Current Undergraduate Peers
Washington and Lee University - Current Undergraduate Peers
The University's undergraduate peers are the top rated liberal arts institutions in the United States as ranked by various publications and a wide array of metrics. Although a ranking scheme may have many flaws, the metrics that undergird those schemes have merit when helping to assess and compare institutional inputs, outputs, and efficiencies.
College/University | US News Rank 2018 Edition | US News Rank 2019 Edition | US News Rank 2020 Edition | US News Rank 2021 Edition | US News Rank 2022 Edition | US News Rank 2023 Edition | US News Rank 2024 Edition | US News Rank 2025 Edition |
Amherst College* | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Barnard College | 26 | 25 | 25 | 22 | 17 | 18 | 11 | 14 |
Bowdoin College* | 3 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 5 |
Carleton College* | 8 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 8 |
Claremont McKenna College* | 8 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 8 |
Colby College* | 12 | 18 | 11 | 15 | 17 | 24 | 25 | 25 |
Colgate University | 12 | 16 | 17 | 20 | 17 | 18 | 21 | 22 |
Davidson College* | 10 | 10 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 14 |
Grinnell College* | 18 | 11 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 11 | 19 |
Hamilton College* | 18 | 16 | 14 | 9 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 14 |
Harvey Mudd College* | 12 | 18 | 23 | 25 | 28 | 29 | 16 | 12 |
Haverford College* | 18 | 11 | 11 | 15 | 16 | 18 | 21 | 24 |
Middlebury College* | 6 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 19 |
Pomona College* | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Smith College* | 12 | 11 | 11 | 15 | 17 | 13 | 16 | 14 |
Swarthmore College* | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
University of Richmond | 23 | 25 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 18 | 25 | 22 |
Vassar College* | 12 | 11 | 14 | 13 | 22 | 13 | 16 | 12 |
Washington & Lee University* | 10 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 21 | 19 |
Wellesley College* | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 7 |
Wesleyan University | 21 | 18 | 17 | 20 | 17 | 18 | 11 | 14 |
Williams College* | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
*Represents institution typically ranked in the top 15.
Note: List Excludes Military Academies; includes three Women’s Institutions; Ranking indicates the actual US News Best Colleges rank.
Other institutions that may be considered peers for various comparisons:
College/University | U.S. News - 2021 Edition | US News Rank 2022 Edition | US News Rank 2023 Edition | US News Rank 2024 Edition | US News Rank 2025 Edition |
Bates College | 22 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 26 |
Colorado College | 25 | 26 | 27 | 29 | 29 |
Macalaster College | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 26 |
Bryn Mawr College | 28 | 30 | 31 | 30 | 29 |