Best Women's Colleges

Located in Allentown, Pennsylvania, Cedar Crest College is a private liberal arts women’s college that also admits male students for evening classes. The school was founded in 1867 and was one of the first women’s colleges in the United States. Cedar Crest forms leaders by preparing the whole person for life in the global community. Graduate and non-traditional education is also offered through the coeducational School of Adult and Graduate Education. Cedar Crest offers qualified students the 4YG, or Four-Year Guarantee. The college commits to providing students a clear path to graduating in four years, thereby reducing excess credits and excess cost. Tuition cost: $35,600

Located in Notre Dame, Indiana, Saint Mary’s College is a Catholic, women’s liberal arts college enrolling about 1,600 undergraduate students. Academics at Saint Mary’s challenge students to explore and discover everything from the world around them to the potential in themselves. Graduate students can pursue a Master of Science in Data Science or Speech Language Pathology, or a Doctorate of Nursing Practice. All three graduate programs are based on a cohort model and include on-campus, online, and hybrid format options. Saint Mary’s students can take advantage of the school’s proximity to the University of Notre Dame by participating in sporting events, clubs, and other organizations. Tuition cost: $37,400

Alverno College, located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is a Roman Catholic liberal arts women’s college. Alverno seeks to engage and connect students through weekday and evening undergraduate programs for women, as well as coeducational graduate programs. The community at Alverno is based on collaboration, respect, justice, and a commitment to hospitality. Around 2,500 students are enrolled in the college’s 60 undergraduate programs and four graduate programs. Although Alverno is affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church, nineteen other religious denominations are represented within the college’s student body. Tuition cost: $25,660

Mount Mary University, founded in 1913 by the School Sisters of Notre Dame, is a Catholic liberal arts university in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The university serves about 1,200 undergraduate women and around 500 male and female graduate students. In all fields of study, Mount Mary encourages creativity through service and professional preparation. Competence, community, compassion, and commitment characterize a Mount Mary education. Service learning is integrated into the curriculum through study abroad opportunities, chances to volunteer, and the Leadership for Social Justice Seminar, which is a required course for all freshmen. Tuition cost: $26,760

Scripps College is a liberal arts women’s college in Claremont, enrolling about 950 students. Known as the “City of Trees and PhD’s,” Claremont is a small southern California town only 35 miles away from downtown Los Angeles. Scripps was founded in 1926 and is on a historic 32-acre campus. Every student at the college begins with the Core Curriculum in Interdisciplinary Humanities and finishes with a senior thesis or culminating project. Students may cross-register to take courses at any one of the other Claremont Colleges. In addition to undergraduate programs, Scripps offers a post-baccalaureate premedical program, allowing students to complete prerequisites for medical, dental, or veterinary school. Tuition cost: $49,152

Mills College, originally founded as the Young Ladies’ Seminary in 1852, is now a liberal arts and sciences college in the San Francisco Bay Area. More than 40 women-only undergraduate and 25 coeducational graduate degree programs are offered. Mills is known for a diverse student body and a commitment to providing an intimate, collaborative educational experience. Bachelor’s-to-master’s accelerated degree programs in education, business administration, infant mental health, and other areas allow students to complete an undergraduate and advanced degree in five years. Mills offers unique academic fields of study such as queer studies and book art. Tuition cost: $44,258

Converse College is a liberal arts university in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The undergraduate college is exclusively for women, while graduate, online, and summer programs are coeducational. Converse promotes bold and daring leadership for advancing communities and professions. Experiential learning is emphasized, as students are offered opportunities for internships, research, leadership development, community service, and travel. A variety of strong academic programs are available, and more than half of Converse students choose to double major. For women 24 and older, the Converse II program provides a quality Converse education with reduced fees and a simpler application procedure. Tuition cost: $16,500

Columbia College, a private liberal arts college in Columbia, S.C., roots its vision and curriculum in what it calls, “the 4 C’s”–courage, commitment, confidence, and competence. These are seen as both phases on a continuum in students’ transformation into leaders and necessary characteristics for life-long learners. Columbia invests in its students through its Institute for Leadership and Professional Excellence offering students opportunities for internships, academic and career advising and coaching, service learning, mentoring and more. In addition, Columbia College offers a variety of degree programs with over 30 majors as well as individualized programs of study. Class sizes are small (11:1 student-faculty ratio) ensuring a student-centered approach. Combine all this with Columbia’s active student life in the context of a unique southern college town, and students will surely find their niche. Tuition cost: $28,100

Founded in 1889 as Decatur Female Seminary, Agnes Scott College is now a private liberal arts women’s college. The college is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church and with institutions such as the Georgia Institute of Technology, the Emory School of Nursing, and Washington University. Agnes Scott students can choose from 30 majors and 25 minors in such varied fields as Africana Studies, Mathematics, and Religion and Social Justice. The college features a residential campus rich with opportunities for community engagement and leadership opportunities. There are 45 student organizations on campus, as well as a governance system led in part by students. Tuition cost: $37,236

Colorado Women’s College, originally an institution of its own, is now one of eight undergraduate colleges at the University of Denver. Founded in 1888, CWC remains the only all-women’s college in the Rocky Mountain Region. The college started with shared values among founders, faculty, and students, and has used this unity to become a catalyst for personal, professional, and global change. A variety of class options allow students to complete a degree on a more flexible schedule. For example, courses may be offered once per week, in an intensive two-week format, or partially or entirely online. CWC runs on the quarter system, giving students a two-week interim between each quarter to take a class or study abroad. Tuition cost: $44,178

Hollins University was founded in 1842 as Valley Union Seminary and is one of the oldest higher education institutions for women in the nation. The university is located on the border of Roanoke and Botetourt counties in Virginia. About 800 students are enrolled in Hollins’s all-female undergraduate and coeducational graduate programs. Hollins encourages students to learn, explore, and create as they become leaders and culture shapers. Because this kind of creative leadership is in high demand, 97 percent of graduates are employed or in graduate school within a year of finishing a degree program at Hollins. Tuition cost: $35,635

The College of Saint Benedict is a Roman Catholic liberal arts women’s college in St. Joseph, Minnesota. The college enrolls around 2,000 students and has a partnership with Saint John’s University, a men’s college in neighboring Collegeville. The university welcomes students of all faiths, although 54 percent of students are Catholic. For more than 150 years, the college has been making its own coarse-grained bread and using the proceeds to fund special projects. Almost 90 percent of Saint Benedict students return after their first year. About 18 percent of the college’s graduates go to graduate school, and 79 percent enter career-related positions or service work. Tuition cost: $40,846

Located in Greensboro, North Carolina, Bennett College was founded in 1873 to educate newly emancipated slaves. The private liberal arts school for women is historically black and is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Bennett welcomes faculty and students from diverse backgrounds and nourishes a culture of open inquiry, active scholarship, and personal empowerment. Undergraduate majors and minors are offered in the divisions of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education, and Natural and Behavioral Sciences/Mathematics. Other academic programs include Africana Women’s Studies, the Center for Global Studies, and the Honors Program at Bennett College. Tuition cost: $18,150

Salem College, founded in 1772 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, is the oldest institution for women’s education in the Southern United States. Salem began as a primary school and later became a girl’s academy, before being converted to a college. The school has 945 undergraduate students and about 200 graduate students, including men who are 23 or older. All students are required to take Salem Signature courses, which develop skills and practices such as critical thinking, communication, quantitative reasoning, global awareness, and gender inquiry. The school runs on a 4-1-4 calendar, requiring four courses each term and one course each January. Tuition cost: $26,236

The College of Saint Elizabeth is a private, Roman Catholic women’s college in New Jersey’s Morris Township and Florham Park. CSE was New Jersey’s first four-year Catholic college for women and one of the first Catholic colleges in the nation to award degrees to women. A total of around 2,000 students are enrolled, including about 50 men who attend part-time. Bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees are offered at Saint Elizabeth, as are a variety of professional certificates and ministry preparation programs. Every area of study features challenging courses paired with abundant resources and support, such as cross-registration opportunities with nearby partner institutions. (Ed. note: As of fall 2016, the College of St. Elizabeth will be fully co-educational.)Tuition cost: $31,688

Mary Baldwin College, located in Stauton, Virginia, is a private liberal arts university originally founded as the Augusta Female Seminary. MBC is one of Virginia’s three women’s colleges and offers undergraduate degrees for women and graduate degrees for women and men. About 2,500 students are enrolled and led by 79 full-time and 59 part-time faculty members. Mary Baldwin boasts an educational experience that is personalized, experiential, and relevant. The entire college experience at MBC—from courses and research to community service and study abroad—is designed to equip students for a meaningful life, based on what they like to do and who they want to become. Tuition cost: $30,331

Located 12 miles from Lynchburg, Virginia, Sweet Briar College is a women’s liberal arts college occupying 3,250 acres in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Sweet Briar’s 40 undergraduate programs, three pre-professional programs, and two graduate degree programs play a part in empowering young women to reshape their world according to their passions. Activities such as student government, outdoor programs, and campus events train Sweet Briar women to incorporate into their lives the lessons they learn outside of the classroom. Sweet Briar offers an undergraduate degree in Equine Studies, riding facilities, and individual courses as part of the Riding Program. Tuition cost: $34,935

Wesleyan College, the oldest member of the Seven Sisters of the South, is a liberal arts women’s college in Macon, Georgia. The college’s 200-acre campus and the surrounding district is on the National Register of Historic Places. Founded in 1836, Wesleyan was the world’s first college chartered to grant degrees to women. Wesleyan students come from more than 20 countries to study in one of the college’s 31 undergraduate majors, eight pre-professional programs, and dual degree programs in engineering. Both men and women are allowed into Wesleyan’s Executive Master of Business Administration and Master of Education in Early Childhood Education programs. Tuition cost: $20,290

Located in Midway, Kentucky, Midway University is an independent, liberal arts university affiliated with the Christian Church. Midway is the only women’s college in the state of Kentucky and offers two- and four-year degree programs. Each major offered is built on a liberal arts foundation, but is also career focused. Midway has high-quality athletic and riding teams, as well as a beautiful campus. In addition to associate’s and bachelor’s degree programs, students can engage in pre-professional and honors programs at Midway. The university offers evening and online options, as well as dual enrollment for high school juniors and seniors to gain college credit. Tuition cost: $22,000

The College of Saint Mary, located in Omaha, Nebraska, is the only Catholic women’s university within a five-state area. About 1,000 students are enrolled in 30 undergraduate and seven graduate degree programs. A Saint Mary education is focused on helping women bloom into leadership in the areas of arts and sciences, business, education, health and human services, and legal studies. Students reach their leadership potential through classroom experience, campus activities, local projects, and study abroad opportunities. Within six months of commencement, 92 percent of graduates are either employed or pursuing advanced education. Tuition cost: $28,964

Founded in 1881 as the Atlanta Baptist Female Seminary, Spelman College is a historically black, liberal arts women’s college in Atlanta, Georgia. Spelman has graduated such notable alumae as Harvard Dean Evelynn Hammonds, Sam’s Club CEO Rosalind Brewer, and Pulitzer Prize winner Alice Walker. Spelman offers 27 majors and opportunities to study in even more fields through the school’s partnerships in the Atlanta University Center and abroad. The Spelman MILE, or My Integrated Learning Experience, is a curriculum that creates a holistic education, connecting rigorous coursework with applied and service learning experiences. Tuition cost: $26,388

Founded in 1932 by the Sisters of Mercy, the University of St. Joseph is a Roman Catholic women’s college with a coeducational graduate program. About 5,500 students are enrolled, engaging in a rigorous Jesuit education on the university’s 105-acre campus. Classes at USJ tend to be small, with an average of only 14 students. There are 25 undergraduate majors and 45 minors offered, as well as graduate and adult learning programs. Summer courses and online degree programs are available for those who need more flexibility. Students can choose from more than 45 countries to study abroad, either individually or on a faculty-led learning trip. Tuition cost: $36,140

Bay Path University, located in Longmeadow, Massachusetts, offers bachelor’s degrees for women and master’s degrees for both men and women. Students can enroll in courses on Bay Path’s 62-acre suburban campus or through the first ever all-women online college. BPU was founded in 1897 with the goal of providing practical, affordable, and career-oriented education. The school maintains this vision, offering degree programs that connect classroom learning to careers and leadership experience. More than 27 clubs and organizations allow students even more opportunities to connect active experience with what they learn in the classroom. Tuition cost: $31,785

Cottey College is an independent, liberal arts and sciences college for women. The college is located in Nevada, Missouri, and is owned by a philanthropic women’s organization called the P.E.O. Sisterhood. There are currently about 300 students enrolled and 45 faculty members, allowing for small classes, often with fewer than 10 students. More than 90 percent of faculty, which includes both men and women, hold terminal degrees. Cottey College values community, inside and outside of the classroom. Students live in apartment-style suites designed with a kitchen, living room, and single or double bedrooms occupied by 10 or 12 women. Tuition cost: $19,300

Judson College, located in Marion, Alabama, is the fifth oldest women’s college in the United States. The college is affiliated with the Alabama Baptist Convention and was named after Ann Hasseltine Judson, the first female missionary from the United States to Burma. Judson prepares students for purposeful lives by growing in knowledge, faith, service, and character. Judson students choose from 20 academic majors, 22 minors, 10 pre-professional programs, and an associate’s degree. Science, humanities, fine arts, and social science programs provide not only classroom education, but enriching experiences such as studying abroad and forming meaningful relationships with professors. Tuition cost: $16,838

Moore College of Art and Design was founded in Philadelphia in 1848 as the first women’s art school in the United States. The school offers bachelor’s degrees for women as well as coeducational graduate programs. A small undergraduate enrollment of only 412 students creates an intimate and collaborative environment in which to learn, experiment, and grow. Undergraduate tudents can choose from ten majors leading to a BFA, while graduate students earn either MA or MFA degrees. Moore students can engage in special programs such as paid student teaching internships and international study in places like London and Rome. Tuition cost: $30,048