This article covers the top 10 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in the U.S., where students stand a chance of getting an all-rounded education in areas like critical thinking, communication skills, and a wide range of subjects amongst others.Â
Liberal arts colleges are an attractive option for students for various reasons. These schools primarily concentrate on undergraduate education and provide generous financial aid to students.
And also, the schools offer smaller class sizes and promote critical thinking and intellectual discourse at an elevated level. Graduates from liberal arts colleges generally possess a well-rounded skill set and are better prepared for the workforce in the labour market after school.
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Many people always assume that liberal arts colleges are exclusively private and expensive, but this is not entirely true, based on many reasons.
In fact, there are numerous public institutions that offer the same level of comprehensive education at a lower cost which you can choose from.
10 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in the U.S
To identify the top 10 liberal arts colleges in the US, we considered multiple factors such as academic performance, affordability, and student contentment as well.
1. College of Charleston
The College of Charleston is one of the best liberal arts colleges on our list.
The date the College of Charleston was founded was in the year 1770. The school is one of the oldest higher education institutions in the US, ranked 13th in terms of founding date.
Notably, three of its founders were among the signatories of the Declaration of Independence, which may be of particular interest to students seeking a liberal arts education.
As a public liberal arts college, the College of Charleston strives to promote a broad-based education to its students.
The institution offers a diverse range of academic disciplines, including business, visual and performing arts, psychology, and biological and biomedical sciences, among others.
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2. The Evergreen State College
The Evergreen State College, a public liberal arts institution situated in Olympia, Washington, provides students with an education tailored to their preferences.
Evergreen’s unconventional undergraduate curriculum enables students to develop their own academic tracks.
Rather than majors, students register for interdisciplinary academic programs that enable them to explore a range of disciplines in a structured manner.
So, instead of conventional letter grades, faculty-written narrative evaluations are used to assess student progress.
Once a student complete their undergraduate studies, they receive either a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree.
3. Fort Lewis College
Fort Lewis College has an intriguing background as it was initially established as a military fort, but in 1911 it became a boarding school for Native American students.
And uptil now, the college offers Native American students who meet certain requirements the opportunity to receive a tuition-free education.
All students at Fort Lewis College receive a well-rounded liberal arts education. Upon completion of the core curriculum, students can select from 30 different bachelor’s degree programs, with the most sought-after programs being music, teacher education, economics, and marketing.
4. Georgia College & State University
Georgia College & State University has recently been designated as the “Public Liberal Arts University” of Georgia.
The school comes with a student population of over 7,000, and the institution offers a comprehensive core curriculum and a wide range of major courses for students to choose from.
Notably, Georgia College has produced numerous accomplished alumni with significant contributions in the liberal arts field globally.
Among them are renowned writer Flannery O’Connor, best-selling author Sherrilyn Kenyon, historian Helen Matthews Lewis and many others.
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5. Keene State College
It is good news to know that Keene State College, which originated as a teacher’s college in 1909, is now recognized as one of the top public liberal arts colleges in the US.
The institution provides students with more than 40 undergraduate degree options in various liberal arts; sciences; and social sciences fields respectively.
Popular majors at Keene State College include music, education, psychology, journalism, architecture, and communication, among others.
An interesting fact is that Keene State College has recently become the first accredited university in the US to offer a bachelor’s degree program in Holocaust and Genocide Studies.
The college was recognized by The Princeton Review as one of “The Best Northeastern Colleges.”
6. Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
The inclusion of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) on our list of top public liberal arts colleges may come as no surprise given its name.
But then, the institution was originally established as a center for teacher education, but now offers 19 undergraduate degree programs and 35 minors.
Roughly 10% of MCLA students participate in the Honors Program, which offers a unique curriculum including courses like “The Mathematics of Fairness” and “Ethics and Animals.”
Upon completion of a capstone thesis, Honors Program participants are recognized as “Commonwealth Scholars.”
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7. Midwestern State University
If you are looking for the best liberal arts colleges in the US, then note that Midwestern State University is an independent public school that is not part of the Texas public university system, irrespective of them being a public liberal arts college.
Aside from that, the university consists of seven colleges and provides students with 43 majors and 30 minors respectively.
You should also take note of this, Midwestern State University was the first public institution in Texas to establish a core curriculum for its undergraduate students – this is a welcome development and something worth celebrating.
Among the notable alumni of Midwestern State University are Dr. Phil McGraw & Western novelist Larry McMurtry.
8. New College of Florida
New College of Florida is a public liberal arts honors college that operates independently but is part of the Florida State University System. The college values four core principles: students are responsible for their education, learning is a collaborative process, mastery determines a student’s progress, and students should have the freedom to explore their interests. These principles influence how the college operates, with students being able to pursue independent study projects, complete a senior thesis, and receive narrative evaluations instead of grades.
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9. Ramapo College of New Jersey
The Ramapo College (RCNJ) is a public college located in Mahwah, New Jersey USA. The school has five different colleges, including the following:
- business
- contemporary arts
- humanities, and global studies,
- social science and human services
- theoretical and applied science.
And all these colleges offer various undergraduate degree programs and minors to students. According to U.S. News and World Report, RCNJ was ranked as the 37th best university in the North, and Forbes listed it as the 127th best public college in the United States. This is one of the best liberal arts colleges in the US you should go for.
10. Southern Oregon University
The Southern Oregon University is the last among the best liberal arts colleges on our list.
Southern Oregon University is an institution of higher learning that was founded in 1926. The school has had nine name changes from the time it was established. Today the good news is, it has become one of the highly-ranked public liberal arts colleges that are divided into three colleges s such as:
- the College of Arts and Sciences,
- the College of Business, and
- the College of Education.
The university offers several majors, including popular programs like economics; environmental science; and Shakespearean studies.
Another thing worthy to note is that Southern Oregon University has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as the 71st-best university in the Western region.
What’s particularly interesting about this institution is its location in Ashland, which is home to one of the most famous annual Shakespeare festivals in the world.
The festival is a major draw for liberal arts-minded students looking for cultural enrichment outside the classroom.
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Conclusion:
We have carefully listed out some of the best liberal arts colleges in the US for you. The above institution offers students both locally and internationally a well-rounded education that lays much emphasis on critical thinking, communication skills, and exposure to a wide range of subjects and others.
From Williams College in Massachusetts to Wellesley College in California, these schools are known for their excellent faculty, small class sizes, and a strong sense of community.
So whether you are interested in the sciences, social sciences, humanities, or the arts field, there is a liberal arts college out there that will meet your needs and help you achieve your goals without much stress.
So that has been the 10 best liberal arts colleges for you.
