Centenary named Top National Liberal Arts College by U.S. News & World Report
Centenary College of Louisiana has been named a Top National Liberal Arts College in the 2027 edition of the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings, released Sept. 22. Centenary ranked No. 132 among National Liberal Arts Colleges and No. 121 on the Top Private National Liberal Arts College on U.S. News’ new list.
The College was a Top Performer in Social Mobility, ranking No. 45. That ranking recognizes colleges that enroll and graduate a large share of students who receive federal Pell Grants. Those grants help low-to-moderate income families pay for college. Every admitted Centenary student receives some form of financial assistance.
“Recognition as a Top National Liberal Arts College tells students and their families that an excellent education and an affordable one are not mutually exclusive,” said Dr. Christopher Holoman, president of Centenary College. “Just over 40% of our students receive Pell Grants, and we are proud to help them earn degrees that open doors for the rest of their lives.”
Centenary’s student-to-faculty ratio is 9-to-1, and nearly two-thirds of classes have 20 or fewer students. The College currently has a 94% medical school acceptance rate and partners with many institutions to give students a clear path to graduate and professional study in fields such as medicine and law.
The 2027 Best Colleges rankings compare more than 1,700 colleges and universities using up to 17 measures of academic quality and graduate success. Schools are first grouped by category. National Liberal Arts Colleges focus almost exclusively on undergraduate education and award most of their degrees in the arts and sciences. Student outcomes account for more than half of each school’s score, including graduation and retention rates, graduation rates of Pell Grant recipients and graduates’ earnings. This year, U.S. News added a new measure comparing graduates’ earnings four years after graduation with typical earnings in the same fields of study. U.S. News publishes the Best Colleges rankings each year to help prospective students and families compare undergraduate programs.