Business Insider recently released its annual list of the best colleges in America, which emphasized schools with high graduation rates, early-career earnings, and top-notch student life experiences.
The ranking also took into account the annual net cost of each school — the average cost of tuition for all students that applied for financial aid, after accounting for the amount of financial aid received — according to the US government's College Scorecard.
Private colleges dominated the list, with 42 of the top 50 spots. While private schools typically have higher tuition, they also tend to award generous financial aid to students, effectively trimming annual net cost for students, leading to a higher ranking on the overall list.
Here are the top-25 best private colleges in America.
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25. Dartmouth College
Location: Hanover, New Hampshire
Median salary 10 years after enrolling: $67,100
Average SAT score: 1446
Student life score: A-
Annual net cost: $29,597
Dartmouth encourages students to pursue a globally focused education, and the school's flexible calendar— made up of four 10-week terms — lets students decide which seasons to spend on campus and which to take off to travel, volunteer, complete an internship, or conduct research. TheOffice of Undergraduate Research connects students with faculty mentors, helping any undergraduate interested in research find a project to pursue.
24. Claremont McKenna College
Location: Claremont, California
Median salary 10 years after enrolling:$63,600
Average SAT score: 1397
Student life grade: A
Annual net cost: $22,957
Just an hour away from Los Angeles, Claremont McKenna College belongs to the Claremont College Consortium, which allows students to attend small, close-knit classes while also having the option to take courses across seven colleges. CMC offers more than 30 majors and 10 sequences— a group of courses on a subject but not a full major. Its graduates go on to graduate school at top-tier universities such as Columbia, Harvard, the University of Chicago, and Yale.
23. Tufts University
Location: Medford, Massachusetts
Median salary 10 years after enrolling: $67,800
Average SAT score: 1428
Student life score: A
Annual net cost: $29,271
Tufts University is made up of three undergraduate schools: the School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Engineering, and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts. Students have the option to choose from about 150 majors and minors and participate in one or more of Tuft's 341 student organizations. In the Experimental College, students go beyond the typical classroom environment, taking courses such as "Circus and Society" or "American Witches."
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