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2023 Most Focused Colleges for Women’s Studies

353 Ranked Colleges
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Schools Highly Focused on Women's Studies Major

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Schools Highly Focused on Women’s Studies Major” ranking - to help you make that decision.

Women’s Studies is the 259th most popular major in the country with 2,918 degrees awarded in 2021-2022.

For this year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Women’s Studies Major” ranking, we looked at 353 colleges that offer a degree in women’s studies. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in women’s studies.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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The women’s studies school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Schools Highly Focused on Women’s Studies Major”.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Schools Highly Focused on Women’s Studies Major

The colleges and universities below are the best for women’s studies students.

Top 25 Most Focused Colleges for Women’s Studies

1
Spelman crest
Spelman College
Atlanta, Georgia

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Spelman College. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Women’s Studies Major list. This small school is located in Atlanta, Georgia, and it awarded 22 ’s women’s studies degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Women’s Studies at Spelman College

2
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Agnes Scott College
Decatur, Georgia

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Agnes Scott College. The school came in at #2 for the Schools Highly Focused on Women’s Studies Major. Decatur, Georgia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s women’s studies degrees to 6 students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Women’s Studies at Agnes Scott College

3
Wellesley crest
Wellesley College
Wellesley, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Wellesley College. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Women’s Studies Major list. Wellesley, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s women’s studies degrees to 13 students in 2021-2022.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Women’s Studies at Wellesley College

4
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Wells College
Aurora, New York

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Wells College. The school came in at #4 for the Schools Highly Focused on Women’s Studies Major. Located in Aurora, New York, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 0 degrees to qualified ’s women’s studies students in 2021-2022.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Women’s Studies at Wells College

5
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Smith College
Northampton, Massachusetts

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Smith College. The school came in at #5 for the Schools Highly Focused on Women’s Studies Major. Smith College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Northampton, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 15 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Smith College Women’s Studies Report

6
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Grinnell College
Grinnell, Iowa

Grinnell College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Women’s Studies Major ranking, coming in at #6. Grinnell is a small school located in Grinnell, Iowa that handed out 15 ’s women’s studies degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Women’s Studies at Grinnell College

7
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Wheaton College Massachusetts
Norton, Massachusetts

Wheaton College Massachusetts landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Women’s Studies Major ranking. Norton, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s women’s studies degrees to 9 students in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Women’s Studies at Wheaton College Massachusetts

8
Colorado College crest
Colorado College
Colorado Springs, Colorado

Colorado College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Women’s Studies Major ranking. This small school is located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and it awarded 6 ’s women’s studies degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Women’s Studies at Colorado College

9
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Pomona College
Claremont, California

Pomona College ranked #9 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Women’s Studies Major list. Pomona is a private not-for-profit institution located in Claremont, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 4 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Read more about Women’s Studies at Pomona

10
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Kenyon College
Gambier, Ohio

Kenyon College landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Women’s Studies Major ranking. Kenyon is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Gambier, Ohio. It awarded 5 ’s women’s studies degrees in 2021-2022.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Women’s Studies at Kenyon

11
St. Mary's College crest
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, Indiana

Saint Mary’s College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Women’s Studies Major ranking. St. Mary’s College is a small school located in Notre Dame, Indiana that handed out 8 ’s women’s studies degrees in 2021-2022.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Women’s Studies at St. Mary’s College

12
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Northland College
Ashland, Wisconsin

Northland College landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Women’s Studies Major ranking. This small school is located in Ashland, Wisconsin, and it awarded 2 ’s women’s studies degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Women’s Studies at Northland

13
Cottey College crest
Cottey College
Nevada, Missouri

Cottey College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Women’s Studies Major ranking, coming in at #13. Cottey College is a small school located in Nevada, Missouri that handed out 1 ’s women’s studies degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Women’s Studies at Cottey College

14
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Hollins University
Roanoke, Virginia

Hollins University ranked #14 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Women’s Studies Major list. Hollins is a small school located in Roanoke, Virginia that handed out 7 ’s women’s studies degrees in 2021-2022.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Women’s Studies at Hollins

15
Oberlin crest
Oberlin College
Oberlin, Ohio

Oberlin College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Women’s Studies Major ranking, coming in at #15. Located in Oberlin, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 9 degrees to qualified ’s women’s studies students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Oberlin Women’s Studies Report

16
Bates crest
Bates College
Lewiston, Maine

Bates College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Women’s Studies Major ranking, coming in at #16. Lewiston, Maine is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s women’s studies degrees to 7 students in 2021-2022.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Bates College Women’s Studies Report

17

Hobart and William Smith Colleges ranked #17 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Women’s Studies Major list. Located in Geneva, New York, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 7 degrees to qualified ’s women’s studies students in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Women’s Studies at Hobart and William Smith Colleges

18
Barnard crest
Barnard College
New York, New York

Barnard College came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Women’s Studies Major ranking. This small school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 14 ’s women’s studies degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Women’s Studies at Barnard

19
Earlham crest
Earlham College
Richmond, Indiana

Earlham College ranked #19 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Women’s Studies Major list. This small school is located in Richmond, Indiana, and it awarded 1 ’s women’s studies degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Women’s Studies at Earlham

20

University of Hawaii at Hilo did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Women’s Studies Major ranking, coming in at #20. UH Hilo is a small public school situated in Hilo, Hawaii. It awarded 1 ’s women’s studies degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Hawaii at Hilo Women’s Studies Report

21
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Gustavus Adolphus College
Saint Peter, Minnesota

Gustavus Adolphus College ranked #21 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Women’s Studies Major list. Saint Peter, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s women’s studies degrees to 5 students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Women’s Studies at Gustavus Adolphus College

22
Laney College crest
Laney College
Oakland, California

Laney College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Women’s Studies Major ranking, coming in at #22. This medium-sized school is located in Oakland, California, and it awarded 13 ’s women’s studies degrees in 2021-2022.

Read full report on Women’s Studies at Laney College

23
Williams crest
Williams College
Williamstown, Massachusetts

Williams College came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Women’s Studies Major ranking. Williams is a private not-for-profit institution located in Williamstown, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 7 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Women’s Studies at Williams

24

Willamette University landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Women’s Studies Major ranking. Willamette is a small school located in Salem, Oregon that handed out 5 ’s women’s studies degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Willamette Women’s Studies Report

25
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Gettysburg College
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #25, Gettysburg College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Women’s Studies Major list. Gettysburg is a private not-for-profit institution located in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 2 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Full Gettysburg College Women’s Studies Report

Rest of the Best 50 in Schools Highly Focused on Women’s Studies Major

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
27
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St Olaf College
Northfield, MN
28
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Bucknell University
Lewisburg, PA
29
30
31
32
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Connecticut College
New London, CT
33
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Dickinson College
Carlisle, PA
34
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Sonoma State University
Rohnert Park, CA
35
Eckerd crest
Eckerd College
Saint Petersburg, FL
36
Gavilan College crest
Gavilan College
Gilroy, CA
37
38
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Goucher College
Baltimore, MD
39
Middlebury crest
Middlebury College
Middlebury, VT
40
Hamilton crest
Hamilton College
Clinton, NY
41
42
43
Denison crest
Denison University
Granville, OH
44
Clark crest
Clark University
Worcester, MA
45
Cornell College crest
Cornell College
Mount Vernon, IA
46
Scripps crest
Scripps College
Claremont, CA
47
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SUNY Plattsburgh
Plattsburgh, NY
48
Colgate crest
Colgate University
Hamilton, NY
49
50
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College of Charleston
Charleston, SC

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Schools Highly Focused on Women’s Studies Major

While not in the ’top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

RankCollegeLocation
51Otterbein UniversityWesterville, OH
52West Valley CollegeSaratoga, CA
53SUNY OneontaOneonta, NY

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

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