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2023 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Political Science & Government

1,115 Ranked Colleges
42,363 Degrees Awarded
$33,899 Avg Salary
Schools for a Bachelor's Highly Focused on Political Science Major

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Political Science Major” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

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.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 42,363 political science & government graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,724 and $23,030 respectively.

For this year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Political Science Major” ranking, we looked at 1,115 colleges that offer a degree in political science & government. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in political science & government.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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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 Political Science Major” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools 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 Political Science Major

The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree political science students.

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

1
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Antioch College
Yellow Springs, Ohio

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Antioch College. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Political Science Major list. This small school is located in Yellow Springs, Ohio, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s political science 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. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.2% 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%.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Antioch College

2
Patrick Henry College crest
Patrick Henry College
Purcellville, Virginia

Out of the 1,115 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Political Science Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Patrick Henry College landed the #2 spot on the list. Patrick Henry College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Purcellville, Virginia. It awarded 20 bachelors’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 more about Political Science & Government at Patrick Henry College

3
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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 #3 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Political Science Major. United States Coast Guard Academy is a small public school situated in New London, Connecticut. It awarded 47 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. 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 Political Science & Government at USCGA

4
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Bowdoin College
Brunswick, Maine

Out of the 1,115 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s 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 awarded 83 degrees to qualified bachelors’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%.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Bowdoin College

5

6
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Bennett College
Greensboro, North Carolina

Bennett College landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Political Science Major ranking. Bennett is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Greensboro, North Carolina. It awarded 4 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. 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.

Full Bennett College Political Science & Government Report

7
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Davidson College
Davidson, North Carolina

Davidson College ranked #7 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Political Science Major list. Davidson, North Carolina is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s political science degrees to 64 students 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 & Government Report

8
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College of the Holy Cross
Worcester, Massachusetts

College of the Holy Cross came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Political Science Major ranking. College of the Holy Cross is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Worcester, Massachusetts. It awarded 110 bachelors’s political science 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%. 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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Full College of the Holy Cross Political Science & Government Report

9
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United States Naval Academy
Annapolis, Maryland

With a ranking of #9, United States Naval Academy did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Political Science Major list. Annapolis is located in Annapolis, Maryland and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 119 bachelors’s political science degrees to qualified 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. With a freshman retention rate of 98%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at United States Naval Academy

10
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Union College New York
Schenectady, New York

Union College New York did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Political Science Major ranking, coming in at #10. Union College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Schenectady, New York. It awarded 47 bachelors’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 1.3%, 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 91%.

Full Union College New York Political Science & Government Report

11
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Bates College
Lewiston, Maine

Bates College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Political Science Major ranking. Bates College is located in Lewiston, Maine and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 57 bachelors’s political science degrees to qualified students.

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 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Bates

12
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Trinity College
Hartford, Connecticut

Trinity College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Political Science Major ranking. Trinity College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Hartford, Connecticut. The school has a small population, and it awarded 84 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. 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 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Political Science & Government at Trinity College

13
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Colby College
Waterville, Maine

Colby College ranked #13 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Political Science Major list. Colby is a private not-for-profit institution located in Waterville, Maine. The school has a small population, and it awarded 76 bachelors’s degrees 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. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Colby

14
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Wabash College
Crawfordsville, Indiana

Wabash College landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Political Science Major ranking. Wabash is a small school located in Crawfordsville, Indiana that handed out 21 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, 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 full report on Political Science & Government at Wabash College

15
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Gettysburg College
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #15, Gettysburg College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Political Science Major list. Gettysburg College is a small school located in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania that handed out 76 bachelors’s political science 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 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 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Gettysburg

16
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Hillsdale College
Hillsdale, Michigan

Hillsdale College ranked #16 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Political Science Major list. Hillsdale College is a small school located in Hillsdale, Michigan that handed out 36 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2021-2022.

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 excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Hillsdale College

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

Bethany College West Virginia ranked #17 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Political Science Major list. This small school is located in Bethany, West Virginia, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Political Science & Government at Bethany College West Virginia

18

With a ranking of #18, Sewanee - The University of the South did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Political Science Major list. Sewanee is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Sewanee, Tennessee. It awarded 40 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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 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%.

Full Sewanee - The University of the South Political Science & Government Report

19
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Spelman College
Atlanta, Georgia

Spelman College landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Political Science Major ranking. Spelman is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Atlanta, Georgia. It awarded 50 bachelors’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

With a ranking of #20, Sweet Briar College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Political Science Major list. This small school is located in Sweet Briar, Virginia, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s political science 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 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 Sweet Briar College

21
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Furman University
Greenville, South Carolina

With a ranking of #21, Furman University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s 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 bachelors’s 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%. 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 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.

Read more about Political Science & Government at Furman

22
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Haverford College
Haverford, Pennsylvania

Haverford College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Political Science Major ranking, coming in at #22. Haverford College is located in Haverford, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 35 bachelors’s political science degrees to qualified students.

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 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%. 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 more about Political Science & Government at Haverford

23
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St Lawrence University
Canton, New York

St Lawrence University ranked #23 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Political Science Major list. St. Lawrence is a small school located in Canton, New York that handed out 55 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2021-2022.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full St Lawrence University Political Science & Government Report

24
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Scripps College
Claremont, California

Scripps College ranked #24 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Political Science Major list. Scripps is a private not-for-profit institution located in Claremont, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 24 bachelors’s degrees 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 97%.

Read more about Political Science & Government at Scripps College

25
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Colgate University
Hamilton, New York

Colgate University landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Political Science Major ranking. Hamilton, New York is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s political science degrees to 87 students in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. 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 0.7% 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 Colgate Political Science & Government Report

Rest of the Best 50 in Schools for a Bachelor’s 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 for a Bachelor’s 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
52Fisk UniversityNashville, TN
52Macalester CollegeSaint Paul, MN
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
79Oglethorpe UniversityAtlanta, GA
80Lawrence UniversityAppleton, WI
81Hartwick CollegeOneonta, NY
82Rhodes CollegeMemphis, TN
83St Olaf CollegeNorthfield, MN
84Albion CollegeAlbion, MI
85Kalamazoo CollegeKalamazoo, MI
86University of the District of ColumbiaWashington, DC
87Lake Forest CollegeLake Forest, IL
88Howard UniversityWashington, DC
89American UniversityWashington, DC
90Hendrix CollegeConway, AR
RankCollegeLocation
91Ohio Wesleyan UniversityDelaware, OH
92Simpson CollegeIndianola, IA
93Swarthmore CollegeSwarthmore, PA
94Washington CollegeChestertown, MD
95University of California - Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA
96SUNY Old WestburyOld Westbury, NY
97Berea CollegeBerea, KY
98Southwestern UniversityGeorgetown, TX
99Boston CollegeChestnut Hill, MA
100Citadel Military College of South CarolinaCharleston, SC
101Austin CollegeSherman, TX
102University of California - MercedMerced, CA
103Stonehill CollegeEaston, MA
104Roanoke CollegeSalem, VA
105United States Air Force AcademyUSAF Academy, CO
106Wake Forest UniversityWinston-Salem, NC
107Virginia Wesleyan UniversityVirginia Beach, VA
108Beloit CollegeBeloit, WI
109Elon UniversityElon, NC
110Siena CollegeLoudonville, NY
111Bryn Mawr CollegeBryn Mawr, PA
112University of Notre DameNotre Dame, IN
113Wheaton College MassachusettsNorton, MA
114Ave Maria UniversityAve Maria, FL
115Denison UniversityGranville, OH
RankCollegeLocation
116Fairmont State UniversityFairmont, WV
116Luther CollegeDecorah, IA
118Saint Michael’s CollegeColchester, VT
119Catholic University of AmericaWashington, DC
120Illinois Wesleyan UniversityBloomington, IL
121Francis Marion UniversityFlorence, SC
122Emory and Henry CollegeEmory, VA
123University of California - Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, CA
124Hiram CollegeHiram, OH
125Brigham Young University - HawaiiLaie, HI
126St. Mary’s UniversitySan Antonio, TX
127Clark UniversityWorcester, MA
128Principia CollegeElsah, IL
129College of Saint BenedictSaint Joseph, MN
130Rollins CollegeWinter Park, FL
131Eckerd CollegeSaint Petersburg, FL
132Saint Mary’s CollegeNotre Dame, IN
133Providence CollegeProvidence, RI
134Centenary College of LouisianaShreveport, LA
135Susquehanna UniversitySelinsgrove, PA
136College of CharlestonCharleston, SC
137University of California - San DiegoLa Jolla, CA
138University of California - RiversideRiverside, CA
139Alma CollegeAlma, MI
140Monmouth CollegeMonmouth, IL
RankCollegeLocation
141University of Washington - Bothell CampusBothell, WA
142Texas Christian UniversityFort Worth, TX
143SUNY GeneseoGeneseo, NY
144Agnes Scott CollegeDecatur, GA
145Reed CollegePortland, OR
146Mount Holyoke CollegeSouth Hadley, MA
147Washington & Jefferson CollegeWashington, PA
148Florida State UniversityTallahassee, FL
149Whittier CollegeWhittier, CA
150Santa Clara UniversitySanta Clara, CA
151Thiel CollegeGreenville, PA
152Saint Anselm CollegeManchester, NH
153Drew UniversityMadison, NJ
154Hanover CollegeHanover, IN
155Randolph - Macon CollegeAshland, VA
156University of DallasIrving, TX
157Lincoln UniversityLincoln University, PA
158University of Hawaii at HiloHilo, HI
159Harris - Stowe State UniversitySaint Louis, MO
160Tulane University of LouisianaNew Orleans, LA
161University of Mary WashingtonFredericksburg, VA
162Princeton UniversityPrinceton, NJ
163DePauw UniversityGreencastle, IN
164Nebraska Wesleyan UniversityLincoln, NE
165Georgetown UniversityWashington, DC
RankCollegeLocation
166John Carroll UniversityUniversity Heights, OH
167University of California - BerkeleyBerkeley, CA
168University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel Hill, NC

Notes and References

References

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