by our College Data Analytics Team
With all of the college options in Vermont, choosing the right one can feel overwhelming. Our ranking highlights **9** colleges by overall quality and student outcomes, using our 2026 methodology.
So you can compare your options, College Factual analyzed 9 colleges across over 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.
Your ideal college depends on your goals. Drill down by location and field of study, or explore other rankings below. You can also browse by degree level:
Looking to pit your favorite colleges against each other? We built a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter most to you.
Explore the leading colleges below:
Middlebury College earned the #1 spot in this year's Best Colleges ranking in Vermont. Located in Middlebury, VT, Middlebury College is a private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 91% of students complete a degree within six years here. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $67,600. Middlebury College graduates report median early-career earnings of $54,713. Students borrow a median of $15,948 to complete a degree here.
Out of the 9 colleges in Vermont in this year's ranking, University Of Vermont landed the #2 spot. Located in Burlington, VT, University Of Vermont is a public institution. University Of Vermont posts a six-year graduation rate of 79%. Students from in state pay about $19,058 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $45,502. Median early-career earnings reach $44,588. Graduates carry a median of $22,607 in student loans.
The strong outcomes at Saint Michaels College earned it the #3 place in Vermont. Set in Colchester, VT, Saint Michaels College is a private not-for-profit institution. Saint Michaels College graduates 73% of students within six years. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $51,450. Median early-career earnings reach $42,240. Graduates carry a median of $26,640 in student loans.
Out of the 9 colleges in Vermont in this year's ranking, Norwich University landed the #4 spot. This private not-for-profit school is set in Northfield, VT. Roughly 60% of students complete a degree within six years here. In-state tuition and fees average $49,740. Median early-career earnings reach $59,706. Typical student debt is $24,103.
A rank of #5 makes Champlain College one of the top colleges in Vermont. Set in Burlington, VT, Champlain College is a private not-for-profit institution. Champlain College graduates 65% of students within six years. In-state tuition and fees average $47,850. Early-career graduates earn a median of $58,490. Graduates carry a median of $27,631 in student loans.
Vermont Technical College placed #6 among the best colleges in Vermont. Located in Randolph, VT, Vermont Technical College is a public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 44%. In-state tuition and fees run about $11,952, compared with $22,296 for out-of-state students. Vermont Technical College graduates report median early-career earnings of $41,822. The median student debt is $24,208.
Bennington College placed #7 among the best colleges in Vermont. Bennington College is a private not-for-profit school based in Bennington, VT. Bennington College posts a six-year graduation rate of 71%. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $66,262. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $29,031. Bennington College students take on a median of $26,815 in debt.
Sterling College Vermont landed the #8 spot in Vermont this year. Based in Craftsbury Common, VT, Sterling College Vermont is a private not-for-profit institution. Sterling College Vermont posts a six-year graduation rate of 32%. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $40,760.
Community College Of Vermont did well this year, earning the #9 position. Set in Montpelier, VT, Community College Of Vermont is a public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,920, compared with $13,640 for out-of-state students. Median early-career earnings reach $34,182. Community College Of Vermont students take on a median of $12,125 in debt.
Landmark College did well this year, earning the #10 position. Set in Putney, VT, Landmark College is a private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 14%. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $66,540. The median student debt is $23,375.
Advanced Welding Institute landed the #11 spot in Vermont this year. Set in South Burlington, VT, Advanced Welding Institute is a private for-profit institution. Early-career graduates earn a median of $42,399. Students borrow a median of $5,077 to complete a degree here.
Obriens Aveda Institute did well this year, earning the #12 position. Located in Williston, VT, Obriens Aveda Institute is a private for-profit institution. Median early-career earnings reach $23,620. Students borrow a median of $9,832 to complete a degree here.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs 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.