Best small colleges
Colleges with fewer than 2,000 undergraduates, ranked by Compass Score.
Best small colleges906 schools
906 schools qualify, ranked by the Compass Score. The top 25 are shown.
How this list is made
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- Fewer than 2,000 undergraduate students (federal enrollment).
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Ordered by Compass Score, highest first. Schools with the same score share a rank.
Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1
Curtis Institute of Music
Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofit#1 in Pennsylvania
- 106 undergraduates
- 96% graduate
- 2
California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in California
- 1,023 undergraduates
- 94% graduate
- 3
Pomona College
Claremont, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- 1,664 undergraduates
- 93% graduate
- 4Tie
Amherst College
Amherst, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- 1,910 undergraduates
- 94% graduate
- 4Tie
Claremont McKenna College
Claremont, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- 1,381 undergraduates
- 91% graduate
- 6
Hillsdale College
Hillsdale, MI · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Michigan
- 1,688 undergraduates
- 90% graduate
- 7
Bowdoin College
Brunswick, ME · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Maine
- 1,850 undergraduates
- 95% graduate
- 8
Haverford College
Haverford, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- 1,424 undergraduates
- 90% graduate
- 9
Davidson College
Davidson, NC · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- 1,904 undergraduates
- 91% graduate
- 10
Washington and Lee University
Lexington, VA · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Virginia
- 1,898 undergraduates
- 94% graduate
- 11
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- 1,644 undergraduates
- 92% graduate
- 12
Webb Institute
Glen Cove, NY · Private nonprofitExceptional: Compass grade A+
- 105 undergraduates
- 88% graduate
- 13
Bates College
Lewiston, ME · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- 1,753 undergraduates
- 90% graduate
- 14
Grinnell College
Grinnell, IA · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Iowa
- 1,775 undergraduates
- 88% graduate
- 15
Harvey Mudd College
Claremont, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 1% for earnings
- 949 undergraduates
- 92% graduate
- 16
Riverside College of Health Careers
Newport News, VA · Private nonprofitTop 1% for graduation
- 325 undergraduates
- 100% graduate
- 17
United States Coast Guard Academy
New London, CT · PublicHonor RollTop 3% for graduation
- 1,081 undergraduates
- 93% graduate
- 18
Franklin W Olin College of Engineering
Needham, MA · Private nonprofitTop 1% for earnings
- 402 undergraduates
- 96% graduate
- 19
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art
New York, NY · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- 901 undergraduates
- 81% graduate
- 20
The Juilliard School
New York, NY · Private nonprofitTop 3% for graduation
- 619 undergraduates
- 93% graduate
- 21
Soka University of America
Aliso Viejo, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 4% for graduation
- 464 undergraduates
- 92% graduate
- 22
InterCoast Colleges-West Covina
West Covina, CA · Private for-profitTop 2% for graduation
- 507 undergraduates
- 97% graduate
- 23
Scripps College
Claremont, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- 1,082 undergraduates
- 83% graduate
- 24
Franklin and Marshall College
Lancaster, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- 1,911 undergraduates
- 84% graduate
- 25
Pitzer College
Claremont, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- 1,204 undergraduates
- 83% graduate
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Curtis Institute of Music | — | — | — | 96% |
| California Institute of Technology | $16,075 | — | $128,566 | 94% |
| Pomona College | $19,285 | $11,782 | $77,779 | 93% |
| Amherst College | $23,367 | $13,740 | $77,644 | 94% |
| Claremont McKenna College | $28,849 | $13,500 | $104,736 | 91% |
| Hillsdale College | — | — | — | 90% |
| Bowdoin College | $14,398 | $18,500 | $82,735 | 95% |
| Haverford College | $25,314 | $13,621 | $79,966 | 90% |
| Davidson College | $17,379 | $18,688 | $81,400 | 91% |
| Washington and Lee University | $23,781 | $19,500 | $94,810 | 94% |
| Swarthmore College | $23,149 | $17,500 | $80,257 | 92% |
| Webb Institute | $73,043 | — | — | 88% |
| Bates College | $29,351 | $14,275 | $69,498 | 90% |
| Grinnell College | $17,648 | $17,500 | $62,830 | 88% |
| Harvey Mudd College | $35,924 | $25,000 | $138,687 | 92% |
| Riverside College of Health Careers | $20,744 | $14,787 | $66,072 | 100% |
| United States Coast Guard Academy | — | — | — | 93% |
| Franklin W Olin College of Engineering | $25,171 | $19,500 | $129,455 | 96% |
| The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art | $13,269 | $15,000 | $83,847 | 81% |
| The Juilliard School | $43,571 | $25,500 | $37,827 | 93% |
| Soka University of America | $18,260 | $15,650 | $55,017 | 92% |
| InterCoast Colleges-West Covina | $27,536 | $10,313 | $36,089 | 97% |
| Scripps College | $36,294 | $13,500 | $77,539 | 83% |
| Franklin and Marshall College | $36,425 | $19,000 | $76,124 | 84% |
| Pitzer College | $34,191 | $16,750 | $69,512 | 83% |
Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.
By state
- Alabama 10
- Arizona 8
- Arkansas 13
- California 63
- Colorado 5
- Connecticut 10
- Florida 27
- Georgia 24
- Idaho 3
- Illinois 25
- Indiana 20
- Iowa 23
- Kansas 18
- Kentucky 18
- Louisiana 8
- Maine 11
- Maryland 13
- Massachusetts 31
- Michigan 23
- Minnesota 19
- Mississippi 8
- Missouri 31
- Montana 7
- Nebraska 12
- New Hampshire 7
- New Jersey 18
- New Mexico 7
- New York 55
- North Carolina 34
- North Dakota 4
- Ohio 58
- Oklahoma 11
- Oregon 11
- Pennsylvania 69
- Puerto Rico 31
- South Carolina 19
- South Dakota 5
- Tennessee 24
- Texas 31
- Utah 7
- Vermont 4
- Virginia 30
- Washington 12
- West Virginia 12
- Wisconsin 15