Rank NAME Location

FINANCIAL

GPA Letter Grade

1 Princeton University Princeton, NJ 4.500 A+

2 Pomona College Claremont, CA 4.500 A+

3 Swarthmore College Swarthmore, PA 4.500 A+

4 Columbia University New York, NY 4.500 A+

5 Harvard University Cambridge, MA 4.500 A+

6 Williams College Williamstown, MA 4.500 A+

7 University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN 4.500 A+

8 Amherst College Amherst, MA 4.500 A+

9 Washington University in St Louis Saint Louis, MO 4.500 A+

10 Washington and Lee University Lexington, VA 4.500 A+

11

Massachusetts Institute of

Technology Cambridge, MA 4.500 A+

12 Rice University Houston, TX 4.500 A+

13 Hamilton College Clinton, NY 4.500 A+

14 Smith College Northampton, MA 4.500 A+

15 Stanford University Stanford, CA 4.500 A+

16 Claremont McKenna College Claremont, CA 4.500 A+

17 Duke University Durham, NC 4.500 A+

18 Wellesley College Wellesley, MA 4.500 A+

19 Yale University New Haven, CT 4.500 A+

20 Bowdoin College Brunswick, ME 4.500 A+

21 Northwestern University Evanston, IL 4.500 A+

22 Carleton College Northfield, MN 4.500 A+

23 The Juilliard School New York, NY 4.500 A+

24 Bryn Mawr College Bryn Mawr, PA 4.500 A+

25 Brown University Providence, RI 4.500 A+

26 Davidson College Davidson, NC 4.500 A+

27 Dartmouth College Hanover, NH 4.500 A+

28 University of Chicago Chicago, IL 4.500 A+

29 Cornell University Ithaca, NY 4.500 A+

30 Scripps College Claremont, CA 4.500 A+

31 Vassar College Poughkeepsie, NY 4.500 A+

32 Grinnell College Grinnell, IA 4.500 A+

33 Colby College Waterville, ME 4.500 A+

34 Colorado College Colorado Springs, CO 4.500 A+

35 Reed College Portland, OR 4.500 A+

36 Haverford College Haverford, PA 4.500 A+

37 Oberlin College Oberlin, OH 4.500 A+

38 Wesleyan University Middletown, CT 4.500 A+

39 Middlebury College Middlebury, VT 4.500 A+

40 Harvey Mudd College Claremont, CA 4.500 A+

41 University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA 4.500 A+

42 University of Richmond Richmond, VA 4.480 A+

FORBES COLLEGE FINANCIAL GRADES

43 Colgate University Hamilton, NY 4.467 A+

44 Berea College Berea, KY 4.436 A+

45 Emory University Atlanta, GA 4.426 A+

46 Lafayette College Easton, PA 4.413 A+

47 College of the Ozarks Point Lookout, MO 4.403 A+

48 Tufts University Medford, MA 4.372 A+

49 Macalester College Saint Paul, MN 4.351 A+

50 Wake Forest University Winston Salem, NC 4.343 A+

51 Whitman College Walla Walla, WA 4.341 A+

52 Lehigh University Bethlehem, PA 4.338 A+

53 Mount Holyoke College South Hadley, MA 4.335 A+

54 Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN 4.310 A

55 Wabash College Crawfordsville, IN 4.310 A

56 Johnson University Knoxville, TN 4.297 A

57 Wheaton College Wheaton, IL 4.255 A

58 Earlham College Richmond, IN 4.225 A

59 College of the Holy Cross Worcester, MA 4.219 A

60 University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA 4.181 A

61 Trinity College Hartford, CT 4.155 A

62 Bates College Lewiston, ME 4.150 A

63

Sewanee-The University of the

South Sewanee, TN 4.150 A

64 Denison University Granville, OH 4.145 A

65 Trinity University San Antonio, TX 4.106 A

66 Texas Christian University Fort Worth, TX 4.088 A

67 Bucknell University Lewisburg, PA 4.088 A

68 Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD 4.070 A

69 Brigham Young University-Provo Provo, UT 4.065 A

70 Occidental College Los Angeles, CA 4.052 A

71 University of Tulsa Tulsa, OK 4.036 A

72 Boston College Chestnut Hill, MA 4.036 A

73 Wilson College Chambersburg, PA 4.031 A

74 Cooper Union New York, NY 4.031 A

75 Furman University Greenville, SC 4.028 A

76 Hollins University Roanoke, VA 4.013 A

77 Randolph College Lynchburg, VA 3.990 A

78 Union College Schenectady, NY 3.982 A

79 Kenyon College Gambier, OH 3.969 A

80 Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA 3.951 A

81 Berry College Mount Berry, GA 3.951 A

82 Brigham Young University-Hawaii Laie, HI 3.943 A

83 Franklin and Marshall College Lancaster, PA 3.938 A

84 Illinois College Jacksonville, IL 3.938 A

85 Dickinson College Carlisle, PA 3.925 A

86 Alice Lloyd College Pippa Passes, KY 3.920 A

87 University of the Ozarks Clarksville, AR 3.915 A

88 Sweet Briar College Sweet Briar, VA 3.899 A

89 Agnes Scott College Decatur, GA 3.889 A

90 Rhode Island School of Design Providence, RI 3.884 A

91 St Olaf College Northfield, MN 3.881 A

92 University of Rochester Rochester, NY 3.876 A

93 Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, OH 3.866 A

94 Rhodes College Memphis, TN 3.840 A

95 Hendrix College Conway, AR 3.840 A

96 California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA 3.827 A

97 Spelman College Atlanta, GA 3.817 A

98 Centenary College of Louisiana Shreveport, LA 3.763 A

99 Barnard College New York, NY 3.755 A

100 Abilene Christian University Abilene, TX 3.737 A

101 Skidmore College Saratoga Springs, NY 3.734 A

102

The New England Conservatory of

Music Boston, MA 3.729 A

103 Southwestern University Georgetown, TX 3.721 A

104 Kalamazoo College Kalamazoo, MI 3.721 A

105 Pitzer College Claremont, CA 3.714 A

106 Hanover College Hanover, IN 3.695 A

107 Gallaudet University Washington, DC 3.690 A

108 Saint Mary's College Notre Dame, IN 3.670 A

109 Yeshiva University New York, NY 3.659 A-

110 John Brown University Siloam Springs, AR 3.659 A-

111 DePauw University Greencastle, IN 3.659 A-

112 Lycoming College Williamsport, PA 3.649 A-

113 California Institute of the Arts Valencia, CA 3.646 A-

114 Brigham Young University-Idaho Rexburg, ID 3.634 A-

115 Brandeis University Waltham, MA 3.631 A-

116 Clark University Worcester, MA 3.615 A-

117 Doane College-Crete Crete, NE 3.605 A-

118 Texas Lutheran University Seguin, TX 3.605 A-

119 Saint Johns University Collegeville, MN 3.605 A-

120 Worcester Polytechnic Institute Worcester, MA 3.600 A-

121 Goshen College Goshen, IN 3.597 A-

122 The College of Wooster Wooster, OH 3.597 A-

123 Rollins College Winter Park, FL 3.595 A-

124 Transylvania University Lexington, KY 3.592 A-

125 Goldey-Beacom College Wilmington, DE 3.579 A-

126 Emory and Henry College Emory, VA 3.577 A-

127 Centre College Danville, KY 3.572 A-

128 Bard College Annandale-On-Hudson, NY 3.569 A-

129 The College of Idaho Caldwell, ID 3.499 B+

130 George Washington University Washington, DC 3.492 B+

131 Martin Luther College New Ulm, MN 3.489 B+

132 Pepperdine University Malibu, CA 3.486 B+

133 Cleveland Institute of Art Cleveland, OH 3.466 B+

134 Southern Methodist University Dallas, TX 3.458 B+

135 Goucher College Baltimore, MD 3.453 B+

136 Marian University Indianapolis, IN 3.450 B+

137

Minneapolis College of Art and

Design Minneapolis, MN 3.448 B+

138 St John's College Annapolis, MD 3.445 B+

139 Alma College Alma, MI 3.445 B+

140 Berklee College of Music Boston, MA 3.417 B+

141 Ner Israel Rabbinical College Baltimore, MD 3.412 B+

142 Connecticut College New London, CT 3.412 B+

143 Indiana Institute of Technology Fort Wayne, IN 3.396 B+

144 Our Lady of Holy Cross College New Orleans, LA 3.394 B+

145 Randolph-Macon College Ashland, VA 3.394 B+

146 Albion College Albion, MI 3.383 B+

147 Wheaton College Norton, MA 3.373 B+

148 Gettysburg College Gettysburg, PA 3.368 B+

149 Santa Clara University Santa Clara, CA 3.350 B+

150 East Texas Baptist University Marshall, TX 3.332 B

151 Muhlenberg College Allentown, PA 3.329 B

152 Hampden-Sydney College Hampden-Sydney, VA 3.326 B

153

Saint Louis University-Main

Campus Saint Louis, MO 3.316 B

154 Monmouth College Monmouth, IL 3.311 B

155 Schreiner University Kerrville, TX 3.308 B

156 Moody Bible Institute Chicago, IL 3.308 B

157 University of Puget Sound Tacoma, WA 3.303 B

158 Beloit College Beloit, WI 3.298 B

159 Babson College Wellesley, MA 3.293 B

160 Lawrence University Appleton, WI 3.290 B

161 Buena Vista University Storm Lake, IA 3.290 B

162 McMurry University Abilene, TX 3.277 B

163 Messiah College Mechanicsburg, PA 3.272 B

164 Queens University of Charlotte Charlotte, NC 3.262 B

165 Morehouse College Atlanta, GA 3.257 B

166 Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester, NY 3.249 B

167 Wofford College Spartanburg, SC 3.246 B

168 Warren Wilson College Swannanoa, NC 3.223 B

169 North Park University Chicago, IL 3.208 B

170 Illinois Wesleyan University Bloomington, IL 3.203 B

171 Tuskegee University Tuskegee, AL 3.197 B

172 Washington College Chestertown, MD 3.195 B

173 Norwich University Northfield, VT 3.190 B

174

Mass College of Pharmacy and

Health Sciences Boston, MA 3.185 B

175 Flagler College-St Augustine Saint Augustine, FL 3.185 B

176 Piedmont College Demorest, GA 3.179 B

177 Hardin-Simmons University Abilene, TX 3.174 B

178 Millsaps College Jackson, MS 3.156 B

179 University of Mount Union Alliance, OH 3.135 B

180 Mount St. Mary's College Los Angeles, CA 3.133 B

181 Georgetown University Washington, DC 3.115 B

182 Franklin College Franklin, IN 3.110 B

183 Ave Maria University Ave Maria, FL 3.099 B

184

Rose-Hulman Institute of

Technology Terre Haute, IN 3.089 B

185 American University Washington, DC 3.084 B

186 Ohio Wesleyan University Delaware, OH 3.079 B

187 Lindenwood University Saint Charles, MO 3.071 B

188 Simpson College Indianola, IA 3.063 B

189 Oral Roberts University Tulsa, OK 3.063 B

190 Villanova University Villanova, PA 3.058 B

191 Rust College Holly Springs, MS 3.055 B

192 Mount Aloysius College Cresson, PA 3.050 B

193 University of Dayton Dayton, OH 3.045 B

194 New York University New York, NY 3.040 B

195 John Carroll University University Heights, OH 3.040 B

196 Saint Vincent College Latrobe, PA 3.027 B

197 Marist College Poughkeepsie, NY 3.027 B

198 Boston University Boston, MA 3.025 B

199 University of St Thomas Saint Paul, MN 3.022 B

200 Hope College Holland, MI 3.022 B

201 Miles College Fairfield, AL 3.019 B

202 Fisk University Nashville, TN 3.019 B

203 Hastings College Hastings, NE 3.012 B

204 Oklahoma Baptist University Shawnee, OK 3.006 B

205 Lancaster Bible College Lancaster, PA 2.999 B

206 Hobart William Smith Colleges Geneva, NY 2.996 B

207 Northwestern College Orange City, IA 2.994 B

208 Allegheny College Meadville, PA 2.991 B

209 Hampton University Hampton, VA 2.986 B

210 Everglades University Boca Raton, FL 2.983 B

211 Jamestown College Jamestown, ND 2.975 B

212

Franciscan University of

Steubenville Steubenville, OH 2.975 B

213 National University La Jolla, CA 2.975 B

214 Catholic University of America Washington, DC 2.970 B

215 Campbell University Buies Creek, NC 2.970 B

216 Syracuse University Syracuse, NY 2.970 B

217 Saint Ambrose University Davenport, IA 2.968 B

218 Mid-Continent University Mayfield, KY 2.965 B

219 Chapman University Orange, CA 2.965 B

220 Hodges University Naples, FL 2.955 B

221 Drew University Madison, NJ 2.952 B

222 Central Methodist University Fayette, MO 2.950 B

223 St Lawrence University Canton, NY 2.937 B

224 Millikin University Decatur, IL 2.934 B

225 Maryville College Maryville, TN 2.929 B

226 Johnson C Smith University Charlotte, NC 2.926 B

227

Jefferson College of Health

Sciences Roanoke, VA 2.924 B

228 Mercy College Dobbs Ferry, NY 2.921 B

229 Susquehanna University Selinsgrove, PA 2.916 B

230 Morris College Sumter, SC 2.916 B

231 Concordia College at Moorhead Moorhead, MN 2.906 B

232 St. Francis College Brooklyn Heights, NY 2.903 B

233 Taylor University Upland, IN 2.901 B

234

Averett University-Non-Traditional

Programs Danville, VA 2.895 B

235 Loyola University-New Orleans New Orleans, LA 2.893 B

236 St. Mary's University San Antonio, TX 2.893 B

237 Dordt College Sioux Center, IA 2.890 B

238 Columbia International University Columbia, SC 2.890 B

239 Stonehill College Easton, MA 2.885 B

240 Webster University Saint Louis, MO 2.883 B

241 Ursuline College Pepper Pike, OH 2.883 B

242 Kansas City Art Institute Kansas City, MO 2.872 B

243 Jones College-Jacksonville Jacksonville, FL 2.870 B

244 Saint Anselm College Manchester, NH 2.867 B

245 Wesleyan College Macon, GA 2.867 B

246 Mount Carmel College of Nursing Columbus, OH 2.867 B

247 Edgewood College Madison, WI 2.867 B

248 Bradley University Peoria, IL 2.867 B

249 College for Creative Studies Detroit, MI 2.862 B

250 Howard Payne University Brownwood, TX 2.859 B

251 University of Denver Denver, CO 2.857 B

252 Howard University Washington, DC 2.854 B

253 Indiana Wesleyan University Marion, IN 2.846 B

254 Art Center College of Design Pasadena, CA 2.846 B

255

Linfield College-McMinnville

Campus McMinnville, OR 2.841 B

256 St John's College Santa Fe, NM 2.834 B

257 College of Saint Mary Omaha, NE 2.834 B

258 Mills College Oakland, CA 2.831 B

259 Providence College Providence, RI 2.828 B

260 Muskingum University New Concord, OH 2.821 B

261 Oakwood University Huntsville, AL 2.818 B

262 Saint Norbert College De Pere, WI 2.815 B

263 Fairfield University Fairfield, CT 2.815 B

264 Bay Path College Longmeadow, MA 2.810 B

265 Huston-Tillotson University Austin, TX 2.808 B

266 Thomas College Waterville, ME 2.808 B

267

Moravian College and Theological

Seminary Bethlehem, PA 2.805 B

268 Alfred University Alfred, NY 2.797 B

269 Willamette University Salem, OR 2.797 B

270 Columbia College Columbia, MO 2.795 B

271 Carlos Albizu University-Miami Miami, FL 2.787 B

272 Saint Josephs College Rensselaer, IN 2.782 B

273 Rivier College Nashua, NH 2.782 B

274 Ouachita Baptist University Arkadelphia, AR 2.779 B

275 Westminster College New Wilmington, PA 2.779 B

276 Biola University La Mirada, CA 2.779 B

277 Loyola Marymount University Los Angeles, CA 2.777 B

278 Niagara University Niagara University, NY 2.777 B

279 Dakota Wesleyan University Mitchell, SD 2.769 B

280 Presentation College Aberdeen, SD 2.769 B

281 Blue Mountain College Blue Mountain, MS 2.766 B

282 University of Mary Bismarck, ND 2.766 B

283 Viterbo University La Crosse, WI 2.764 B

284 Austin College Sherman, TX 2.764 B

285 Manchester College North Manchester, IN 2.759 B

286 Madonna University Livonia, MI 2.756 B

287 Saint Thomas Aquinas College Sparkill, NY 2.754 B

288 The New School New York, NY 2.751 B

289 The Boston Conservatory Boston, MA 2.751 B

290 North Central College Naperville, IL 2.746 B

291 William Jewell College Liberty, MO 2.738 B

292 Baldwin-Wallace College Berea, OH 2.738 B

293 University of Miami Coral Gables, FL 2.735 B

294 St Catherine University Saint Paul, MN 2.733 B

295

Central Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim

Lubavitz Brooklyn, NY 2.717 B

296 Elon University Elon, NC 2.717 B

297 Midway College Midway, KY 2.717 B

298 Washington & Jefferson College Washington, PA 2.715 B

299 Lenoir-Rhyne University Hickory, NC 2.712 B

300 Le Moyne-Owen College Memphis, TN 2.712 B

301 William Peace University Raleigh, NC 2.712 B

302 Le Moyne College Syracuse, NY 2.710 B

303 Metropolitan College of New York New York, NY 2.707 B

304 Tulane University of Louisiana New Orleans, LA 2.705 B

305 Bryant University Smithfield, RI 2.702 B

306 Milligan College Milligan College, TN 2.699 B

307 University of San Diego San Diego, CA 2.697 B

308 University of the Incarnate Word San Antonio, TX 2.692 B

309 Ringling College of Art and Design Sarasota, FL 2.686 B

310 Alaska Pacific University Anchorage, AK 2.684 B

311 Salem College Winston Salem, NC 2.684 B

312 Lane College Jackson, TN 2.684 B

313 Wayland Baptist University Plainview, TX 2.679 B

314 Lewis & Clark College Portland, OR 2.679 B

315 Talladega College Talladega, AL 2.676 B

316 Westmont College Santa Barbara, CA 2.676 B

317 University of the Sciences Philadelphia, PA 2.676 B

318 Mount Mary College Milwaukee, WI 2.674 B

319 DePaul University Chicago, IL 2.671 B

320 Mount Mercy University Cedar Rapids, IA 2.668 B

321

Baptist Memorial College of Health

Sciences Memphis, TN 2.666 B-

322 Liberty University Lynchburg, VA 2.666 B-

323 Louisiana College Pineville, LA 2.663 B-

324 Bethune-Cookman University Daytona Beach, FL 2.663 B-

325 Regent University Virginia Beach, VA 2.661 B-

326 Roanoke College Salem, VA 2.661 B-

327 University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Belton, TX 2.658 B-

328 Molloy College Rockville Centre, NY 2.655 B-

329 Blackburn College Carlinville, IL 2.653 B-

330 Ursinus College Collegeville, PA 2.650 B-

331 University of the Cumberlands Williamsburg, KY 2.648 B-

332 Anderson University Anderson, SC 2.643 B-

333 Concordia University-Wisconsin Mequon, WI 2.637 B-

334 Clarke University Dubuque, IA 2.632 B-

335 Bentley University Waltham, MA 2.630 B-

336 Maryland Institute College of Art Baltimore, MD 2.630 B-

337 Florida Southern College Lakeland, FL 2.622 B-

338 Friends University Wichita, KS 2.622 B-

339 North Greenville University Tigerville, SC 2.622 B-

340 Xavier University of Louisiana New Orleans, LA 2.617 B-

341 Sarah Lawrence College Bronxville, NY 2.617 B-

342 La Sierra University Riverside, CA 2.614 B-

343 University of San Francisco San Francisco, CA 2.612 B-

344 Reinhardt University Waleska, GA 2.612 B-

345 Loyola University-Chicago Chicago, IL 2.606 B-

346 Cabrini College Radnor, PA 2.604 B-

347 Waynesburg University Waynesburg, PA 2.601 B-

348 Wisconsin Lutheran College Milwaukee, WI 2.599 B-

349 Arkansas Baptist College Little Rock, AR 2.599 B-350 Eckerd College Saint Petersburg, FL 2.594 B-

351 Otterbein University Westerville, OH 2.591 B-

352 Goddard College Plainfield, VT 2.588 B-

353 Quinnipiac University Hamden, CT 2.586 B-

354 Hood College Frederick, MD 2.586 B-

355 Harding University Searcy, AR 2.586 B-

356 Livingstone College Salisbury, NC 2.583 B-

357 Augustana College Rock Island, IL 2.573 B-

358 Notre Dame of Maryland University Baltimore, MD 2.573 B-

359 Davis & Elkins College Elkins, WV 2.573 B-

360 Charleston Southern University Charleston, SC 2.570 B-

361 Maryville University of Saint Louis Saint Louis, MO 2.568 B-

362 LeTourneau University Longview, TX 2.568 B-

363 Valparaiso University Valparaiso, IN 2.565 B-

364 Bennington College Bennington, VT 2.565 B-

365 Belmont University Nashville, TN 2.563 B-

366 Saint Augustines College Raleigh, NC 2.555 B-

367 McPherson College McPherson, KS 2.552 B-

368 Luther College Decorah, IA 2.550 B-

369 University of Saint Mary Leavenworth, KS 2.547 B-

370 Union College Lincoln, NE 2.547 B-

371

Palm Beach Atlantic University-

West Palm Beach West Palm Beach, FL 2.547 B-

372 York College Pennsylvania York, PA 2.547 B-

373 Northwood University-Michigan Midland, MI 2.542 B-

374 Heritage University Toppenish, WA 2.542 B-

375 Trinity Washington University Washington, DC 2.537 B-

376

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical

University-Daytona Beach Daytona Beach, FL 2.534 B-

377 Coker College Hartsville, SC 2.534 B-

378 University of Dubuque Dubuque, IA 2.532 B-

379 Moore College of Art and Design Philadelphia, PA 2.529 B-

380 Asbury University Wilmore, KY 2.516 B-

381 Samford University Birmingham, AL 2.508 B-

Sources: Forbes, derived using data from the National Center For Education Statistics,

iPeds Data Center for fiscal years ending 2010 and 2011

Private-not-for-profit colleges with a full-time enrollement over 500.

All schools graded on 9 variables to determine financial strength and operational soundness.

Maximum GPA: 4.5, Minimum Grade: D, see Forbes.com for details on methodology.