Since 2005, the Washington Monthly has ranked colleges based on what they do for the country. It’s our answer to U.S News & World Report, which relies on crude and easily manipulated measures of wealth, exclusivity, and prestige. We rank liberal arts colleges—four-year institutions that award almost exclusively bachelor’s degrees and that focus on arts and sciences rather than professional programs—based on their contribution to the public good in three broad categories: social mobility, research, and promoting public service.

Click here for detailed methodology, here for the rest of our rankings, and here to download the full data set.

Rank	Name	8-year graduation rate	Number of Pell graduates	Pell performance rank	Earnings gap rank	Net price of attendance for families below $75,000 income	Social mobility rank	Research rank	Service rank
1	Berea College (KY)	67%	263	1	22	3647	2	120	17
2	Harvey Mudd College (CA)	93%	26	62	1	19250	6	2	148
3	Amherst College (MA)	95%	105	23	27	7156	5	11	128
4	Williams College (MA)	96%	94	28	135	2815	10	7	86
5	Wesleyan University (CT)	91%	122	136	88	6731	14	8	63
6	Haverford College (PA)	92%	49	95	107	9098	22	5	29
7	Washington and Lee University (VA)	95%	46	94	8	3205	4	75	30
8	Swarthmore College (PA)	96%	56	29	182	8723	39	1	39
9	Claremont McKenna College (CA)	93%	38	63	2	9518	3	30	139
10	Pomona College (CA)	95%	77	24	194	5660	40	13	27
11	Bowdoin College (ME)	95%	65	54	136	7130	16	21	37
12	Davidson College (NC)	92%	66	114	16	8161	7	23	101
13	Bryn Mawr College (PA)	86%	47	141	78	14612	71	3	25
14	Hampshire College (MA)	67%	68	60	87	16255	80	10	5
15	Charter Oak State College (CT)*	56%	147	67	7	11148	1	186	171
16	Macalester College (MN)	91%	86	32	159	14266	54	24	3
17	Middlebury College (VT)	93%	88	85	91	9575	36	41	9
18	Gustavus Adolphus College (MN)	78%	145	15	35	16651	19	95	10
19	Hobart & William Smith Colls. (NY)	78%	75	124	20	18658	53	88	1
20	Wellesley College (MA)	93%	108	30	178	9066	30	12	140
21	Smith College (MA)	89%	136	50	181	14071	69	14	20
22	Colgate University (NY)	90%	79	167	10	11633	18	26	69
23	New College of Florida (FL)*	64%	47	48	44	6738	27	15	78
24	Colby College (ME)	90%	47	96	47	3494	12	44	130
25	Mount Holyoke College (MA)	85%	110	34	118	15328	45	16	45
26	Trinity College (CT)	84%	58	149	3	12880	9	98	92
27	University of MN–Morris (MN)*	60%	101	68	71	3768	15	66	64
28	Bates College (ME)	91%	47	127	144	7157	37	38	33
29	Hamilton College (NY)	92%	75	92	56	9748	20	60	59
30	St. Olaf College (MN)	86%	109	26	139	12048	43	25	47
31	College of the Holy Cross (MA)	92%	110	153	4	14734	8	118	112
32	Salem College (NC)	59%	99	36	17	13775	13	109	84
33	Carleton College (MN)	93%	62	52	164	13018	85	6	71
34	Vassar College (NY)	91%	137	49	186	14473	79	18	13
35	Franklin and Marshall College (PA)	85%	96	97	23	15681	32	33	68
36	Grinnell College (IA)	87%	86	57	184	13341	89	9	57
37	Lafayette College (PA)	88%	54	168	6	16929	29	68	53
38	Colorado College (CO)	87%	56	162	193	11699	106	22	4
39	Dickinson College (PA)	84%	62	119	72	11234	44	73	31
40	Saint Mary's College (IN)	79%	79	117	26	15783	31	146	22
41	University of Richmond (VA)	84%	151	19	59	12058	25	62	83
42	Kalamazoo College (MI)	83%	71	61	112	18887	60	40	50
43	Gettysburg College (PA)	82%	83	77	39	15930	42	92	51
44	College of Saint Benedict (MN)	81%	106	116	32	18378	65	101	11
45	Knox College (IL)	73%	96	43	94	18030	90	81	2
46	Skidmore College (NY)	87%	89	182	126	13200	34	64	89
47	Agnes Scott College (GA)	72%	81	13	68	16342	41	72	66
48	Connecticut College (CT)	82%	65	86	34	17054	50	63	61
49	Muhlenberg College (PA)	83%	75	126	29	17493	28	107	72
50	Bard College (NY)	75%	96	109	141	18242	72	86	16
51	Bethune-Cookman University (FL)	38%	384	6	24	14570	11	158	157
52	Pitzer College (CA)	85%	40	150	183	13023	77	67	21
53	Denison University (OH)	83%	99	175	90	16724	96	76	7
54	Soka University of America (CA)	89%	23	112	25	10821	23	137	91
55	St. John's College (NM)	65%	22	59	52	23226	95	20	55
56	DePauw University (IN)	86%	105	157	9	17721	17	79	167
57	Drew University (NJ)	67%	80	56	21	15473	51	114	54
58	Goucher College (MD)	68%	78	46	137	17613	70	123	15
59	Univ. of NC–Asheville (NC)*	63%	277	45	175	10585	49	52	109
60	Bucknell University (PA)	89%	95	172	5	24222	58	28	119
61	Wheaton College (IL)	88%	124	22	149	17454	52	47	133
62	Juniata College (PA)	78%	85	106	154	17855	91	58	24
63	Barnard College (NY)	92%	107	118	146	15833	78	17	100
64	Lewis & Clark College (OR)	75%	89	42	174	22186	141	29	6
65	Occidental College (CA)	86%	107	69	169	16149	76	31	75
66	Albion College (MI)	68%	71	122	18	13549	61	65	70
67	Centre College (KY)	83%	47	79	101	14366	81	61	35
68	Furman University (SC)	80%	79	101	83	20109	108	49	23
69	Linfield University (OR)	73%	116	130	13	23513	64	135	34
70	Rust College (MS)	37%	160	58	161	8586	21	175	135
71	Allegheny College (PA)	74%	105	65	117	18622	98	69	28
72	Saint John's University (MN)	75%	68	123	41	16540	88	54	62
73	Sewanee–Univ. of the South (TN)	81%	76	134	106	17480	86	93	36
74	Virginia Military Institute (VA)*	81%	51	190	86	11362	63	142	52
75	Bennington College (VT)	75%	29	89	93	21659	117	106	8
76	Tougaloo College (MS)	42%	84	38	89	12569	67	51	125
77	Beloit College (WI)	78%	61	11	166	15171	73	46	108
78	St. John's College (MD)	69%	19	39	123	19522	97	45	77
79	Westminster University (PA)	77%	101	145	80	16762	92	131	26
80	University of Puget Sound (WA)	77%	84	73	76	23750	131	59	18
81	Albright College (PA)	58%	195	25	19	16770	38	164	126
82	Whitman College (WA)	89%	38	74	163	20643	123	27	60
83	Scripps College (CA)	89%	23	103	132	19117	105	53	56
84	St. Mary's College of MD (MD)*	75%	67	131	109	9843	57	48	172
85	Lawrence University (WI)	79%	67	12	162	15122	93	56	76
86	Union College (NY)	86%	82	160	38	16850	48	80	166
87	Whittier College (CA)	68%	132	16	158	19353	83	154	32
88	CUNY Medgar Evers College (NY)*	26%	323	27	133	6735	26	174	160
89	Trinity University (TX)	78%	74	137	175	12029	111	39	87
90	Simpson University (CA)	69%	151	107	143	21686	35	179	149
91	Rhodes College (TN)	83%	64	113	121	17066	107	87	46
92	Willamette University (OR)	73%	94	31	45	25192	109	34	99
93	Reed College (OR)	80%	55	111	190	16353	167	4	122
94	Univ. of NH–Manchester (NH)*	60%	51	40	33	12753	24	188	176
95	Spelman College (GA)	77%	222	151	28	34926	113	50	81
96	University of Mary Washington (VA)*	67%	173	147	96	15926	87	104	80
97	Claflin University (SC)	51%	250	17	69	19895	66	138	110
98	St. Lawrence University (NY)	82%	97	142	46	15007	75	126	97
99	SUNY Purchase College (NY)*	66%	309	51	156	16473	55	173	137
100	Coe College (IA)	64%	83	71	130	14902	119	110	41
101	Ripon College (WI)	67%	52	55	43	15684	94	77	103
102	Lake Forest College (IL)	75%	142	47	66	18392	47	136	181
103	College of Wooster (OH)	76%	91	99	148	16358	110	36	143
104	Martin University (IN)	13%	23	8	157	15186	46	177	165
105	Stonehill College (MA)	82%	104	170	15	22631	84	125	106
106	Cheyney University of PA (PA)*^^	29%	86	18	63	12065	62	167	146
107	MA College of Liberal Arts (MA)*	61%	140	80	84	14284	68	166	134
108	Oberlin College (OH)	87%	61	174	188	16357	142	19	141
109	Bennett College (NC)	32%	56	14	11	21728	115	71	96
110	Lycoming College (PA)	64%	92	37	51	14334	56	144	178
111	Cornell College (IA)	72%	68	41	172	18357	138	113	38
112	Saint Michael's College (VT)	78%	81	133	77	20488	102	122	105
113	Washington & Jefferson College (PA)	72%	67	128	12	20273	74	97	182
114	Saint Norbert College (WI)	72%	94	139	97	20683	128	145	48
115	Pillar College (NJ)	37%	46	33	70	21408	33	190	193
116	Hope College (MI)	78%	142	171	140	18352	145	35	118
117	Dillard University (LA)	48%	143	7	60	18118	136	99	74
118	Wofford College (SC)	82%	77	180	62	20364	99	133	145
119	Kenyon College (OH)	92%	38	125	134	17563	153	43	88
120	Hartwick College (NY)	62%	119	140	74	21689	130	124	82
121	Saint Vincent College (PA)	74%	97	187	58	17776	118	116	116
122	Thomas Aquinas College (CA)	82%	29	53	36	19812	59	143	192
123	Holy Cross College (IN)	50%	32	64	150	14815	100	190	94
124	Luther College (IA)	77%	87	135	138	20319	157	70	49
125	Wheaton College (MA)	77%	67	90	37	23267	101	134	152
126	Johnson C. Smith University (NC)	42%	148	88	100	18485	122	117	129
127	Wartburg College (IA)	66%	79	176	98	17948	169	141	12
128	Randolph College (VA)	57%	35	120	40	19843	135	102	102
129	Wabash College (IN)	74%	53	129	42	15341	112	85	170
130	Sarah Lawrence College (NY)	76%	53	164	95	23323	140	84	120
131	Earlham College (IN)	65%	52	102	131	18475	151	42	138
132	Hendrix College (AR)	68%	46	105	180	13304	156	37	114
133	Transylvania University (KY)	72%	53	72	108	20416	132	90	142
134	Washington College (MD)	70%	46	70	64	15421	82	105	191
135	Wittenberg University (OH)	63%	90	66	65	17838	159	74	73
136	Augustana College (IL)	72%	136	192	82	15924	134	132	104
137	Franklin College (IN)	63%	69	110	31	17188	103	171	153
138	Univ. of Virginia's Coll.–Wise (VA)*	50%	125	159	122	8872	137	119	127
139	Univ. of Science & Arts of Okla. (OK)*	43%	55	144	55	6752	121	183	117
140	Covenant College (GA)	68%	68	91	115	20363	120	130	164
141	Meredith College (NC)	64%	108	93	168	17454	155	159	42
142	Hollins University (VA)	62%	55	20	79	19208	147	129	85
143	Illinois College (IL)	67%	78	158	85	13431	125	150	150
144	Hanover College (IN)	71%	76	100	81	18726	114	103	180
145	Susquehanna University (PA)	73%	111	155	53	21308	133	149	123
146	Central College (IA)	68%	74	183	177	17596	166	156	43
147	Roanoke College (VA)	70%	110	152	104	21684	146	139	115
148	Aquinas College (MI)	62%	99	186	129	14146	126	157	158
149	Bridgewater College (VA)	63%	98	143	103	16585	139	162	131
150	Ohio Wesleyan University (OH)	66%	88	75	125	21036	160	89	98
151	Southwestern University (TX)	73%	95	163	160	21997	158	82	121
152	Lane College (TN)	29%	137	5	75	14221	104	181	175
153	Ursinus College (PA)	78%	75	108	49	26283	124	96	188
154	Guilford College (NC)	51%	144	146	179	20436	179	100	40
155	Virginia Wesleyan University (VA)	51%	115	21	110	21280	154	182	67
156	Monmouth College (IL)	60%	110	132	114	15252	148	151	124
157	Austin College (TX)	71%	75	87	189	18426	162	83	136
158	Univ. of Pittsburgh–Greensburg (PA)*	39%	85	84	14	13159	116	170	186
159	Morehouse College (GA)	55%	172	76	151	29642	180	32	107
160	Presbyterian College (SC)	66%	53	185	92	19227	165	140	90
161	Gordon College (MA)	72%	83	165	165	18617	161	121	113
162	Paine College (GA)	18%	39	44	61	12436	127	152	185
163	Houghton College (NY)	72%	93	35	155	21490	175	78	95
164	Virginia Union University (VA)	35%	140	98	99	19666	144	178	155
165	Saint Anselm College (NH)	79%	66	178	167	25832	174	148	79
166	Concordia College–Moorhead (MN)	71%	108	173	128	19184	173	127	93
167	Westmont College (CA)	75%	67	83	105	24717	150	112	179
168	Bethany Lutheran College (MN)	56%	35	181	142	12627	149	190	147
169	Georgetown College (KY)	52%	55	189	119	12853	183	163	44
170	Southern Virginia University (VA)	40%	50	10	73	19118	143	184	177
171	Millsaps College (MS)	67%	31	161	102	21695	177	57	161
172	Maryville College (TN)	53%	91	82	116	17532	178	172	65
173	Centenary College of Louisiana (LA)	58%	38	148	145	21185	170	94	173
174	University of Maine–Machias (ME)*	36%	45	184	111	6858	129	189	194
175	Allen University (SC)	22%	45	3	171	13366	152	187	168
176	Warren Wilson College (NC)	48%	59	9	192	22468	193	115	19
177	Bryn Athyn College (PA)	47%	17	81	170	19343	168	176	151
178	Emmanuel College (MA)	66%	96	156	50	25417	171	165	144
179	Fisk University (TN)	39%	69	4	67	24975	185	55	162
180	Bethany College (WV)	40%	40	169	127	9888	190	128	58
181	Oakwood University (AL)	51%	116	121	153	22019	184	108	156
182	Randolph-Macon College (VA)	67%	69	191	120	21704	163	160	189
183	Westminster College (MO)	56%	48	104	54	21944	186	91	154
184	Oglethorpe University (GA)	49%	70	78	113	16807	172	168	184
185	Ouachita Baptist University (AR)	62%	64	177	147	18991	188	147	111
186	Randall University (OK)^^	38%	16	154	30	16336	164	190	190
187	Sweet Briar College (VA)	39%	26	115	48	20453	182	161	169
188	Hampden-Sydney College (VA)	67%	42	193	124	20068	181	155	183
189	Eckerd College (FL)	65%	96	166	187	29247	192	111	132
190	Young Harris College (GA)	41%	81	194	152	17493	194	185	14
191	Ave Maria University (FL)	67%	70	188	191	16651	176	180	187
192	Marymount Manhattan College (NY)	52%	94	179	57	31331	187	169	163
193	Lyon College (AR)	50%	58	138	185	16654	189	153	159
194	East-West University (IL)	14%	34	2	173	17725	191	190	174