At these most beautiful college campuses in the United States, the scenery enhances the fruitful pursuit of learning. You might find literary types reading poetry against the 19th-century stone cottages of Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania, or computer science majors debugging their projects among the Spanish Mission style buildings on the quad at Caltech. With Saarinen-designed dormitories and libraries with sky-high Gothic spires, college campuses double as some of America’s most magnificent architectural masterpieces. Between historic sites as old as the country itself and modern, state-of-the-art buildings, these institutions offer far more than a place to hit the books. In fact, many of them—especially those brought to life from the blueprints of famous architects—were created to inspire.
We’ve gathered 54 of the most beautiful college campuses in the United States, from Alabama to Washington. If you’re looking at undergraduate options, thinking of grad school, or just need some visual inspiration, these are the places to know about. But even if you’ve graduated and are far and away from your school days, you might just find yourself in the same college town as one of these storied institutions: Do yourself a favor and stroll around campus. Who knows? You might learn something.
This gallery has been updated with new information since its original publish date.
