2025 Smaller Class Size and More Opportunities Rankings
The student to faculty ratio is the number of students who attend a school divided by the number of teachers in the institution.
It is an important factor to evaluate colleges because the low student to faculty ratio tends to lead the smaller class sizes and giving more one-to-one learning Opportunities to students in classroom. Higher student to faculty ratio means that an instructor (professor) has more students to take care and the individual class size may be larger. In general, top ranked and well-known colleges have low level of students to faculty ratio and try to keep the ratio low.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology has the lowest number of students per faculty (3 to 1) and University of Chicago has the second lowest number of students (5) based on academic year 2022-2023 college academci data.
Below table ranks and compares the Smaller Class Size and More Opportunities having lowest students to faculty ratio (based on undergraduate rate). For the ranking, we only include 4-year colleges that more than 3,000 students have enrolled in.
Smaller Class Size and More Opportunities
| Rank | College Name | Student Population (undergraduate) | Number of Faculties | Student to Faculty Ratio | Tuition & Fees | Acceptance Rate | Graduation Rate | SAT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA | 4,576 | 1,716 | 3 to 1 | $60,156 | 4.7% | 96% | 1,550 |
| 5 | University of Chicago Chicago, IL | 7,643 | 3,195 | 5 to 1 | $65,619 | 4.8% | 95% | 1,550 |
| 3 | Princeton University Princeton, NJ | 5,671 | 1,241 | 5 to 1 | $59,710 | 4.5% | 97% | 1,540 |
| 18 | Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA | 7,289 | 1,748 | 5 to 1 | $63,274 | 11.4% | 93% | 1,540 |
| 8 | Yale University New Haven, CT | 6,818 | 3,700 | 6 to 1 | $64,700 | 4.5% | 96% | 1,540 |
| 1061 | University of the District of Columbia Washington, DC | 3,297 | 636 | 6 to 1 | $13,004 | - | 26% | - |
| 11 | Northwestern University Evanston, IL | 9,157 | 2,859 | 6 to 1 | $65,997 | 7.2% | 96% | 1,530 |
| 23 | Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD | 6,089 | 4,113 | 6 to 1 | $62,840 | 7.6% | 95% | 1,550 |
| 6 | Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY | 9,111 | 7,286 | 6 to 1 | $68,171 | 4.2% | 95% | 1,540 |
| 10 | Duke University Durham, NC | 6,488 | 4,421 | 6 to 1 | $65,805 | 6.8% | 96% | 1,550 |
| 12 | Brown University Providence, RI | 7,741 | 1,165 | 6 to 1 | $68,230 | 5.2% | 96% | 1,540 |
| 14 | Rice University Houston, TX | 4,574 | 938 | 6 to 1 | $58,128 | 7.9% | 96% | 1,550 |
| 2 | Stanford University Stanford, CA | 8,054 | 4,806 | 6 to 1 | $62,484 | 3.9% | 93% | 1,550 |
| 72 | United States Air Force Academy USAF Academy, CO | 4,124 | 228 | 7 to 1 | - | 13.9% | 88% | 1,350 |
| 62 | Wesleyan University Middletown, CT | 3,066 | 484 | 7 to 1 | $67,016 | 17.1% | 92% | 1,510 |
| 4 | Harvard University Cambridge, MA | 9,095 | 2,448 | 7 to 1 | $59,076 | 3.5% | 97% | 1,550 |
| 21 | Washington University in St Louis Saint Louis, MO | 8,267 | 2,356 | 7 to 1 | $62,982 | 12.0% | 94% | 1,540 |
| 13 | Dartmouth College Hanover, NH | 4,447 | 955 | 7 to 1 | $65,511 | 6.2% | 96% | 1,540 |
| 70 | United States Military Academy West Point, NY | 4,508 | 245 | 7 to 1 | - | 14.0% | 85% | 1,330 |
| 247 | Yeshiva University New York, NY | 3,091 | 1,082 | 7 to 1 | $49,900 | 63.8% | 84% | 1,410 |
| 15 | Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN | 7,152 | 1,628 | 7 to 1 | $63,946 | 6.3% | 93% | 1,540 |
| 210 | University of Richmond University of Richmond, VA | 3,054 | 631 | 7 to 1 | $62,600 | 23.3% | 88% | 1,470 |
| 36 | Tulane University of Louisiana New Orleans, LA | 8,077 | 2,004 | 8 to 1 | $65,538 | 14.6% | 89% | 1,450 |
| 54 | United States Naval Academy Annapolis, MD | 4,465 | 330 | 8 to 1 | - | 9.4% | 92% | 1,300 |
| 1 | Baker College Owosso, MI | 3,572 | 608 | 8 to 1 | $12,810 | 87.5% | 31% | 1,080 |
| 82 | Saint Louis University Saint Louis, MO | 10,519 | 1,334 | 8 to 1 | $53,244 | 81.5% | 80% | 1,340 |
| 25 | New York University New York, NY | 29,760 | 11,413 | 8 to 1 | $60,438 | 9.4% | 88% | 1,530 |
| 2 | School of Visual Arts New York, NY | 3,442 | 986 | 8 to 1 | $49,140 | 91.3% | 75% | 1,330 |
| 7 | University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA | 11,611 | 2,526 | 8 to 1 | $66,104 | 5.9% | 97% | 1,540 |
| 27 | University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA | 21,023 | 3,985 | 9 to 1 | $68,237 | 10.0% | 92% | 1,510 |
| 3 | Rasmussen University-Florida Ocala, FL | 3,034 | 453 | 9 to 1 | $15,485 | - | 51% | - |
| 33 | Emory University Atlanta, GA | 7,359 | 1,999 | 9 to 1 | $60,774 | 11.1% | 92% | 1,520 |
| 19 | University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN | 8,968 | 1,526 | 9 to 1 | $62,693 | 12.4% | 97% | 1,500 |
| 94 | College of the Holy Cross Worcester, MA | 3,035 | 344 | 9 to 1 | $60,850 | 21.1% | 90% | 1,340 |
| 67 | Colgate University Hamilton, NY | 3,131 | 372 | 9 to 1 | $67,024 | 12.0% | 91% | 1,480 |
| 17 | Cornell University Ithaca, NY | 16,051 | 2,145 | 9 to 1 | $66,014 | 8.2% | 95% | 1,520 |
| 354 | The New School New York, NY | 6,841 | 2,138 | 9 to 1 | $56,311 | 62.5% | 71% | - |
| 4 | Pratt Institute-Main Brooklyn, NY | 3,814 | 1,244 | 9 to 1 | $59,683 | 53.2% | 73% | 1,330 |
| 64 | University of Rochester Rochester, NY | 6,764 | 3,081 | 9 to 1 | $64,348 | 35.9% | 84% | 1,480 |
| 84 | Wake Forest University Winston-Salem, NC | 5,471 | 3,075 | 9 to 1 | $64,758 | 21.6% | 91% | 1,460 |
| 78 | Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, OH | 6,186 | 1,485 | 9 to 1 | $64,678 | 28.7% | 87% | 1,490 |
| 461 | University of Portland Portland, OR | 3,136 | 504 | 9 to 1 | $54,900 | 95.4% | 80% | 1,260 |
| 115 | Bucknell University Lewisburg, PA | 3,846 | 405 | 9 to 1 | $64,772 | 32.0% | 86% | 1,370 |
| 122 | Drexel University Philadelphia, PA | 13,589 | 2,159 | 9 to 1 | $60,663 | 77.5% | 77% | 1,330 |
| 5 | Vermont State University Randolph, VT | 4,087 | 792 | 9 to 1 | $21,408 | 83.2% | 49% | - |
| 69 | Santa Clara University Santa Clara, CA | 6,249 | 954 | 10 to 1 | $59,241 | 43.8% | 88% | 1,420 |
| 145 | University of Denver Denver, CO | 6,415 | 1,494 | 10 to 1 | $59,340 | 71.2% | 78% | 1,320 |
| 92 | American University Washington, DC | 7,817 | 1,662 | 10 to 1 | $56,543 | 47.4% | 78% | 1,380 |
| 1227 | Barry University Miami, FL | 3,150 | 1,021 | 10 to 1 | $33,450 | 59.1% | 37% | - |
| 6 | Berklee College of Music Boston, MA | 7,608 | 1,100 | 10 to 1 | $50,270 | 49.9% | 66% | - |
| 42 | Boston University Boston, MA | 18,656 | 4,328 | 10 to 1 | $65,168 | 10.9% | 90% | 1,470 |
| 7 | MCPHS University Boston, MA | 3,477 | 1,100 | 10 to 1 | $38,850 | 85.2% | 63% | 1,205 |
| 32 | Tufts University Medford, MA | 6,877 | 1,584 | 10 to 1 | $67,844 | 10.1% | 93% | 1,510 |
| 167 | Creighton University Omaha, NE | 4,262 | 935 | 10 to 1 | $47,000 | 72.3% | 81% | 1,320 |
| 190 | Stevens Institute of Technology Hoboken, NJ | 4,092 | 538 | 10 to 1 | $60,952 | 43.4% | 90% | 1,440 |
| 24 | Barnard College New York, NY | 3,353 | 395 | 10 to 1 | $66,246 | 8.0% | 93% | 1,510 |
| 491 | Ithaca College Ithaca, NY | 4,368 | 509 | 10 to 1 | $50,070 | 69.9% | 74% | 1,270 |
| 114 | Molloy College Rockville Centre, NY | 3,259 | 711 | 10 to 1 | $37,840 | 75.6% | 72% | 1,170 |
| 351 | Touro University New York, NY | 5,098 | 1,416 | 10 to 1 | $19,528 | 63.0% | 65% | 1,360 |
| 58 | Lehigh University Bethlehem, PA | 5,811 | 674 | 10 to 1 | $62,180 | 29.3% | 89% | 1,430 |
| 306 | Saint Joseph's University Philadelphia, PA | 4,828 | 1,111 | 10 to 1 | $51,340 | 86.4% | 80% | 1,250 |
| 66 | Villanova University Villanova, PA | 7,063 | 1,232 | 10 to 1 | $64,701 | 25.1% | 92% | 1,460 |
| 246 | Seattle University Seattle, WA | 4,137 | 782 | 10 to 1 | $54,285 | 76.1% | 73% | 1,260 |
| 900 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock Little Rock, AR | 5,789 | 513 | 11 to 1 | $22,067 | 57.7% | 41% | 1,040 |
| 324 | University of La Verne La Verne, CA | 3,352 | 732 | 11 to 1 | $49,450 | 48.5% | 65% | 1,115 |
| 76 | Loyola Marymount University Los Angeles, CA | 7,336 | 1,191 | 11 to 1 | $58,489 | 40.3% | 80% | - |
| 430 | University of Hartford West Hartford, CT | 4,131 | 707 | 11 to 1 | $47,647 | 83.0% | 58% | 1,200 |
| 468 | Quinnipiac University Hamden, CT | 6,248 | 1,121 | 11 to 1 | $53,090 | 77.0% | 77% | 1,200 |
| 1079 | Southern Connecticut State University New Haven, CT | 6,781 | 987 | 11 to 1 | $26,104 | 81.1% | 48% | - |
| 600 | Western Connecticut State University Danbury, CT | 3,542 | 495 | 11 to 1 | $16,095 | 81.4% | 50% | 1,010 |
| 398 | The Catholic University of America Washington, DC | 3,139 | 674 | 11 to 1 | $55,834 | 83.8% | 81% | - |
| 26 | Georgetown University Washington, DC | 7,968 | 2,807 | 11 to 1 | $65,081 | 13.1% | 94% | 1,500 |
| 651 | Howard University Washington, DC | 10,190 | 1,460 | 11 to 1 | $33,344 | 34.9% | 69% | 1,200 |
| 55 | University of Miami Coral Gables, FL | 12,883 | 2,049 | 11 to 1 | $59,926 | 18.5% | 84% | 1,400 |
| 769 | Spelman College Atlanta, GA | 3,633 | 302 | 11 to 1 | $30,058 | 34.1% | 76% | 1,180 |
| 238 | Bradley University Peoria, IL | 3,883 | 613 | 11 to 1 | $39,680 | 76.7% | 72% | 1,200 |
| 290 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Carbondale, IL | 8,195 | 1,149 | 11 to 1 | $13,244 | 90.4% | 56% | 1,020 |
| 557 | Butler University Indianapolis, IN | 4,519 | 574 | 11 to 1 | $45,980 | 85.9% | 80% | 1,260 |
| 81 | Brandeis University Waltham, MA | 3,675 | 556 | 11 to 1 | $64,946 | 35.3% | 86% | 1,470 |
| 893 | Fitchburg State University Fitchburg, MA | 3,133 | 388 | 11 to 1 | $17,126 | 89.9% | 53% | 1,110 |
| 568 | Salem State University Salem, MA | 4,853 | 723 | 11 to 1 | $18,961 | 95.6% | 55% | 1,090 |
| 195 | Hope College Holland, MI | 3,368 | 366 | 11 to 1 | $37,670 | 75.9% | 82% | 1,200 |
| 57 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI | 33,730 | 8,810 | 11 to 1 | $60,107 | 17.9% | 93% | 1,470 |
| 482 | University at Buffalo Buffalo, NY | 20,463 | 2,483 | 11 to 1 | $30,572 | 69.3% | 73% | 1,290 |
| 816 | SUNY at Purchase College Purchase, NY | 3,165 | 434 | 11 to 1 | $18,863 | 72.8% | 62% | 1,270 |
| 384 | Elon University Elon, NC | 6,402 | 620 | 11 to 1 | $44,536 | 67.3% | 83% | 1,210 |
| 248 | Xavier University Cincinnati, OH | 4,748 | 712 | 11 to 1 | $48,126 | 87.7% | 71% | 1,190 |
| 282 | Providence College Providence, RI | 4,191 | 505 | 11 to 1 | $60,848 | 48.7% | 88% | 1,330 |
| 279 | LeTourneau University Longview, TX | 3,227 | 300 | 11 to 1 | $35,500 | 40.7% | 61% | 1,270 |
| 154 | Southern Methodist University Dallas, TX | 7,115 | 1,125 | 11 to 1 | $64,460 | 61.2% | 83% | 1,410 |
| 8 | Green River College Auburn, WA | 7,361 | 415 | 11 to 1 | $5,105 | - | 41% | - |
| 668 | University of Alaska Anchorage Anchorage, AK | 10,162 | 817 | 12 to 1 | $21,693 | 66.5% | 29% | - |
| 109 | University of Alaska Fairbanks Fairbanks, AK | 5,638 | 514 | 12 to 1 | $26,404 | - | 32% | - |
| 127 | Chapman University Orange, CA | 7,874 | 1,251 | 12 to 1 | $62,784 | 55.6% | 80% | 1,340 |
| 708 | University of San Francisco San Francisco, CA | 5,729 | 1,132 | 12 to 1 | $58,222 | 50.8% | 71% | 1,300 |
| 9 | Colorado Mountain College Glenwood Springs, CO | 5,673 | 538 | 12 to 1 | $12,540 | - | 26% | - |
| 224 | Fairfield University Fairfield, CT | 4,968 | 728 | 12 to 1 | $56,360 | 45.0% | 84% | 1,310 |
| 1069 | Wilmington University New Castle, DE | 9,355 | 1,390 | 12 to 1 | $12,330 | - | 23% | - |
| 89 | George Washington University Washington, DC | 11,387 | 2,617 | 12 to 1 | $64,798 | 43.5% | 85% | 1,430 |
| 766 | Northeastern Illinois University Chicago, IL | 4,042 | 450 | 12 to 1 | $22,726 | 70.4% | 17% | - |