The Best Small Colleges

The Best Small Colleges in America for 2025

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 2025 is California Institute of Technology. Learn how the Best Small Colleges rankings are calculated on our ranking methodology page.
small Public Private 4 year

415 results nationwide

Houghton College
Connect Me
H
Houghton, NY

Houghton College

Private 4 Year

2 reviews

#43 Best Private Colleges in New York

  • 1,014enrollment
  • $22,358net price
  • 93%acceptance rate
  • 1180-1390SAT range
  • 23-28ACT range
  • 3.25Avg GPA

Compare Calculate my chances 
Manhattanville College
Connect Me
M
Purchase, NY

Manhattanville College

Private 4 Year

25 reviews

#44 Best Private Colleges in New York

  • 2,379enrollment
  • $25,017net price
  • 85%acceptance rate
  • 1020-1230SAT range
  • 24-29ACT range
  • 3.19Avg GPA

Compare Calculate my chances 
Marymount Manhattan College
Connect Me
M
New York, NY

Marymount Manhattan College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

#45 Best Private Colleges in New York

  • 1,648enrollment
  • $38,426net price
  • 79%acceptance rate
  • 1100-1300SAT range
  • 25-29ACT range
  • 3.45Avg GPA

Applications Due Aug 1

Compare Calculate my chances 
The College of Idaho
Connect Me
I
Caldwell, ID

The College of Idaho

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

#1 Best Private Colleges in Idaho

  • 1,076enrollment
  • $22,602net price
  • 47%acceptance rate
  • 1080-1270SAT range
  • 20-28ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

Applications Due Feb 15

Compare Calculate my chances 
Cornell College
Connect Me
C
Mount Vernon, IA

Cornell College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

#8 Best Private Colleges in Iowa

  • 1,084enrollment
  • $25,850net price
  • 81%acceptance rate
  • 1150-1318SAT range
  • 23-30ACT range
  • 3.53Avg GPA

Compare Calculate my chances 
Dordt College
Connect Me
D
Sioux Center, IA

Dordt College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

#9 Best Private Colleges in Iowa

  • 1,929enrollment
  • $27,925net price
  • 71%acceptance rate
  • 1030-1230SAT range
  • 21-27ACT range
  • 3.65Avg GPA

Compare Calculate my chances 
Ouachita Baptist University
Connect Me
O
Arkadelphia, AR

Ouachita Baptist University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

#3 Best Value Colleges in Arkansas

  • 1,815enrollment
  • $22,087net price
  • 69%acceptance rate
  • 1060-1290SAT range
  • 21-28ACT range
  • 3.72Avg GPA

Compare Calculate my chances 
William Jessup University
Connect Me
W
Rocklin, CA
 

William Jessup University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

#25 Best Private Colleges in California

  • 1,484enrollment
  • $28,171net price
  • 77%acceptance rate
  • 1020-1230SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • 3.33Avg GPA

Compare Calculate my chances 
Curry College
Connect Me
C
Milton, MA

Curry College

Private 4 Year

4 reviews

#29 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts

  • 1,994enrollment
  • $30,367net price
  • 92%acceptance rate
  • 1020-1240SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • 3.01Avg GPA

Applications Due Apr 1

Compare Calculate my chances 
Saint Francis University
Connect Me
S
Loretto, PA

Saint Francis University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

#35 Best Private Colleges in Pennsylvania

  • 2,835enrollment
  • $27,421net price
  • 77%acceptance rate
  • 1020-1250SAT range
  • 21-26ACT range
  • 3.69Avg GPA

Compare Calculate my chances 
Benedictine University
Connect Me
B
Lisle, IL

Benedictine University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

#17 Best Private Colleges in Illinois

  • 2,989enrollment
  • $24,570net price
  • 77%acceptance rate
  • 1050-1280SAT range
  • 19-28ACT range
  • 3.26Avg GPA

Compare Calculate my chances 
Immaculata University
Connect Me
I
Immaculata, PA

Immaculata University

Private 4 Year

4 reviews

#37 Best Private Colleges in Pennsylvania

  • 2,407enrollment
  • $29,499net price
  • 78%acceptance rate
  • 1050-1260SAT range
  • 26-28ACT range
  • 3.5Avg GPA

Compare Calculate my chances 
Brigham Young University Hawaii
Connect Me
B
Laie, HI

Brigham Young University Hawaii

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

#1 Best Private Colleges in Hawaii

  • 2,836enrollment
  • $17,887net price
  • 38%acceptance rate
  • 985-1191SAT range
  • 21-25ACT range
  • 3.47Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Feb 1

Compare Calculate my chances 
Wittenberg University
Connect Me
W
Springfield, OH

Wittenberg University

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

#14 Best Private Colleges in Ohio

  • 1,333enrollment
  • $21,457net price
  • 91%acceptance rate
  • 1070-1260SAT range
  • 20-27ACT range
  • 3.6Avg GPA

Compare Calculate my chances 
Caldwell University
Connect Me
C
Caldwell, NJ
 

Caldwell University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

#8 Best Private Colleges in New Jersey

  • 1,864enrollment
  • $23,071net price
  • 65%acceptance rate
  • 1010-1320SAT range
  • 20-26ACT range
  • 3.3Avg GPA

Compare Calculate my chances 
King's College
Connect Me
K
Wilkes-Barre, PA

King's College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

#38 Best Private Colleges in Pennsylvania

  • 1,932enrollment
  • $25,608net price
  • 93%acceptance rate
  • 1060-1240SAT range
  • 19-25ACT range
  • 3.5Avg GPA

Compare Calculate my chances 
Mount St. Mary's College
Connect Me
M
Los Angeles, CA

Mount St. Mary's College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

#26 Best Private Colleges in California

  • 2,308enrollment
  • $27,434net price
  • 69%acceptance rate
  • 900-1110SAT range
  • 18-23ACT range
  • 3.59Avg GPA

Compare Calculate my chances 
Fresno Pacific University
Connect Me
F
Fresno, CA

Fresno Pacific University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

#27 Best Private Colleges in California

  • 2,921enrollment
  • $15,668net price
  • 58%acceptance rate
  • 970-1240SAT range
  • 17-24ACT range
  • 3.54Avg GPA

Applications Due Aug 1

Compare Calculate my chances 

Explore the best small schools by state: