Berea College Named No. 1 Best College in Washington Monthly’s 2025 College Guide
August 25, 2025
BEREA, Ky. – Berea College has been named the No. 1 Best College for your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars among more than 1,400 institutions in Washington Monthly’s 2025 College Guide and Rankings, earning national recognition for its unwavering commitment to educational access, academic excellence, and service to the public good.
Released today, Washington Monthly has updated its ranking system this year “to provide an even clearer picture of how individual colleges are performing – and to take account of new realities facing higher education.” The rankings “measure how much [colleges] help ordinary middle- and working-class students get ahead, encourage…service, and…drive economic growth.”
“Not every college can be as extraordinarily successful at serving non-wealthy students as Berea, but every college should try, and we hope this top ranking will inspire more of them to do so,” said Washington Monthly Editor in Chief Paul Glastris.
Washington Monthly explains that Berea College students “outperform expectations in every way: graduation rate, debt, and earnings,” while “Berea is laser focused on opening its doors to the people who will benefit the most.”
“Being named the No. 1 Best College by Washington Monthly is a powerful affirmation of Berea’s founding mission—to offer an exceptional education to students of great promise and limited financial means,” said Berea College President Cheryl L. Nixon. “This recognition shines a spotlight on what makes Berea unique: we serve our students, so they can serve the greater good; we provide economic value to our students, so they can bring their values out into the greater world.
“At Berea, we believe every student deserves the chance to learn, serve and lead without the burden of crushing debt. We strive to prove that higher education can be both excellent and accessible, both inspirational and affordable. This ranking celebrates the transformative impact of our students and alumni—we are deeply proud that our emphasis on opportunity and service is being recognized as a model for the nation.”
According to Washington Monthly, this year’s rankings combine all four-year colleges and universities into a single master list of more than 1,400 institutions, which it calls the Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars, allowing readers to see how any college or university – public or private, big or small – stacks up against all the others. Berea is named the No. 1 overall college, No. 1 Best-in-Class College, No. 1 Liberal Arts College, and No.1 Best Bang for the Buck Southern College.
Founded in 1855 as the first interracial and coeducational college in the South, Berea College is guided by its historic Great Commitments – our unique moral framework that includes providing educational opportunity, serving the Appalachian region, fostering interracial and coeducational learning, promoting sustainable living, and preparing graduates for lives of service.
Central to this mission is Berea’s Financial Freedom Pledge – a bold reimagining of financial aid that admits only students that need financial support, provides as much funding as allowed, and ensures every student can graduate free from the debt that limits future opportunity.
This fall, more than 80% of Berea’s entering class will pay nothing to attend – no tuition, housing, food, or fees. Berea provides a tuition-free education as the foundation for a loan-free, worry-free financial future.
Additionally, Berea is one of only 10 federally recognized Work Colleges in the nation, and Berea’s Work College Program further distinguishes the College. Through this unique program, every student works 10-15 hours each week in meaningful campus and community roles. Berea serves as a powerful model of career preparation and workforce development, equipping students with professional skills, leadership experience, and a strong sense of purpose. Berea graduates combine rigorous academic preparation and real-world work skills – ready to build meaningful lives and boldly shape the future.
For more information about Berea College and our unique higher education model, visit www.berea.edu.
To read Washington Monthly’s College Rankings issue, visit www.washingtonmonthly.com.