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Allegheny College, one of the nation’s oldest and most innovative four-year colleges where multidisciplinary learning breaks the conventional mold, has been named one of the top 30 best liberal arts colleges in the U.S. in Washington Monthly’s 2021 college rankings. Allegheny rose to No. 26 in the Washington Monthly rankings, up from No. 34 last year.

The Washington Monthly rankings are unique in that they recognize not only what colleges do for their students but also what colleges are doing for the country. The rankings rate institutions of higher learning based on the degree to which they:

• Recruit and graduate students of modest means
• Produce the scholarship and scholars that drive economic growth and human flourishing
• Encourage students to be active citizens and serve their country

“We are honored that Washington Monthly has again recognized Allegheny College’s commitment to access and affordability, the research experiences our faculty provide for students, and our engagement with communities near and far from campus,” said Allegheny President Hilary L. Link. “This national recognition also reflects the importance and impact of Allegheny College’s distinctive approach to education, which empowers students to consider multiple perspectives as they learn to solve problems and make a difference in the world.”

This marks the ninth consecutive year Allegheny has been featured among the best liberal arts colleges in the nation by Washington Monthly. Detailed methodology for the rankings is available here.

This recognition is the latest in a string of accolades that highlight Allegheny’s quality and value:

• In its 2021 rankings, U.S. News and World Report named Allegheny among the top 100 best national liberal arts colleges and one of the top 20 best for undergraduate teaching. Allegheny was also recognized among the top 30 most innovative national liberal arts colleges, based on innovative enhancements in terms of curriculum, faculty, students, campus life, technology or facilities.
• Colleges That Change Lives, a leading national voice in the field of college choice, has featured Allegheny since 1996, highlighting the college’s focus on personalized, student-centered learning and undergraduate research opportunities.
• The Princeton Review named Allegheny one of the nation’s best institutions for undergraduate education in the 2021 publication of “The Best 386 Colleges.”
• In 2021 rankings, Allegheny was also recognized as one of the top 50 best value national liberal arts colleges, based on both academic quality and cost, by U.S. News and World Report and as a Best Value College, based on stellar academics, affordable cost and strong career prospects for graduates, by The Princeton Review.
• Allegheny earned the No. 56 spot nationally in the 2021 Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education rankings of the best liberal arts colleges in the U.S. The rankings are based on ​​student outcomes, including graduates’ salaries and debt; academic resources, including how much the college spends on teaching; and student engagement.

Visit the Admissions Office website to learn more about applying for admission to Allegheny.

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About Allegheny College

Allegheny College, founded in 1815, is one of the nation’s oldest and most innovative four-year colleges where multidisciplinary learning breaks the conventional mold. It is one of the few colleges in the United States with a unique requirement to choose both a major and minor for graduation, to provide students with a cross-disciplinary path in the sciences and humanities for educational depth and intellectual growth. Located in Meadville, Pennsylvania, Allegheny College is one of 40 colleges featured in Loren Pope’s “Colleges That Change Lives.” In its 2021 rankings, U.S. News & World Report recognized Allegheny College in its Top 20 Best in Undergraduate Teaching and Top 30 Most Innovative National Liberal Arts Colleges.