Best Christian Colleges in the U.S.

The following list will help you begin your search for the school that’s a match for you.

Some of the world’s most influential people have discovered life-transforming experiences on the campuses of Christian colleges across the U.S. For many believers, college is a place where academics and faith intersect; a place where life forever changes. As a believer, it is important to look beyond the academic opportunities many campuses offer. If you are in the process of seeking a solid, four-year university that will foster the growth of your faith while providing a firm foundation for learning, then consider the following list as a tool to guide you. But allow God to direct your final decision.

Asbury College, Wilmore,
Kentucky. A nondenominational Christian, liberal arts institution, Asbury College has a foundation that stems from a Wesleyan-Holiness tradition. The school offers 50 majors across 17 departments and was ranked third in 2007 among comprehensive colleges in the South by U.S. News & World Report. The school now ranks in the third tier of national liberal arts colleges, according to the same publication. For more information, visit asbury.edu.

Biola University, La Mirada, California. A private, nondenominational university located near Los Angeles, Biola University is known for its conservative theology. The school has several satellite campuses located in Chino, Inglewood, Palm Desert, San Leandro, Thousand Oaks, San Diego, San Bernardino and Laguna Hills, California. In addition, the school has launched a Messianic Jewish studies center in Manhattan, New York. For more information, visit biola.edu.

Emmanuel College, Franklin Springs, Georgia. Emmanuel College is a small college with an enrollment of an estimated 700 students that is affiliated with the International Pentecostal Holiness Church. The school, a little more than an hour’s drive from Atlanta, offers a variety of spiritual enrichment activities and athletic programs. For more information, visit ec.edu.

Evangel University, Springfield, Missouri. Associated with the Assemblies of God, Evangel University is a private liberal arts university that has as its motto “Boldly Christian. Unquestionably Academic.” The school was recently named by the Best Christian Workplaces Institute as “one of the best Christian places to work in the U.S.” Many are attracted to the school because it offers an online, e-learning experience in addition to its traditional curriculum. For more information, visit evangel.edu.

John Brown University, Siloam Springs, Arkansas. An interdenominational liberal arts college, John Brown University was founded in 1919 and boasts locations in Siloam Springs, Rogers, Little Rock and Fort Smith, Arkansas. The 200-acre main campus has an estimated 1,700 undergraduate students from 40 states and 45 countries. The school competes in the Sooner Athletic Conference. In 2007 it was ranked fourth among baccalaureate colleges in the Southern region by U.S. News & World Report. For more information, visit jbu.edu.

Lee University, Cleveland, Tennessee. Located in the foothills of the Appalachians, Lee University is a private, co-educational university that was founded in 1918 and is affiliated with the Church of God. Lee is emerging as a leader in higher education in the Southeastern region, having been ranked in 2008 in the “top tier” in the South by U.S. News & World Report for comprehensive, medium-size universities. The school is also ranked by Princeton Review’s Best Colleges and is currently one of 136 colleges named “best” in the Southeast. For more information, visit leeuniversity.edu.

Oral Roberts University, Tulsa,
Oklahoma. Located on more than 260 acres in south Tulsa, Oral Roberts University (ORU) is a charismatic liberal arts university with an enrollment of more than 3,700 students from the U.S. and abroad. Founded by Oral Roberts in 1963, the school offers 63 undergraduate majors, 14 master’s programs and two doctoral degrees. ORU’s largest major is pastoral Christian ministry. For more information, visit oru.edu.

Palm Beach Atlantic
University, West Palm Beach, Florida. An evangelical, liberal arts university, Palm Beach Atlantic University has a curriculum that is dedicated to the development of “lifetime learning, leadership and service to mankind.” The school, which held its first classes in 1968, has an enrollment of more than 3,200 students and offers nine schools of study. The school was founded by Jess C. Moody, retired minister and teacher. For more information, visit pba.edu.

Regent University, Virginia Beach, Virginia. Founded in 1978 by Christian Broadcasting Network founder Pat Robertson, the school offers more than 30 courses of study and awards associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees. In addition to its main campus, Regent has a satellite campus located in Alexandria, Virginia, and offers extensive distance education programming. For more information, visit regent.edu.

Southeastern University, Lakeland, Florida. Established in 1935, Southeastern University became a liberal arts college in 1970 and is affiliated with the Assemblies of God. The school’s mission is to “create and engender a community of authentic Christian faith conducive to successful living and learning.” Southeastern University offers bachelor’s and master’s programs and has an enrollment of more than 3,000 students. For more information, visit seuniversity.edu.

Taylor University, Upland, Indiana. A private, interdenominational, evangelical college, Taylor University was founded in 1846 and is one of the oldest evangelical Christian colleges in the U.S. In addition to its 918-acre main campus in Upland, Indiana, the college maintains a second location in Fort Wayne, Indiana. It houses nearly 2,000 students from some 44 states and 23 countries and was ranked by U.S. News & World Report’s America’s Best Colleges 2008 as No. 1 among baccalaureate colleges in the Midwest Region, an area that includes 95 schools. For more information, visit taylor.edu.

Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois. A private, evangelical, liberal arts college, Wheaton College is located in the Chicago suburb of Wheaton, Illinois, which sits 25 miles west of the larger city. The school is listed in Loren Pope’s Colleges That Change Lives and is ranked 59 out of more than 266 national liberal arts colleges in the 2008 edition of U.S. News & World Report’s America’s Best Colleges. The school has an enrollment of close to 3,000 students, 500 of whom are graduate students. For more information, visit wheaton.edu.