Kalamazoo College is again drawing national attention for its quality in higher education with three national publications—Forbes, Washington Monthly and Money—ranking the institution among the top colleges and universities in the country. 

Forbes placed K as the top private school in Michigan and listed it third in the state overall through the 2026 America’s Top Colleges list. That recognition places the College No. 153 in the country regardless of size, location or public/private status. The business, finance and investing publication emphasized return on investment, alumni success, graduation rates, post-graduation debt and student outcomes in selecting the 500 institutions honored. Forbes also ranked K 46^th among the nation’s top schools with fewer than 4,000 students and credited the College on its list of 25 private schools that award generous financial aid.  

K is featured on two lists through Washington Monthly, finishing 30^th on both: The Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars and Best Bang for the Buck Colleges (Midwest). Washington Monthly editors have touted their lists of top colleges as an antidote to the U.S. News & World Report rankings. U.S. News heavily considers factors such as colleges’ reputations, wealth and their students’ SAT scores, which are often correlated with the income of students’ families. In comparison, Washington Monthly’s rankings are meant to measure accessibility, affordability and commitment to certain social ideals, with data points including colleges’ voter-registration rate and the percentage of degrees they award in fields such as health and education.