Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming industries and driving demand for skilled professionals. It’s shifting the skills and degrees needed for an everchanging workforce. As a result, colleges have begun offering AI degrees and certification programs. If becoming certified in AI sounds like a good path for you, don’t miss these “hidden gem” colleges that will put you on the right path for a career in Artificial Intelligence.
2025 Hidden Gem Colleges for AI
Harvey Mudd College offers programs only related to Science and Engineering. It has a low 13% acceptance rate, 97% first year retention rate, and 8 to 1 student-to-faculty ratio. Part of the Claremont Colleges, their colors are black and gold. The men’s teams are known as the Stags and the women are known as the Athenas.
Location
Claremont, CA
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
922
Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering is a newer college established in 1997. Half of a student’s tuition is actually covered by the Olin Scholarship. The three majors offered are General Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering. With a 99% first year retention rate, the college also has a 8:1 student-to-faculty ratio and 92% of students will graduate within 6 years.
Location
Needham, MA
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
386
Sharing a campus with Cascadia College, University of Washington's Bothell Campus is actually the largest campus branch in the state. Over 95% of students are from Washington. UW Bothell has over 50 majors, to most popular of which are Computer Science, Registered Nursing, and Business Administration. 85% of students stay at the school after their first year.
Location
Bothell, WA
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
5,735
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, also known as Cooper Union, accepts just 19% of applicants. The school also boasts a high first year retention rate of 93% and has a 9:1 student to faculty ratio. Top Majors at the schools include Fine/Studio Arts, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, and Chemical Engineering.
Location
New York, NY
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
958
“Scientiæ Cedit Mare,” or “the sea yields to knowledge,” is the motto of the United States Coast Guard Academy. It was founded in 1876 and is the smallest of the five academies for service in the United States. The most popular major is Political Science and Government, General, but Oceanography, Business Administration and Management, and Mechanical Engineering are also top choices.
Location
New London, CT
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
1,037
Bryn Mawr is a highly selective school, with an acceptance rate of about 31%. A distinguished women’s college, Bryn Mawr is part of the Seven Sisters College consortium, expanding students’ academic opportunities. With an 90% first year retention rate, Bryn Mawr also has a 8:1 student-to-faculty ratio.
Location
Bryn Mawr, PA
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
1,742
Grove City College is a non-denominational college that has a high acceptance rate of 73% and they receive around 2,000 applications annually. Almost half the students that attend are from Pennsylvania, and another majority come from surrounding states. With an 88% first year retention rate, 75% of students will graduate in 4 years.
Location
Grove City, PA
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
2,316
Centre College’s motto is “Doctrina Lux Mentis,” or “Learning is the Light of the Mind.” The college accepts 54% of applicants and there is a $0 application fee. The school's top majors are Economics, Psychology, Biology, Physiological Psychology, and International/Global Studies.
Location
Danville, KY
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
1,357
Wheaton College was founded by evangelical abolitionists in 1860 and would become a stop on the Underground Railroad. Business is by far the most popular major at the school. Athletic teams are known as The Thunder. They wear blue and orange and compete in the NCAA Division III in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin.
Location
Wheaton, IL
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
2,885
Yeshiva University, a research university in Manhattan, has four schools that make up the undergraduate program: Yeshiva College, Stern College for Women, Katz School of Science and Health, and Syms School of Business. Campuses, buildings, and facilities can also be found in other NYC boroughs and in Israel. Yeshiva has a 64% acceptance rate and 92% first year retention rate.
Location
New York City, NY
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
6,056
Wabash College is a small undergraduate men’s school. They accept 63% of applicants and it is free to apply. The student paper, The Bachelor, has been in publication since the early 1900’s. Rhetoric and Composition, Economics, and Political Science and Government are among the popular majors.
Location
Crawfordsville, IN
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
835
Also known as K College, Kalamazoo College is the leading producer of Peace Corps members out of small liberal arts colleges. Their motto is “Lux Esto,” which is Latin for “Be Light.” The most popular major is Biology, followed by Business, Psychology, and Chemistry. Kalamazoo College has an 86% first year retention rate.
Location
Kalamazoo, MI
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
1,210
Abraham Lincoln once called VMI the “West Point of the South.” This military college is located on the Maury River in the Shenandoah Valley. Red, yellow, and white make up the official colors of the VMI Keydets sports teams. VMI has an acceptance rate of 82% (and $0 application fee), a first-year retention rate of 82%, and a six-year graduation rate of 82%.
Location
Lexington, VA
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
1,512
Muhlenberg College is a small private, liberal arts college about an hour and half north of Philadelphia. Over 70% of students who attend this Lutheran college come from three states - Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York. The school has a 64% acceptance rate and about 99% of students who decide to attend will receive institutional grant aid.
Location
Allentown, PA
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
1,959
Founded in 1854, Wofford College is one of the few southeastern schools that was founded prior to the American Civil War that still exists today. The school has an 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio and an 89% freshman retention rate. Wofford has a terrier for a mascot and students wear old gold and black in support of Wofford.
Location
Spartanburg, SC
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
1,823
Founded in 1937, Westmont College’s motto is Christus Primatum Tenens, which is Latin for “Christ Holding Preeminence.” The school was initially a Bible Missionary Institute but would become Westmont College only 3 years later. 97% of those attending the college receive institutional grant aid (about $29,640 on average per student).
Location
Santa Barbara, CA
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
1,284
Partnered with Saint John’s University for men, the College of Saint Benedict is exclusively for women. The school got its start in 1913 with only six students. Today, resources are shared between the two campuses, a partnership that began in 1955. They have an 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio, 89% first year retention rate, and 79% four-year graduation rate.
Location
Saint Joseph, MN
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
1,470
100% of students who attend Ursinus College receive grant aid from the school ($41,089 per student on average). Sitting on a 170-acre campus, the college has several programs that promote STEM including the Supporting Inclusive Excellence program and Science in Motion. The most popular majors among students are currently Applied Economics and Biology/Biology Sciences.
Location
Collegeville, PA
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
1,527
Taylor University offers over 50 different undergraduate programs, some of the most popular being Elementary Education and Teaching, Business Administration and Management, and Cinematography and Film. There are around 400 student-athletes at Taylor University and they are known as the Trojans wearing purple and gold.
Location
Upland, IN
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
2,221
Saint John’s University is a men’s school, and the brother college of St. Benedict - an all women’s school. Their partnership began in 1955 and the two joined 1961. Over 90% of faculty possess a doctorate or terminal degree. Business Administration and Management, Accounting, and Economics are popular majors at SJU.
Location
Collegeville, MN
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
1,645
Saint Anselm College is the third oldest Catholic college in New England, having been founded in 1889. The school has been the site of presidential policy speeches from John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon as well as several national presidential debates. 100% of students receive institutional aid from the school ($29,355 on average).
Location
Manchester, NH
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
1,977
Lawrence University was the second coeducation institution (founded in 1847) in the US. The three most popular majors are Music Performance, Biology, and Econometrics and Quantitative Economics. Offering only bachelor’s degrees to students, many alumni have gone into careers in politics, music, and sports. The campus sits along the winding Fox River.
Location
Appleton, WI
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
1,426
Drew University goes by the nickname “University of the Forest” due to the fact it is on an 186 acre wooded campus. The school’s motto is “δωρεὰν ἐλάβετε, δωρεὰν δότε”, which is Greek for "Freely ye have received, freely give” from Matthew 10:8. Blue and green are the school colors and the sports teams are known as the Rangers.
Location
Madison, NJ
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
2,092
The Florham Campus of the Fairleigh Dickinson University opened in spring of 2013, and the university itself has campuses in New Jersey, Canada, and the UK. Classes are also available online. With a 80% first year retention rate, students often major in Psychology, Biology, and Registered Nursing, and Business Administration and Management.
Location
Madison, NJ
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
2,823
Messiah University has a 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio and a first year retention rate of 86%. Originally the Messiah Bible School and Missionary Training House in 1909, the school would become a college in 1951 and a university in 2020. Students have to sign a Community Covenant if they decide to attend the school.
Location
Mechanicsburg, PA
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
3,231
What Does AI Do?
AI technology enables computers and various machines to simulate human intelligence. Its applications are diverse and expanding rapidly. Currently, AI is used to:
- Write and Debug Code
- Translate Text
- Write Articles
- Explain Complex Topics
- Answer Questions
- Brainstorm Ideas
- Produce Reading Passages
- Write Essays and Resumes
- Edit and Proofread
- Generate Art
AI’s potential extends beyond these functions and it is increasingly utilized in fields like customer service, data management, cybersecurity, robotics, and automation. As industries continue to adopt and innovate with AI, new and unique applications will emerge.
Why Should I Consider Studying AI at a “Hidden Gem” College?
Studying AI will train you on the skills needed to adapt and thrive in a rapidly evolving workplace. This will open doors to a wide range of career opportunities such as AI specialists, machine learning engineers, data scientists, and automation consultants.
While only a few colleges offer specific AI majors, many institutions provide related, valuable programs. Relevant fields include:
- Electrical and Electronics Engineering
- Computer Science
- Mathematics
- Statistics.
The core curriculum in these areas focuses on applying mathematical and scientific principles to technology design, development, and operation. Students will study topics like inference, robotics, machine learning, ethics, data science, and more, preparing them to develop and implement AI solutions in real-world scenarios.
3 More Great Reasons to Study AI at a Hidden Gem College
- The top 25 rankings AI colleges overall average a 28% acceptance rate. Alternatively, the schools on this list hidden gem list have an average 66% acceptance rate, making these schools easier to get into.
- They are still in the top 500 of overall rankings!
- It’s $71 on average to apply to a school on our top 25 ranked AI college. The average cost to apply to a hidden gem AI college? $26! And, 13 of the 25 schools have a $0 application feel. So these could be great “safety” or “match” schools that you can apply for at a lower cost.
Methodology
Colleges are ranked based on a combination of factors, including graduation rates, campus diversity, endowment per student, and other data as reported via the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) for the most recently available enrollment year. Some colleges may have been excluded from rankings based on certain criteria, including specialization and classification. Learn about our full methodology.
For this list we also consider strength in fields related to AI. Colleges are just beginning to offer majors dedicated to the AI field. However, many existing programs work with AI on an everyday basis. So for the purposes of this list, we include the best colleges in the US based on programs like computer science, electrical engineering, and mathematics. Factors include total number of degrees conferred in these programs each year as well as the proportion of students majoring in these fields relative to the overall student body. In addition, schools must also meet the following criteria:
- Receive fewer than 5,000 applications per year.
- Have fewer than 7,000 undergraduate students.
- Offer 5 or more unique majors.
- Have a 10% acceptance rate or higher.
Preparing for the Future
Whether you’re a current professional or a student planning your future, you need to be prepared for the introduction and ongoing use of AI in the workspace. Understanding AI can equip you with the skills you need to advance and secure a job in an ever-evolving workplace.
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