The Best Christian Colleges in the Northeast United States for 2024

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The editors at Lord’s Library have compiled this list of the best Christian colleges in the Northeast United States to save you the search.

Searching for the best Christian colleges in Montana can involve a fair bit of research with a number of options across the state. According to Pew Research Center’s 2014 Religious Landscape Study, the religious composition of Christian adults in the Northeast United States is 65 percent. Montana’s Christian higher learning landscape includes colleges and universities with varying degrees of religious study, as well as dedicated Bible colleges for a scripture-first approach.

Choosing the institution that is right for you will largely depend on your spiritual and educational goals. It’s with this in mind that our editors assembled this list of the best Christian colleges in Montana to consider. Each entry includes the school’s location and a brief “From the institution” description to give you a high-level overview of the college and save you time. Simply click the college name or logo to go direct to the institution’s website if you want to learn more.

Lord’s Library can also recommend the books Welcome to College: A Christ-Follower’s Guide for the Journey and How to Stay Christian in College to prospective Christian college students.

Note: The best Christian colleges in the Northeast United States are ranked in alphabetical order by state.

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The Best Christian Colleges in the Northeast United States


The Best Christian Colleges in Connecticut

Albertus Magnus CollegeAlbertus Magnus College

Location: New Haven, CT

From the institution: “The mission of Albertus Magnus College is to provide men and women with an education that promotes the search for truth in all its dimensions and is practical in its application. Founded by the Dominican Sisters of Peace, Albertus Magnus College, faithful to its Catholic heritage and the Judeo-Christian tradition, remains dedicated to providing an opportunity for learning which responds to the academic needs and ethical challenges of its students and society.”


Fairfield UniversityFairfield University

Location: Fairfield, CT

From the institution: “Fairfield University is a Jesuit, Catholic university in mission and spirit. Our objectives include promoting a sense of social responsibility, and making sure all students embrace and develop their full creative, intellectual potential. We provide a liberal arts education that is both broad and deep, believing that in order to better the world, you first have to understand it from a staggering number of viewpoints. We believe that each and every student is a capable individual with infinite potential, and we embrace the opportunity to turn strengths into careers.”


Sacred Heart UniversitySacred Heart University 

Location: Fairfield, CT

From the institution: “Sacred Heart University, rooted in the Catholic intellectual tradition and the liberal arts, embraces a vision for social justice and educates students in mind, body and spirit to prepare them personally and professionally to make a difference in the global community. Sacred Heart University aspires to achieve prominence through innovative teaching and learning while cultivating a campus community that is recognized as caring and creative.”


University of Saint JosephUniversity of Saint Joseph

Location: West Hartford, CT

From the institution: “The University of Saint Joseph, founded by the Sisters of Mercy in the Catholic tradition, provides a rigorous liberal arts and professional education for a diverse student population in an inclusive environment that encourages strong ethical values, personal integrity, and a sense of responsibility to the needs of society. In addition to undergraduate programs for full- and part-time students (which became fully coeducational in 2018), the University of Saint Joseph has grown to include the following programs of study: graduate master’s and certificate programs (introduced in 1959) and professional doctoral degrees (2011).”


Wesleyan UniversityWesleyan University

Location: Middletown, CT

From the institution: “Named for John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, Wesleyan is among the oldest of the originally Methodist institutions of higher education in the United States. The Methodist movement was particularly important for its early emphasis on social service and education, and from its inception, Wesleyan offered a liberal arts program rather than theological training. Today Wesleyan offers instruction in 46 departments and 45 major fields of study and awards the bachelor of arts and graduate degrees.”


The Best Christian Colleges in Maine

Colby CollegeColby College

Location: Waterville, ME

From the institution: “Colby’ s Office of Religious and Spiritual Life provides for the religious and spiritual well-being of the entire Colby community. Through connections across campus, our team of chaplains and advisors invites us to bring our whole selves–heart and soul, questions and convictions–to the Colby experience. Whether you are looking to connect with your religious or spiritual tradition, to learn about traditions or perspectives other than your own, or to find a hospitable place for community and conversation, the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life is here for you.” 


St. Joseph College of MaineSt. Joseph’s College of Maine

Location: Standish, ME

From the institution: “Saint Joseph’s College is a Roman Catholic liberal arts college for men and women of all faiths and ages. The 474-acre campus, on the shore of Sebago Lake in Standish, Maine, is in view of Mount Washington and the Presidential Range of the White Mountains. Saint Joseph’s was founded by the Portland Regional Community of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas in 1912 and chartered by the Maine Legislature in 1915. Today, it is Maine’s only Catholic college.”


The Best Christian Colleges in Massachusetts

Boston Baptist CollegeBoston Baptist College

Location: Hyde Park, MA

From the institution: “At Boston Baptist College, we believe college should not simply be a time for mental growth, but also for spiritual growth. We believe education and biblical spirituality can and should walk hand-in-hand. For this reason, everything we do is carefully sifted through our institutional mission: Think Biblically. Discover Globally. Impact Eternally.”


Boston CollegeBoston College

Location: Chestnut Hill, MA

From the institution: “Grounded in the ideals that inspired our Jesuit founders, Boston College urges students to look inward but always to reach out—to develop their minds and talents to the fullest and use them in service to others. Boston College builds upon its traditions. It seeks to be the national leader in the liberal arts; to fulfill its Jesuit, Catholic mission of faith and service; to continue to develop model programs to support students in their formation; and to seek solutions—as researchers, educators, leaders, and caregivers—that directly address the world’s most urgent problems.”


Eastern Nazarene CollegeEastern Nazarene College

Location: Quincy, MA

From the institution: “Eastern Nazarene College is a fully accredited Christian liberal arts college and member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) with approximately 1,000 students distributed across residential undergraduate, graduate, and adult studies programs. Nestled in a residential neighborhood minutes from downtown Boston, the college’s picturesque New England campus is a window into the world. While our faculty are leaders in their fields, actively involved in publishing and research, they are devoted to teaching and mentoring students in a nurturing, spiritually informed, and academically supportive environment.


Emmanuel CollegeEmmanuel College

Location: Boston, MA

From the institution: “The mission of Emmanuel—and its identity as a Catholic college, university in breadth and inclusive of all— is to provide a dynamic education in the liberal arts and sciences within a learning community shaped by strong ethical values. While much of the world has changed dramatically in the years since the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur first opened the College, Emmanuel’s commitment to rigorous academics, compassionate service and the advancement of justice and peace has never wavered, and it remains as powerful and relevant as ever.”


Gordon CollegeGordon College

Location: Wenham, MA

From the institution: “Gordon College is a distinctive blend: an outstanding nationally ranked liberal arts institution that retains its roots in the Christian faith, a strong residential community, and a splendid location—just north of the intellectual hub of Boston, and right near the shoreline of Cape Ann. Our faith is the foundation for all that we are—individually, collectively and institutionally. With a spirit of support and collaboration, we are set free in Christ to think critically, engage new ideas and pursue truth.”


The Best Christian Colleges in New Hampshire

Magdalen College of the Liberal ArtsMagdalen College of the Liberal Arts 

Location: Warner, NH

From the institution: “Magdalen College of the Liberal Arts calls her students to a transformative liberal education of the whole person. This education is ordered to human flourishing and communion, animated by the perennial questions, given shape by the classic books, and nourished by a vibrant liturgical and sacramental culture. Joyfully Catholic in this ascent toward true freedom and a vision of the Good, Magdalen College calls all within her community to enter the great conversation of authors seeking wisdom that has unfolded across the ages, cultivating a life of virtue, poetic imagination, service, and life-giving fidelity.”


Rivier UniversityRivier University

Location: Nashua, NH

From the institution: “Rivier University is a four-year, Catholic institution that welcomes students from all backgrounds and provides a transformative and supportive educational experience. Located in Nashua, New Hampshire, Rivier was founded by the Sisters of the Presentation of Mary and Sister Madeleine of Jesus in 1933. Throughout its history, the University has been dedicated to providing a learning environment that educates the whole person—mind, body, and spirit. Our graduates excel professionally, academically, and in service to their communities.”


Saint Anselm CollegeSaint Anslem College

Location: Manchester, NH

From the institution: “Our Catholic Benedictine tradition of faith, reason, and community engagement is the foundation of life at Saint Anselm, and it comes to life every day through the community of Benedictine monks who live at Saint Anselm Abbey. You’ll also see it in the lives of the students who work together to create an environment where hard work pays off, where new paths are discovered, and where time-honored traditions are a part of life (and new traditions are created all the time).”


Thomas More CollegeThomas Moore College

Location: Merrimack, NH

From the institution: “The Thomas More College of Liberal Arts was founded to provide a solid education in the liberal arts, a Catholic education for students of all faiths, united in the quest for what is true, good, and beautiful. It pursues this mission by seeking wisdom and sharing it joyfully with the world. The College holds that every human life, from the moment of conception until natural death, is sacred because the human person has been willed for his own sake in the image and likeness of the living and holy God.”


The Best Christian Colleges in New Jersey

Bloomfield CollegeBloomfield College

Location: Bloomfield, NJ

From the institution: “For more than 150 years, Bloomfield College has been helping students write their own stories. With its beginnings as the German Theological School founded by the Presbytery of Newark in 1868, the College has evolved to become one of New Jersey’s best private colleges, serving a diverse population and preparing students for success in a multicultural and global society. Today, Bloomfield College is on the cutting edge of innovation in higher education, offering over 60 majors and concentrations in seven academic divisions.”


Centenary UniversityCentenary University

Location: Hackettstown, NJ

From the institution: “Founded in 1867 by the Newark Conference of the United Methodist Church, Centenary University has evolved from a coeducational preparatory school into a modern, independent, four-year baccalaureate and master-level institution of higher learning. Centenary University delivers accredited degree programs and comprehensive learning experiences to prepare students for regional and global professions of critical thought and purposeful action within a supportive environment immersed in a culture of service.”


Drew UniversityDrew University 

Location: Madison, NJ

From the institution: “Religion and spirituality—they’re part of who we are. Drew has roots in the Methodist faith and reaches out to embrace everyone. That means people of all faiths—and those who are agnostic or atheist—have a place here. We worship, celebrate, mark life changes and find common goals engaging in social justice and community service together. Drew University’s mission is to offer its diverse community of learners a challenging and individualized education shaped by a deep-rooted culture of mentoring, thoughtful engagement with the world beyond its campus, and a steadfast commitment to lifelong cultivation of the whole person.”


Pillar College Pillar College

Location: Newark, NJ

From the institution: “Pillar College educates, inspires, and equips students for excellent scholarship, service, and leadership. Rooted in and committed to Christian faith and love, Pillar fosters intellectual, spiritual, and social development among its diverse student population at various instructional sites throughout the world. Pillar stands firmly within the Wesleyan heritage in embracing a world-wide parish, an obligation of love to serve the poor and needy, an earnest devotion to the empowering work of the Holy Spirit in every believer, and willingness to seek unity and cooperation with other believers on all that is essential to faithful Christian life.”


The Best Christian Colleges in New York

Concordia CollegeConcordia College

Location: Bronxville, NY

From the institution: “Concordia College is located in Bronxville, NY, a picturesque suburban village in Westchester County, just 20 miles (32 kilometers) north of New York City. Concordia College New York is a Christian higher education community of learning where mutual respect flourishes, responsibility is developed and reverence for God is cultivated so that students can pursue lives of passion, purpose and service. We are anchored in a living Lutheran heritage as we strive to follow Jesus Christ. We express this identity with an ethics-infused curriculum and a faith-informed community life.”


Houghton CollegeHoughton College

Location: Houghton, NY

From the institution: “Houghton College is a nationally ranked Christian college of the liberal arts and sciences and the best priced Christian college in the nation. Here, you will be equipped for lifelong success as a courageous servant leader through customizable programs offered in Houghton, NY, Buffalo, Utica, and online. Take the next step to discover how this close-knit Christian community will help you accelerate your path to your God-given potential.”


Nyack CollegeNyack College

Location: New York City, NY

From the institution: “Nyack College, a Christian and Missionary Alliance educational institution, through its undergraduate, graduate and seminary programs, pursues its historic mission of preparing men and women to “take the whole Gospel to the whole world. At Nyack, we seek to exalt Jesus Christ by being Academically Excellent. Excellence. There may not be a more subjective word in all of the English language. We reveal a great deal about ourselves by the things that we consider excellent. This is true whether we are speaking as individuals or as institutions.”


Roberts Wesleyan CollegeRoberts Wesleyan College

Location: Rochester, NY

From the institution: “We’re a group of scholars, dedicated to service and spiritual formation at a Christ-centered College anchored in liberal arts. We’re a place students can wrestle with hard questions and still feel safe. We’re a foundation for your career. We’re the catalyst to your next job. We’re starting off the 2020 academic year with the largest (and most diverse) freshman class since 2015. Even more than all of that, we’re your next home. Whether it be for 4 years, 2 years, or 16 months, we’ll be your family.”


St. Francis CollegeSt. Francis College

Location: Brooklyn Heights, NY

From the institution: “St. Francis College is a private, independent, co-educational, urban college whose Franciscan and Catholic traditions underpin its commitment to academic excellence, spiritual and moral values, physical fitness, social responsibility, and life-long learning. We educate the whole person for a full, relational life, developing the students’ talents and abilities to form confident alumni well prepared for graduate study, for meaningful, fulfilling careers, as well as for collaborative, service-oriented leadership.”


The King's CollegeThe King’s College

Location: New York, NY

From the institution: “The King’s College is a Christian liberal arts college in New York City’s Financial District founded in 1938. We choose to engage our culture at its heart, providing students with opportunities they won’t find elsewhere. The College’s Core Curriculum gives students a robust intellectual foundation for principled leadership throughout society. The King’s College is a Christian liberal arts college in New York City’s Financial District founded in 1938. We choose to engage our culture at its heart, providing students with opportunities they won’t find elsewhere.”


St. Joseph's CollegeSt. Joseph’s College

Location: Brooklyn, NY

From the institution: “Founded in 1916 by the Sisters of St. Joseph, the mission of St. Joseph’s College is to provide a strong academic and value-oriented education at the undergraduate and graduate levels, rooted in a liberal arts tradition that supports provision for career preparation and enhancement. The College prepares each student for a life characterized by integrity, intellectual and spiritual values, social responsibility and service; a life that is worthy of our motto: Esse non videri — “To be, not to seem.”


Vellore Christian Medical CollegeVellore Christian Medical College

Location: New York, NY

From the institution: “Dedicated to supporting the mission, and adhering to the Christian-influenced values of the Christian Medical College (CMC) of Vellore, India, the Vellore CMC Foundation raises funds for CMC to ensure the advancement of medical research, student education, and high-quality healthcare, all with the utmost compassion for people they serve. We are dedicated to preserving the legacy of CMC’s Founder, Ida Scudder, who embraced empathy by connecting humanity and medicine, led with wisdom by finding larger meaning in the smallest things, and serving tirelessly with grace and humility.”


The Best Christian Colleges in Pennsylvania

Cairn UniversityCairn University

Location: Langhorne, PA

From the institution: “Cairn University exists to educate students to serve Christ in the church, society, and the world as biblically minded, well-educated, and professionally competent men and women of character. A path that will challenge them, inspire them, and prepare them for life and work. One that is centered on Jesus Christ and the Word of God, one that will give them a broad perspective on the world that is engaging and purposeful, one that will change their life and take them in a direction that will make a difference in this world and the lives of those around them.”


Clarks Summit UniversityClarks Summit University 

Location: Clarks Summit, PA

From the institution: “Clarks Summit University has prepared Christ-centered, career-ready graduates for more than 80 years. Founded in 1932, this private, Christian college embraces its Baptist convictions and propels graduates into careers and service opportunities around the globe. As an accredited Bible college, the Word of God is the foundation of our academic programs and welcoming student community. All undergraduate students earn a double major in Biblical Studies and the major of their choice.”


Eastern University Eastern University

Location: St. Davids, PA

From the institution: “Eastern University is a nationally-recognized Christian university offering a wide array of undergraduate, graduate, professional, seminary, and online programs. The university’s main campus is located in St. Davids, PA, with additional locations in Philadelphia and Harrisburg. Eastern’s core values of faith, reason, and justice are woven into all of its educational programs. Eastern University is affiliated with the American Baptist Churches USA and has an interdenominational Christian student body, faculty and administration.”


Geneva CollegeGeneva College

Location: Beaver Falls, PA

From the institution: “Geneva College is a Christ-centered academic community that provides a comprehensive education to equip students for faithful and fruitful service to God and neighbor. Geneva College′s mission is student-focused, emphasizing Christ, comprehensive education, and service to God and neighbor. This is consistent with the college′s charter, bylaws and Foundational Concepts of Christian Education, as well as Geneva′s historic motto, Pro Christo et Patria (For Christ and Country).”


Grove City CollegeGrove City College

Location: Grove City, PA

From the institution: “Grove City College strives to be the best Christian liberal arts college in America. Grounded in conservative values, we develop leaders of the highest proficiency, purpose, and principles ready to advance the common good. Grove City College equips students to pursue their unique callings through an academically excellent and Christ-centered learning and living experience distinguished by a commitment to affordability and its promotion of the Christian worldview, the foundations of free society, and the love of neighbor.”


Lancaster Bible CollegeLancaster Bible College

Location: Lancaster, PA

From the institution: “Our focus is on your journey to fulfill God’s purpose for your life. Our mission has remained constant since 1933: To educate Christian students to think and live a biblical worldview and to proclaim Christ by serving Him in the Church and society. Lancaster Bible College | Capital Seminary & Graduate School maintain an unqualified commitment to a historic, orthodox position on essential doctrines of the faith as expressed in this document. A statement of faith is central to the institution’s identity, serving as a unifying and clarifying document in an age of theological shifting and confusion. Hermeneutically, we approach Scripture from a grammatical, historical, and contextual viewpoint.”


Messiah UniversityMessiah University

Location: Mechanicsburg, PA

From the institution: “Messiah University is a nationally ranked, private Christian university with a student body of 3,370 undergraduate and graduate students. Our scenic 471-acre suburban campus is located in central Pennsylvania, just 12 miles from the state capital of Harrisburg. The University was founded in 1909 by the Brethren in Christ Church. Today, the University’s faith base is broadly evangelical and includes students and employees from a variety of denominations and Christian faith traditions.”


Saint Joseph UniversitySaint Joseph University 

Location: Philadelphia, PA

From the institution: “As Philadelphia’s Jesuit Catholic University, Saint Joseph’s provides a rigorous, student-centered education rooted in the liberal arts. We prepare students for personal excellence, professional success and engaged citizenship. Striving to be an inclusive and diverse community that educates and cares for the whole person, we encourage and model lifelong commitment to thinking critically, making ethical decisions, pursuing social justice and finding God in all things.”


St. Vincent CollegeSt. Vincent College

Location: Latrobe, PA

From the institution: “Saint Vincent College is an educational community rooted in the tradition of the Catholic faith, the heritage of Benedictine monasticism and the love of values inherent in the liberal approach to life and learning. Its mission is to provide quality undergraduate and graduate education for men and women to enable them to integrate their professional aims with the broader purposes of human life. The programs, activities and encounters that make up student life at Saint Vincent College encourage the intellectual gifts, professional aptitudes and personal aspirations of students to mature harmoniously.”


University of Valley ForgeUniversity of Valley Forge

Location: Phoenixville, PA

From the institution: “The University of Valley Forge was founded in 1939 and is part of an international network of Assemblies of God colleges and universities. A private university with undergraduate, graduate, and lifelong learning programs, our mission is to prepare individuals for a life of service and leadership in the church and in the world. Our community is small, close-knit, and diverse. Each member—student, faculty, and staff—supports and guides each other as we grow and develop intellectually, physically, spiritually, and socially.”


The Best Christian Colleges in Rhode Island

Providence CollegeProvidence College

Location: Providence, RI

From the institution: “Providence College is a Catholic, Dominican, liberal arts institution of higher education and a community committed to academic excellence in pursuit of the truth, growth in virtue, and service of God and neighbor. Providence College is confident in the appeal of reason, believes that human beings are disposed to know the truth, and trusts in the power of grace to enlighten minds, open hearts, and transform lives. Providence College maintains that the pursuit of truth has intrinsic value, that faith and reason are compatible and complementary means to its discovery, and that the search for truth is the basis for dialogue with others and critical engagement with the world.”


Salve Regina UniversitySalve Regina University

Location: Newport, RI

From the institution: “As a community that welcomes people of all beliefs, Salve Regina University, a Catholic institution founded by the Sisters of Mercy, seeks wisdom and promotes universal justice. The University through teaching and research prepares men and women for responsible lives by imparting and expanding knowledge, developing skills and cultivating enduring values. Through liberal arts and professional programs, students develop their abilities for thinking clearly and creatively, enhance their capacity for sound judgment and prepare for the challenge of learning throughout their lives.”


The Best Christian Colleges in Vermont

St. Michael's CollegeSt. Michael’s College

Location: Colchester, VT

From the institution: “We’re a Catholic school that is welcoming to every faith background, culture, and identity. We believe in “faith in action,” which is why so many of our students participate in service. We’re entirely residential, which means that all of our students live on campus all four years. We ensure that there is a vibrant engaged campus, with activities, clubs, and events, 7 days a week. Students at St. Mike’s are simply more engaged: with one another, with their classes, their faculty, with clubs, and with issues they care deeply about.”


NOW READ: The Ultimate List of Christian Colleges and Universities in America by State


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Timothy Andrew

Timothy Andrew

Tim is the Founder of Lord's Library. He believes the Bible commands us to minister "as of the ability which God giveth" (1 Peter 4:11). Tim aspires to be as The Lord's mouth by "taking forth the precious from the vile" (Jeremiah 15:19) and witnessing The Gospel of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15: 1-4) to the whole world.

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