Are There Any All-Male Colleges Left?

You’ve likely heard of some American women-only colleges, such as Barnard, Scripps, and Smith. But did you know that all-male colleges are still a thing as well? The only major difference is that there are very, very few of them left.

In this article, we’ll go over each remaining men’s college in detail, provide you with a quick history of why the number of all-male colleges has declined so much, and offer you some tips to help you decide whether attending an all-boys college is right for you.

How Many All-Male Colleges Are There? What Are They?

As of 2020, there are just four four-year, all-male colleges in the United States. All schools are private, meaning that they are not funded by their states. Three are non-religious all-men colleges, whereas one has a Roman Catholic affiliation (though you do not need to be Catholic to attend).

The three non-religious all-male colleges are as follows:

• Hampden-Sydney College
• Morehouse College
• Wabash College

Meanwhile, this is the only religious four-year men’s college:

• Saint John’s University

There are dozens of religiously affiliated all-male trade and vocational schools and seminaries, but we will not be including those here.

It should also be noted that most of these schools define male by sex and not gender identity. So if you are transgender or were not assigned male at birth, you'll most likely be unable to enroll. So far, only Morehouse has adopted a policy that specifically lets transgender men enroll, starting in 2020.

Here’s a brief overview of each all-boys college and how they compare with one another:

*Although H-SC technically has a religious affiliation, it is considered a secular institution in that it does not have any religious eligibility, class, or extracurricular requirements for students

Now then, let’s look at these all-male colleges in more detail.

Hampden-Sydney College (MorrisS/Wikimedia Commons)

Hampden-Sydney College — Hampden-Sydney, VA

One of the 10 oldest institutions of higher learning in the US, Hampden-Sydney College is a private liberal arts men’s college known for its value, small student body, and strong alumni network.

As one of the last all-male colleges, H-SC strives to "form good men and good citizens" by helping them develop critical skills and become part of a university-wide brotherhood.

The school offers 27 majors and 25 minors, more than 100 study abroad programs, opportunities for student research, and a Rhetoric Program designed to teach young men the skills of writing and communicating clearly and effectively.

On Niche, students have awarded Hampden-Sydney College an overall B+ grade.

• Religious Affiliation: Presbyterian
• Acceptance Rate: 59%
• Tuition & Fees: $46,890
• Undergraduate Enrollment: 1,072
• Popular Majors: History, business, biology
• Hampden-Sydney Admission Requirements

Morehouse College — Atlanta, GA

Founded in 1867, Morehouse College is the only historically black men’s college in the US. The school aims to instill in its students a sense of "ethical leadership" by promoting volunteer service and helping young black men realize their academic, social, and professional potential.

Morehouse offers 33 majors across three main academic divisions:

• Business and Economics
• Humanities and Social Sciences
• Science and Mathematics

Although an all-boys college, Morehouse has strong ties with Spelman College, a women’s college that's also based in Atlanta and within walking distance of Morehouse.

Famous alumni include civil rights activist Martin Luther King, Jr. and actor Samuel L. Jackson.

• Religious Affiliation: None
• Acceptance Rate: 58%
• Tuition & Fees: $27,576
• Undergraduate Enrollment: 2,206
• Popular Majors: Social sciences, business, visual and performing arts
• Morehouse Admission Requirements

Saint John’s University — Collegeville, MN

Saint John’s University is the all-boys college of a wider educational system that includes the women’s College of Saint Benedict. The two are located on rural campuses about an hour from Minneapolis/St. Paul, allowing students to participate in coed activities, classes, and clubs.

Nearly all SJU students live on campus throughout their four years of college. The university’s goal is to aid young men in their spiritual, intellectual, and professional development, though note that you do not have to be Catholic (or even religious) to attend here.

Together, the schools offer more than 70 majors and minors, and almost two-thirds of CSB/SJU students study abroad.

• Religious Affiliation: Roman Catholic
• Acceptance Rate: 80%
• Tuition & Fees: $46,546
• Undergraduate Enrollment: 1,667
• Popular Majors: Accounting, business, biology
• Saint John’s Admission Requirements

Wabash College — Crawfordsville, IN

Located an hour outside Indianapolis, Wabash College is the highest ranked all-boys college, with an A grade on Niche and a #53 ranking on the US News list of the best liberal arts colleges. It’s also the smallest of the four schools in terms of undergraduate enrollment.

Wabash is known for its high-quality academics and thriving Greek life. All students are required to follow the "Gentleman’s Rule," which stipulates that they must conduct themselves appropriately and as gentlemen at all times, both on and off campus.

The college offers a total of 39 majors and minors and requires all students to complete a course called Freshman Tutorial and Enduring Questions. Around 99% of students receive financial aid of some kind.

• Religious Affiliation: None
• Acceptance Rate: 65%
• Tuition & Fees: $44,720
• Undergraduate Enrollment: 882
• Popular Majors: Math, political science, economics
• Wabash Admission Requirements

Higher education used to be a boys' club, but fortunately things have changed a lot! (Boston Public Library/Flickr)

A Brief History of All-Male Colleges and Their Decline

Changes in culture, economics, and law have all contributed to the decrease in all-male colleges and the rise in coeducational institutions, which now make up the majority of universities in the United States.

Beginning with Harvard University in 1636, all institutions of higher education were exclusively for men due to discriminatory notions of women’s intellectual abilities and their roles in society. It wasn’t until the mid-19th century that the first women’s colleges were established as a way to offer women access to higher education and change these outdated societal views of women.

As more and more women’s colleges popped up in the 19th and early 20th centuries, many all-male colleges began to go coeducational as a response to both economic factors and changing attitudes toward women.

Then, in the late 1970s, enrollment at colleges shifted, with women making up the majority of students. (This trend continues today, with 57% of undergraduates identifying as female.) As such, by 1981, over 90% of colleges in the US were coed, and just 3% were for men only.

As you can see, there were several factors that contributed to the decline in all-men colleges.

One was the growing progressiveness in attitudes toward women. Today, schools actually pride themselves on their diversity, meaning they let in not just women but also students of many different ethnic/racial, geographic, and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Another factor was economic, as women began making up the majority of students. Consequently, men’s colleges began to flounder without women, often causing them to go coed.

Finally, legal battles forced some historically all-male colleges to make decisions about going coed. The Virginia Military Institute, for example, was forced by the Supreme Court to make a ruling in 1996 on whether to let in female students (for the record, they voted to go coed).

Most all-male colleges began admitting women in the late 20th century. Here are the most recent all-men colleges to have gone coed:

• Deep Springs College (2017)
• Valley Forge Military Academy and College (2005)
• Virginia Military Institute (1997)
• Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (1991)
• Washington and Lee University (1985)

Today, single-sex institutions of higher learning are a rare sight, but a handful still exist, both men-only and women-only.

How All-Male Colleges Compare to Women’s Colleges

Although male- and female-only education has dwindled and most universities in the US are now coed, there are still some all-women and all-male colleges. But while only four traditional all-men colleges remain, over 30 women’s colleges remain.

There used to be many more women’s colleges, with about 230 in 1960, so this number has gone down quite a bit in the past 60 years. Reasons for this include cultural changes, with coeducational instruction becoming the norm, and financial problems in which the university could not sustain itself without allowing more types of students—namely male—to enroll.

Some big-name women’s colleges that became coed include Vassar College (went coed in 1969), Sarah Lawrence College (1968), and Pitzer College (1970). Nevertheless, many women-only colleges remain, including most of the Seven Sisters Colleges and Scripps College.

So why are there more women’s colleges these days than there are men’s colleges?

Mostly, it has to do with why these female-only institutions were originally established. Historically, colleges were male-only by default; as a consequence, women had to create separate identities for themselves by founding universities specifically geared toward them. These identities became heavily ingrained in the women's rights movement, and many women's institutions today continue to take pride in their goals of empowering women through education and knowledge.

Moreover, with the rise in female college students throughout the 20th century, women's colleges were a lot less likely to suffer from financial hurdles than were all-male colleges. This thus kept them from having to go coed in order to sustain themselves (as many all-men colleges did).

Morehouse College (Thomson200/Wikimedia Commons)

Should You Go to a Men’s College? 5 Critical Factors

If you’re interested in attending an all-boys college, it’s important that you make sure this type of environment will be a good fit for you, academically and socially. Here are some questions to ask yourself before you apply to all-male colleges.

#1: Do You Like the School as a Whole?

Think about what draws you to the men’s college you’re thinking of applying to (other than the fact that it's men-only). What kind of environment are you looking for? Do you want to get involved in sports or Greek life?

Here are some more specific questions to ask yourself:

• Do you like the campus and the area around it? The four remaining all-male colleges are located in wildly different regions, from rural Minnesota to bustling Atlanta. Consider whether you’d prefer a more urban hub or a calmer, more removed atmosphere.

• Do you plan to participate in any extracurriculars? Some all-male colleges offer more clubs and activities for students than others. If you’re really into the idea of Greek life, for example, Wabash College might be a good fit for you, as fraternities play a big role here.

• Would you prefer having a women-only sister school nearby? Two all-male colleges—Morehouse and Saint John’s—share academic resources and do activities together with a nearby women's college. If you like the idea of interacting with female students, too, then these two all-men colleges might be a better match for you.

• Do you want to be surrounded by other African Americans? If this sounds like you, then the historically black Morehouse College would be a great choice.

#2: Can You Afford to Attend?

Because all four all-men colleges are private, their tuition and fees can get pretty expensive.

Here’s an overview of the net cost of each men’s college. The net cost is the average of how much students pay in total after receiving any scholarships/grants and loans; it also includes room and board and other fees. The schools are arranged in order of most expensive to least.

*The net cost for Morehouse is higher than its listed tuition and fees due to its comparatively poor financial aid

As you can see, the actual cost to attend a men’s college ranges from around $22,000 a year to close to $39,000—that’s a huge $17,000 difference! This is why it’s so important to look into the financial aid policies of all colleges you want to apply to.

It's also a good idea to apply for some external scholarships.

#3: Do the Classes and Majors Appeal to You?

The remaining all-boys colleges are liberal arts colleges, meaning they focus on giving students a traditional, broad education in the liberal arts. That said, they don’t all offer the exact same academic programs, so make sure to check that the school(s) you’re considering have the field you're interested in studying.

For example, Morehouse is the only men’s college that offers a major in African American studies (though Saint John’s does have a minor in black studies).

If you’re not sure what you want to study, consider applying to Saint John’s, which has the biggest array of majors and minors (more than 70 unique academic programs!) of any men's college.

#4: Will You Thrive in an All-Male Environment?

Before you apply to a men’s college, ask yourself what it is about a single-sex environment that will allow you to thrive and reach your full potential.

For instance, maybe you want to form close male friendships because you didn’t really get to do so in high school. Or maybe you’re drawn to the idea of becoming part of a school-wide brotherhood. Or maybe you’ve done really well at an all-boys high school and would like to continue your academic journey in a similar setting.

Whatever your reasons, make sure they’re clear to you and that this unique type of learning environment will be an ideal fit.

#5: Are You OK With the Lack of Name Recognition?

Part of attending a men’s college is not being bothered by the lack of name recognition that these schools generally have (except Morehouse, which is a well-known historically black school), so ask yourself whether this might be a con for you.

On a similar note, remember that some people are legitimately unaware that all-male colleges still exist. (By contrast, most have heard of women’s colleges, a few of which, such as Barnard and Wellesley, are relatively prestigious.)

The point here is that you'll need to be prepared to explain to people what your school is all about.

Saint John's University (Bobak Ha'Eri/Wikimedia Commons)

Conclusion: What All-Male Colleges Mean for You

While all-male colleges used to be plentiful in the US, now only four such schools remain:

• Hampden-Sydney College
• Morehouse College
• Saint John’s University
• Wabash College

The decline in all-male colleges mostly has to do with changing cultural views of men and women’s roles as well as economic factors, namely the increase in female students in the 20th century. When it comes to women's colleges, more than 30 remain, indicating that women-only education, though rare, is easier to find than men-only education.

If you're thinking of attending a men’s college, be sure to ask yourself these questions:

• Do you like the school as a whole?
• Can you afford to attend?
• Do the classes and majors appeal to you?
• Will you thrive in an all-male environment?
• Are you OK with the lack of name recognition?

Ultimately, it's your decision whether an all-boys college is right for you!

What’s Next?

You know all about men-only colleges, but what about women-only colleges? Our complete guide walks you through whether you should attend a women's college or not.

Struggling to find the best college for you? Get expert tips on how to come up with a college list.

To get into a great college, you'll need to have impressive SAT/ACT scores. Read our in-depth guides to scoring a perfect 1600 on the SAT and perfect 36 on the ACT to get started.