College Profile National Rankings

Westmont Soars in Latest Rankings

For the 19th straight year, Westmont, ranked by U.S. News & World Report at No. 107 (tied), is one of the top two national Christian liberal arts colleges and the number one Christian liberal arts college in California and in the Western United States.

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. Westmont rose 14 spots and is ranked at No. 137 (tied) in the social mobility ranking and among the top 10 liberal arts colleges in California.

U.S. News altered its 2024 Best Colleges methodology, eliminating five ranking factors: alumni giving, class size, high school class standing, the proportion of instructional faculty with terminal degrees, and the proportion of graduates who borrowed federal loans. “They were removed from the formula to place greater focus on outcomes measures and to rely on data universally reported by schools or obtainable from third-party sources,” the report says.

U.S. News & World Report

Westmont jumped 16 spots in U.S. News & World Report’s 2024 Best Colleges national liberal arts rankings — the college’s largest rise since 2010. For the 19th straight year, Westmont, ranked at No. 107 (tied), is the number one Christian liberal arts college in the Western U.S. and remains one of the top 10 liberal arts colleges in California.

Payscale

Payscale's Best Universities For a Bachelor’s Degree ranks Westmont at No. 115 (for all alumni), more than 160 spots ahead of any other Christian liberal arts college in the country. Westmont is ranked No. 19 for Best Religious Schools by Salary Potential (for all alumni) and No.31 for Best Liberal Arts Colleges by Salary Potential (for all alumni).

The latest Payscale College Salary Report shows Westmont graduates (all alumni) in the top 7% for all 1,560 bachelor-degree institutions in the U.S. in mid-career salaries (median after 10+ years of experience), earning an average salary of $144,100. Westmont graduates who only earn a bachelor’s degree are in the top 9% of mid-career earnings with an average salary of $133,600.

Forbes

Westmont is listed among Forbes 2023 America’s Top Colleges and has been ranked as an America's Best Value College. Forbes ranks Westmont at No. 82 in Liberal Arts Universities and No. 78 In The West.

Best College Towns

WorldAtlas ranked Santa Barbara as No. 3 in its Best College Towns In Southern California. “California consistently ranks as the top state to live in and competes among the best places in the country to attend college. SoCal towns boast programs in all disciplines like engineering, business, and liberal arts. These towns combine academic excellence with a fulfilling life to relax in between, setting you up for a real payoff.”

Money’s Best Colleges

Money’s 2023 Best Colleges rating, which analyzed more than 700 four-year colleges with a focus on quality, affordability and student outcomes, recognized Westmont with four-out-of-five stars.

Princeton Review

Westmont is among the 2023 Best Colleges: Region by Region. Westmont is one of just 126 colleges in the "Best Western” section, just 23 percent of the nation's four-year colleges. "We salute these colleges in five zones that we consider academically outstanding and well worth consideration in your college search."