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2023 Most Focused Colleges for Political Science & Government

1,309 Ranked Colleges
$31,600 Avg Cost*
Schools Highly Focused on Political Science Major

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Schools Highly Focused on Political Science Major” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2021-2022, 47,686 people earned their degree in political science & government, making the major the 20th most popular in the United States. In , political science & government graduates who were awarded their degree in , earned an average of $34,399 and had an average of $21,996 in loans still to pay off.

This year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Political Science Major” ranking analyzed 1,309 colleges that offered a degree in political science & government. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their political science & government program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Schools Highly Focused on Political Science Major” list to help you make the college decision.

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. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Schools Highly Focused on Political Science Major

The colleges and universities below are the best for political science students.

Top 25 Most Focused Colleges for Political Science & Government

1
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Antioch College
Yellow Springs, Ohio

Out of the 1,309 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Political Science Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Antioch College landed the #1 spot on the list. This small school is located in Yellow Springs, Ohio, and it awarded 1 ’s political science degrees in 2021-2022.

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. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Antioch College

2
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Patrick Henry College
Purcellville, Virginia

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Patrick Henry College. The school came in at #2 for the Schools Highly Focused on Political Science Major. Patrick Henry College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Purcellville, Virginia. It awarded 20 ’s political science 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 full report on Political Science & Government at Patrick Henry College

3
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United States Coast Guard Academy
New London, Connecticut

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend United States Coast Guard Academy. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Political Science Major list. New London, Connecticut is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s political science degrees to 47 students 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.

Full United States Coast Guard Academy Political Science & Government Report

4
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Bowdoin College
Brunswick, Maine

Out of the 1,309 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Political Science Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Bowdoin College landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Brunswick, Maine, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 83 diplomas to qualified ’s political science 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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.

Full Bowdoin Political Science & Government Report

5

6
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Hillsdale College
Hillsdale, Michigan

Hillsdale College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Political Science Major ranking. Located in Hillsdale, Michigan, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 55 diplomas to qualified ’s political science students 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 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.

Full Hillsdale College Political Science & Government Report

7
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Bennett College
Greensboro, North Carolina

Bennett College ranked #7 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Political Science Major list. Bennett College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Greensboro, North Carolina. The school has a small population, and it awarded 4 ’s 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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Full Bennett Political Science & Government Report

8
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Davidson College
Davidson, North Carolina

Davidson College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Political Science Major ranking, coming in at #8. Located in Davidson, North Carolina, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 64 degrees to qualified ’s political science students in 2021-2022.

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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.

Read more about Political Science & Government at Davidson College

9
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College of the Holy Cross
Worcester, Massachusetts

College of the Holy Cross came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Political Science Major ranking. College of the Holy Cross is a small school located in Worcester, Massachusetts that handed out 110 ’s political science 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 low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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 freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full College of the Holy Cross Political Science & Government Report

10
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United States Naval Academy
Annapolis, Maryland

With a ranking of #10, United States Naval Academy did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Political Science Major list. This small school is located in Annapolis, Maryland, and it awarded 119 ’s political science degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 98%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full United States Naval Academy Political Science & Government Report

11
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Union College New York
Schenectady, New York

Union College New York did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Political Science Major ranking, coming in at #11. Union College New York is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Schenectady, New York. It awarded 47 ’s political science degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% 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%. 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.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Union College New York

12
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Bates College
Lewiston, Maine

Bates College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Political Science Major ranking, coming in at #12. Located in Lewiston, Maine, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 57 degrees to qualified ’s political science students in 2021-2022.

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 92%.

Read more about Political Science & Government at Bates

13
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Trinity College
Hartford, Connecticut

Trinity College landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Political Science Major ranking. Trinity College is a small school located in Hartford, Connecticut that handed out 84 ’s political science 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. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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 Political Science & Government at Trinity College

14
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Colby College
Waterville, Maine

With a ranking of #14, Colby College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Political Science Major list. Colby College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Waterville, Maine. It awarded 76 ’s political science degrees 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. 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 & Government at Colby College

15
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Wabash College
Crawfordsville, Indiana

Wabash College ranked #15 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Political Science Major list. Crawfordsville, Indiana is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s political science degrees to 21 students in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. 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 low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% 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 & Government at Wabash College

16
Gettysburg crest
Gettysburg College
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #16, Gettysburg College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Political Science Major list. Gettysburg is located in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 76 ’s political science degrees to qualified students.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. 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 Political Science & Government at Gettysburg College

17
Bethany College West Virginia crest
Bethany College West Virginia
Bethany, West Virginia

Bethany College West Virginia came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Political Science Major ranking. This small school is located in Bethany, West Virginia, and it awarded 2 ’s political science degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Bethany College West Virginia

18

Sewanee - The University of the South ranked #18 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Political Science Major list. Sewanee - The University of the South is located in Sewanee, Tennessee and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 40 ’s political science degrees to qualified students.

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%. 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 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

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

19
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Spelman College
Atlanta, Georgia

Spelman College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Political Science Major ranking, coming in at #19. This small school is located in Atlanta, Georgia, and it awarded 50 ’s political science degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.1% 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%. 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 full report on Political Science & Government at Spelman College

20
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Sweet Briar College
Sweet Briar, Virginia

Sweet Briar College landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Political Science Major ranking. Sweet Briar College is located in Sweet Briar, Virginia and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 5 ’s political science degrees to qualified students.

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%. 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.

Full Sweet Briar Political Science & Government Report

21
Furman crest
Furman University
Greenville, South Carolina

With a ranking of #21, Furman University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Political Science Major list. Furman is a private not-for-profit institution located in Greenville, South Carolina. The school has a small population, and it awarded 62 ’s 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. 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 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Furman Political Science & Government Report

22
Haverford crest
Haverford College
Haverford, Pennsylvania

Haverford College came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Political Science Major ranking. Haverford is a private not-for-profit institution located in Haverford, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 35 ’s 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 8 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 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Haverford Political Science & Government Report

23
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St Lawrence University
Canton, New York

St Lawrence University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Political Science Major ranking. St Lawrence University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Canton, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 55 ’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%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full St Lawrence University Political Science & Government Report

24
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Scripps College
Claremont, California

With a ranking of #24, Scripps College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Political Science Major list. Scripps is a small school located in Claremont, California that handed out 24 ’s political science 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. 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.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Scripps College

25
Colgate crest
Colgate University
Hamilton, New York

Colgate University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Political Science Major ranking. Colgate University is a small school located in Hamilton, New York that handed out 87 ’s political science 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 0.7%, 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 93%.

Full Colgate University Political Science & Government Report

Rest of the Best 50 in Schools Highly Focused on Political Science 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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Dickinson College
Carlisle, PA
27
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Hampden - Sydney College
Hampden-Sydney, VA
28
29
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Connecticut College
New London, CT
30
31
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Wesleyan University
Middletown, CT
32
33
34
35
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Bucknell University
Lewisburg, PA
36
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Colorado College
Colorado Springs, CO
37
38
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Wilberforce University
Wilberforce, OH
39
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Wells College
Aurora, NY
40
41
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Whitman College
Walla Walla, WA
42
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Middlebury College
Middlebury, VT
43
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Occidental College
Los Angeles, CA
44
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Pomona College
Claremont, CA
45
46
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Millsaps College
Jackson, MS
47
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Vassar College
Poughkeepsie, NY
48
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Barnard College
New York, NY
49
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Kenyon College
Gambier, OH
50

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Schools Highly Focused on Political Science Major

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

RankCollegeLocation
51Franklin and Marshall CollegeLancaster, PA
52Macalester CollegeSaint Paul, MN
52Fisk UniversityNashville, TN
54Wofford CollegeSpartanburg, SC
55Lyon CollegeBatesville, AR
56Grinnell CollegeGrinnell, IA
57University of Puget SoundTacoma, WA
58Oberlin CollegeOberlin, OH
59Amherst CollegeAmherst, MA
60Pitzer CollegeClaremont, CA
61Hamilton CollegeClinton, NY
62Allegheny CollegeMeadville, PA
63The College of IdahoCaldwell, ID
64Centre CollegeDanville, KY
65Smith CollegeNorthampton, MA
RankCollegeLocation
66St Mary’s College of MarylandSt. Mary’s City, MD
67University of the OzarksClarksville, AR
68Skidmore CollegeSaratoga Springs, NY
69Wellesley CollegeWellesley, MA
70William & MaryWilliamsburg, VA
71Tougaloo CollegeTougaloo, MS
72Howard Payne UniversityBrownwood, TX
73Gustavus Adolphus CollegeSaint Peter, MN
74Hobart and William Smith CollegesGeneva, NY
74Ripon CollegeRipon, WI
76Willamette UniversitySalem, OR
77Williams CollegeWilliamstown, MA
78Saint Johns UniversityCollegeville, MN
79Howard UniversityWashington, DC
80Oglethorpe UniversityAtlanta, GA
81Lawrence UniversityAppleton, WI
82Hartwick CollegeOneonta, NY
83American UniversityWashington, DC
84Rhodes CollegeMemphis, TN
85Citadel Military College of South CarolinaCharleston, SC
86Princeton UniversityPrinceton, NJ
87St Olaf CollegeNorthfield, MN
88Catholic University of AmericaWashington, DC
89Albion CollegeAlbion, MI
90Kalamazoo CollegeKalamazoo, MI
RankCollegeLocation
91George Washington UniversityWashington, DC
92University of the District of ColumbiaWashington, DC
93Lake Forest CollegeLake Forest, IL
94University of California - Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA
95Boston CollegeChestnut Hill, MA
96Hendrix CollegeConway, AR
97Ohio Wesleyan UniversityDelaware, OH
98Simpson CollegeIndianola, IA
99Swarthmore CollegeSwarthmore, PA
100Washington CollegeChestertown, MD
101SUNY Old WestburyOld Westbury, NY
102Berea CollegeBerea, KY
103Southwestern UniversityGeorgetown, TX
104University of Notre DameNotre Dame, IN
105University of California - MercedMerced, CA
106Austin CollegeSherman, TX
107Stonehill CollegeEaston, MA
108Roanoke CollegeSalem, VA
109United States Air Force AcademyUSAF Academy, CO
110Wake Forest UniversityWinston-Salem, NC
111Virginia Wesleyan UniversityVirginia Beach, VA
112Beloit CollegeBeloit, WI
113Georgetown UniversityWashington, DC
114Elon UniversityElon, NC
115Siena CollegeLoudonville, NY
RankCollegeLocation
116Bryn Mawr CollegeBryn Mawr, PA
117Wheaton College MassachusettsNorton, MA
118University of California - Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, CA
119University of DallasIrving, TX
120Ave Maria UniversityAve Maria, FL
121Denison UniversityGranville, OH
122Copper Mountain Community CollegeJoshua Tree, CA
123Fairmont State UniversityFairmont, WV
123Luther CollegeDecorah, IA
125Saint Michael’s CollegeColchester, VT
126Illinois Wesleyan UniversityBloomington, IL
127Francis Marion UniversityFlorence, SC
128Emory and Henry CollegeEmory, VA
129Hiram CollegeHiram, OH
130Brigham Young University - HawaiiLaie, HI
131St. Mary’s UniversitySan Antonio, TX
132Clark UniversityWorcester, MA
133Principia CollegeElsah, IL
134University of California - San DiegoLa Jolla, CA
135Florida State UniversityTallahassee, FL
136College of Saint BenedictSaint Joseph, MN
137Rollins CollegeWinter Park, FL
138Eckerd CollegeSaint Petersburg, FL
139Saint Mary’s CollegeNotre Dame, IN
140Providence CollegeProvidence, RI
RankCollegeLocation
141University of California - RiversideRiverside, CA
142Centenary College of LouisianaShreveport, LA
143Susquehanna UniversitySelinsgrove, PA
144College of CharlestonCharleston, SC
145Tulane University of LouisianaNew Orleans, LA
146Alma CollegeAlma, MI
147Monmouth CollegeMonmouth, IL
148University of Washington - Bothell CampusBothell, WA
149Texas Christian UniversityFort Worth, TX
150SUNY GeneseoGeneseo, NY
151Agnes Scott CollegeDecatur, GA
152University of California - BerkeleyBerkeley, CA
153Reed CollegePortland, OR
154Mount Holyoke CollegeSouth Hadley, MA
155Washington & Jefferson CollegeWashington, PA
156University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel Hill, NC
157Whittier CollegeWhittier, CA
158Santa Clara UniversitySanta Clara, CA
159Thiel CollegeGreenville, PA
160Saint Anselm CollegeManchester, NH
161University of Illinois at SpringfieldSpringfield, IL
162Drew UniversityMadison, NJ
163Hanover CollegeHanover, IN
164Randolph - Macon CollegeAshland, VA
165Lincoln UniversityLincoln University, PA
RankCollegeLocation
166University of Hawaii at HiloHilo, HI
167Harris - Stowe State UniversitySaint Louis, MO
168University of Mary WashingtonFredericksburg, VA
169DePauw UniversityGreencastle, IN
170Nebraska Wesleyan UniversityLincoln, NE
171John Carroll UniversityUniversity Heights, OH
172University of OregonEugene, OR
173University at AlbanyAlbany, NY
174Savannah State UniversitySavannah, GA
175University of California - Santa CruzSanta Cruz, CA
176Transylvania UniversityLexington, KY
177Muhlenberg CollegeAllentown, PA
178Saint Vincent CollegeLatrobe, PA
179University of Minnesota - MorrisMorris, MN
180Miami University - OxfordOxford, OH
181McMurry UniversityAbilene, TX
182Trinity UniversitySan Antonio, TX
183Villanova UniversityVillanova, PA
184Juniata CollegeHuntingdon, PA
184Linfield University - McMinnville CampusMcMinnville, OR
186Yale UniversityNew Haven, CT
187University of RichmondUniversity of Richmond, VA
188Suffolk UniversityBoston, MA
189University of PortlandPortland, OR
190Saint Norbert CollegeDe Pere, WI
RankCollegeLocation
191University of VermontBurlington, VT
192Knox CollegeGalesburg, IL
193Brown UniversityProvidence, RI
194Marietta CollegeMarietta, OH
195Heidelberg UniversityTiffin, OH
196Hampton UniversityHampton, VA
197Presbyterian CollegeClinton, SC
197McDaniel CollegeWestminster, MD

Notes and References

References

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