The Best Small Colleges

The Best Small Colleges in America for 2024

These are the top ranked small, public and private, four-year colleges in the United States as ranked by CollegeSimply. These schools all have undergraduate enrollment under 3,000. Small colleges allow students a more intimate and personalized experience where it's more likely you will get to know your professors. Leading the list for 2024 is California Institute of Technology. Learn how the Best Small Colleges rankings are calculated on our ranking methodology page.


414 results nationwide

Muhlenberg College
M
Allentown, PA

Muhlenberg College

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

#12 Best Private Colleges in Pennsylvania

  • 1,959enrollment
  • $32,926net price
  • 66%acceptance rate
  • 1200-1400SAT range
  • 29-33ACT range
  • 3.44Avg GPA

Applications Due Feb 1

Rhode Island School of Design
R
Providence, RI

Rhode Island School of Design

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

#2 Best Colleges in Rhode Island

  • 2,620enrollment
  • $39,800net price
  • 17%acceptance rate
  • 1340-1525SAT range
  • 29-33ACT range
  • 3.71Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Feb 1

Macalester College
M
Saint Paul, MN

Macalester College

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

#2 Best Colleges in Minnesota

  • 2,175enrollment
  • $36,095net price
  • 28%acceptance rate
  • 1340-1500SAT range
  • 30-34ACT range
  • 3.81Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

Denison University
D
Granville, OH

Denison University

Private 4 Year

3 reviews

#3 Best Colleges in Ohio

  • 2,416enrollment
  • $38,267net price
  • 22%acceptance rate
  • 1270-1460SAT range
  • 29-32ACT range
  • 3.76Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

DePauw University
D
Greencastle, IN

DePauw University

Private 4 Year

2 reviews

#2 Best Colleges in Indiana

  • 1,752enrollment
  • $29,486net price
  • 66%acceptance rate
  • 1140-1360SAT range
  • 24-31ACT range
  • 3.97Avg GPA

Applications Due Feb 1

Furman University
F
Greenville, SC

Furman University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

#1 Best Private Colleges in South Carolina

  • 2,443enrollment
  • $33,370net price
  • 67%acceptance rate
  • 1260-1455SAT range
  • 27-32ACT range
  • 3.61Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

Rhodes College
R
Memphis, TN

Rhodes College

Private 4 Year

2 reviews

#3 Best Colleges in Tennessee

  • 2,008enrollment
  • $30,672net price
  • 54%acceptance rate
  • 1310-1470SAT range
  • 28-32ACT range
  • 3.99Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

Hobart William Smith Colleges
H
Geneva, NY

Hobart William Smith Colleges

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

#14 Best Private Colleges in New York

  • 1,607enrollment
  • $34,259net price
  • 68%acceptance rate
  • 1210-1400SAT range
  • 27-32ACT range
  • 3.55Avg GPA

Applications Due Feb 1

Rose Hulman Institute of Technology
R
Terre Haute, IN

Rose Hulman Institute of Technology

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

#3 Best Private Colleges in Indiana

  • 2,188enrollment
  • $41,678net price
  • 73%acceptance rate
  • 1290-1483SAT range
  • 27-33ACT range
  • 4.0Avg GPA

Applications Due Mar 1

Sarah Lawrence College
S
Bronxville, NY

Sarah Lawrence College

Private 4 Year

2 reviews

#15 Best Private Colleges in New York

  • 1,696enrollment
  • $42,781net price
  • 50%acceptance rate
  • 1260-1450SAT range
  • 29-33ACT range
  • 3.75Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

Wofford College
W
Spartanburg, SC

Wofford College

Private 4 Year

8 reviews

#3 Best Colleges in South Carolina

  • 1,823enrollment
  • $31,192net price
  • 60%acceptance rate
  • 1200-1353SAT range
  • 27-31ACT range
  • 3.7Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

St Mary's College of Maryland
S
St. Mary's City, MD

St Mary's College of Maryland

Public 4 Year

0 reviews

#3 Best Colleges in Maryland

  • 1,520enrollment
  • $20,714net price
  • 77%acceptance rate
  • 1130-1370SAT range
  • 28-30ACT range
  • 3.45Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

Illinois Wesleyan University
I
Bloomington, IL

Illinois Wesleyan University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

#3 Best Private Colleges in Illinois

  • 1,527enrollment
  • $30,096net price
  • 42%acceptance rate
  • 1120-1330SAT range
  • 25-30ACT range
  • 3.86Avg GPA

Westmont College
W
Santa Barbara, CA
 

Westmont College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

#13 Best Private Colleges in California

  • 1,284enrollment
  • $33,112net price
  • 82%acceptance rate
  • 1280-1458SAT range
  • 30-33ACT range
  • 3.59Avg GPA

Centre College
C
Danville, KY

Centre College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

#1 Best Value in Kentucky

  • 1,357enrollment
  • $23,584net price
  • 63%acceptance rate
  • 1195-1470SAT range
  • 27-32ACT range
  • 3.62Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

Oberlin College
O
Oberlin, OH

Oberlin College

Private 4 Year

3 reviews

#4 Best Private Colleges in Ohio

  • 2,992enrollment
  • $46,462net price
  • 35%acceptance rate
  • 1360-1530SAT range
  • 30-33ACT range
  • 3.67Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

Virginia Military Institute
V
Lexington, VA

Virginia Military Institute

Public 4 Year

2 reviews

#4 Best Public Universities in Virginia

  • 1,512enrollment
  • $18,129net price
  • 71%acceptance rate
  • 1105-1300SAT range
  • 22-29ACT range
  • 3.65Avg GPA

Applications Due Feb 1

St Lawrence University
S
Canton, NY

St Lawrence University

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

#17 Best Private Colleges in New York

  • 2,175enrollment
  • $33,283net price
  • 63%acceptance rate
  • 1240-1410SAT range
  • 29-32ACT range
  • 3.6Avg GPA

Applications Due Feb 1