•AVERAGE: 69
Named for soap magnate William Colgate, whose family financial and institutional support was key to the institution’s early history, Colgate University is a small, elite liberal arts institution in Hamilton, NY. Built in a rural village, and populated with buildings constructed from a university-owned rock quarry, Colgate is notable both for its beauty, and its environmental responsibility, having been given a perfect sustainability score by the Princeton Review. Colgate has long been recognized as one of the top national liberal arts colleges, ranked #12 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.
Academic Programs
With recognition as a “New Ivy” (or “Hidden Ivy,” or “Little Ivy”), Colgate has a reputation for excellence that can match with any of its competitors in the northeast or New England. Colgate offers 55 majors, a 9:1 student/faculty ratio, and deep interdisciplinary opportunities. At least ⅔ of Colgate’s students take advantage of study-abroad projects, giving Colgate a global focus. Student research, from biology to sociology, history to computer science, gives students real-world, hands-on experience that translates to real-world success.Colgate’s excellence is attested by its student success; thanks to Colgate’s national recognition and network of alumni and supporters, around 95% of Colgate’s graduates move on to professional employment, or to graduate education at some of the nation’s most prestigious graduate schools. Furthermore, Colgate has been named by Forbes as one of the top schools for students who want to get rich, standing alongside the most famous Ivy League and polytechnic institutions.
Student Life
Colgate has made a tremendous effort to increase diversity and opportunity, reaching out to populations beyond the traditional liberal arts college. Nearly a quarter of student come from minority groups, while 10% are first-generation college students. Those initiatives have earned Colgate recognition from the Journal of Blacks in Education, and Colgate has been ranked at the top of Payscale’s Social Mobility Index for their ability to raise graduates’ social class – another of the reasons Colgate is known for making graduates wealthy.Colgate’s campus life is also a hotbed for entrepreneurship, culture, and global engagement. The Thought Into Action initiative supports student startups, as well as bringing leading thought leaders to campus for inspiration and motivation. From community sustainability efforts to art and museums, Colgate brings the best in thought and action to the region, fulfilling the liberal arts college mission of keeping human value at the center of culture.