overall in the United States by The WSJ/College Pulse 2024 Best College Rankings. In 2022, Amherst was ranked as the best liberal arts college in the country by The Wall Street Journal. Forbes ranked Amherst College as the 24th best college or university in the United States for their 2024–25 rankings and the 16th best college or university in the United States in 2021.
Kiplinger's Personal Finance places Amherst 11th in its 2016 ranking of best value liberal arts colleges in the United States.
Amherst ranked 6th in the 2021 Washington Monthly liberal arts college rankings, which focus on contribution to the public good in three broad categories: social mobility, research, and promoting public service.
=== Academic freedom debate ===
The writings of Amherst College political science Professor Hadley Arkes about homosexuality led to a dispute in 2013 over whether a college seeking to create a diverse, respectful academic community should speak out when a faculty member disparages community members or should …
