Rollins Ranks Among America’s Top Colleges
Forbes magazine has recognized Rollins among the nation’s top colleges for delivering strong student outcomes, financial accessibility, long-term value, and a personalized path to success.
September 17, 2025
Rollins has been named one of America’s top colleges in Forbes magazine’s annual ranking of institutions that produce successful, high-earning, and influential graduates from all economic backgrounds.
The new 2026 rankings are based on Forbes’ in-depth research, which prioritizes return on investment, career readiness, average student debt levels, and outcomes for their graduates. Colleges ranked highly on the Forbes list if their students stayed enrolled, graduated on time, earned strong salaries after graduation, and carried little debt. The ranking also considered outcomes for low-income students, including graduation rates and return on investment for Pell Grant recipients and gave credit to schools that enroll more students from lower-income backgrounds.
In terms of financial support, the average grant aid for Rollins students is $35,713 per year. Each year, around 94 percent of Rollins students tap into more than $102 million in combined federal, state, and institutional aid. On average, first-year students with a demonstrated need receive as much as $42,833 in financial support, which makes the dream of a Rollins education a reality for many students who may have thought it wasn’t in reach.
In addition, Forbes describes Rollins as an institution “where students take advantage of personalized majors to fit their individual goals.” For more than 130 years, Rollins has held firm to the belief that a college education should do more than prepare students for their first job. It should help them discover what they truly care about and prepare them to pursue that purpose with all their might. With more than 60 majors and minors offered at Rollins, our majors and minors are designed to be mixed and matched—so whatever our students’ passion, they can create a personalized path to personal and professional success.
The College’s inclusion on Forbes’ 2026 list of best colleges affirms Rollins’ commitment to delivering the best educational, financial, and career outcomes for all students.
Apply to Rollins
Ready to take the next step? We’ll walk you through the process of applying to the No. 1 liberal arts college in Florida.
Apply NowRecent Stories
May 19, 2029
DO NOT PUBLISH Rollins President Brooke Barnett Co-Authors Inside Higher Ed Essay on Evaluating Advancement Teams
Rollins President Brooke Barnett co-authored an Inside Higher Ed essay offering academic leaders a framework for evaluating institutional advancement teams.
October 13, 2026
Strom Traces the History of Hunger
Claire Strom, the Rapetti-Trunzo Chair of History at Rollins College, discussed the history of hunger on Academic Minute. The program, produced by NPR affiliate WAMC and hosted by Association of American Colleges & Universities President Lynn Pasquerella, airs on more than 70 NPR member stations across the country. Strom said a review of human history shows that hunger has been a persistent challenge across societies and eras. “The lack of adequate food is ubiquitous in human history,” she said, “no society has existed without hungry people.”
October 09, 2026
Winter Park Magazine Names Barnett and Mould 2026 Influentials
Each year, Winter Park Magazine announces its list of “Winter Park’s Most Influential People.” The program, in its 11th year, recognizes those who make a difference through their professions, their volunteerism, their philanthropy, their talents, or their community engagement. Rollins President, Brooke Barnett, and her husband, Tom Mould, are in the Class of 2026