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2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on English Major

1,293 Ranked Colleges
31,214 Degrees Awarded
$28,153 Avg Salary
Schools for a Bachelor's Highly Focused on English Major

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on English Major” ranking is part of that endeavor.

General English Literature is the 24th most popular major in the country with 40,481 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, general English literature graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $29,881 and had an average of $23,769 in loans still to pay off.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 31,214 general English literature graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,682 and $26,217 respectively.

For this year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on English Major” ranking, we looked at 1,293 colleges that offer a degree in general English literature. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their general English literature program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank General English Literature Schools

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on English Major” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on English Major

The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree english students.

Top 25 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General English Literature

1
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Kenyon College
Gambier, Ohio

Out of the 1,293 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on English Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Kenyon College landed the #1 spot on the list. Kenyon is a small school located in Gambier, Ohio that handed out 53 bachelors’s English degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about General English Literature at Kenyon College

2
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Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
North Adams, Massachusetts

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. The school came in at #2 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on English Major. MCLA is located in North Adams, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 30 bachelors’s English degrees to qualified students.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on General English Literature at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

3
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St Mary's College of Maryland
St. Mary's City, Maryland

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend St Mary’s College of Maryland. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on English Major list. St Mary’s College of Maryland is a small public school situated in St. Mary’s City, Maryland. It awarded 38 bachelors’s English degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General English Literature at SMCM

4
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Hollins University
Roanoke, Virginia

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Hollins University. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on English Major list. Hollins is a small school located in Roanoke, Virginia that handed out 20 bachelors’s English degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Hollins General English Literature Report

5

Out of the 1,293 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on English Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Sewanee - The University of the South landed the #5 spot on the list. Sewanee - The University of the South is located in Sewanee, Tennessee and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 41 bachelors’s English degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about General English Literature at Sewanee - The University of the South

6
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Spelman College
Atlanta, Georgia

Spelman College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on English Major ranking. Spelman is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Atlanta, Georgia. It awarded 39 bachelors’s English degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Spelman College General English Literature Report

7
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University of Saint Katherine
San Marcos, California

University of Saint Katherine ranked #7 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on English Major list. Located in San Marcos, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 4 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s English students in 2020-2021.

Full University of Saint Katherine General English Literature Report

8
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Hillsdale College
Hillsdale, Michigan

Hillsdale College landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on English Major ranking. Hillsdale College is located in Hillsdale, Michigan and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 30 bachelors’s English degrees to qualified students.

Read full report on General English Literature at Hillsdale College

9
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Skidmore College
Saratoga Springs, New York

Skidmore College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on English Major ranking, coming in at #9. This small school is located in Saratoga Springs, New York, and it awarded 46 bachelors’s English degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.

Read full report on General English Literature at Skidmore College

10
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College of the Holy Cross
Worcester, Massachusetts

College of the Holy Cross landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on English Major ranking. College of the Holy Cross is a private not-for-profit institution located in Worcester, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 59 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General English Literature at College of the Holy Cross

11
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Bryn Mawr College
Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania

Bryn Mawr College landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on English Major ranking. Bryn Mawr College is located in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 31 bachelors’s English degrees to qualified students.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about General English Literature at Bryn Mawr College

12
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Bethany Lutheran College
Mankato, Minnesota

Bethany Lutheran College landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on English Major ranking. BLC is a small school located in Mankato, Minnesota that handed out 8 bachelors’s English degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 5.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full BLC General English Literature Report

13
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University of Mary Washington
Fredericksburg, Virginia

University of Mary Washington ranked #13 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on English Major list. University of Mary Washington is a public institution located in Fredericksburg, Virginia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 80 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UMW General English Literature Report

14
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Washington & Jefferson College
Washington, Pennsylvania

Washington & Jefferson College ranked #14 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on English Major list. This small school is located in Washington, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 19 bachelors’s English degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about General English Literature at W&J

15
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Wittenberg University
Springfield, Ohio

With a ranking of #15, Wittenberg University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on English Major list. Wittenberg is a private not-for-profit institution located in Springfield, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Wittenberg General English Literature Report

16
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Kalamazoo College
Kalamazoo, Michigan

With a ranking of #16, Kalamazoo College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on English Major list. Kalamazoo College is located in Kalamazoo, Michigan and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 31 bachelors’s English degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General English Literature at Kalamazoo College

17
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Rhodes College
Memphis, Tennessee

With a ranking of #17, Rhodes College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on English Major list. This small school is located in Memphis, Tennessee, and it awarded 31 bachelors’s English degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General English Literature at Rhodes College

18
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Barnard College
New York, New York

Barnard College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on English Major ranking, coming in at #18. Barnard College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 42 bachelors’s English degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Barnard General English Literature Report

19
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Southern Virginia University
Buena Vista, Virginia

Southern Virginia University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on English Major ranking. This small school is located in Buena Vista, Virginia, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s English degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on General English Literature at Southern Virginia University

20
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Williams College
Williamstown, Massachusetts

Williams College landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on English Major ranking. Williams is a private not-for-profit institution located in Williamstown, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 42 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about General English Literature at Williams

21
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Ripon College
Ripon, Wisconsin

Ripon College landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on English Major ranking. Ripon, Wisconsin is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s English degrees to 12 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on General English Literature at Ripon

22
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The King's College
New York, New York

The King’s College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on English Major ranking, coming in at #22. The King’s College is a private not-for-profit institution located in New York, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General English Literature at TKC

23
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Haverford College
Haverford, Pennsylvania

Haverford College landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on English Major ranking. This small school is located in Haverford, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 22 bachelors’s English degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Haverford College General English Literature Report

24
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Colgate University
Hamilton, New York

Colgate University ranked #24 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on English Major list. Colgate is a small school located in Hamilton, New York that handed out 54 bachelors’s English degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Colgate University General English Literature Report

25
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Wabash College
Crawfordsville, Indiana

Wabash College came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on English Major ranking. Crawfordsville, Indiana is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s English degrees to 12 students in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General English Literature at Wabash

Rest of the Best 50 in Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on English Major

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
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Lawrence University
Appleton, Wisconsin
27
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Vassar College
Poughkeepsie, New York
28
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Hanover College
Hanover, Indiana
29
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Mount Holyoke College
South Hadley, Massachusetts
30
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Westmont College
Santa Barbara, California
31
32
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Wesleyan University
Middletown, Connecticut
33
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Whittier College
Whittier, California
34
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Washington College
Chestertown, Maryland
35
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Grinnell College
Grinnell, Iowa
36
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Bennett College
Greensboro, North Carolina
36
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Lyon College
Batesville, Arkansas
36
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Centre College
Danville, Kentucky
36
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Alice Lloyd College
Pippa Passes, Kentucky
40
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Trinity College
Hartford, Connecticut
41
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Wofford College
Spartanburg, South Carolina
42
43
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Carleton College
Northfield, Minnesota
44
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Hendrix College
Conway, Arkansas
45
46
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University of Dallas
Irving, Texas
47
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Centenary College of Louisiana
Shreveport, Louisiana
48
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Virginia Military Institute
Lexington, Virginia
49
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Corban University
Salem, Oregon
50

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on English Major

While not in the ‘top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

Rank College Location
51 Allegheny College Meadville, PA
52 Southwestern University Georgetown, TX
53 Eastern Connecticut State University Willimantic, CT
54 United States Naval Academy Annapolis, MD
55 Reed College Portland, OR
56 Davidson College Davidson, NC
57 Presbyterian College Clinton, SC
58 East-West University Chicago, IL
59 Morehouse College Atlanta, GA
60 Philander Smith College Little Rock, AR
61 Wheaton College Massachusetts Norton, MA
62 Fisk University Nashville, TN
63 Salem College Winston-Salem, NC
64 Allen University Columbia, SC
65 St Olaf College Northfield, MN
Rank College Location
66 Chowan University Murfreesboro, NC
67 Oglethorpe University Atlanta, GA
67 Amherst College Amherst, MA
69 St Lawrence University Canton, NY
70 Georgian Court University Lakewood, NJ
71 Bowdoin College Brunswick, ME
72 Lake Forest College Lake Forest, IL
73 Virginia Wesleyan University Virginia Beach, VA
74 College of Saint Benedict Saint Joseph, MN
75 SUNY Old Westbury Old Westbury, NY
76 University of Minnesota - Morris Morris, MN
77 Holy Cross College Notre Dame, IN
78 Tougaloo College Tougaloo, MS
79 Eureka College Eureka, IL
80 Transylvania University Lexington, KY
81 Mills College Oakland, CA
82 Westminster College Pennsylvania New Wilmington, PA
83 Mount Saint Mary College Newburgh, NY
84 Connecticut College New London, CT
85 Saint Anselm College Manchester, NH
86 Bates College Lewiston, ME
87 Truman State University Kirksville, MO
88 Agnes Scott College Decatur, GA
89 Gettysburg College Gettysburg, PA
90 Miami University - Hamilton Hamilton, OH
Rank College Location
91 Belmont Abbey College Belmont, NC
92 Hunter College New York, NY
93 Fort Lewis College Durango, CO
94 Assumption University Worcester, MA
95 Gustavus Adolphus College Saint Peter, MN
96 Millsaps College Jackson, MS
97 Wheaton College Illinois Wheaton, IL
98 Alma College Alma, MI
99 Lycoming College Williamsport, PA
99 University of New Hampshire at Manchester Manchester, NH
101 Dickinson College Carlisle, PA
102 Welch College Gallatin, TN
103 Lafayette College Easton, PA
104 Hope College Holland, MI
105 Siena College Loudonville, NY
106 Ohio State University - Marion Campus Marion, OH
106 Huntingdon College Montgomery, AL
106 Thiel College Greenville, PA
109 Swarthmore College Swarthmore, PA
110 Concordia College at Moorhead Moorhead, MN
111 Drew University Madison, NJ
112 Christopher Newport University Newport News, VA
113 Randolph - Macon College Ashland, VA
114 Bridgewater College Bridgewater, VA
115 Montreat College Montreat, NC
Rank College Location
116 College of Staten Island CUNY Staten Island, NY
117 Whitman College Walla Walla, WA
117 Luther College Decorah, IA
119 Central Baptist College Conway, AR
120 University of Guam Mangilao, GU
121 SUNY Geneseo Geneseo, NY
122 Moravian College Bethlehem, PA
123 University of Maine at Farmington Farmington, ME
124 Scripps College Claremont, CA
125 Willamette University Salem, OR
126 Oberlin College Oberlin, OH
127 Union College New York Schenectady, NY
128 Sonoma State University Rohnert Park, CA
129 William Jewell College Liberty, MO
130 Austin College Sherman, TX
131 Benedict College Columbia, SC
132 Hobart and William Smith Colleges Geneva, NY
133 Smith College Northampton, MA
134 SUNY New Paltz New Paltz, NY
135 Rollins College Winter Park, FL
136 Muhlenberg College Allentown, PA
137 Wellesley College Wellesley, MA
138 Williams Baptist University Walnut Ridge, AR
139 Brenau University Gainesville, GA
140 Roanoke College Salem, VA
Rank College Location
141 Illinois Wesleyan University Bloomington, IL
142 Pitzer College Claremont, CA
142 Multnomah University Portland, OR
144 Berea College Berea, KY
145 Central College Pella, IA
145 Bryn Athyn College of the New Church Bryn Athyn, PA
147 University of Maryland Eastern Shore Princess Anne, MD
148 Bridgewater State University Bridgewater, MA
149 Claremont McKenna College Claremont, CA
150 Albion College Albion, MI
151 Southwestern Adventist University Keene, TX
152 Gallaudet University Washington, DC
153 William Jessup University Rocklin, CA
154 Covenant College Lookout Mountain, GA
155 Trinity University San Antonio, TX
156 University of Maine at Presque Isle Presque Isle, ME
157 Wagner College Staten Island, NY
157 West Virginia State University Institute, WV
157 University of the West Rosemead, CA
157 Rosemont College Rosemont, PA
157 Kentucky Wesleyan College Owensboro, KY
162 Winthrop University Rock Hill, SC
163 Washington and Lee University Lexington, VA
164 Colorado College Colorado Springs, CO
165 Knox College Galesburg, IL
Rank College Location
166 Lewis & Clark College Portland, OR
167 University of Montevallo Montevallo, AL
168 The City College of New York New York, NY
168 University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma Chickasha, OK
168 Trinity Christian College Palos Heights, IL
171 Eastern Oregon University La Grande, OR
172 Centenary University Hackettstown, NJ
173 Guilford College Greensboro, NC
174 University of Southern Maine Portland, ME
175 Naropa University Boulder, CO
176 California State University - Stanislaus Turlock, CA
177 Warren Wilson College Swannanoa, NC
178 Hartwick College Oneonta, NY
179 Benedictine College Atchison, KS
180 University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire Eau Claire, WI
181 Ohio Christian University Circleville, OH
182 Saint Michael’s College Colchester, VT
183 Dartmouth College Hanover, NH
184 Longwood University Farmville, VA
185 Sul Ross State University Alpine, TX
185 Toccoa Falls College Toccoa Falls, GA
187 Goucher College Baltimore, MD
188 Northwest University Kirkland, WA
189 Monmouth University West Long Branch, NJ
190 The College of New Jersey Ewing, NJ
Rank College Location
191 Northern State University Aberdeen, SD
192 Ursinus College Collegeville, PA
193 University of Puget Sound Tacoma, WA
194 Florida State University Tallahassee, FL
195 Lebanon Valley College Annville, PA

Notes and References

References

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