Colleges with the Smallest Student–Faculty Ratios
Colleges don't publish true class-size distributions, so this ranks the closest public measure: students per faculty member (IPEDS). Four-year colleges with at least 500 undergrads and regular freshman admissions — small ratios usually mean seminar-style classes and professors who know your name.
College
Ratio
1Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, Massachusetts3:12California Institute of TechnologyPasadena, California3:13University of ChicagoChicago, Illinois5:14Carnegie Mellon UniversityPittsburgh, Pennsylvania5:15Yale UniversityNew Haven, Connecticut5:16Duke UniversityDurham, North Carolina5:17Princeton UniversityPrinceton, New Jersey5:18Mercy College of OhioToledo, Ohio5:19Northwestern UniversityEvanston, Illinois6:110Columbia University in the City of New YorkNew York, New York6:111Stanford UniversityStanford, California6:112Brown UniversityProvidence, Rhode Island6:113Johns Hopkins UniversityBaltimore, Maryland6:114Rice UniversityHouston, Texas6:115United States Military AcademyWest Point, New York6:116Williams CollegeWilliamstown, Massachusetts6:117Amherst CollegeAmherst, Massachusetts6:118University of North Carolina School of the ArtsWinston Salem, North Carolina6:119Gallaudet UniversityWashington, District of Columbia6:120Baptist Health Sciences UniversityMemphis, Tennessee6:121Manhattan School of MusicNew York, New York6:122Washington University in St LouisSt. Louis, Missouri7:123Tulane University of LouisianaNew Orleans, Louisiana7:124Harvard UniversityCambridge, Massachusetts7:125Dartmouth CollegeHanover, New Hampshire7:126United States Air Force AcademyUSAF Academy, Colorado7:127University of RichmondUniversity of Richmond, Virginia7:128Yeshiva UniversityNew York, New York7:129Vassar CollegePoughkeepsie, New York7:130Wellesley CollegeWellesley, Massachusetts7:131Barry UniversityMiami, Florida7:132Washington and Lee UniversityLexington, Virginia7:133Pomona CollegeClaremont, California7:134Swarthmore CollegeSwarthmore, Pennsylvania7:135Marymount Manhattan CollegeNew York, New York7:136Lawrence UniversityAppleton, Wisconsin7:137Roberts Wesleyan UniversityRochester, New York7:138United States Coast Guard AcademyNew London, Connecticut7:139Mercy College of Health SciencesDes Moines, Iowa7:140California Institute of the ArtsValencia, California7:141Chamberlain University-CaliforniaRancho Cordova, California7:142Earlham CollegeRichmond, Indiana7:143New York UniversityNew York, New York8:144University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania8:145University of Notre DameNotre Dame, Indiana8:146Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, Tennessee8:147United States Naval AcademyAnnapolis, Maryland8:148Wesleyan UniversityMiddletown, Connecticut8:149Middlebury CollegeMiddlebury, Vermont8:150Skidmore CollegeSaratoga Springs, New York8:151Smith CollegeNorthampton, Massachusetts8:152Trinity UniversitySan Antonio, Texas8:153Clark UniversityWorcester, Massachusetts8:154Carleton CollegeNorthfield, Minnesota8:155Rhode Island School of DesignProvidence, Rhode Island8:156Nazareth UniversityRochester, New York8:157Davidson CollegeDavidson, North Carolina8:158Mount Saint Mary's UniversityLos Angeles, California8:159Hillsdale CollegeHillsdale, Michigan8:160Haverford CollegeHaverford, Pennsylvania8:161Claremont McKenna CollegeClaremont, California8:162Bryn Mawr CollegeBryn Mawr, Pennsylvania8:163Allegheny CollegeMeadville, Pennsylvania8:164Dominican University of CaliforniaSan Rafael, California8:165Bay Path UniversityLongmeadow, Massachusetts8:166New England CollegeHenniker, New Hampshire8:167California College of the ArtsSan Francisco, California8:168Harvey Mudd CollegeClaremont, California8:169Washington CollegeChestertown, Maryland8:170New College of FloridaSarasota, Florida8:171The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and ArtNew York, New York8:172Westminster UniversitySalt Lake City, Utah8:173Whittier CollegeWhittier, California8:174Massachusetts College of Liberal ArtsNorth Adams, Massachusetts8:175Centenary College of LouisianaShreveport, Louisiana8:176Ursuline CollegePepper Pike, Ohio8:177Hollins UniversityRoanoke, Virginia8:178Randolph CollegeLynchburg, Virginia8:179Saint Elizabeth UniversityMorristown, New Jersey8:180Sterling CollegeSterling, Kansas8:181Mount Carmel College of NursingColumbus, Ohio8:182University of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles, California9:183Cornell UniversityIthaca, New York9:184Drexel UniversityPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania9:185Berklee College of MusicBoston, Massachusetts9:186Saint Louis UniversitySaint Louis, Missouri9:187The New SchoolNew York, New York9:188Case Western Reserve UniversityCleveland, Ohio9:189University of RochesterRochester, New York9:190University of DenverDenver, Colorado9:191Northeastern Illinois UniversityChicago, Illinois9:192Pratt Institute-MainBrooklyn, New York9:193Bucknell UniversityLewisburg, Pennsylvania9:194Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health SciencesBoston, Massachusetts9:195Hope CollegeHolland, Michigan9:196School of Visual ArtsNew York, New York9:197Colgate UniversityHamilton, New York9:198College of the Holy CrossWorcester, Massachusetts9:199Baker CollegeOwosso, Michigan9:1100University of PortlandPortland, Oregon9:1
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Student–faculty ratio — computed from the US Department of Education College Scorecard. Four-year colleges with at least 1,000 undergraduates unless noted.