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Tour Vermont Higher Ed Virtually.
In the era of COVID-19, students and families must cancel their in-person college visit plans. Fortunately, virtual college tours are an excellent alternative.
Vermonters value education, so it’s no surprise that we have the highest number of colleges per capita of any U.S. state.
Our colleges and universities are varied in enrollment and vibe, ranging from fairly big (more than 12,000 students at the University of Vermont) to small (Sterling College has fewer than 100), and tech-savvy (Vermont Technical College) to arts-focused (Goddard College). A recent study from the Association of Vermont Independent Colleges reports that 80% of our private college students come from out-of-state and concludes higher education is a key reason people decide to move to Vermont.
College students contribute to the fabric of our communities, not just adding youthful energy, but also providing countless hours of community service, from staffing rescue squads to mentoring kids to helping communities clean up after major weather events like Tropical Storm Irene.
Explore the 19 private and public colleges and universities in the state, which include six schools offering advanced degrees and a law school.
NORTHERN VERMONT
Champlain College
Located smack-dab in the middle of bustling Burlington, Champlain College blends an intimate, private-school feel with the cosmopolitan flavor of the city. Frequently cited as an up-and-coming college, business and computer science represent two of Champlain’s most popular majors.
Location: Burlington
Student body: 3,124
Goddard College
Known for its unconventional approach to education, Goddard employs a low-residency academic calendar in which students meet on campus for roughly one week every six months. The majority of students (70%) are in graduate programs.
Location: Plainfield (9 miles from Montpelier)
Northern Vermont University — Johnson
The most liberal arts-focused of the Vermont State Colleges, NVU-Johnson prides itself as an environment where individuality can flourish. 64% of the student body is female, and the department of fine arts (featuring majors in creative writing and studio arts) provides two of the most popular programs.
Location: Johnson (9 miles from Morrisville)
Student body: 1,759
Northern Vermont University — Lyndon
Originally founded as a teachers’ college in 1911, NVU-Lyndon has grown into the Northeast Kingdom’s hub for higher learning. Primarily known for its atmospheric science programs, NVU-Lyndon features 21 bachelor’s programs and, true to its roots, a graduate program for master’s of education.
Location: Lyndon (10 miles from St. Johnsbury)
Student body: 1,519
New England Culinary Institute
For those who prefer to cook during class, the New England Culinary Institute gets students restaurant ready. Founded in 1980, this for-profit school grants associate and bachelor’s degrees and offers certificate programs. NECI operates several dining establishments in Montpelier.
Location: Montpelier
Student body: 615
St. Michael’s College
The state’s largest religious-affiliated institution, the Catholic St. Michael’s College is located in the Burlington suburb of Colchester. Business, psychology, and biology are among the most popular courses of study.
Location: Colchester
Student body: 2,316
Sterling College
Environmentally minded? Sterling is the place. Nestled in the Northeast Kingdom, this tiny school features just five majors, all pertaining to sustainable stewardship of the planet. The highly regarded dining hall frequently serves homegrown food.
Location: Craftsbury Common (10 miles from Hardwick)
University of Vermont
Founded in 1791 by Green Mountain Boy Ira Allen, the University of Vermont is by far the state’s largest institution of higher learning and its only public research university. As it has grown in prestige in recent years it has increasingly admitted out-of-state students (61% of the student body in 2015). Business and environmental science are two of the most popular and well-regarded majors.
Location: Burlington
Student body: 12,856
CENTRAL VERMONT
Center for Cartoon Studies
The Center for Cartoon Studies offers a two-year course of study that centers on the creation and dissemination of comics, graphic novels and other manifestations of the visual narrative. With classes taught by experienced and internationally-recognized cartoonists, writers and designers, CCS emphasizes self-publishing and prepares its students to publish, market, and disseminate their work.
Location: White River Junction
Student body: 100+
Middlebury College
Vermont’s most selective college, Middlebury is located in a quaint corner of Addison County. Host of the prestigious annual Breadloaf Writers Conference, Middlebury provides a classic liberal arts atmosphere, with English, political science, and foreign languages among the top programs.
Location: Middlebury
Student body: 2,526
Norwich University
The oldest private military college in the United States, Norwich prides itself on its cadet program, in which students undertake an intense military-style training regimen in addition to their normal coursework. Roughly a third of the students are civilians, of which about half commute to campus.
Location: Northfield (11 miles from Montpelier)
Student body: 2,649
Vermont College of Fine Arts
Offering a wide range of master’s degrees, VCFA uses a low-residency model, allowing its students to focus on their work largely away from campus. When pupils do assemble for class, though, they do so at a picturesque hilltop campus dotted with century-old buildings.
Location: Montpelier
Vermont Law School
Vermont’s only law school, VLS is renowned for its environmental law program, considered among the best in the country. Graduates boast an impressive 85% bar exam pass rate.
Location: South Royalton (18 miles from White River Junction)
Student body: 601
Vermont Technical College
The most hands-on of the Vermont State Colleges, VTC provides valuable real-world skills to its students. Based in idyllic and centrally located Randolph Center and with a Williston campus, students can earn degrees in everything from nursing to welding. A VTC degree is among the hottest in Vermont: the class of 2016 had a 100% job placement rate.
Location: Randolph Center
Student body: 1,453
SOUTHERN VERMONT
Bennington College
Located in the scenic hills of southwestern Vermont, Bennington College has a strong arts focus that has ignited the careers of alumni such as actor Peter Dinklage and author Bret Easton Ellis. Small classes are the norm: the average number of pupils is 13.
Location: Bennington
Student body: 755
Castleton University
Recently growing from a college to a university, Castleton prides itself on student-faculty interaction. Some 70% percent of courses have class sizes of 20 students or less, a rate made possible by a 10:1 student to faculty ratio. An easy drive to major ski areas such as Killington and Okemo, there is a distinct outdoorsy culture on campus.
Location: Castleton (12 miles from Rutland)
Student body: 1,985
Landmark College
The nation’s first college specifically for students with learning disabilities, Landmark College opened in 1985 to serve young men and women with diagnosed conditions such as dyslexia and ADHD. Landmark offers high school and graduate programs in addition to associate’s and bachelor’s degrees.
Location: Putney (10 miles from Brattleboro)
Student body: 500
School for International Training
For those who have earned an undergraduate degree and want to make a difference in the world, the School of International Training is the place to start. With graduate programs in international education, sustainable development, and more, this school is perfect for big-picture thinkers.
Location: Brattleboro
Student body: 470
STATEWIDE
Community College of Vermont
Second only to UVM in enrollment, the Community College of Vermont boasts over 7,000 pupils across its 12 campuses. With the lowest tuition of any of the Vermont State Colleges, many students attend part-time while holding a day job. This provides CCV with an incredibly diverse student body—men and women of all ages and backgrounds come together to pursue associate degrees and certificates ranging from visual arts to criminal justice.