National Rankings | Westmont College
Source: https://www.westmont.edu/about/college-profile/national-rankings
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:24
National Rankings | Westmont College
National Rankings
COLLEGE PROFILE
Westmont Soars in Latest Rankings
For two decades,
U.S. News and World Report’s Best Colleges
list has ranked Westmont as the
top Christian liberal arts college in California and the Western U.S.
In the 2025 edition,
Westmont appears at No. 108 (tied)
among all national, not regional, liberal arts colleges. And, Westmont remains one of the
top Christian liberal arts colleges in California
, listed among 10 other liberal arts schools in the state. Overall, it’s one of only two nationally ranked in the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities.
Westmont is a top performer on the U.S. News Social Mobility ranking, which measures how well schools enrolled and graduated students who received federal Pell Grants. U.S. News also included Westmont in its national rankings of top undergraduate economics programs.
Westmont’s U.S. News score improved in faculty resources rank, student-to-faculty ratio (9.9), faculty salary rank, peer assessment score and college grads earning more than a high school grad (85%).
Money
Westmont College has been recognized as one of
Money’s Best Colleges in America 2025!
Money's analysis showcases the country's top 732 colleges based on graduation rates, cost of attendance, financial aid, alumni salaries and more.
Read Article
U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News and World Report’s
10 Destination West Coast College Towns
says “for many students, attending college in a beach town is an easy sell. Santa Barbara offers a palm-lined beachfront location on the Pacific Ocean.”
Read Article
Payscale
Payscale rankings report shows Westmont graduates (all alums) in the
top 7% for all 1,539 bachelor-degree institutions in the U.S. in mid-career salaries
(median after 10+ years of experience), earning an average salary of $146,800. Westmont graduates who only earn a bachelor’s degree are in the top 9% of mid-career earnings with an average salary of $137,900.
Read Article
Forbes
Forbes’ List of America’s Top Colleges 2025 spotlights Westmont, which is in the
top-10 small colleges in California
. It is also included in Forbes lists for Best in Private Colleges, in Liberal Arts Universities and in the West.
Read Article
WorldAtlas
WorldAtlas ranked Santa Barbara as
No. 3 in its Best College Towns in Californi
a. “Not only beloved for the towns refreshing coastal scenery, picture-perfect architecture, and perfect climate often described as Mediterranean and dubbed the American Riviera, Santa Barbara also boasts great opportunities for higher education.”
Read Article
The Fiske Guide to Colleges 2025
The Fiske Guide to Colleges 2025 includes Westmont in its review of more than 300 of the
“best and most interesting” colleges in the U.S., Canada and UK
.
Read Article
College Raptor
College Raptor highlights Westmont as a Hidden Gem and
No. 3 overall in Hidden Gem D2 Schools
, focusing on smaller schools that compete in NCAA DII.
Read Article
Colleges of Distinction
Classic Excellence. National Impact.
Westmont has been named a
College of Distinction
, a prestigious designation awarded to schools whose commitment to engaged, experiential education sets them apart. This recognition is based on Colleges of Distinction’s unique evaluating criteria known as the Four Distinctions: Engaged Students, Great Teaching, Vibrant Community, and Successful Outcomes.
The 2025-2026 Business College of Distinction is awarded to Westmont’s
undergraduate business program
, which balances classroom theory with real-world application, preparing graduates to lead with confidence, integrity and agility.
The 2025-2026 Career Development badge is given to Westmont for its exceptional commitment to preparing students for lifelong career success. Westmont has demonstrated a clear dedication to
helping students translate their college experience into meaningful careers.
The 2025-2026 Education College of Distinction award recognizes Westmont’s proven ability to graduate
confident, compassionate and classroom-ready teachers
.
The 2025-2026 badge of distinction for excellence in Engineering reflects Westmont’s dedication to
preparing future engineers
through a robust combination of theoretical foundations, hands-on experiences, and multidisciplinary collaboration.
Read More
National Rankings
COLLEGE PROFILE
Westmont Soars in Latest Rankings
For two decades,
U.S. News and World Report’s Best Colleges
list has ranked Westmont as the
top Christian liberal arts college in California and the Western U.S.
In the 2025 edition,
Westmont appears at No. 108 (tied)
among all national, not regional, liberal arts colleges. And, Westmont remains one of the
top Christian liberal arts colleges in California
, listed among 10 other liberal arts schools in the state. Overall, it’s one of only two nationally ranked in the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities.
Westmont is a top performer on the U.S. News Social Mobility ranking, which measures how well schools enrolled and graduated students who received federal Pell Grants. U.S. News also included Westmont in its national rankings of top undergraduate economics programs.
Westmont’s U.S. News score improved in faculty resources rank, student-to-faculty ratio (9.9), faculty salary rank, peer assessment score and college grads earning more than a high school grad (85%).
Money
Westmont College has been recognized as one of
Money’s Best Colleges in America 2025!
Money's analysis showcases the country's top 732 colleges based on graduation rates, cost of attendance, financial aid, alumni salaries and more.
Read Article
U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News and World Report’s
10 Destination West Coast College Towns
says “for many students, attending college in a beach town is an easy sell. Santa Barbara offers a palm-lined beachfront location on the Pacific Ocean.”
Read Article
Payscale
Payscale rankings report shows Westmont graduates (all alums) in the
top 7% for all 1,539 bachelor-degree institutions in the U.S. in mid-career salaries
(median after 10+ years of experience), earning an average salary of $146,800. Westmont graduates who only earn a bachelor’s degree are in the top 9% of mid-career earnings with an average salary of $137,900.
Read Article
Forbes
Forbes’ List of America’s Top Colleges 2025 spotlights Westmont, which is in the
top-10 small colleges in California
. It is also included in Forbes lists for Best in Private Colleges, in Liberal Arts Universities and in the West.
Read Article
WorldAtlas
WorldAtlas ranked Santa Barbara as
No. 3 in its Best College Towns in Californi
a. “Not only beloved for the towns refreshing coastal scenery, picture-perfect architecture, and perfect climate often described as Mediterranean and dubbed the American Riviera, Santa Barbara also boasts great opportunities for higher education.”
Read Article
The Fiske Guide to Colleges 2025
The Fiske Guide to Colleges 2025 includes Westmont in its review of more than 300 of the
“best and most interesting” colleges in the U.S., Canada and UK
.
Read Article
College Raptor
College Raptor highlights Westmont as a Hidden Gem and
No. 3 overall in Hidden Gem D2 Schools
, focusing on smaller schools that compete in NCAA DII.
Read Article
Colleges of Distinction
Classic Excellence. National Impact.
Westmont has been named a
College of Distinction
, a prestigious designation awarded to schools whose commitment to engaged, experiential education sets them apart. This recognition is based on Colleges of Distinction’s unique evaluating criteria known as the Four Distinctions: Engaged Students, Great Teaching, Vibrant Community, and Successful Outcomes.
The 2025-2026 Business College of Distinction is awarded to Westmont’s
undergraduate business program
, which balances classroom theory with real-world application, preparing graduates to lead with confidence, integrity and agility.
The 2025-2026 Career Development badge is given to Westmont for its exceptional commitment to preparing students for lifelong career success. Westmont has demonstrated a clear dedication to
helping students translate their college experience into meaningful careers.
The 2025-2026 Education College of Distinction award recognizes Westmont’s proven ability to graduate
confident, compassionate and classroom-ready teachers
.
The 2025-2026 badge of distinction for excellence in Engineering reflects Westmont’s dedication to
preparing future engineers
through a robust combination of theoretical foundations, hands-on experiences, and multidisciplinary collaboration.
Read More