Published on: December 8th, 2025

Hillsdale College Ranked 50th Among National Liberal Arts Colleges

Hillsdale ranked among the top institutions in the U.S. News and World Report College Rankings

HILLSDALE, Mich. — U.S. News & World Report announced its 2026 top college rankings
on Sept. 23, and Hillsdale College was ranked 50th among National Liberal Arts Colleges.

“At Hillsdale College, we seek to provide an excellent education that prepares students to perpetuate our heritage of faith and freedom,” said Christopher VanOrman, Hillsdale College provost. “It’s a joy to have our work recognized on the national level once again.”

U.S. News & World Report evaluated more than 1,700 colleges and universities for its survey of undergraduate programs. Among national liberal arts colleges, Hillsdale ranked first for borrower debt, fifth for financial resources, and tenth for first-year retention rate.

Hillsdale College has never accepted federal funding, but it did accept tuition payments from students who received federal loans and grants. Since the Supreme Court ruled that those student loans and grants constituted federal funding, Hillsdale has used only private loans and scholarships.

“It is noteworthy that Hillsdale ranked so highly in the student financial support and debt categories,” said Rich Moeggenberg, director of financial aid. “If our students secure educational loans, they are private loans either through Hillsdale College or another private lender. Historically, our loan default rate is 2%, which is incredibly low, and 99% percent of students receive an average aid package of about $26,000. With numbers like these, I think our U.S. News & World Report rankings are well deserved.”

Hillsdale College has been ranked in the top 100 best liberal arts colleges by U.S. News and World Report each year since 2013. Hillsdale’s other national recognitions include an A+ for financial health in the Forbes College Financial Grades and a place on The Princeton Review’s list of The Best 390 Colleges.

Click here for the complete list of National Liberal Arts College rankings and here to read Hillsdale College’s profile.

About Hillsdale in D.C.

Hillsdale in D.C. is an extension of the teaching mission of Hillsdale College to Washington, D.C. Its purpose is to teach the Constitution and the principles that give it meaning. Through the study of original source documents from American history—and of older books that formed the education of America’s founders—it seeks to inspire students, teachers, citizens, and policymakers to return the America’s principles to their central place in the political life of the nation.

About Hillsdale College

Hillsdale College is an independent liberal arts college located in southern Michigan. Founded in 1844, the College has built a national reputation through its classical liberal arts core curriculum and its principled refusal to accept federal or state taxpayer subsidies, even indirectly in the form of student grants or loans. It also conducts an outreach effort promoting civil and religious liberty, including a free monthly speech digest, Imprimis, with a circulation of more than 5.7 million. For more information, visit hillsdale.edu.