2025 Best Colleges for Environmental Science

Academic Highlights: The quarter system allows students to take four courses at a time rather than the typical five. Even so, the academic demands are intense, and Northwestern students work hard for their grades. The university has a phenomenal 6:1 student-faculty ratio, and a spectacular 39% of class sections have nine or fewer students enrolled; 76% have fewer than twenty enrollees. Faculty receive generally favorable reviews from undergraduate students and are rated as being highly accessible outside of the classroom. Fifty-eight percent of recent grads had the chance to conduct research with a faculty member at some point during their undergraduate years.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after graduating, 70% of the Class of 2023 had found employment and 25% were in graduate school. Employers include Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, Deloitte, McKinsey & Co., and Salesforce. Across all majors, the average starting salary was $77k. The vast majority of Northwestern graduates can be found in Illinois, with the next largest concentration of alums living in Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York.

Academic Highlights: Boasting an enviable 6:1 student-to-faculty ratio and with close to 80% of course sections possessing an enrollment under 20, face time with professors is a reality. That presents a phenomenal opportunity to learn directly from a group that includes four Nobel Laureates, four Medal of Science winners, and two recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Fitting for America’s first research university, 70% of JHU undergraduates complete a research experience while working closely with a faculty member. Each year, hundreds of students receive significant funding for independent projects through the Hopkins Office for Undergraduate Research.

Professional Outcomes: Ninety-four percent of recent graduates successfully land at their next destination within six months of exiting the university; 69% of graduates entered the world of employment and a robust 20% went directly to graduate/professional school. The median starting salary across all majors was $80,000 with top employers including Amazon, DCPS, Deloitte, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon. Blue Jays pursue further education at Brown, Columbia, Cornell, NYU, Northwestern, Stanford, and JHU.

Academic Highlights: Class sizes are on the small side—74% are nineteen or fewer, and almost one-quarter are less than ten. A stellar 5:1 student-to-faculty ratio helps keep classes so reasonable even while catering to five figures worth of graduate students. The Undergraduate Research Support Office does great work connecting students with opportunities to conduct research, either over the summer or during the regular school year. All told, more than half of undergraduates conduct research. More Duke students pursue a semester abroad than students at any other top ten research institution—roughly half elect to venture off to one of the school’s 300 partner programs scattered around the world.

Professional Outcomes: At graduation, approximately 76% of Duke diploma-earners enter the world of work, 17% continue into graduate schools, and 7% start their own businesses. Companies employing multiple Duke grads per year include Google, Capital One, Amazon, Microsoft, Oracle, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Accenture, and a host of other top-shelf corporations in the areas of technology, finance, and consulting. Eventually, 84% of Duke undergraduates will go on to earn an advanced degree One-third of Duke alumni elect to stay in North Carolina. New York, California, DC, and Massachusetts follow in popularity.

Academic Highlights: Students must choose one of 80+ “concentration programs,” but there are no required courses. In essence, the guiding philosophy is that students should take control of their learning, pursue knowledge in areas that they are truly passionate about, and learn to integrate and synthesize information across disciplines. Class sizes tend to be small—67% have fewer than twenty students—and 32% are comprised of nine or fewer students. Student surveys reveal an unsurpassed level of satisfaction with the quality of instruction and professor availability. Undergraduates give favorable reviews in those areas at an overwhelming 92-97% clip.

Professional Outcomes: Soon after receiving their Brown diplomas, 63% of graduates enter the world of employment. Companies employing the greatest number of Brown alums include Google, Microsoft, Goldman Sachs, Amazon, Morgan Stanley, Apple, McKinsey & Company, and Meta. 33% of recent graduates go directly into graduate/professional school. Alums tend to settle in major American cities, with most living in New York (44%) and Boston (18%).

Academics: While class sizes aren’t small, 31% of sections enroll fewer than 20 students, and 67% of classes are kept under fifty students. There are numerous opportunities for undergraduate research through programs like the McNair Scholars Program, the Biology Undergraduate Research Program, and the Provost’s Undergraduate Fellowship. All in all, 50% of Aggies engage in some type of research/creative project outside the classroom, and over 700 present at the annual undergraduate research conference.

Professional Outcomes: Many recent grads found homes in Silicon Valley or other California-based employers. Corporations employing 200 or more Aggies include Google, Apple, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, Salesforce, LinkedIn, and Tesla. Graduates earn a median salary of $79,000 at the beginning of their careers, but ten years out of school, median earnings rise to $147k. Most Aggies reside in the San Francisco Bay Area, with Sacramento, Davis, and Los Angeles proving popular with graduates as well.

Academic Highlights: More than 150 undergraduate majors and minors are available across six schools. Undergrads will encounter a mix of large lectures (20% of sections contain more than 50 students) and tiny, single-digit enrollments in seminar-style courses (21% of sections contain nine or fewer students). Plenty of undergraduate research opportunities exist, with many facilitated by the Office of Undergraduate Research & Scholarships; 48% of students participate in research during their time at Berkeley. Over 200 study abroad opportunities are available for those who desire them, and approximately 1,800 undergrads take advantage each year.

Professional Outcomes: Upon graduating, 53% of Cal’s Class of 2023 had already secured employment, and 17% were headed to graduate school. The median starting salary was $94,000 across all majors. Thousands of alumni can be found in the offices of Google, Apple, Meta, Amazon, and Microsoft, and 500+ Golden Bears are currently employed by NVIDIA and LinkedIn. The school is the number one all-time producer of Peace Corps volunteers. For those continuing their education, most chose to stay at UC Berkeley, with Stanford, the University of Southern California, Columbia, and Harvard rounding out the top five grad school destinations.

Academic Highlights: The academic experience at Columbia is driven by the famed Core Curriculum that lays out an extensive to-do list that includes highly specified courses rather than categorical requirements. Class sizes at Columbia are reasonably small and the student-to-faculty ratio is favorable; however, in 2022, it was revealed that the university had been submitting faulty data in this area. It is presently believed that 59% of undergraduate courses enroll 19 or fewer students. More than 570 students per year participate in the Columbia Overseas Program. A little over one-quarter of the students leave Manhattan for a foreign country during their four years of study. Undergraduate research is taken seriously by the university, which offers multiple avenues through which students can work side-by-side with faculty on their projects or pursue funding for their own original research ideas.

Professional Outcomes: The companies hiring the largest number of Lions in 2023 were among the most desirable employers in the world including Amazon, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Google, Citi, McKinsey, and Microsoft. Those moving on to graduate/professional school were welcomed in large numbers into other universities of Columbia’s ilk. In addition to remaining at Columbia (the most popular choice), the top ten institutions attended were Stanford, Harvard, NYU, Yale, Carnegie Mellon, UChicago, Oxford, Princeton, and MIT.

Academic Highlights: Undergrads can study within one of eight colleges/schools, which all offer many small classes; 14% boast single-digit enrollment and 48% contain 19 or fewer students. Undergraduate research opportunities can be challenging to uncover at any large school where graduate students get the prime spots, yet, UVA does offer a multitude of formal opportunities as well as the annual Undergraduate Research Symposium and three undergraduate research journals. The classroom at UVA extends well beyond Charlottesville as one-fifth enjoy a semester abroad through one of fifty programs around the world.

Professional Outcomes: Upon receiving their degree, 86% of the Class of 2023 immediately joined the workforce–with an average starting salary of $82k–or headed directly to graduate school.  Capital One (58), Amazon (45), Deloitte (41), and Accenture (34) scooped up the greatest number of 2023 grads. UVA itself was the most popular grad school destination followed by Columbia, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Duke.

Academic Highlights: Dartmouth sports 60+ majors and a stunning breadth of course selections for an institution of its size. The learning environment at Dartmouth is extraordinarily intimate. Not only do 62% of course sections have under twenty students, but 20% have single-digit enrollments. The student-to-faculty ratio is an outstanding 7:1. Undergraduate research opportunities abound with roughly 60% of students participating at some point. Further, close to 90% of those participants report having a satisfying experience working with a faculty member in that capacity. The rate of satisfaction is hardly surprising as Dartmouth’s faculty consistently rates at the top of rankings/surveys regarding quality of instruction. An extensive study abroad program offers 40+ Dartmouth faculty-led academic experiences around the world, and over 50% of all students partake.

Professional Outcomes: A great reputation, along with a passionate alumni network that is 80,000 strong, leads Dartmouth grads to successful transitions into graduate school and the world of work. Recent Dartmouth grads work for Amazon, Apple, Bain & Company, Deloitte, Epic, Google, the NIH, and the Smithsonian Institute. Right off the bat, 56% of graduates earn $90,000 or more in salary. Those pursuing graduate degrees often flock to the likes of Harvard, Columbia, and Princeton, with 32% of Big Green grads choosing to continue their education at Dartmouth.

Academic Highlights: Boasting a student-to-faculty ratio of 6:1, Rice offers a spectacularly intimate learning experience. Class sizes are ideally small with 66% containing fewer than 20 students and a median class size of only fifteen. Undergraduate research opportunities abound with approximately 70% of graduates participating in academic research during their four years. Those experiences are open to freshmen through the Century Scholars Program and to all underclassmen through the Rice Undergraduate Scholars Program. Study abroad options are available in over fifty countries, including collaborative programs with some of the top schools in the world including The London School of Economics, Oxford, and Cambridge.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after graduation, 88% of recent Rice grads have found careers or a graduate school home. Companies that employ many recent grads include Meta, Microsoft, Amazon, Boston Consulting Group, Deloitte, Google, and Accenture. Over four hundred alumni work at Baylor College of Medicine, and over 200 work at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Across all majors, the average starting salary is $89k. Texas is among the most common destinations for recent grads, but many also flock to San Francisco, New York, Seattle, and Chicago.

Academic Highlights: Middlebury offers over 50 majors and the school’s 9:1 student-faculty ratio allows 100% of courses to be taught by professors, not graduate assistants. Most classes are small; the mean class size is 16, and 15% of sections contain fewer than 10 students. The Summer Research at Middlebury program funds 130 students annually to work alongside faculty in a variety of disciplines. Each year, more than 50% of juniors take a semester abroad in one of 75 programs in 40 countries. The college’s robust international program includes Middlebury Schools Abroad in Argentina, Brazil, Cameroon, Chile, China, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Morocco, Russia, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Uruguay.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after graduating, 74% of the Class of 2023 had landed jobs and 14% were in graduate school. Google and Meta are now two of the leading employers of alumni alongside Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, Deloitte, Amazon, and JP Morgan. More than 100 alumni work in the US State Department and more than two dozen presently work for Apple, Microsoft, McKinsey, and Credit Suisse. New York City, Boston, Washington, DC, and San Francisco claim the greatest numbers of Panther alumni.

Academic Highlights: A 5:1 student-to-faculty ratio means that classrooms remain very intimate, and face time with the renowned faculty is a reality. More than three-quarters of UChicago undergraduate sections have an enrollment of nineteen or fewer students. Undergraduate research opportunities are ubiquitous as 80% of students end up working in a research capacity alongside a faculty member. A solid 60% of undergrads study abroad at one of the 77 programs offered in 31 cities around the world.

Professional Outcomes: On commencement day, 99% of the Class of 2023 were employed or continuing their education. The most popular employers for UChicago grads include Google, Amazon, Goldman Sachs, Meta, JPMorgan Chase, Deloitte, Morgan Stanley, and Microsoft. University of Chicago grads are highly sought after by elite graduate universities. The top destinations for recent graduates are Yale, Columbia, MIT, Stanford, and Harvard A fairly substantial 50% of graduates remain in the Midwest after finishing their degrees, 29% migrate to the Northeast, and 10% make the journey west.

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Academic Highlights: Rather than the typical semester schedule, Colorado College operates on the “block plan,” a series of eight three-and-half-week periods during which students take only one course. You won’t find a more intimate liberal arts college than CC. Classes have a cap of 25 students, and no more than a handful of courses exceed that figure. The average class consists of 16 students. Research opportunities are built into the academic program as 20% of CC classes involve some degree of undergraduate research. Another 6% of students receive stipends to conduct research. Tigers appear unafraid to go into the world and immerse themselves in other cultures as a healthy 74% study abroad.

Professional Outcomes: Among the Class of 2023, an impressive 96% arrived successfully at their next destination within six months of earning their diploma. Being a small school, Colorado College does not send massive numbers of graduates to any one company or organization, but there are employers that have wrangled their fair share of Tigers. That list includes Adobe, Wells Fargo, CBRE, Amazon, Google, and the Democratic National Committee. Roughly one-quarter of grads stay in the state of Colorado while the majority migrate to major cities across the United States with San Francisco, New York, Seattle, and Los Angeles among the most popular destinations.

Academic Highlights: The school’s 198 full-time professors are dedicated to the task of undergraduate education. Pomona’s 8:1 student-to-teacher ratio leads to an average class size of only 15 students. 71% of classes contain less than 20 students, and only 13 of 440 courses that ran in 2023-24 contained more than 40 students. Small classes also lead to the forging of student-professor bonds that help over 50% of the undergraduate population conduct research alongside a faculty member, and 25% ultimately publish or formally present their work. Each summer, 200 students remain on campus for such an endeavor. Close to 50% of Pomona students travel abroad to one of 69 programs in 39 countries.

Professional Outcomes: 67% of the Class of 2023 were employed within six months of graduating. Overall, the largest number of alumni can be found at Google, Microsoft, Kaiser Permanente, Amazon, and Apple. Recently, degree-earners have landed jobs at Boston Consulting Group, Alphasights, JP Morgan Chase, and Houlihan Lokey. Majors in the hard sciences frequently landed at top research laboratories and hospitals. Of the 23% of 2023 grads who were accepted directly into graduate school, the most frequently attended institutions included Berkeley, UCLA, Columbia, and NYU.

Academic Highlights: 75 majors are offered across six undergraduate colleges. A solid 61% of courses enroll fewer than 20 students, and 18% have single-digit numbers. Just 9% of courses have an enrollment of more than 50 undergrads. The Center for Undergraduate Scholarly Engagement offers hundreds of opportunities for conducting research, both individually and alongside faculty; more than one-third of graduates ultimately partake. One of the top universities for study abroad participation, 87% of Notre Dame undergrads select one of 50+ programs in 35 countries; the satisfaction rate for study abroad experiences is above 90%.

Professional Outcomes: A spectacular 98% of 2023 Notre Dame graduates were employed, continuing their educations, volunteering, or serving in the military within six months of completing their degrees. Top companies where recent alumni set up shop included Deloitte, EY, PwC, Microsoft, Amazon, Bank of America, KPMG, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, and McKinsey & Co. The median starting salary across all majors is $82,000, a mark that is significantly higher than the national average for college grads. The highest concentration of recent alumni can be found in Illinois followed by New York, Indiana, California, and Texas.

Academic Highlights: SUNY ESF offers an intensely focused environmental education through 27 undergraduate programs, all supported by an exceptional 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio. The crown jewel of ESF’s hands-on learning is its renowned Ranger School, where students immerse themselves in the college’s 2,800-acre Adirondack classroom, working alongside faculty on real forestry and conservation projects. This “living laboratory” approach extends across all programs, blending rigorous academics with unparalleled field experience that prepares students to tackle pressing environmental challenges.

Professional Outcomes: ESF’s career outcomes are as impressive as its natural surroundings—90% of the Class of 2023 secured positions in their field, with 86% working in roles directly related to their major. Graduates are in high demand at environmental leaders like the USDA Forest Service and the Wildlife Conservation Society, as well as cutting-edge firms like Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and Constellation Energy. Those continuing their education ascend to top programs at Cornell, the University of Pennsylvania, and Ohio State, though many choose to remain at ESF for advanced study—a testament to the college’s respected graduate offerings and lifelong learning community.

Academic Highlights: Close to half of classrooms contain fewer than twenty Bruins, but those taking introductory courses will find themselves in a fair number of lecture halls with a hundred or more students. Professors are given impressively high marks for a research university of UCLA’s size. 93% of College of Letters and Science seniors rate their professors as being intellectually challenging. By the time they graduate, 45% of undergraduates have participated in a research experience. Every year, roughly one-quarter of the undergraduate population elects to study abroad, a sharp increase from only a few years ago. UCLA has 115 partner universities in 40+ countries around the globe.

Professional Outcomes: Thousands of alumni can be found working at Google, Amazon, and Apple. Companies that employ over 100 Bruins each include Meta, Microsoft, Netflix, TikTok, NVIDIA, and LinkedIn. Ultimately, one-third of UCLA grads go on to enroll in graduate/professional school, with many choosing to stay at their alma mater. Otherwise, the most attended grad schools are primarily other excellent California-based institutions including Stanford, USC, and Berkeley. For graduates early in their careers, the median salary is $78,600, with mid-career median earnings reaching over $149k. Many alumni remain in the Los Angeles Metropolitan area after graduating; other popular destinations include the San Francisco Bay area and New York City.

Academic Highlights: 180+ undergraduate majors are offered across twelve colleges/schools. Twenty-six percent of sections contain 50 or more students compared to 29% of sections that contain fewer than 20. Still, there are opportunities for personal connections with professors as evidenced by the fact that 80% of graduates complete research during their four years at UW. The study abroad rate of participation has climbed steadily since the turn of the millennium; 3,000 students each year spend a semester in a foreign locale.

Professional Outcomes: Within months of graduation, 62% of Class of 2023 grads were employed and 24% were continuing their education. The most popular employers of the Class of 2023 included Amazon, Microsoft, Boeing, Seattle Children’s, and Deloitte. Across all living alumni, 6,000+ work for Microsoft, and 4000+ work for each of Boeing and Amazon. Of those headed to graduate/professional school, most remain at UW itself. Large numbers of 2023 grads also headed to Columbia, UPenn, USC, and Johns Hopkins.

Academic Highlights: There are 230+ undergraduate majors offered across eight schools and colleges, Undergrads can expect a mix of large and small classes, with 43% of sections enrolling fewer than 20 students. Undergraduate research opportunities exist, but the onus is on the student to show initiative and procure the placement. Still, 44% of recent grads engaged in research, and the school hosts an annual Undergraduate Symposium where 600 students presented in 2024. Participation is much higher when it comes to study abroad programs; 25% of students take advantage each year and there are 325 programs in 80 countries to choose from.

Professional Outcomes: In 2023, 72% of job-seeking grads graduated with an offer.  Top employers included UW-Madison, Epic, UW Health, the State of Wisconsin, Kohl’s, and Deloitte. Across all graduating years, companies employing 250+ alumni include Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Target, Apple, Meta, and Salesforce. Class of 2023 grads enrolled in graduate/professional programs at a rate of 28%; volunteering is also a popular path post-graduation for UW-Madison alumni as the university is the #1 producer of Peace Corps volunteers.

Academic Highlights: The student-to-faculty ratio is 9:1, and without any pesky graduate students to get in the way, face time with professors is a regular occurrence. In fact, 27% of all classes have nine or fewer students; 70% have nineteen or fewer. Each summer, approximately 120 students engage in high-level undergraduate research with a faculty member. Approximately half of all Hamilton students study off campus for a semester, with some pursuing domestic programs in NYC, DC, or Boston while others take advantage of international opportunities like the school’s own renowned Chinese language program in Beijing or one of one hundred other approved programs around the globe.

Professional Outcomes: Examining the 498 graduates in Hamilton’s Class of 2023, an enviable 96% wasted no time landing jobs, graduate school acceptances, or fellowships. Among the employers welcoming multiple recent graduates aboard were Wayfair, Goldman Sachs, Teach for America, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Kantar Consulting, and Deutsch Bank. Other Hamilton graduates have been accepted into graduate programs at Stanford, USC, the University of Chicago, Vanderbilt, and several institutions across the Ivy League.  New York City, Boston, and DC were the most popular destinations.

Academic Highlights: Eighteen percent of courses at Bates have a single-digit enrollment, and 60% of classrooms contain nineteen or fewer students. The student-to-faculty ratio is 10:1, and not a single graduate student is present to vacuum up professorial attention. Distinctive features include a mandatory first-year seminar, senior thesis requirement, and a Short Term at the end of the academic year that provides students the opportunity to focus exclusively on one course, field project, internship, or study abroad opportunity.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduation, 91% of the Class of 2023 were either employed, enrolled in graduate school, or otherwise meaningfully engaged in a fellowship or internship. Popular employers included Accenture, Fidelity Investments, Google, Wayfair, and Liberty Mutual Insurance whereas common employment destinations of Bates graduates were concentrated primarily in the Northeast, namely Boston, New York, and Portland, Maine.

Academic Highlights: Among its core beliefs, Bowdoin offers a flexible and broad liberal arts education. Polar Bears can choose from one of thirty-three academic programs or get more creative through an interdisciplinary or student-designed major. One-size-fits-all requirements are minimal. Class sizes are small—63% contain fewer than twenty students—and 19% have fewer than ten students. The student-faculty ratio is 9:1.

Professional Outcomes: An examination of three recent years’ worth of outcomes data reveals that one year after graduation, between 73 and 77% of recent grads have found full-time employment, and 15% have gone directly into graduate school. Only 2-8% are still seeking employment. Prominent corporations across all sectors love Bowdoin grads. Recent alumni have found positions at Apple, IBM, Goldman Sachs, Google, HBO, and Microsoft. The cities attracting the greatest numbers of graduates include Boston; New York City; Portland, Maine; San Francisco; DC; and Los Angeles.

Academic Highlights: There are 280+ undergraduate degree programs across fourteen schools and colleges. Michigan sports a 15:1 student-to-faculty ratio, and 18% of classes contain 50 or more students, but a solid 53% of classes offer a more intimate experience with fewer than 20 students. The Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program draws in 1,300 participants each year who partner with 800+ research mentors. For students in all academic programs at Michigan, study abroad opportunities are taken advantage of at high rates. In fact, the university is second in the nation in the number of students it sends to study in foreign lands.

Professional Outcomes: Within three months of graduating, 89% of LSA grads are employed full-time or in graduate school. The median salary across all majors is approximately 70k. Top employers include PwC, EY, JPMorgan Chase, Deloitte, Citi, Bank of America, and Capital One.  Within six months, 93% of engineering grads are employed (average salary of $99k) or in grad school. General Motors, Ford, Google, Amazon, Apple, and Microsoft employ the greatest number of alumni.

Academic Highlights: There are 50+ departmental and interdisciplinary majors offered. Eighteen percent of course sections have single-digit enrollments while 65% have 19 or fewer students. In addition, opportunities for participation in research with faculty members abound, and Wellesley students publish their work at a rate that outshines their peers at comparable institutions. The Summer Science Research Program is cited by many graduates as the most influential part of their educational experience. The Office of International Studies facilitates the overseas study of hundreds of students each year with 45% of students spending a semester in one of 180 programs worldwide.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after graduating, 97% of the Class of 2023 had achieved positive outcomes. Of the 72% of grads who were employed, top employers included Microsoft, BlackRock, Bank of America, Goldman Sachs, and JPMorgan Chase. Of the 23% of 2023 grads who directly entered an advanced degree program, common schools attended included NYU, Boston University, University of Oxford, Yale, and MIT.

Academic Highlights: With 46 majors and 32 minors, Wes truly has something for everyone. The academic requirements are relatively minimal, giving undergrads a high degree of intellectual freedom. 76% of class sections have fewer than twenty students; students rave about the accessible faculty. Research opportunities with professors are plentiful. The undergraduate program for Research in the Sciences funds over one hundred students per year to conduct research over the summer. The university has increased its study abroad participation in recent years to the point that almost 50% of students now spend a semester overseas.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduating, 66% of recent grads had entered employment. The companies employing the highest numbers of recent Wesleyan grads included JPMorgan Chase, Americorps, Citi, McKinsey, Accenture, AlphaSights, and Massachusetts General Hospital. Graduate school was the next stop for 17% of new alums. Those pursuing advanced degrees have enrolled in a wide range of schools, including elites like MIT, Stanford, Berkeley and most Ivies. New York, Boston, San Francisco, and Hartford are the most popular post-college destinations.

Academic Highlights: With its small size, the impressive part of the college is the exceptional quality of its offerings, not the breadth of them, as only 37 majors are available. The student-to-faculty ratio is 9:1, which allows the college to ensure that 69% have fewer than twenty students and 29% have enrollments you can count on two hands. Overall, the average number of students per class is only 17. Study abroad is encouraged, and approximately 65% elect to study in one of 125 programs around the globe. Undergrads working side-by-side with their professors is commonplace as over 60% of faculty have published with student coauthors at some point.

Professional Outcomes: Looking at the outcomes data for recent grads, 67% landed jobs within six months of graduation, 24% were enrolled in a graduate program, and 6% were still seeking employment. Employers of the largest number of Davidson grads include Carolina Healthcare System, Teach for America, the NIH, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America. Significant numbers of students pursue advanced degrees at other Southern gems including Vanderbilt, Emory, Duke, Wake Forest, and UNC. There is also a fair showing of Ivy League acceptances in all graduate disciplines among Wildcat alumni.

Academic Highlights: There are 65+ majors available to undergrads, including some that are accessible through membership in the Consortium. An 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio breeds an intimate learning atmosphere where professors are genuinely dedicated to undergraduate education. As part of the required senior thesis, many undergraduates also have the chance to assist professors with academic/scientific research. Study abroad programs in over 40 countries are taken advantage of by nearly two-thirds of the student body, giving Scripps one of the highest participation rates of any college in the United States.

Professional Outcomes: Scripps women land jobs at some of the world’s leading companies after receiving their diplomas. Top employers include Google, Kaiser Permanente, and Amazon. Many go on to work for universities, including Pomona, Scripps, Claremont McKenna, UC San Francisco, and UCLA. Recent grads also have entered positions at Facebook, Goldman Sachs, Microsoft, and Pfizer. About two-thirds of alumnae complete a graduate/professional program within five years of receiving their bachelor’s degrees at institutions such as Caltech, Harvard, MIT, Vanderbilt, Oxford, Northwestern, Stanford, and Tufts.

Academic Highlights: Pitzer manages to offer 39 majors and 23 minors and, as a bonus, students are free to take more than 2,000 courses across the consortium. A 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio and no graduate student presence lead to an average class size of 15 students, and 75% of sections enroll 19 or fewer students. In 2023-24, only one course section was larger than 39 students. Finding mentorship is doable in this atmosphere and can lead to undergraduate research opportunities such as those at the Keck Science Department, which also services CMC and Scripps students. Those opportunities can occur in the summer or during senior year while completing a required thesis. With 53% of students studying abroad, Pitzer runs eight foreign programs and offers access to 57 international exchange programs in over 30 countries.

Professional Outcomes: Upon receiving their degrees, 57% of 2023 graduates had already found full-time employers, 15% were headed to graduate school, and 10% were entering fellowship, internship, or service programs. Employers presently issuing paychecks to recent Pitzer alumni include Apple, Deloitte, Boston Children’s Hospital, Dior, Epic, and Fisher Investments. Graduates tend to be a globetrotting bunch, and the 11,000 living alumni can be found all over the map, although roughly half settle in Los Angeles or San Francisco. Median salaries, even ten years after graduation, are on the lower end of selective colleges, which is perhaps attributable to the fact that many Pitzer grads go on to earn a PhD.

Academic Highlights: Northeastern offers 130 majors and 199 combined majors within nine colleges and programs. Nearly two-thirds of Husky classrooms contain nineteen or fewer students, and 13% have single-digit enrollments. Large lecture hall courses crammed with undergrads are rare at this school—only 7% of sections sport a student enrollment of fifty or more. Since 2006, Northeastern has added an incredible 650+ tenured and tenure-track faculty members. Undergraduate research opportunities exist in all departments, and experiential learning of some type is had by virtually all graduates, thanks to the school’s illustrious and robust co-op program. In a given year, 3,700+ students have a global experience in one of 65+ countries, and 250+ students participate in a co-op program overseas.

Professional Outcomes: Nine months after leaving Northeastern, 97% of students have landed at their next employment or graduate school destination. Huskies entering the job market are quickly rounded up by the likes of Amazon, Fidelity Investments, Google, Microsoft, and Apple, all of whom employ 500+ Northeastern alums. Between 200 and 500 employees at Meta, CVS Health, Goldman Sachs, and Tesla have an NU lineage. Starting salaries are above average (70% make more than $70k), in part due to the stellar co-op program.

Academic Highlights: As students immerse themselves in one of 46 areas of concentration, Dickinson supports them with a 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio and average class size of 17, with 75% of classes being capped at 19 students. This type of intimacy allows the school to advertise that: “Not only will you have the opportunity to conduct advanced research as an undergraduate that most wouldn’t experience until graduate school, you’ll also have the chance to work alongside faculty in the process.” The majority of students also elect to venture to other continents as part of their undergraduate experience. Offering study abroad opportunities with 16 global programs, more than 50 study abroad options, and boasts a 60% participation rate.

Professional Outcomes: One year after graduating, 95% of Dickinson grads have found jobs or full-time volunteer work, or have enrolled in graduate school. Companies employing Dickinson alumni include Deloitte, EY, Vanguard, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and Merck. Most alumni are found in Pennsylvania, with the New York City Metropolitan area also proving popular with Red Devil alums.

Academic Highlights: Class sizes are fairly small with 21% containing fewer than 10 students and 61% having an enrollment of under 20. The average undergraduate class size is exactly 20 students. As a result, strong working relationships with faculty routinely develop. An impressive 67% of students participate in undergraduate research at some point in their four years of study. Opportunities exist to publish in the Scholarly Undergraduate Research Journal (SURJ). Fifty study abroad programs are available in 20+ countries.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after graduation, 97% of Cougars have clawed their way into gainful employment or full-time graduate programs. Sixty-three percent enter private industry, 32% enter the nonprofit/education world, and 5% are employed by government entities. Of the 44% of freshly minted alumni who enrolled in graduate school, a good number continued their education at nearby universities such as Boston College and Boston University. Others attended Brown University, NYU, Penn, and USC.

Academic Highlights: 33 distinct majors are offered at Willamette. Aided by an 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio, Willamette classes are exceptionally small with 75% of sections enrolling fewer than 20 students; 20% of sections enroll fewer than 10. Undergraduate research is taken seriously, and Willamette offers more than 75 undergraduate research grants annually across all disciplines. A typical year also sees 40% of undergrads earn credit through study abroad opportunities in one of more than 40 countries.

Professional Outcomes: Graduates of the College of Arts & Sciences entered the workforce at a rate of 63%. Currently, two dozen or more alumni work for the likes of Nike, Microsoft, Kaiser Permanente, Intel, and Amazon. Grads work at various institutions of higher learning, including Oregon State University, the University of Washington, and Portland State University. Alumni enjoy an average mid-career salary of $129k. Portland has the highest concentration of Bearcats followed by Salem, Seattle, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.

Academic Highlights: Fifty-six majors are on tap at Colgate, including all of the expected liberal arts concentrations. With a student-faculty ratio of 9:1 and an average class size of 17, Colgate undergraduates work intimately withtheir instructors. Undoubtedly, the resulting connections help to explain the school’s sterling 94-95% freshman retention rate. It is commonplace for Colgate students to research alongside professors. Each summer, the school funds over 200 undergraduates who assist with research projects, and, year-round, it maintains a useful database of professors who are seeking research across all disciplines. Raiders study abroad in overwhelming numbers with a 60-70% participation rate in one hundred programs that operate in 50 countries.

Professional Outcomes: Nine months after graduation, only a small number of Colgate alumni are still looking for work; in 2023, that group represented less than 3% of the graduating class. A substantial 77% had already landed full-time jobs. Employers hiring the most Colgate grads included Barclays, EY, Goldman Sachs, Massachusetts General Hospital, NIH, and True Search. Alums pursuing further education attended Boston College, Columbia, Cornell, Harvard, and NYU.

Academic Highlights: Forty percent of classes actually have fewer than 20 students, while 19% of courses enroll 50 or more students. Opportunities to connect with faculty for research opportunities span all majors and fields of study. The school also offers the Discovery Learning Apprenticeship Program, which enables engineering students to conduct paid faculty-mentored research. Over 2,200 students per year participate in the credit- bearing Education Abroad program that offers hundreds of destinations within 60 countries around the world.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of leaving CU Boulder, 83% of recent grads were working or in graduate school. 47% of graduates earned between $50k and $75k, with the greatest number working at Lockheed Martin, Charles Schwab, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, and RS&H. More than 100 alumni can also be found at Google, Amazon, Apple, Oracle, and Microsoft. 25% of new grads immediately jumped into an advanced degree program, and 93% were accepted into their first-choice school.

Academic Highlights: In total, the university offers more than 300 programs of study, 100+ of which are distinct undergraduate degrees spread across 12 schools/colleges. Many classes at BU are reasonably small—59% contain fewer than twenty students; only 20% contain more than forty. The student-to-faculty ratio is 10:1. The Research Opportunities Program (UROP) funds 650 students per year, and many additional students participate in BU’s research for credit, volunteer, work-study, and other independent opportunities.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after graduation, 94% of recent BU grads have found their way into the world of employment or full-time graduate study. Across all graduating years, companies employing more than 350 BU alums include Google, Oracle, Accenture, IBM, and Amazon Web Services. Of the one-third of grads who move directly into graduate school, many are welcomed onto the campuses of elite graduate programs, such as those at MIT, Carnegie Mellon, John Hopkins, and Columbia.

Academic Highlights: The student-to-faculty is a 17:1, which translates into somewhat larger class sizes. Ten percent of sections contain more than fifty students, and 4% have more than 100. However, that is balanced by the 66% of sections that contain fewer than twenty students. Undergraduate research is taken advantage of by one-quarter of students, and the school plans to greatly expand such offerings in the coming years. An abundance of study abroad choices include special summer programs in Panama, Florence, London, and Valencia, Spain. FSU has 60 academic programs available in 20 locations throughout the world; 2,500+ students per year participate.

Professional Outcomes: Eighty-three percent of job-seeking Seminole grads receive at least one offer of employment within three months of graduation. Thirty percent of seniors found employment through Career Center services at FSU. Employers hiring the greatest number of FSU alumni include Apple, Northrop Grumman, EY, General Motors, and Deloitte. Roughly one-third of recent Florida State grads elected to immediately pursue admission into an advanced degree program; 84% of those who apply receive at least one acceptance. Geographically, the greatest number of alumni remain in Florida but large numbers also relocate to Massachusetts, Georgia, Texas, New York, and California.

Academic Highlights: Barnard has a 10:1 student-faculty ratio and a sensational 70% of courses are capped at nineteen or fewer students; 18% have fewer than ten. Many get the chance to engage in research alongside a professor as 280+ undergraduates are granted such an opportunity through the Summer Research Institute each year.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after graduation, 91% of recent Barnard grads had found employment or were enrolled in a graduate program. JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, and Citibank all appear on the list of the top fifteen employers of Barnard alumni. Those entering graduate school flock in large numbers to Columbia, with 123 heading there over the last three years. Sixteen Barnard students and alumnae were selected as Fulbright recipients in 2024 – making Barnard a top producer of Fulbright scholars for seven years in a row.

Academic Highlights: Aided by a favorable 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio, the school does an excellent job facilitating undergraduate research opportunities. Each school/college has a course entitled Directed Research 490 in which students work closely with a faculty supervisor and earn between two and eight credits, countless other opportunities exist to get one’s hands dirty in academic research. Each department has its own slate of study abroad offerings and Maymester programs, which are short-term intensive courses held stateside and abroad.

Professional Outcomes: 93% of undergrads experience positive postgraduation outcomes within six months of earning their degree. The median salary across all majors is an astounding $85k. Presently, between 500 and 2,500 alumni are employed at each of Google, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Meta, NVIDIA, and Oracle. Graduate/professional schools enrolling the greatest number of 2023 USC grads include Columbia, UCLA, Pepperdine, and Harvard, with most remaining at USC for their advanced studies.

Academic Highlights: Undergraduates can choose from 74 bachelor’s degree programs across several schools and colleges. 87% of classes have fewer than 50 students, while 39% of classes have a student enrollment under 20. UNC sends forty percent of graduates abroad to one of 70 countries at some point in their educational career. Research is required as part of the general education curriculum, and plenty of faculty-mentored opportunities and funded formal programs are also available. In 2024, over 600 students shared their research at the annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after leaving Chapel Hill, 94% of 2023 grads had entered employment, military service, or graduate school. Among the for-profit companies that hire the most graduates are Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Deloitte, Ernst & Young, Amazon, Fidelity Investments, and Epic Games. In the nonprofit sector, a large number of alumni are employed by AmeriCorps, NIH, Teach for America, and the Peace Corps. The average starting salary is $74,292. Nine percent of 2023 grads enrolled directly in graduate/professional school.

Academic Highlights: 74 undergraduate majors are available at UCSC. An identical percentage of classes contain 50+ students (27%) as under 20 students (27%). Fortunately, thanks in part to a relatively small number of graduate students (roughly 2,000), there are still opportunities to work side-by-side with faculty. In fact, a commendable 52% of undergraduates conduct some type of faculty-guided research during their four years at Santa Cruz, and the school has pledged to raise that number to 75%. Roughly 15% of students elect to study abroad, and the school encourages all students to take advantage of the well established UC programs situated all around the globe.

Professional Outcomes: Within three months of earning their degree, 28% of UCSC grads had found employment and 17% started graduate programs. Proximity to Silicon Valley helps open doors to companies like Google, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, and Cisco, which all employ over 200 alumni. More than 100 alumni can also be found in the offices of NVIDIA, Salesforce, Adobe, and LinkedIn. Among graduates, the median salary for those in the first five years of their career was $75,600.

Academic Highlights: There are 150 majors available across eight freshman-admitting undergraduate colleges. A 16:1 student-to-faculty ratio is deployed effectively so that 65% of sections enroll 29 or fewer students. No matter your field of study, you can utilize UM’s well-maintained database of upcoming faculty research projects as a way to connect directly with the professor of your choice; more than 2,000 undergraduates participate in a research or creative project every year. An outstanding 30% of UMTC students study abroad during their academic career with the most popular destinations being Spain, Italy, France, the United Kingdom, and Ireland.

Professional Outcomes: Over 1000 alumni work at Target, Medtronic, 3M, and U.S. Bank; Amazon, Google, Cargill, and Microsoft employ 500+ UMN graduates each. The average starting salary across all majors is approximately 60k and recent employers include Boeing, Honeywell, Northrop Grumman, Abbott, IBM, EcoLab, Boston Scientific, Wells Fargo, Google, Apple, and Microsoft and Epic. With 130 graduate programs, the University of Minnesota retains many of its graduates as they pursue their next degrees.

Academic Highlights: The University of Vermont offers nearly 100 undergraduate majors and 90 advanced degree programs, ensuring students can pursue virtually any academic interest. With 37% of classes enrolling fewer than 20 students and 63% under 30, UVM prioritizes an intimate learning environment—only 18% of courses take place in large lecture halls. Hands-on learning is a hallmark: 40% of undergraduates participate in faculty-mentored research, many presenting at the annual Student Research Conference. Global engagement is equally robust, with hundreds of students studying abroad through UVM’s direct partnerships with 20 international institutions.

Professional Outcomes: UVM graduates thrive post-commencement, with 93% achieving career or graduate school success within six months. Nearly half enter the workforce immediately, earning an average starting salary of $54,892, and securing roles at top employers like UVM Medical Center, Beth Israel Deaconess, and the State of Vermont. Meanwhile, 23% continue their education, enrolling at prestigious institutions such as Boston University, NYU, and Northeastern, or furthering their studies at UVM itself.

Academic Highlights: Oregon State University spans 11 colleges and graduate schools, including an Honors College, offering students over 300 academic programs to explore. While 28% of classes maintain an intimate setting with fewer than 20 students, another 21% are larger sections with over 50 students, providing diverse learning environments. The university fosters hands-on research through initiatives like URSA Engage, administered by the Office of Undergraduate Research, Scholarship, and the Arts (URSA), which connects first- and second-year students with faculty mentors for early research opportunities.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduation, 71% of recent OSU alumni were either employed or pursuing graduate studies, with 59% entering the workforce and 10% continuing their education. College of Business graduates frequently land positions at top-tier companies such as Nike, Boeing, and Deloitte, while alumni across all majors secure roles at tech giants like Amazon, Google, and NVIDIA, showcasing the university’s strong industry connections.

Academic Highlights: The offerings at Hobart & William Smith are wide with 47 majors and 62 minors. The average class size is just 16 students, and 100% of courses are taught by full-time faculty; the student-to-faculty ratio is an excellent 10:1. That ratio has a tremendous impact on faculty accessibility, as evidenced by the fact that 96% of students report having a discussion with a professor outside the classroom. Every student participates in at least one of the following: community service, service learning, or community-based research. Possessing one of the strongest study abroad programs you’ll find at any American college, 60% of HWS undergraduates take a semester of study in one of nearly 50 locations around the globe.

Professional Outcomes: In a typical year, approximately two-thirds of HWS grads immediately enter the world of full-time employment while 15% jump right into pursuing a graduate or professional degree. Looking at all living alumni, companies employing the greatest number of grads include Morgan Stanley, Fidelity Investments, Merrill Lynch, Bozzuto, JP Morgan, Google, UBS, JPMorgan Chase, and Citi. The greatest concentration of alumni can be found in New York City; Boston; Rochester; Washington, DC; Philadelphia; and San Francisco.

Academic Highlights: A stunning 95% of graduates report engaging in some form of hands-on learning in their time at the college. The 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio may lag slightly behind some other small liberal arts schools featured in this guide, but professors are deployed with enhancing the undergraduate experience in mind. As a result, there are only a handful of classes that enroll 40+ students, and 68% enroll fewer than 20. One marker of Juniata’s success in providing personalized attention to undergrads is the fact that a stunning 95% of those who ultimately graduate do so in four years or less. Study abroad placements are available in 24 countries spread across six continents, and roughly 40% of students take advantage.

Professional Outcomes: Ninety-six percent of Juniata students are employed or attending graduate school six months after diplomas are awarded. More than ten alumni work for the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Merck, Geisinger, WellSpan Health, and the US Army. In the last few years, grads have landed positions at the Walt Disney Company, the National Football League, Boeing, Google, Showtime, and The Wall Street Journal. Recent graduate school acceptances include Columbia, Wake Forest, Johns Hopkins, and MIT; clearly, top-shelf graduate and professional schools are on the table for Juniata grads The majority of Juniata alumni stay in the Keystone State with heavy concentrations in State College, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Harrisburg, but sizable pockets also can be found in Washington, DC, and New York City.

Academic Highlights: The University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) offers students a dynamic academic experience with 90+ undergraduate programs across five colleges, blending rigorous coursework with hands-on learning. With an average class size of 27 and 38% of courses enrolling fewer than 20 students, UNCW fosters close faculty mentorship while emphasizing real-world application through internships, research, study abroad, and community projects. Undergraduate research opportunities span all disciplines, allowing students to engage in meaningful scholarship.

Professional Outcomes: UNCW graduates thrive in North Carolina’s key industries, with 200+ alumni contributing to major employers like PPD, Novant Health, and nCino. Most build careers in the Greater Wilmington region, while others strengthen professional networks in the Research Triangle (Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill) and Charlotte metro areas. These outcomes reflect UNCW’s success in preparing graduates for high-demand fields through its coastal location, partnerships with Fortune 500 companies, and focus on applied skills.

Academic Highlights: Thanks to the almost exclusive emphasis on undergraduate instruction as well as those favorable numbers, 95% of courses enroll 29 or fewer students. The average class size is just 15 students. One area where this college flat-out excels is in connecting students to hands-on undergraduate research opportunities; a stunning 65% of students complete original research in their field of study. The majority of students do not study abroad during their four years, but 20% do take a semester in an international location.

Professional Outcomes: Asheville rates well when it comes to generating a high degree of social mobility. Employers snagging the greatest number of Bulldog alumni include Mission Health, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Thermo Fisher Scientific, and a number of local school districts. UNC Asheville alumni stay in the Greater Asheville area after graduation, with the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area and the Charlotte metro area also proving popular.

Academic Highlights: A 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio is almost beyond comprehension for a public school. As a result, 94% of course sections enroll fewer than 29 students, and 72% of classes enroll fewer than 20. Undergrads can access research opportunities through multiple avenues that include St. Mary’s Projects (senior year projects that 60% of students complete) and St. Mary’s Undergraduate Research Fellowships (eight-week summer program that culminates with a symposium). In a typical year, one of the 25 study abroad programs is taken advantage of by almost half of the undergraduate population.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of earning their bachelor’s degrees, 96% of recent St. Mary’s grads have landed a job or started an advanced degree.  Top employers of Osprey alumni include JPMorgan Chase, the Centers for Disease Control, BNY Mellon, Booz Allen Hamilton, the Smithsonian, and the US Department of Defense. 28% of alumni begin work on their next degree within six months of graduation, earning acceptances from the likes of Harvard, Yale, Rice, Penn, and the University of Chicago.