Best Colleges in Vermont (2026)
Updated
Best Colleges in Vermont ranks 7 four-year nonprofit institutions in Vermont. Schools are ordered by Azimuth's overall score for Vermont, highest first.
The score combines four pillars, weighted 30% return, 30% mobility, 20% access and 20% affordability, as set out on Azimuth's methodology page. Vermont State University ranks 1st on this list and posts median earnings of $56,249 for its graduates four years after completing.
The list includes 2 public and 5 private nonprofit schools. Vermont State University reports the lowest average net price at $18,212, while Middlebury College posts the highest six-year completion rate at 91%.
Vermont State University ranks 459th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Median earnings, 4 years after completion | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont State University · Randolph, VT | $56,249 | $18,212 | $14,645 | 81.7% |
| Vermont State University ranks 1st on this list and posts median earnings of $56,249 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 2 | Norwich University · Northfield, VT | $75,909 | $22,257 | $15,610 | 74.4% |
| Norwich University, a private nonprofit university in Northfield, reports a six-year completion rate of 60%. | |||||
| 3 | Middlebury College · Middlebury, VT | $71,188 | $31,483 | $12,723 | 10.8% |
| Middlebury College admits 11% of applicants and carries an average net price of $31,483. | |||||
| 4 | University of Vermont · Burlington, VT | $62,009 | $19,343 | $11,127 | 65.3% |
| University of Vermont shows an average net price of $11,127 for families earning under $30,000 alongside a six-year completion rate of 79%. | |||||
| 5 | Champlain College · Burlington, VT | $71,587 | $35,860 | $28,885 | 82.9% |
| Champlain College reports median earnings of $71,587 for its graduates four years after completing and an admission rate of 83%. | |||||
| 6 | Saint Michael's College · Colchester, VT | $60,903 | $25,239 | $12,825 | 84.5% |
| Saint Michael's College ranks 6th on this list and graduates 73% of its students within six years. | |||||
| 7 | Bennington College · Bennington, VT | $38,899 | $30,947 | $18,480 | 44.5% |
| Bennington College posts an admission rate of 45% and median earnings of $38,899 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Schools are ordered by Azimuth's overall score for Vermont, highest first. The score combines four pillars, weighted 30% return, 30% mobility, 20% access and 20% affordability, as set out on Azimuth's methodology page. The earnings figures cited below are the median earnings of federally aided completers at each institution, across all fields, who were working and not enrolled four years after completing. The list does not adjust for cost or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The seven schools include 2 public and 5 private nonprofit institutions.
Related rankings
- Best Colleges for Social Mobility in Vermont