DePauw University

Small class sizes and a solid graduation rate helped DePauw University, which sits an hour outside Indianapolis, earn a reputation as a top liberal arts school. Its about 2,000 students are active in a variety of extracurricular activities, and the university's popular Winter Term in Service program sends many of them to developing countries for community service. The social sciences, especially economics, are popular majors, but students are fairly spread out among the university's more than 45 degree programs. While DePauw doesn't have a journalism degree program, the college does have a rich history of graduating future journalists. That's unsurprising given the college's history: The Society of Professional Journalists, known then as Sigma Delta Chi, was founded there in 1909, and The DePauw is the oldest college newspaper in Indiana. More than 85% of students graduate within six years, a mark that puts DePauw slightly above schools with similar student populations. Students go on to earn a median salary of about $62,400 in their first several years out of college. DePauw is home to the first sorority in the nation, and Greek life remains an important part of the social scene. About 60% of all students are in sororities or fraternities. Almost all students live on campus throughout their time as undergraduates.