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Oberlin College
Oberlin, OH
www.oberlin.edu/ 247 W. Lorain St., Suite C, Oberlin, OH, 44074
What is the Oberlin College Ranking?
The Oberlin College ranking refers to how Oberlin compares to other schools in the United States. The Oberlin ranking will differ based on which source you consult. The most recent Oberlin College ranking in U.S News was #39 on the National Liberal Arts Colleges list. The Oberlin College ranking in Wall Street Journal is currently #63 overall, and #2 for Small Colleges in the Midwest. For the Top Colleges 2022, the Oberlin College ranking in Forbes was #51 in Liberal Arts Universities. The Oberlin College ranking in Princeton Review includes a spot on the Best 388 Colleges.
Each Oberlin College ranking includes different criteria and considers different factors. Academic Influence, which factors the impact of faculty and alumni, has Oberlin ranking #13 out of 1,240 liberal arts colleges. Money.com ranks Oberlin #564 in their Best Colleges in America, Ranked by Value list. U.S. News also ranks Oberlin College quite high on their Most Innovative Schools list with Oberlin ranking #16.
What is Oberlin College known for?
Oberlin College is a private, liberal arts college located in Oberlin, Ohio. Oberlin is best known for its conservatory; however, Oberlin also has a robust liberal arts program. In fact, the U.S. News college rankings include Oberlin at #15 for writing and #41 in undergraduate teaching. Oberlin offers more than 40 academic majors for undergraduate students through the College of Arts and Sciences.
In addition to traditional liberal arts majors, Oberlin offers STEM majors such as Computer Science and Engineering. So, even though U.S. News has Oberlin ranking #39 on their National Liberal Arts Schools list, that doesn’t mean you should rule it out if you’re interested in the sciences. In fact, Oberlin’s Engaged 3-2 Engineering program offers a unique opportunity for students to participate in research and experiential learning.
Is Oberlin College prestigious?
Based on many Oberlin College ranking lists, Oberlin College is considered one of the top liberal arts colleges and conservatories. The Oberlin College ranking in Wall Street Journal has Oberlin College #7 among the best Private Colleges in the Midwest. Furthermore, the Wall Street Journal college rankings list Oberlin College as #2 on their Top 10 Small Colleges in the Midwest.
The Oberlin College acceptance rate is 34%, making it very selective. According to Oberlin college admissions, most incoming students were in the top 25% of their high school graduating class. This makes Oberlin a selective college choice and a prestigious school.
Most reliable Oberlin rankings
With the many Oberlin college ranking values, it can be hard to determine which rankings are the most reliable. The U.S. News college rankings are often the most reported, but other sources are reliable as well. Each ranking agency uses different criteria and therefore, the Oberlin College ranking is different across each source.
The Oberlin College ranking in Forbes is based primarily on student outcomes and salary earnings for alumni. In contrast, the Oberlin College ranking in U.S. News is based on graduation and retention rates, undergraduate academic reputation, and faculty resources. Finally, the Oberlin College ranking in Princeton Review is based on a student survey conducted by the Princeton Review. This survey asks students about different aspects of their college experience.
By comparison, the Oberlin College ranking in Wall Street Journal focuses on the return on investment seen by students post-graduation. The return on investment refers to the average salary compared to the cost of college attendance. In this way, the Wall Street Journal college rankings differ from the other lists included here.
It’s important to know what criteria each source uses in their Oberlin College ranking to help navigate which source is right for you.
Oberlin College Ranking vs. Best Colleges in Ohio
When looking at Ohio schools specifically, the Oberlin College ranking changes. For example, Forbes has Oberlin College ranking #32 on their Best Schools in the Midwest list. Logically, Oberlin College is one of the top schools in the state of Ohio. As one of the top liberal arts colleges in the country, Oberlin ranks high among the best colleges in Ohio.
Considering the Oberlin College ranking both nationally and locally can give you important information on the academics, value, and career opportunities offered by Oberlin. If you are interested in exploring colleges in Ohio, consider booking a visit to Oberlin through the Oberlin College admissions page, here.
College Rankings & Your College List
When conducting your college search, college rankings can help you decide what colleges to put on your college list. The Oberlin College ranking can inform you about student outcomes, salary expectations, alumni connections, and campus life at Oberlin. Researching specific majors you’re interested in can help narrow your search further. For example, you may compare the Oberlin college psychology ranking with other schools to see how the Oberlin ranking compares.
You may also consider Oberlin College admissions information when comparing the Oberlin college rankings with other schools. With an acceptance rate of 34%, Oberlin is considered selective. In light of its acceptance rate and high rankings, Oberlin may be a match or even a reach school for you.
Knowing what factors are personally important in your college search should be step one in your college search. From there, you can compare the different Oberlin College ranking criteria in relation to your priorities. Research each Oberlin College ranking to see what was considered and make sure to focus on the criteria you care most about.
Oberlin Ranking Takeaways
The different Oberlin College ranking lists can help students understand how Oberlin compares to other schools in various aspects. The Oberlin College ranking can provide invaluable information regarding academics, graduation rates, and the value of an Oberlin degree.
In addition to the Oberlin College ranking, it can be helpful to consider the Oberlin reviews reported by students. The U.S. News college rankings—among others—include reviews and ratings from students, alumni, and staff. Reading these Oberlin reviews can help you gain a better understanding of the student body and campus life.
The Oberlin College ranking can be a great place to start your college research. Each list provides up-to-date information and can be a great resource in building your college list.
Oberlin College Admissions
Acceptance Rate 34%
Acceptance Deadline January 15
Oberlin College Tuition
Average Cost* $34,777
Average Total Aid Awarded $49,620
Students Receiving Financial Aid 54.01%
*Average cost after financial aid for students receiving grant or scholarship aid, as reported by the college.
Class Size at Oberlin
Student Faculty Ratio 9:1
Oberlin College Online
Offers Online Courses No
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Oberlin College Enrollment
Full-Time Undergrad Enrollment 2,942
Advisors from Oberlin College
I graduated from the University of Virginia in May 2023 with a Bachelor’s in Sociology and a minor in Entrepreneurship. I loved it! I spent my first year of college at Occidental College, where I was recruited to play lacrosse, and after I realized my academic and personal goals had changed, I transferred to the University of Virginia; with this in mind, I am familiar with recruitment admissions as well as transfer admissions processes. Prior to joining CollegeAdvisor.com, I served as a college advisor at College Contact, where I helped students craft creative, authentic, and compelling essays. I have also served as an Entrepreneurship Advisor for the University of Pennsylvania’s Social Innovators Program. At the end of the day, I am passionate about working with students to craft essays that both creatively tell their authentic stories and allow them to stand out in the college admissions processes. The college admissions process requires self-reflection and authenticity, and I am here to prompt such introspection and help students achieve their true dreams…and have fun doing it!
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Hi! My name is Madison, and I graduated from Swarthmore College in 2021. I majored in Psychology and also studied Studio Art, Economics, and Biology. As a first-generation low-income student, I applied to college through QuestBridge. At Swarthmore, I enjoyed tutoring K-12 students in math, competing in the Collegiate Leadership Competition, and participating in bowling club. I have extensive experience editing essays, and I am excited to help you create an application you’re proud of.
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