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2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major

1,083 Ranked Colleges
41,008 Degrees Awarded
$34,500 Avg Cost*
Schools for a Bachelor's Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major” ranking.

Political Science is the 13th most popular major in the country with 45,964 degrees awarded in 2021-2022.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 41,008 political science graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,724 and $23,030 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major” ranking looked at 1,083 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in political science. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in political science.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major”.

Top 25 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Political Science

1
Patrick Henry College crest
Patrick Henry College
Purcellville, Virginia

Out of the 1,083 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Patrick Henry College landed the #1 spot on the list. Patrick Henry College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Purcellville, Virginia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 20 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Political Science at Patrick Henry College

2
USCGA crest
United States Coast Guard Academy
New London, Connecticut

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend United States Coast Guard Academy. The school came in at #2 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major. United States Coast Guard Academy is a small public school situated in New London, Connecticut. It awarded 47 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on Political Science at USCGA

3
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Bowdoin College
Brunswick, Maine

Out of the 1,083 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Bowdoin College landed the #3 spot on the list. Bowdoin is a small school located in Brunswick, Maine that handed out 83 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Bowdoin Political Science Report

4
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Bennett College
Greensboro, North Carolina

Out of the 1,083 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Bennett College landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Greensboro, North Carolina, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 4 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s poly sci students in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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.

Read full report on Political Science at Bennett College

5
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Davidson College
Davidson, North Carolina

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Davidson College. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major list. Davidson College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Davidson, North Carolina. The school has a small population, and it awarded 64 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 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 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Davidson Political Science Report

6
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College of the Holy Cross
Worcester, Massachusetts

College of the Holy Cross did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major ranking, coming in at #6. College of the Holy Cross is a small school located in Worcester, Massachusetts that handed out 110 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, 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 96%.

Read full report on Political Science at Holy Cross

7
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United States Naval Academy
Annapolis, Maryland

United States Naval Academy did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major ranking, coming in at #7. Annapolis is a public institution located in Annapolis, Maryland. The school has a small population, and it awarded 119 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 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 98%.

Read full report on Political Science at Annapolis

8
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Union College New York
Schenectady, New York

With a ranking of #8, Union College New York did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major list. Union College is located in Schenectady, New York and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 47 bachelors’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. 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 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Political Science at Union College New York

9
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Bates College
Lewiston, Maine

Bates College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major ranking, coming in at #9. Located in Lewiston, Maine, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 57 degrees to qualified bachelors’s poly sci students in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. 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.

Read full report on Political Science at Bates

10
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Trinity College
Hartford, Connecticut

With a ranking of #10, Trinity College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major list. Trinity College is located in Hartford, Connecticut and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 84 bachelors’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. 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%.

Full Trinity College Political Science Report

11
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Colby College
Waterville, Maine

Colby College ranked #11 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major list. Waterville, Maine is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s poly sci degrees to 76 students in 2021-2022.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, 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.

Read more about Political Science at Colby College

12
Wabash crest
Wabash College
Crawfordsville, Indiana

Wabash College landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major ranking. Wabash is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Crawfordsville, Indiana. It awarded 21 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Political Science at Wabash College

13
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Gettysburg College
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Gettysburg College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major ranking, coming in at #13. Gettysburg is a small school located in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania that handed out 76 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. 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%.

Read full report on Political Science at Gettysburg College

14

Sewanee - The University of the South came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major ranking. Sewanee, Tennessee is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s poly sci degrees to 40 students in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national 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. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Political Science at Sewanee - The University of the South

15
Spelman crest
Spelman College
Atlanta, Georgia

Spelman College came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major ranking. Spelman is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Atlanta, Georgia. It awarded 50 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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 full report on Political Science at Spelman

16
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Sweet Briar College
Sweet Briar, Virginia

Sweet Briar College ranked #16 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major list. Sweet Briar is a small school located in Sweet Briar, Virginia that handed out 5 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

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. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Political Science at Sweet Briar

17
Furman crest
Furman University
Greenville, South Carolina

Furman University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major ranking, coming in at #17. Furman is located in Greenville, South Carolina and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 62 bachelors’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

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%. 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 excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Political Science at Furman University

18
Haverford crest
Haverford College
Haverford, Pennsylvania

Haverford College landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major ranking. Located in Haverford, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 35 degrees to qualified bachelors’s poly sci students in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Political Science at Haverford

19
St. Lawrence crest
St Lawrence University
Canton, New York

St Lawrence University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major ranking, coming in at #19. Located in Canton, New York, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 55 degrees to qualified bachelors’s poly sci students 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Read full report on Political Science at St. Lawrence

20
Scripps crest
Scripps College
Claremont, California

Scripps College landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major ranking. This small school is located in Claremont, California, and it awarded 24 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. 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 Scripps College Political Science Report

21
Colgate crest
Colgate University
Hamilton, New York

Colgate University ranked #21 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major list. Colgate University is located in Hamilton, New York and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 87 bachelors’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

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 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%. 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 Political Science at Colgate

22
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Dickinson College
Carlisle, Pennsylvania

Dickinson College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major ranking, coming in at #22. Dickinson is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. It awarded 49 bachelors’s poly sci 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 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%.

Full Dickinson Political Science Report

23
Hampden - Sydney crest
Hampden - Sydney College
Hampden-Sydney, Virginia

Hampden - Sydney College came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major ranking. Hampden-Sydney, Virginia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s poly sci degrees to 32 students in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.8% 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 Political Science at Hampden - Sydney

24
Claremont McKenna crest
Claremont McKenna College
Claremont, California

Claremont McKenna College came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major ranking. Claremont, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s poly sci degrees to 46 students in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 98%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Political Science at Claremont McKenna College

25
Conn College crest
Connecticut College
New London, Connecticut

Connecticut College came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major ranking. New London, Connecticut is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s poly sci degrees to 38 students 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. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.

Read full report on Political Science at Conn College

Rest of the Best 50 in Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci 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
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Wesleyan University
Middletown, CT
27
28
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Hillsdale College
Hillsdale, MI
29
30
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Bucknell University
Lewisburg, PA
31
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Colorado College
Colorado Springs, CO
32
33
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Wilberforce University
Wilberforce, OH
34
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Wells College
Aurora, NY
35
36
37
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Middlebury College
Middlebury, VT
38
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Occidental College
Los Angeles, CA
39
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Pomona College
Claremont, CA
40
41
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Millsaps College
Jackson, MS
42
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Vassar College
Poughkeepsie, NY
43
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Barnard College
New York, NY
44
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Kenyon College
Gambier, OH
45
46
47
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Macalester College
Saint Paul, MN
48
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Wofford College
Spartanburg, SC
49
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Lyon College
Batesville, AR
50
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Grinnell College
Grinnell, IA

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major

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

RankCollegeLocation
51Oberlin CollegeOberlin, OH
52Amherst CollegeAmherst, MA
53Hamilton CollegeClinton, NY
54Allegheny CollegeMeadville, PA
55The College of IdahoCaldwell, ID
56Centre CollegeDanville, KY
57Smith CollegeNorthampton, MA
58St Mary’s College of MarylandSt. Mary’s City, MD
59University of the OzarksClarksville, AR
60Skidmore CollegeSaratoga Springs, NY
61Wellesley CollegeWellesley, MA
62William & MaryWilliamsburg, VA
63Tougaloo CollegeTougaloo, MS
64Pitzer CollegeClaremont, CA
65Gustavus Adolphus CollegeSaint Peter, MN
RankCollegeLocation
66Ripon CollegeRipon, WI
66Hobart and William Smith CollegesGeneva, NY
68Willamette UniversitySalem, OR
69Whitman CollegeWalla Walla, WA
70Williams CollegeWilliamstown, MA
71Saint Johns UniversityCollegeville, MN
72Oglethorpe UniversityAtlanta, GA
73Lawrence UniversityAppleton, WI
74Hartwick CollegeOneonta, NY
75St Olaf CollegeNorthfield, MN
76Albion CollegeAlbion, MI
77Kalamazoo CollegeKalamazoo, MI
78University of the District of ColumbiaWashington, DC
79Lake Forest CollegeLake Forest, IL
80Howard UniversityWashington, DC
81American UniversityWashington, DC
82Hendrix CollegeConway, AR
83Ohio Wesleyan UniversityDelaware, OH
84Simpson CollegeIndianola, IA
85Swarthmore CollegeSwarthmore, PA
86Washington CollegeChestertown, MD
86Howard Payne UniversityBrownwood, TX
88University of California - Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA
89Berea CollegeBerea, KY
90Southwestern UniversityGeorgetown, TX
RankCollegeLocation
91Boston CollegeChestnut Hill, MA
92Citadel Military College of South CarolinaCharleston, SC
93Austin CollegeSherman, TX
94University of California - MercedMerced, CA
95Stonehill CollegeEaston, MA
96Roanoke CollegeSalem, VA
97United States Air Force AcademyUSAF Academy, CO
98Wake Forest UniversityWinston-Salem, NC
99Virginia Wesleyan UniversityVirginia Beach, VA
100Elon UniversityElon, NC
101Siena CollegeLoudonville, NY
102Bryn Mawr CollegeBryn Mawr, PA
103University of Notre DameNotre Dame, IN
104Wheaton College MassachusettsNorton, MA
105Denison UniversityGranville, OH
106Luther CollegeDecorah, IA
106Fairmont State UniversityFairmont, WV
108Saint Michael’s CollegeColchester, VT
109Catholic University of AmericaWashington, DC
110Illinois Wesleyan UniversityBloomington, IL
111Francis Marion UniversityFlorence, SC
112University of California - Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, CA
112Beloit CollegeBeloit, WI
114Hiram CollegeHiram, OH
115Brigham Young University - HawaiiLaie, HI
RankCollegeLocation
116St. Mary’s UniversitySan Antonio, TX
117Clark UniversityWorcester, MA
118Principia CollegeElsah, IL
119College of Saint BenedictSaint Joseph, MN
120Eckerd CollegeSaint Petersburg, FL
121Saint Mary’s CollegeNotre Dame, IN
122Providence CollegeProvidence, RI
123Centenary College of LouisianaShreveport, LA
124Rhodes CollegeMemphis, TN
125Susquehanna UniversitySelinsgrove, PA
126College of CharlestonCharleston, SC
127Alma CollegeAlma, MI
128Monmouth CollegeMonmouth, IL
129Texas Christian UniversityFort Worth, TX
130SUNY GeneseoGeneseo, NY
131Agnes Scott CollegeDecatur, GA
132Reed CollegePortland, OR
133Mount Holyoke CollegeSouth Hadley, MA
134Washington & Jefferson CollegeWashington, PA
135Florida State UniversityTallahassee, FL
136Whittier CollegeWhittier, CA
137Santa Clara UniversitySanta Clara, CA
138Thiel CollegeGreenville, PA
139Saint Anselm CollegeManchester, NH
140Drew UniversityMadison, NJ
RankCollegeLocation
141Hanover CollegeHanover, IN
142Randolph - Macon CollegeAshland, VA
143Emory and Henry CollegeEmory, VA
144University of DallasIrving, TX
145Lincoln UniversityLincoln University, PA
146University of Hawaii at HiloHilo, HI
147Harris - Stowe State UniversitySaint Louis, MO
148University of Mary WashingtonFredericksburg, VA
149Princeton UniversityPrinceton, NJ
150DePauw UniversityGreencastle, IN
151Nebraska Wesleyan UniversityLincoln, NE
152Ave Maria UniversityAve Maria, FL
153John Carroll UniversityUniversity Heights, OH
154University of California - BerkeleyBerkeley, CA
155University of California - RiversideRiverside, CA
156University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel Hill, NC
157Savannah State UniversitySavannah, GA
158Transylvania UniversityLexington, KY
159Saint Vincent CollegeLatrobe, PA
160University of California - San DiegoLa Jolla, CA
161University of Minnesota - MorrisMorris, MN
162McMurry UniversityAbilene, TX
163University of California - Santa CruzSanta Cruz, CA

Notes and References

References

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