Liberal arts college
#9 Best colleges in the Washington, DC areaPatrick Henry College
Purcellville, VA · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Best small colleges in America#71 of 906
- Best colleges for business in America#156 of 1,563
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in America#133 of 1,238
- Best colleges in America#235 of 1,829
- Best colleges for history in America#185 of 1,247
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#301 of 1,829
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In Virginia
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.74%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.88%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,352 · ACT 30
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.14 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$12,211
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 408 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 55% · Women 45% |
| Total students | 408 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 74% |
| First-year retention | 88% |
| Admission rate | 77% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $50 |
| Priority filing deadline College website, 2026-27 | November 1 |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $2,015 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 0% |
| Average SAT | 1352 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 660–740 |
| SAT math | 580–680 |
| ACT composite | 27–33 |
| Test policy | Required |
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Social sciences | |
| Business | |
| Military technologies | |
| Liberal arts and general studies | |
| Communication |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | Town |
| Part-time undergraduates | 5% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 3% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $11,020 |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 14 to 1 |
| Disability services | Visit the office’s pageThe college’s own page |
| Faculty who are full-time | 40%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $7,372IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 74% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)About 18 miles away · about 50 minutes by car |
| Town population | 8,973Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | WashingtonAbout 40 miles away · about 1 hour 10 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 33°F in January · 76°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Purcellville, VA |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Questions families ask
- What is Patrick Henry College’s Compass Score?
- Excellent (grade A-). It ranks in the top 13% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How hard is it to get into Patrick Henry College?
- Patrick Henry College admitted 77% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Patrick Henry College’s graduates do?
- 74% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 451927
- Carnegie classification: Baccalaureate college (arts & sciences)
- Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges d.b.a. Commission on Colleges and Universities; Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools, Accreditation Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
- Religious affiliation (IPEDS): Non-Denominational
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Colleges like this one
The same kind of school first, then the closest in selectivity, size and cost.
Compare side by side: Patrick Henry vs College of the Atlantic · Patrick Henry vs Holy Cross · Patrick Henry vs Thomas Aquinas · Patrick Henry vs Warren Wilson
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