Hidden U.S. Gems: 2018

For this, our most prestigious Hidden Gems list, we’ve featured the highest-ranking gem school in each US state—including Washington DC! These schools are truly diamonds in the rough!

At College Raptor, we help students find colleges that fit them financially, socially, and academically–which means looking at more than just big name universities. That’s why we’re drawing attention to smaller colleges across the nation which deserve consideration, but may be initially overlooked because of their size.

To qualify as a College Raptor Hidden Gem, a school must have the following requirements:

• Receive fewer than 5,000 applications a year
• OR  less than 40th percentile of applications received by all schools in that state
• Have fewer than 7,000 undergraduate students enrolled

ALASKA

University of Alaska Southeast

• Location: Juneau, AK
• Student Enrollment: 2,800
• College Type: Public, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Rank: 1,551

Situated on Auke Bay, UAS has a scenic campus. The university has a 9:1 student to faculty ratio, and nine residence halls–most of which are named after elements of nature native to Alaska. Though UAS no longer has an intercollegiate sports program, students can participate in a wide array of intramural sports. Spike the Humpback Whale is the school’s mascot.

ALABAMA

Samford University

• Location: Birmingham, AL
• Enrollment: 5,206
• College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 346

The most popular majors on Samford’s campus are Pharmacy, Registered Nursing, Journalism, Finance, and Psychology. The university boasts a first year retention rate of 89%. Students cheer on the Bulldogs while wearing the school colors–red and blue. 65% of the students on campus are women.

ARKANSAS

Hendrix College

• Location: Conway, AR
• Student Enrollment: 1,338
• College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 228

Hendrix College has an ancient Greek phrase as its school motto: εἰς ἄνδρα τέλειον–Unto the whole person. The college is located 30 miles out from Little Rock. Incoming freshmen score an average of 26–32 on the ACT and an average of 1170–1410 on the SAT. Hendrix has an acceptance rate of 77%.

ARIZONA

Arizona State University–West

• Location: Glendale, AZ
• Student Enrollment: 3,619
• College Type: Public, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Rank: 241

Commonly known as ASU West, the campus focuses on interdisciplinary and collaborative programs in the liberal arts and sciences, education, and business to prepare students for the 21st-century workforce. ASU West was the first to offer an undergraduate degree from the Thunderbird School of Global Management. ASU West is also an environmentally friendly campus, generating nearly all of its electricity from a 4.6MW on-site solar array.

CALIFORNIA

Pitzer College

• Location: Claremont, CA
• Student Enrollment: 1,067
• College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Rank: 112

Just over 4,000 applications are sent to this school every year. Pitzer is quite selective, with an acceptance rate of just 13.5%. 93% of the freshman class stick around for their next academic year. The most popular major on campus is a tie between Environmental Science and Psychology. Pitzer’s school colors are orange and white, and their mascot is Cecil the Sagehen.

COLORADO

Regis University

• Location: Denver, CO
• Enrollment: 8,725
• College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
• College Raptor: 605

This Roman Catholic affiliated school has played host to a number of notable people over the years including: Desmond Tutu, the Dalai Lama, Elie Wiesel, Pope John Paul II, and over a dozen Nobel Peace Prize recipients. Registered Nursing is, by far and away, the most popular major on campus, followed by Business Administration.

CONNECTICUT

Connecticut College

• Location: New London, CT
• Student Enrollment: 1,922
• College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 87

Tucked into a historic New England seaport town, the Connecticut College campus also serves as a 750 acre arboretum. Offering 41 majors, the most popular are Economics, Psychology, and Biology.  Conn’s Connection platform is reinventing what a liberal arts education looks like while its 85 year old honor code creates a spirit of trust between students and faculty.  

WASHINGTON, DC

Catholic University of America

• Location: Washington, DC
• Student Enrollment: 6,521
• College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
• College Raptor: 342

Located in “Little Rome” just outside DC, this university is the only in the country to be founded by U.S. Catholic bishops. It has an acceptance rate of 80% and a 7 to 1 student to faculty ratio. Most students attending this school come from New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Maryland, and Virginia.

DELAWARE

Wesley College

• Location: Dover, DE
• Student Enrollment: 1,650
• College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 1,557

With its motto of “Great Things Await”, Wesley College admits about 60% of students who apply to their school. There is a 15:1 student-to-faculty ratio on campus, where Registered Nursing is the most popular major–quickly followed by Kinesiology & Exercise Science. Lacrosse and soccer are favorite sports among students.

FLORIDA

Ringling College of Art and Design

• Location: Sarasota, FL
• Student Enrollment: 1,262
• College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 379

Animation, Illustration, Game Design, Cinematography, Graphic Design, and Photography are among the many artistic majors offered on this campus. Ringling’s mascot is Remy the Armadillo. Notable alumni include: make-up artist Michelle Phan, singer-songwriter Nick Pitera, cartoonist John Marshall, and Bret Iwan–the official voice of Mickey Mouse.

GEORGIA

Mercer University

• Location: Macon, GA
• Student Enrollment: 8,600
• College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 360

Of the 4,836 applications sent in last year, Mercer accepted 3,336 of them–or about 69%. 60% of the students on campus are women. Mercer offers a 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Their school colors are orange and black which students wear to cheer on the Mercer Bears at sporting events. 

HAWAII

Brigham Young University-Hawaii

• Location: Laie, HI
• Student Enrollment: 2,718
• College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 965

The motto of this Mormon-affiliated university is “Enter to learn, go forth of serve.” Students at BYU Hawaii are expected to follow an honor code, part of which includes academic honesty and dressing habits. The campus is located on the island of Oahu and is not very far from the ocean.

IOWA

Drake University

• Location: Des Moines, IA
• Student Enrollment: 4,991
• College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 208

Founded in 1881, this university was named after famed Civil War general Francis Marion Drake. Incoming freshmen score an average of 25–30 on the ACT and an average of 1150–1340 for the SAT. Most students attending Drake come from Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois. The university is well known for the Drake Relays, which draw athletes from around the world, including Olympians.

IDAHO

Northwest Nazarene University

• Location: Nampa, ID
• Student Enrollment: 2,207
• College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 825

The three most popular majors at Northwest Nazarene are Business Administration, Elementary Education, and Registered Nursing. It has a 95% acceptance rate and more than double the number of undergraduate than graduate students. Their athletic teams are known as the Crusaders.

ILLINOIS

Wheaton College

• Location: Wheaton, IL
• Student Enrollment: 2,929
• College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 92

Established in 1860 to provide excellence in Christian higher education, Wheaton is known for its education through a Christian-based worldview. It offers 40 undergraduate and 14 graduate degrees. Wheaton’s location just 25 miles west of Chicago provides its students a smaller community close to the amenities of a major U.S. city.  The Wheaton Thunder compete in NCAA Division III athletics.

INDIANA

DePauw University

• Location: Greencastle, IN
• Student Enrollment: 2,265
• College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Rank: 150

Originally known as Indiana Asbury University, DePauw is a member of the Great Lakes College Association and is affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal Church. It was renamed in honor of Washington DePauw, a donor who established the university’s School of Music. The school’s 21 athletic teams compete in black and gold and are cheered on by their mascot, Tyler the Tiger.

KANSAS

Benedictine College

• Location: Atchison, KS
• Student Enrollment: 2,189
• College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 611

Initially founded by two monks, the modern Benedictine College was created when St. Benedictine’s College merged with Mount St. Scholastica College in 1971. There is a near even split in terms of gender between the students on campus–51% are men, and 49% are women. Their mascot is the Raven, and their colors are black and red.

KENTUCKY

Centre College

• Location: Danville, KY
• Student Enrollment: 1,367
• College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 119

Founded by Presbyterian leaders, Centre College rarely cancels classes, even on federal holidays like Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Labor Day. Its athletic teams compete in NCAA Division III as the Colonels, and school colors are gold and white. The average Centre student has an ACT score of 26–31 and an SAT score of 1,180–1,390.

LOUISIANA

Nicholls State University

• Location: Thibodaux, LA
• Student Enrollment: 6,158
• College Type: Public, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 1,140

Located on a former historic plantation, Nicholls State is just 50 miles from New Orleans. The motto of this university is “People Creating Possibilities” with many possible majors to study including: Business, Psychology, Petroleum Technology, Culinary Arts, Biology, and Family Consumer Science. The Nicholls Colonels sport the colors red and grey.

MASSACHUSETTS

Wellesley College

• 

  Flickr user Soe Lin

  Location: Wellesley, MA

• Student Enrollment: 2,510
• College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 39

One of the original Seven Sisters Colleges, Wellesley is perhaps one of the most famous women’s colleges in the world. Notable alumni include: screenwriter Nora Ephron, professor/songwriter Katharine Lee Bates, journalist Diane Sawyer, and politician Hillary Clinton. The most popular major on campus is Economics.

MARYLAND

St. Mary’s College of Maryland

• Location: St. Mary’s City, MD
• Student Enrollment: 1,735
• College Type: Public, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 135

Despite it’s name, St. Mary’s is a non-secular school. It’s name gives homage to the city where it’s based. Of all the students on campus, a whopping 98% are undergraduate students. St. Mary’s has a 87% first year retention rate and a six year graduation rate of 81%. The campus is located on the banks of the St. Mary’s River.

MAINE

University of New England

• Location: Biddeford, ME
• Student Enrollment: 7,794
• College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 520

This scenic campus is nestled right between the Saco River and the Atlantic Ocean. Known for its health sciences programs, it should come as no surprise that the most popular majors on campus are Registered Nursing, Health Services, Biomedical Sciences, and Dental Hygiene. UNE has a 13:1 student to faculty ratio.

MICHIGAN

Hope College

• Location: Holland, MI
• Student Enrollment: 3,392
• College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 184

Located near both Lake Macatawa and Lake Michigan, the name and seal of this institution are drawn from the Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte, who said “This is my anchor of hope for this people in the future.” Of the nearly 8,900 applications sent in in 2016, 61% of the applicants are admitted. Offering over 90 ares of study, the most popular majors are Business Administration, Psychology, and Biology. 

MINNESOTA

Gustavus Adolphus College

• Location: Saint Peter, MN
• Student Enrollment: 2,379
• College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 190

Gustavus Adolphus has Swedish and Luthern origins, and those influences are still felt on the campus today. The incoming freshmen score, on average, between a 24 and 30 on the ACT, and between 1110 and 1340 on the SAT. The college has a 65% acceptance rate, and a four year graduation rate of 80%. The black and gold Gusties compete in NCAA Division III athletics on their hilltop campus.

MISSOURI

Rockhurst University

• Location: Kansas City, MO
• Student Enrollment: 2,825
• College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 347

“Sapientia Aedificavit Sibi Domum” is the motto of this university, which translates to: Wisdom has built herself a home. Rockhurst has an 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio and most popular majors of Nursing, Business Administration and Kinesiology. Their athletic teams play as the Hawks, and some of the most popular sports on campus include: baseball, basketball, golf, lacrosse, and soccer. 

MISSISSIPPI

William Carey University

• Location: Hattiesburg, MS
• Student Enrollment: 4,224
• College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 596

A knight is featured on this university’s crest, which makes sense as they’re known as the Crusaders. They sport three school colors–red, black, and white. Of the 825 applications sent in, William Carey accepted 420 of them last year, giving the school an acceptance rate of 50.9%. The most popular major on campus is Psychology.

MONTANA

Carroll College

• Location: Helena, MT
• Student Enrollment: 1,469
• College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 558

Carroll College’s sports teams are known as the Fighting Saints, though their speech and debate teams are known as the Talking Saints. Carroll has an acceptance rate of 71%. They are known for their health science programs, so it’s no surprise that their three most popular majors on campus are Health Services, Biology, and Registered Nursing.

NORTH CAROLINA

University of North Carolina at Asheville

• Location: Asheville, NC
• Student Enrollment: 3,891
• College Type: Public, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 451

“Levo Oculos Meos In In Montes” is the school motto, which translates to: I lift my eyes to the mountains–an appropriate slogan as the university is near the Appalachian range. UNC Asheville is also nestled next to three national forests and a national park. The university has an acceptance rate of 76%.

NORTH DAKOTA

University of Mary

• Location: Bismarck, ND
• Student Enrollment: 2,872
• College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 688

The University of Mary’s campus is in a rural setting, just south of the state’s capitol. The school has a first year retention rate of 80%, and the most popular major is Business. The athletic teams are known as the Marauders, and their colors are orange and blue. Football, track, baseball, and wrestling are popular sports for students to cheer on.

NEBRASKA

Nebraska Wesleyan University

• Location: Lincoln, NE
• Student Enrollment: 2,049
• College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 501

Nebraska Wesleyan has an acceptance rate of 74%. With 88% of the students on campus being undergraduates, Registered Nursing, Business, Biology, Social Work, and Psychology are the most popular majors on this campus. They are known as the Prairie Wolves, and their school colors are black and gold. 

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Saint Anselm College

• Location: Manchester, NH
• Student Enrollment: 1,927
• College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 259

This small college has attracted many big-name speakers–especially politicians. Speakers have included a number of former presidents: Barack Obama, Ronald Reagan, Richard Nixon, and JFK among others. They have a four year graduation rate of 70% and most popular majors include Nursing, Criminology, and Business.

NEW JERSEY

Drew University

• Location: Madison, NJ
• Student Enrollment: 2,082
• College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 377

Drew University has been used as a filming location for several notable movies and tv shows, including: The Incredible Hulk, the Sopranos, and Friday Night Lights. The school has an acceptance rate of 57% and student-to-faculty ratio of 10:1. Blue and green are the school colors of the university.

NEW MEXICO

New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

• Location: Socorro, NM
• Student Enrollment: 2,150
• College Type: Public, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 693

Well-known for an array of scientific programs, the five most popular majors on New Mexico Tech’s campus are: Mechanical Engineering, Petroleum Engineering, Biology, Chemical Engineering, and Computer Science. This institute has a student-to-faculty ratio of 11:1. Their most notable alumni is Conrad Hilton, founder of the Hilton Hotels chain.

NEVADA

Nevada State College

• Location: Henderson, NV
• Student Enrollment: 3,534
• College Type: Public, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 1,493

The campus is located near the McCullough mountain range, giving it a scenic feel. They have a first year retention rate of 71% and an acceptance rate of 76%. 99% of the students attending the school are from Nevada. The Scorpion is the mascot of this public college, where the school colors are black and gold.

NEW YORK

Sarah Lawrence College

• Location: Bronxville, NY
• Student Enrollment: 1,643
• College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 159

Named in honor of the wife of founder William Van Duzer Lawrence, this college was originally intended to be an arts and humanities school for women. Today, though coeducational, there are still far more women on campus–72.3% of the undergraduates are female students. They have a student-to-faculty ratio of 9:1 giving the school a close-knit feel.

OHIO

Franciscan University of Steubenville

• Location: Steubenville, OH
• Student Enrollment: 2,716
• College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 289

Fortitude and Prudence is the motto of this Catholic-affiliated university. There are several interesting people among the alumni, including royalty–Princess Alexandra and Prince Sebastien of Luxembourg both studied there. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Theological Studies is the most popular major. Their school colors are the unique Vegas gold and forest green.

OKLAHOMA

Oklahoma City University

• Location: Oklahoma City, OK
• Student Enrollment: 2,991
• College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 534

OCU has a number of notable alumni among its graduates. Broadway actress Kristin Chenoweth, opera-singer Leona Mitchell, actress Kelli O’Hara, All-American wrestler Chas Skelly, among others. The most popular majors include Nursing, General Studies, and Music Teacher Education. Starsky the Ram is the mascot of OCU, where the school colors are blue and white.

OREGON

Linfield College–McMinnville Campus

• Location: McMinnville, OR
• Student Enrollment: 1,700
• College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 391

All students attending the Linfield College -McMinnville Campus are undergraduates, with about 464 freshman. A majority are from the West Coast, though some do come from Ohio, Colorado, and Texas. With a student to faculty ratio of 11 to 1, approximately 82% of students will stay at the college after their first year.

PENNSYLVANIA

Haverford College

• Location: Haverford, PA
• Student Enrollment: 1,233
• College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 36

Founded by Quakers in 1833, Haverford College offers 31 majors, the most popular of which are Psychology, Biology, Chemistry, Economics, and English. The average ACT and SAT scores for this school are 30–34 and 1,350–1,530 respectively. The campus is a national arboretum, the oldest in the country.

RHODE ISLAND

Rhode Island School of Design

• Location: Providence, RI
• Student Enrollment: 2,481
• College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 123

Known as one of the best design schools in the country, RISD has a host of artistic majors to study: Illustration, Product Design, Graphic Design, Architecture, and Painting are the five most popular. They have a 93% first year retention rate, and a four year graduation rate of 69%. Students come from all around the country to study here with 15.52% from California.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Wofford College

• Location: Spartanburg, SC
• Student Enrollment: 1,660
• College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 216

Wofford has a 71% four year graduation rate, and a 11:1 student to faculty ratio.Despite being located in Spartanburg, the mascot of Wofford is actually the Terrier. Old gold and black are the school colors, which students and athletes wear at the popular soccer, football, tennis, and baseball games. 

SOUTH DAKOTA

Augustana University

• Location: Sioux Falls, SD
• Student Enrollment: 1,837
• College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 414

The average test scores of incoming freshmen are 23–29 for the ACT, and 1060–1300 for the SAT. 88% of the students on this campus are undergraduates. Augustana has an acceptance rate of 69%. Most students come from the surrounding Midwestern states, primarily: South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Iowa.

TENNESSEE

Rhodes College

• Location: Memphis, TN
• Student Enrollment: 2,063
• College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 137

The academic environment at Rhodes places emphasis on small class sizes, student research, and writing. Of the 4,670 applications the university receives each year, 2,190 are accepted, making the overall acceptance rate 47%. The school’s colors are cardinal and black, and its mascot is the lynx.

TEXAS

Austin College

• Location: Sherman, TX
• Student Enrollment: 1,255
• College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 240

The incoming freshmen at this college score, on average, between a 23 and 29 on the ACT, and between 1080 and 1310 on the SAT. They have a 72% four year graduation rate. A large majority of the students are from Texas. Psychology is the most popular major on this campus. Tennis, volleyball, basketball, and football are some of the sports enjoyed on campus.

UTAH

Westminster College

• Location: Salt Lake City, UT
• Student Enrollment: 2,821
• College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 522

Westminster has an 84% acceptance rate. They have a 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio, giving courses a more individualized feeling. About 50% of the student body comes from Utah, but many others come from Colorado, Idaho, and California. Purple and copper are the school colors, and their mascot is the Griffin.

VIRGINIA

Virginia Military Institute

• Location: Lexington, VA
• Student Enrollment: 1,717
• College Type: Public, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 232

VMI’s school motto is definitely a reflection of their military-affiliations–“In peace a glorious asset, in war a tower of strength.” On this campus, the five most popular majors are Civil Engineering, International Relations & Affairs, Economics, History, and Biology. Their interesting mascot is Moe the Kangaroo.

VERMONT

Champlain College

• Location: Burlington, VT
• Student Enrollment: 4,006
• College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 487

Champlain College is named after the famous lake that is located near the campus. Fittingly, their mascot is Chauncey T. Beaver. There is a near even split of gender on campus, at 51% being male students and 49% being women. Champlain has a 82% first year retention rate, and Business Administration is the most popular major.

WASHINGTON

Whitman College

• Location: Walla Walla, WA
• Student Enrollment: 1,470
• College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 88

Whitman’s inspirational school motto of “Per ardua sergo” translates to: Through adversities I rise. The most popular majors on this campus are Biology, Psychology, Biochemistry / Molecular Biology, and Political Science. Almost 4,000 applications are sent to this private liberal arts school each year.

WISCONSIN

Lawrence University

• Location: Appleton, WI
• Student Enrollment: 1,557
• College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 175

Lawrence is both a liberal arts college and a conservatory of music. With such an artistic background, it should come as no surprise that Music Performance is the most popular major. They are known as the Vikings, and their school colors are navy and white. Fencing, ice hockey, and swimming are popular sports on campus.

WEST VIRGINIA

Wheeling Jesuit University

• Location: Wheeling, WV
• Student Enrollment: 1,385
• College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 729

With a 10:1 student to faculty ratio, Wheeling has a small college feel. Most of the students come to the university from Ohio, Pennsylvania, and, of course, West Virginia. Their latin motto–Luceat Lux Vestra–means Let your light shine. Red, black, and gold make up the school’s colors.

WYOMING

University of Wyoming

• Location: Laramie, WY
• Student Enrollment: 12,648
• College Type: Public, 4-year or above
• College Raptor Ranking: 663

The University of Wyoming is both a flagship school and a land grant college. The largest majors include Nursing, Psychology, and Elementary Education. They have a NCAA Division I-FBS athletic classification. UWyo has two mascots–Cowboy Joe and Pistol Pete, with Cowboy Joe being a live pony, and Pistol Pete a costumed student. Their school colors are brown and and gold.

About our 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.

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