Students walking and talking through the Heart of Earlham campus

Home : About : Rankings

National rankings and hallmarks of excellence

Earlham College is recognized nationally for excellence in the liberal arts, including transformative teaching, global education and career preparation. Consistently ranked among the nation’s top liberal arts colleges by U.S. News & World Report and home to one of the country’s best classroom experiences according to The Princeton Review, Earlham combines academic rigor with deeply personal mentorship and hands-on learning.

About our classrooms

Earlham offers one of the nation’s best classroom experiences, according to the leading college guide The Princeton Review.

Hallmarks of excellence

Colleges That Change Lives

Earlham is proud to be among the original 40 colleges chosen by Loren Pope for inclusion in his book, Colleges That Change Lives, first published in 1996.

In his widely acclaimed college guide, Pope focused on liberal arts colleges that “not only equip youths to live full lives but they work their magic on a variety of aptitudes, academic and others as important…. Every one of these catalytic places will push and stretch you beyond what you think possible, but they won’t let you fall.”

Pope emphasizes the learning that takes place in these colleges: “Learning is collaborative rather than competitive; values are central; there is a strong sense of community. They are places of great synergy….”

Pope, now deceased, was a former journalist and education editor at The New York Times; he devoted over 30 years to counseling parents and students about making college choices.

Beyond the book

Colleges That Change Lives, Inc., (CTCL) is a non-profit organization that promotes a student-centered college search process. In 1998 the CTCL colleges began working together to extend Pope’s approach to helping students find the right college fit. They developed a website and began a nationwide series of college fairs and individual information sessions that continues today.

Watch CTCL’s calendar to find out when representatives will be in your area.

Niche

Earlham College is ranked among the nation’s most diverse colleges and is the most diverse college in Indiana, according to the educational services company Niche.

The ranking compares socioeconomic, geographic and ethnic diversity of students and employees. Earlham was given an A+ rating as part of the rankings.

Most diverse colleges

Earlham’s Niche profile

The Princeton Review

For 10 years in a row, Earlham College has been named one of the nation’s Top 25 classroom experiences by The Princeton Review. Rankings are based on survey results from students nationwide.

Fiske Guide to Colleges

Earlham College has once again been recognized as one of the nation’s “best and most interesting” institutions of higher education by the Fiske Guide to Colleges.

The guide’s 2025 edition underscores Earlham’s nationally recognized classroom experience and strong commitment to career preparation, which includes ample opportunities to study abroad, and participate in internships and mentored research experiences. The guide has recognized Earlham as a choice destination in higher education since 1984.

U.S. News & World Report

The U.S. News & World Report “Best Colleges” guidebook for 2026 recognizes Earlham’s longstanding excellence in affordability, teaching, innovation, and study abroad opportunities.

This year Earlham ranked 76th overall among the nation’s top liberal arts colleges.

Other rankings include:

– 17^th for “Best Value Colleges,” climbing from 21st last year, highlighting the College’s commitment to making an outstanding education accessible and affordable;

– 47th for “Most Innovative Colleges,” a ranking that rewards institutions with a forward-looking approach to curriculum and campus life;

– 21st for “Best Undergraduate Teaching,” a list reserved for schools where students learn from expert faculty, not graduate or teaching assistants; and

– 36th for study abroad opportunities.

To see the full rankings, visit usnews.com/colleges.

Open Doors

Earlham is a national leader for participation in study abroad programs.

Earlham ranked #4 in the most recent Institute for International Education’s Open Doors Report among all baccalaureate colleges for the percentage of international study abroad participation. In fact, Open Doors considers our participation at 128.4%— meaning that many students participate multiple times, including through semester programs, short programs, credit-bearing internships and more.