Small Liberal Arts Colleges: List of Most Prestigious Schools

Liberal arts schools are typically small, private institutions that focus on a general-knowledge undergraduate education. Because they tend to have small student populations, liberal arts schools provide students with small class sizes and significant attention from faculty members. Williams College and Pomona College are two top-ranked liberal arts schools in the U.S.

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Top Liberal Arts Colleges

Williams College in Williamstown, MA

Established in 1793, Williams College is a liberal arts school in northwestern Massachusetts. In 2010, Williams College was named the best liberal arts college in the country by U.S. News and World Report. The Princeton Review included Williams College in its Top 10 Best Value Private Colleges of 2010. The 4-year college offers 33 undergraduate majors in 24 departments, including art history, economics, comparative literature, anthropology and American studies. Master's degree programs in policy economics and art history are also available. Williams College was the first college in the U.S. to publish a college catalogue and form a society of alumni.

Contact Information

  • Address: 880 Main St., Williamstown, MA 01267
  • Phone Number: (413) 597-3131

Pomona College in Claremont, CA

Pomona College was the only school in the western region of the country to be ranked in the top 10 of U.S. News and World Report's best liberal arts colleges in 2010. Located approximately 35 miles from Los Angeles, Pomona College offers 45 majors in natural sciences, humanities and social sciences. Areas of study include English, music, philosophy, art history, theater and romance languages and literature. The school offers a student-to-faculty ratio of 8:1 and classes with an average size of less than 17 students. Published three times a year, Pomona College Magazine addresses academic, financial and professional issues within the school.

Contact Information

  • Address: 550 N. College Ave., Claremont, CA 91711-6319
  • Phone Number: (909) 621-8131

List of Good Liberal Arts Colleges in the U.S.

College/University Name Student Population Address Phone Number
United States Naval Academy 4,488 121 Blake Road, Annapolis, Maryland 21402-5000 (410) 293-1000
Wesleyan University 3,149 237 High St., Middletown, Connecticut 06459 (860) 685-2000
Smith College 3,101 Elm St., Northampton, Massachusetts 01063 (413) 584-2700
Oberlin College 2,864 70 N. Professor St., Oberlin, Ohio 44074 (440) 775-8411
Colgate University 2,844 13 Oak Dr., Hamilton, New York 13346-1398 (315) 228-1000
Wellesley College 2,498 106 Central St., Wellesley, Massachusetts 02481-8203 (781) 283-1000
Middlebury College 2,455 Old Chapel, Middlebury, Vermont 05753 (802) 443-5000
Vassar College 2,389 124 Raymond Ave., Poughkeepsie, New York 12604 (845) 437-7000
Washington and Lee University 2,155 204 West Washington Street, Lexington, Virginia 24450-2116 (540) 458-8400
Williams College 2,072 880 Main St., Williamstown, Massachusetts 01267 (413) 597-3131
Carleton College 1,983 One North College Street, Northfield, Minnesota 55057-4001 (507) 222-4000
Hamilton College 1,872 198 College Hill Rd., Clinton, New York 13323 (315) 859-4011
Bates College 1,776 2 Andrews Road, Lewiston, Maine 04240 (207) 786-6000
Amherst College 1,697 Boltwood Avenue, Amherst, Massachusetts 01002-5000 (413) 542-2000
Davidson College 1,668 102 N. Main Street, Davidson, North Carolina 28035 (704) 894-2000
Pomona College 1,532 550 N. College Ave., Claremont, California 91711-6319 (909) 621-8131
Claremont McKenna College 1,212 500 E. 9th St., Claremont, California 91711-6400 (909) 621-8000
Haverford College 1,169 370 Lancaster Ave., Haverford, Pennsylvania 19041-1392 (610) 896-1000
Scripps College 972 1030 North Columbia Avenue, Claremont, California 91711-3905 (909) 621-8149
Harvey Mudd College 738 301 Platt Blvd., Claremont, California 91711 (909) 621-8000
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