The higher education system in Vermont is one the rest of the country should take note of.
With a 78 percent retention rate, the highest in the nation, Vermont knows how to get people into college and keep them there. The reasons for this are plentiful.
Foremost, Vermont has many organizations promoting and creating opportunities for students, both those that are state run and independent. For example, the Vermont Higher Education Collaborative is a non-profit that seeks to improve education outcomes for students, especially those with high needs, by addressing those needs while they're still children and teens. Meanwhile, the Vermont Student Assistance Corp has given over $630 million in grants and scholarships and has helped students save over $230 million to make college a reality.
All of that to say, Vermont's opportunities and options mean no matter your situation, if you want to attend school, you can. And if life situations make online learning the best option, be sure to check out our Top Online Colleges in Vermont as well!
Accredited Online College Programs
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What are the Best Colleges and Universities in Vermont?
Vermont students are privileged with many higher education options, as there are over twenty colleges and universities in the state, spanning the large public institution to the small, private liberal arts school. Despite the differences, the schools we've listed below are, hands down, the best in the state. How we determined such a definitive list was by way of thorough data mining in a few key areas: the academic reputation of each school; the school's retention rate (an indicator of student happiness); the tuition rates; and finally, the return on investment, that is, how much graduates earn in the early years of their career. After organizing this immense amount of information we were able to distill the best of the best: those with high academic standards, opportunities for student formation, and lower attendance cost. Thus, the following are the best colleges and universities in Vermont. Our figures and information come from the university and colleges' websites, PayScale, and nationally recognized U.S. News & World Report and The National Center for Education Statistics.
Rankings
See our rankings methodology page.
