts fields.

1.1 Key Characteristics

• Small class sizes emphasizing discussion
• Focus on undergraduate education
• Well-rounded curriculum including:
  • Literature and Philosophy
  • Mathematics and Sciences
  • Social Sciences
  • Language Arts
• Independent from larger university systems

2. Top Liberal Arts Colleges Ranking

This ranking features the best National Liberal Arts Colleges, evaluated based on our quality metrics that emphasize student outcomes.

2.1 Harvey Mudd College (#1)

• Location: Claremont, California
• Part of Claremont Colleges consortium
• Key Statistics:
  • Founded: 1955
  • Enrollment: Under 1,000 students
  • National Rank: #8 overall
• Popular Majors:
  • General Engineering
  • Computer Science
  • Physics

2.2 Claremont McKenna College (#2)

• Location: Claremont, California
• Focus: Economics, Business, Public Affairs
• Key Statistics:
  • Enrollment: ~1,300 students
  • National Rank: #16
• Popular Majors:
  • Economics
  • Political Science
  • International Relations

2.3 Pomona College (#3)

• Location: Claremont, California
• Founding member of Claremont Colleges (1887)
• Key Statistics:
  • Enrollment: ~1,500 students
  • National Rank: #20
• Popular Majors:
  • Economics
  • Computer Science
  • Mathematics

2.4 Amherst College (#4)

• Location: Amherst, Massachusetts
• Member of “Little Three” colleges
• Key Statistics:
  • Founded: 1821
  • Enrollment: ~2,000 students
  • National Rank: #22
• Popular Majors:
  • Economics
  • Child Development
  • Psychology

2.5 Williams College (#5)

• Location: Williamstown, Massachusetts
• Founded: 1793
• Key Statistics:
  • Enrollment: ~2,000 students
  • National Rank: #23
• Popular Majors:
  • Economics
  • Mathematics
  • English Literature

2.6 Hamilton College (#6)

• Location: Clinton, New York
• Founded: 1793
• Key Statistics:
  • Enrollment: ~2,000 students
  • National Rank: #24
• Academic Options:
  • 34 majors across 15 fields
  • Strong economics and mathematics programs

2.7 Bowdoin College (#7)

• Location: Brunswick, Maine
• Founded: 1794
• Key Statistics:
  • Enrollment: ~1,800 students
  • National Rank: #25
  • Maine’s top-ranked college
• Popular Majors:
  • Political Science
  • Economics

2.8 Davidson College (#8)

• Location: Davidson, North Carolina
• Distinguished Alumni:
  • 23 Rhodes Scholars
• Key Statistics:
  • Enrollment: ~2,000 students
  • National Rank: #29
• Popular Majors:
  • Political Science
  • Biology
  • Economics

2.9 College of the Holy Cross (#9)

• Location: Worcester, Massachusetts
• Oldest Catholic college in New England
• Key Statistics:
  • Founded: 1843
  • Enrollment: ~2,700 students
  • National Rank: #30
• Popular Majors:
  • Economics
  • Psychology
  • Political Science

2.10 Colgate University (#10)

• Location: Hamilton, New York
• Key Statistics:
  • Enrollment: ~2,800 students
  • National Rank: #32
  • One hour from Syracuse
• Popular Majors:
  • Social Sciences
  • Biological Sciences
  • Biomedical Sciences

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