by our College Data Analytics Team
With all of the college options in Vermont, choosing the right one can feel overwhelming. We have ranked **7** schools by overall quality and student outcomes, using our 2026 methodology.
To arm you with the information you need, College Factual analyzed 7 colleges using more than 20 objective factors such as graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, and per-student spending, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard). Learn more about our ranking methodology.
Learn more about these excellent colleges below:
Leading the list is Middlebury College, our #1 college in Vermont. Based in Middlebury, VT, Middlebury College is a private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 91%. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $67,600. Median early-career earnings reach $54,713. Middlebury College students take on a median of $15,948 in debt.
The strong outcomes at University Of Vermont earned it the #2 place in Vermont. Set in Burlington, VT, University Of Vermont is a public institution. Roughly 79% of students complete a degree within six years here. Students from in state pay about $19,058 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $45,502. Graduates go on to earn a median of $44,588 early in their careers. The median student debt is $22,607.
Out of the 7 colleges in Vermont in this year's ranking, Saint Michaels College landed the #3 spot. Saint Michaels College is a private not-for-profit school based in Colchester, VT. Saint Michaels College graduates 73% of students within six years. In-state tuition and fees run about $51,450. Graduates go on to earn a median of $42,240 early in their careers. Typical student debt is $26,640.
A rank of #4 makes Norwich University one of the top colleges in Vermont. Located in Northfield, VT, Norwich University is a private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 60% of students complete a degree within six years here. In-state tuition and fees average $49,740. Graduates go on to earn a median of $59,706 early in their careers. Typical student debt is $24,103.
Out of the 7 colleges in Vermont in this year's ranking, Champlain College landed the #5 spot. Champlain College is a private not-for-profit school based in Burlington, VT. Roughly 65% of students complete a degree within six years here. In-state tuition and fees run about $47,850. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $58,490. Graduates carry a median of $27,631 in student loans.
Vermont Technical College came in at #6 in this year's ranking. This public school is set in Randolph, VT. Roughly 44% of students complete a degree within six years here. Students from in state pay about $11,952 in tuition and fees, compared with $22,296 for out-of-state students. Early-career graduates earn a median of $41,822. The median student debt is $24,208.
Bennington College ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best colleges. This private not-for-profit school is set in Bennington, VT. Bennington College graduates 71% of students within six years. In-state tuition and fees average $66,262. Graduates go on to earn a median of $29,031 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $26,815 to complete a degree here.
Sterling College Vermont landed the #8 spot in Vermont this year. Sterling College Vermont is a private not-for-profit school based in Craftsbury Common, VT. Roughly 32% of students complete a degree within six years here. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $40,760.
Landmark College did well this year, earning the #9 position. Landmark College is a private not-for-profit school based in Putney, VT. Roughly 14% of students complete a degree within six years here. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $66,540. Typical student debt is $23,375.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Colleges are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and per-student spending drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
References
Read more about our data sources and methodologies.