The best college in Connecticut for 2027 is Yale University in New Haven, followed by Wesleyan University and the University of Connecticut. Connecticut has become well known for its colleges in recent years, from small liberal arts schools to large research universities, and this list covers 25 of them, including regional UConn campuses and the Coast Guard Academy.

If you want to stay close to home, start here. Our order follows the UM World University Rankings methodology and our university rankings. Cost matters too, so see the most affordable cities for students in Connecticut.

The Best Colleges In Connecticut 2027

 

1. Yale University

Yale University in New Haven was founded in 1701 as the Collegiate School, was renamed Yale College in 1718 and became Yale University in 1887. Its central campus covers about 260 acres downtown, and about 15,700 students attend. The endowment is $54.5 billion, the second-largest in higher education.

Undergraduates join a residential college before their first year, and 85% live in a college quadrangle or affiliated dorm. The Yale University Art Gallery was the first university-affiliated art museum in the U.S., and the Center for British Art holds the largest British art collection outside the UK. Yale is affiliated with 74 Nobel laureates, and the class of 2030 admitted 4.2% of applicants.

 

2. Wesleyan University

Wesleyan University in Middletown opened in 1831 as an all-male Methodist college and became secular and coeducational in 1970. About 3,000 students attend, almost all undergraduates. The open curriculum has no required courses, and students choose from 47 majors.

Film Studies and its Cinema Archives are well known, and students can pursue 3-2 engineering programs with Caltech and Columbia. The Cardinals compete in NCAA Division III in the NESCAC, with 29 sports, and their Little Three rivals are Amherst and Williams. Alumni include Lin-Manuel Miranda, Joss Whedon and Bill Belichick. Washington Monthly ranked it third among liberal arts colleges in 2022.

 

3. University of Connecticut

The University of Connecticut (UConn) is the state’s flagship, founded in 1881 as the Storrs Agricultural School. The main Storrs campus covers roughly 4,400 acres, and about 33,500 students attend across its campuses. It is an R1 research university and Connecticut’s largest.

Its men’s and women’s basketball teams have won 18 NCAA championships combined, the most of any program, and it is the only Division I school to win both titles in the same year (2004 and 2014). The Babbidge Library holds over 2.5 million print volumes, and UConn is the only U.S. school offering a master’s degree in puppetry. Its Farmington campus hosts Jackson Laboratory’s genomic medicine lab.

 

4. Trinity College – Connecticut

Trinity College is a liberal arts college on a 100-acre urban campus in Hartford. Founded in 1823 as Washington College, it was renamed Trinity in 1845. About 2,200 students attend, with a 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio.

It offers 41 majors, with political science, economics, and psychology among the most popular. The Bantams compete in NCAA Division III in the NESCAC with 27 varsity teams. Trinity runs a study abroad campus in Rome, established in 1970, and the Trinity Tripod student newspaper started in 1904. The college has been coeducational since 1969 and hosts the Albert Schweitzer Organ Festival for young organists.

 

5. Fairfield University

Fairfield University is a Jesuit university on a 200-acre campus in coastal Fairfield, under 60 miles from New York City. The Jesuits founded it in 1942, and it has about 6,900 students. Its motto is Through Faith to the Fullness of Truth.

Five schools cover arts and sciences, business (Dolan), engineering, nursing and health studies (Egan), and education. Fairfield was admitted to Phi Beta Kappa in 1995 and received 21,299 first-year applications for fall 2025. The Stags compete in Division I in the MAAC, and the university opened a Bridgeport campus in 2023 offering associate degrees to low-income students. Its endowment was $502.7 million in 2025, and it named its first lay president in 2017.

 

6. Connecticut College

Connecticut College sits on a 750-acre hilltop above the Thames River in New London. It was chartered in 1911, opened in 1915 and became coeducational in 1969. About 1,990 undergraduates attend, from about 70 countries, and the student-faculty ratio is around 9.4 to 1.

Psychology, economics and computer science are popular majors among 41 programs. The student-run honour code, in place since 1922, allows self-scheduled, unproctored final exams, and there is no Greek system. The Connecticut College Arboretum is a free public botanical garden. The Camels compete in NCAA Division III in the NESCAC, and men’s soccer won the 2021 national title.

 

7. University of Connecticut – Hartford

UConn Hartford is a regional campus of the University of Connecticut system, in the state capital. Students can start a UConn degree close to home and, with the right courses, finish at Storrs or elsewhere in the system.

Other regional campuses include Stamford, Waterbury and Avery Point, and the main campus in Storrs is about 22 miles east of Hartford, so students can move around the UConn network. UConn is an R1 research university, and its men’s and women’s basketball teams have won 18 NCAA championships combined, so Huskies pride comes with the degree. Check the Hartford campus site for current majors.

 

8. Goodwin University

Goodwin University in East Hartford began in 1962 as the Data Institute Business School, became Goodwin College in 1999, and became Goodwin University in 2020. Its riverfront campus sits on the Connecticut River, on a former oil terminal site that the EPA had designated a brownfield.

The university is strongest in health care and technical fields, with accredited programs in dental hygiene, early childhood education, respiratory care, occupational therapy assistant and nursing (ASN, RN-to-BSN and ABSN). Three magnet schools operate on campus. In 2021, Goodwin took over the University of Bridgeport as a subsidiary, and its mascot is the Navigator. The campus also includes a sculpture by David Hayes.

 

9. University of Saint Joseph

The University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford is a Catholic university founded in 1932 by the Sisters of Mercy as Saint Joseph College. It was the first college for women in the Hartford area and began admitting men to full-time undergraduate programs in fall 2018.

The Olmsted Brothers designed the 84-acre campus, which has 19 mostly Georgian brick buildings around two quadrangles. About 1,950 students attend, and it offers more than 30 bachelor’s and 30 graduate programs, including a Doctor of Nursing Practice and a Doctor of Pharmacy. The Blue Jays compete in Division III in the GNAC.

 

10. University of Connecticut – Stamford

The University of Connecticut – Stamford is a regional UConn campus in downtown Stamford. The campus offers over 20 undergraduate majors, including social work and computer science.

It sits in downtown Stamford, giving students a city setting while they earn a UConn degree. Other regional campuses include Hartford, Waterbury and Avery Point, and the main campus is in Storrs. UConn is an R1 research university, and its men’s and women’s basketball teams have won 18 NCAA championships combined. The full UConn system enrolls about 33,500 students, so Stamford students are part of a large network.

 

11. Sacred Heart University

Bishop Walter W. Curtis of the Diocese of Bridgeport founded Sacred Heart University in 1963. The Fairfield campus sits on more than 300 acres about 50 miles northeast of New York City. It is the second-largest Catholic university in New England, behind Boston College.

Five colleges include the Jack Welch College of Business and Technology and the College of Nursing. The Pioneers play Division I, and the football team won an FCS title in 2001. The university owns and operates WSHU public radio stations and manages the Discovery Museum and Planetarium. It also has campuses in Bridgeport, Stamford, Griswold and Dingle, Ireland.

 

12. Southern Connecticut State University

Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven opened in 1893 as the New Haven State Normal School and became a university in 1983. Its 168-acre campus borders Hamden, and about 8,150 students attend. It is classified R2 for research activity.

It remains a center for teacher education and is the only Connecticut school offering a master’s concentration in autism spectrum disorders. The School of Business moved into a Net Zero Energy building in 2023. In 2019, it became the first U.S. university to declare a climate emergency. The Owls compete in Division II. The Hilton C. Buley Library features four Tiffany stained-glass windows, and U.S. Representative Jahana Hayes is an alumna.

 

13. Central Connecticut State University

Central Connecticut State University opened in 1849 as the State Normal School, making it Connecticut’s oldest publicly funded university. About 10,000 students attend its 165-acre campus, which became a university in 1983.

Four schools cover liberal arts and social sciences, business, education and professional studies, and engineering, science and technology. The Blue Devils field 18 Division I teams in the Northeast Conference. Alumni include Miguel Cardona, who served as U.S. Secretary of Education from 2021 to 2025. U.S. News tied it for No. 66 among Regional Universities North in 2025. It belongs to the Connecticut State Colleges & Universities system, and its mascot is Kizer the Blue Devil.

 

14. Quinnipiac University

Quinnipiac University is a private university in Hamden, founded in New Haven in 1929 as the Connecticut College of Commerce. The Mount Carmel campus sits at the foot of Sleeping Giant State Park. About 9,400 students attend, with 58 undergraduate majors and 22 graduate programs.

It includes a law school and the Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine, which admitted its first class in 2013. The Quinnipiac Poll, formal since 1994, is cited by national news outlets. The men’s ice hockey team won the 2023 NCAA championship, the school’s first NCAA title in any sport. It has no football team.

 

15. Eastern Connecticut State University

Eastern Connecticut State University in Willimantic opened in 1889 as the Willimantic State Normal School. It is the second-oldest campus in the Connecticut State University System, with a 182-acre campus and about 4,100 students.

It offers 41 majors, 65 minors and more than 60 concentrations in two schools. Its Institute for Sustainable Energy opened in 2001. The Warriors compete in Division III, and baseball has won five national titles (1982, 1990, 1998, 2002 and 2022). Softball has also won five. Author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is among the school’s notable alumni. The school installed a phosphoric acid fuel cell on its Science Building in 2012.

 

16. Post University

Post University in Waterbury was founded in 1890 and sits on a 58-acre urban campus near Interstate 84. About 7,300 students attend, and most study online. It offers 60 undergraduate and graduate programs in day, evening and online formats.

It began distance learning in 1997 and offered what is described as Connecticut’s first fully online MBA in 2007. The student-to-faculty ratio is 6:1 on campus and 18:1 online. It is a private, for-profit school accredited by NECHE, and Chile’s Universidad Andrés Bello acquired it in December 2024. The Eagles compete in Division II. Its Post Tree, a Camperdown elm, joined Connecticut’s Notable Trees list in 2014.

 

17. University of New Haven

The University of New Haven began in 1920 as New Haven Junior College, a division of Northeastern University. The campus is in West Haven, and it enrolls about 9,200 students. It offers 109 undergraduate and 116 graduate programs, with an average class size of 20.

The Henry C. Lee Institute of Forensic Science opened in 1998 and includes a crime scene center, labs and a museum. The College of Business holds AACSB accreditation, and the school has been NECHE-accredited since 1948. The Chargers are moving to NCAA Division I and the Northeast Conference, with full membership expected in 2028-29.

 

18. University of Connecticut – Waterbury

UConn Waterbury is a regional campus of the University of Connecticut. Students can begin a UConn degree close to home and finish at Storrs.

It is part of a system that includes Storrs, Hartford, Stamford, Avery Point and the UConn Health campus in Farmington. The university is an R1 research institution and Connecticut’s largest. The system also runs the UConn Health campus in Farmington, so students can see the full range of UConn programs. Check the Waterbury campus site for current majors. UConn’s Storrs campus covers roughly 4,400 acres, and the system enrolls about 33,500 students.

 

19. Western Connecticut State University

Western Connecticut State University in Danbury opened in 1903 as the Danbury State Normal School and took its current name in 1983. Its Midtown and Westside campuses are about three miles apart and linked by a shuttle. About 4,400 students attend.

It has the only bachelor’s program in meteorology in southern New England and hosts the Jane Goodall Center for Excellence in Environmental Studies, founded in 1995. The school includes the Ancell School of Business and the School of Visual and Performing Arts. The Wolves compete in Division III, and its radio station WXCI helped popularize Duran Duran in the U.S.

 

20. Albertus Magnus College

Albertus Magnus College is a Catholic liberal arts college in New Haven’s Prospect Hill neighbourhood, about two miles from Yale. The Dominican Sisters founded it in 1925 on a 50-acre campus. It became coeducational in 1985, the last Connecticut college to do so.

About 1,200 full-time undergraduates and 270 graduate students attend, with a 17:1 student-faculty ratio. Graduate programs include art therapy, mental health counselling, addiction counselling, and business administration. The Falcons compete in Division III. Alumni include Margaret Heckler, a former U.S. Representative and HHS Secretary. Admissions are test-blind, and U.S. News ranked it No. 98 among Regional Universities North in 2026.

 

21. University of Bridgeport

The University of Bridgeport was founded in 1927 as the Junior College of Connecticut, the first junior college chartered in the Northeastern U.S. It became a four-year university in 1947. The campus is on Long Island Sound, with historic Victorian homes tied to P. T. Barnum.

Programs sit in three colleges and include the only Chinese medicine program in Connecticut. Goodwin University took it over in 2021 as a subsidiary, while UB kept its own name and board. The Purple Knights compete in Division II, and women’s soccer won the 2018 national title. Alumni include aviation pioneer Igor Sikorsky. A 2018 ADT ranking named it Connecticut’s safest campus.

 

22. University of Hartford

The University of Hartford was chartered in 1957 by joining the Hartford Art School, Hillyer College and The Hartt School. The 350-acre campus extends from West Hartford into Hartford and Bloomfield, and about 6,000 students attend. The student-faculty ratio is 9:1.

The Hartt School stands out, with the Mort and Irma Handel Performing Arts Center serving theatre, musical theatre, and dance students. Engineering is also nationally ranked. The Hawks have moved from Division I to Division III. Lawrence P. Ward has been president since 2024, and the university sold its Asylum Avenue campus in 2022. The campus also hosts University High School of Science and Engineering, a magnet school, and the Music for a Change benefit concerts.

 

23. United States Coast Guard Academy

The United States Coast Guard Academy sits on a 103-acre campus in New London. It began in 1876 as the Revenue Cutter Service School of Instruction and became the Coast Guard Academy in 1915. Unlike the other service academies, it does not require a congressional nomination, and more than 2,000 students apply each year.

About 1,100 cadets attend, and graduates earn a Bachelor of Science and a commission as an ensign after five years of active duty. Cadets train aboard USCGC Eagle, a 295-foot barque. The Bears compete in NCAA Division III in the NEWMAC with 24 varsity teams. The motto is Scientiae Cedit Mare, meaning the sea yields to knowledge.

 

24. University of Connecticut – Avery Point

The University of Connecticut Avery Point sits in Groton, right on Long Island Sound, and is part of the University of Connecticut system. Its shoreline setting makes it a strong fit for students interested in marine and environmental sciences.

Students can start a UConn degree here and continue to Storrs or elsewhere in the system. The main campus is in Storrs, about 22 miles east of Hartford. UConn is an R1 research university, and the Groton waterfront puts marine and environmental students right on the coast. UConn is Connecticut’s largest university by enrollment, and its Huskies have won 26 NCAA championships across all sports.

 

25. Mitchell College

Mitchell College is a waterfront college in New London, founded in 1938 as New London Junior College and renamed in 1950. The 68-acre campus sits on the former summer estate of Alfred Mitchell, whose wife was the jewelry jeweller, Charles Lewis Tiffany.

It offered associate and bachelor’s degrees in fourteen subjects, including business, education, environmental studies, human development and family studies, psychology and criminal justice. The Mariners competed in Division III in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference. Its campus is now tied to the University of New Haven, so check current programs before you apply. Fall 2020 enrollment was 572 students.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best college in Connecticut?

Yale University in New Haven is first on our 2027 list, followed by Wesleyan University and the University of Connecticut. Yale was founded in 1701 and has a $54.5 billion endowment.

What is the best public university in Connecticut?

The University of Connecticut (UConn) in Storrs is the state flagship, an R1 research university with about 33,500 students. Its men’s and women’s basketball teams have won 18 NCAA championships combined.

What are the best liberal arts colleges in Connecticut?

Wesleyan University, Trinity College and Connecticut College. Wesleyan has an open curriculum with no required courses; Trinity is in Hartford; and Connecticut College has a student-run honour code.

Is the Coast Guard Academy in Connecticut?

Yes. The United States Coast Guard Academy is in New London. Unlike the other service academies, admission does not require a congressional nomination.

How many UConn campuses are there?

UConn has campuses in Storrs, Hartford, Stamford, Waterbury and Avery Point, plus UConn Health in Farmington. The list includes four regional campuses: Hartford, Stamford, Waterbury and Avery Point.

Which Connecticut colleges are Catholic?

Fairfield University and Sacred Heart University (Catholic), the University of Saint Joseph and Albertus Magnus College. Fairfield is a Jesuit university founded in 1942.

Top 25 Best Colleges in Connecticut 2027: Ranked List

1. Yale University
2. Wesleyan University
3. University of Connecticut
4. Trinity College – Connecticut
5. Fairfield University
6. Connecticut College
7. University of Connecticut – Hartford
8. Goodwin University
9. University of Saint Joseph
10. University of Connecticut – Stamford
11. Sacred Heart University
12. Southern Connecticut State University
13. Central Connecticut State University
14. Quinnipiac University
15. Eastern Connecticut State University
16. Post University
17. University of New Haven
18. University of Connecticut – Waterbury
19. Western Connecticut State University
20. Albertus Magnus College
21. University of Bridgeport
22. University of Hartford
23. United States Coast Guard Academy
24. University of Connecticut – Avery Point
25. Mitchell College

 

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