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2023 Most Well Attended General Education Major for a Master’s

414 Ranked Colleges
17,801 Degrees Awarded
$32,200 Avg Cost*
Most Well Attended General Education Major for a Master's

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Most Well Attended General Education Major for a Master’s” ranking - to help you make that decision.

General Education is the 31st most popular major in the country with 29,810 degrees awarded in 2020-2021.

At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 17,801 general education graduates with average earnings and debt of $58,425 and $0 respectively.

For this year’s “Most Well Attended General Education Major for a Master’s” ranking, we looked at 414 colleges that offer a degree in general education. To top this list, a school must have a successful general education program that graduates more students in the field than other colleges that offer the same major.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank General Education Schools

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Most Well Attended General Education Major for a Master’s” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Most Well Attended General Education Major for a Master’s

The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Well Attended General Education Major for a Master’s”.

1
National University crest
National University
La Jolla, California

Out of the 414 schools in the Most Well Attended General Education Major for a Master’s that were part of this year’s ranking, National University landed the #1 spot on the list. National University is located in La Jolla, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,075 masters’s general education degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Education at National University

2
Walden University crest
Walden University
Minneapolis, Minnesota

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Walden University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Well Attended General Education Major for a Master’s list. Walden University is a private for-profit institution located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The school has a large population, and it awarded 850 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Education at Walden University

3
Grand Canyon University crest
Grand Canyon University
Phoenix, Arizona

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Grand Canyon University. The school came in at #3 for the Most Well Attended General Education Major for a Master’s. Grand Canyon University is a large private for-profit school situated in Phoenix, Arizona. It awarded 707 masters’s general education degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 5.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Education at Grand Canyon University

4
Johns Hopkins crest
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, Maryland

Out of the 414 schools in the Most Well Attended General Education Major for a Master’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Johns Hopkins University landed the #4 spot on the list. Baltimore, Maryland is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s general education degrees to 595 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Johns Hopkins University General Education Report

5
Harvard crest
Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Harvard University. The school came in at #5 for the Most Well Attended General Education Major for a Master’s. Harvard University is a large school located in Cambridge, Massachusetts that handed out 561 masters’s general education degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on General Education at Harvard

6
JMU crest
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, Virginia

James Madison University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended General Education Major for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #6. JMU is a large public school situated in Harrisonburg, Virginia. It awarded 295 masters’s general education degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about General Education at JMU

7

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended General Education Major for a Master’s ranking. SMU MN is located in Winona, Minnesota and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 262 masters’s general education degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on General Education at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota

8

California State University - Fullerton did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended General Education Major for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #8. Cal State Fullerton is located in Fullerton, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 255 masters’s general education degrees to qualified students.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Education at California State University - Fullerton

9
Cal Baptist crest
California Baptist University
Riverside, California

With a ranking of #9, California Baptist University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended General Education Major for a Master’s list. Located in Riverside, California, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 247 diplomas to qualified masters’s general education students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full California Baptist University General Education Report

10

Fort Hays State University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended General Education Major for a Master’s ranking. This fairly large school is located in Hays, Kansas, and it awarded 242 masters’s general education degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on General Education at Fort Hays State University

11
San Jose State crest
San Jose State University
San Jose, California

San Jose State University ranked #11 on this year’s Most Well Attended General Education Major for a Master’s list. San Jose State University is a large public school situated in San Jose, California. It awarded 233 masters’s general education degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full San Jose State University General Education Report

12

Eastern Washington University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended General Education Major for a Master’s ranking. EWU is located in Cheney, Washington and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 216 masters’s general education degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Education at Eastern Washington University

13
14

With a ranking of #14, Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended General Education Major for a Master’s list. Located in Columbus, Ohio, this large public school awarded 208 degrees to qualified masters’s general education students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Ohio State University - Main Campus General Education Report

15
Brandman crest
Brandman University
Irvine, California

Brandman University landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended General Education Major for a Master’s ranking. Located in Irvine, California, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 196 degrees to qualified masters’s general education students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Education at Brandman

16
Azusa Pacific crest
Azusa Pacific University
Azusa, California

Azusa Pacific University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended General Education Major for a Master’s ranking. Located in Azusa, California, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 193 degrees to qualified masters’s general education students in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Azusa Pacific University General Education Report

17

With a ranking of #17, University of California - Los Angeles did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended General Education Major for a Master’s list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s general education degrees to 189 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about General Education at University of California - Los Angeles

17
Northcentral University crest
Northcentral University
San Diego, California

Northcentral University landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended General Education Major for a Master’s ranking. Northcentral University is a fairly large school located in San Diego, California that handed out 189 masters’s general education degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Education at Northcentral University

19
Montclair State crest
Montclair State University
Montclair, New Jersey

Montclair State University ranked #19 on this year’s Most Well Attended General Education Major for a Master’s list. Montclair State is a large school located in Montclair, New Jersey that handed out 182 masters’s general education degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on General Education at Montclair State University

20

With a ranking of #20, University of California - Riverside did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended General Education Major for a Master’s list. Located in Riverside, California, this large public school awarded 181 diplomas to qualified masters’s general education students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on General Education at UCR

21

With a ranking of #21, Portland State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended General Education Major for a Master’s list. Portland, Oregon is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s general education degrees to 173 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Portland State University General Education Report

22

Concordia University, Texas came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended General Education Major for a Master’s ranking. Lakeway, Texas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s general education degrees to 172 students in 2020-2021.

Full Concordia University, Texas General Education Report

23

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ranked #23 on this year’s Most Well Attended General Education Major for a Master’s list. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a public institution located in Champaign, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 170 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Education at UIUC

24
Clemson crest
Clemson University
Clemson, South Carolina

With a ranking of #24, Clemson University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended General Education Major for a Master’s list. Clemson, South Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s general education degrees to 153 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read full report on General Education at Clemson

25
Sacred Heart crest
Sacred Heart University
Fairfield, Connecticut

Sacred Heart University ranked #25 on this year’s Most Well Attended General Education Major for a Master’s list. Sacred Heart is located in Fairfield, Connecticut and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 149 masters’s general education degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Sacred Heart University General Education Report

Rest of the Best 50 in Most Well Attended General Education Major for a Master’s

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
Southern Utah University crest
Southern Utah University
Cedar City, Utah
27
27
University of Virginia crest
University of Virginia - Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia
29
29
31
Morningside crest
Morningside College
Sioux City, Iowa
31
PLNU crest
Point Loma Nazarene University
San Diego, California
33
SDSU crest
San Diego State University
San Diego, California
33
35
36
USFCA crest
University of San Francisco
San Francisco, California
37
SFSU crest
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, California
37
La Salle crest
La Salle University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
39
Capella University crest
Capella University
Minneapolis, Minnesota
40
UPenn crest
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
41
42
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana
42
44
44
44
47
48
49
Belhaven crest
Belhaven University
Jackson, Mississippi
50

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Most Well Attended General Education Major for a Master’s

While not in the ’top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

RankCollegeLocation
51Virginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmond, VA
52California State University - Long BeachLong Beach, CA
53Goucher CollegeBaltimore, MD
54University of San DiegoSan Diego, CA
55Augustana UniversitySioux Falls, SD
56University of PortlandPortland, OR
57Tusculum UniversityGreeneville, TN
58University of Mary WashingtonFredericksburg, VA
58Longwood UniversityFarmville, VA
60Southwest Baptist UniversityBolivar, MO
60Metropolitan State University of DenverDenver, CO
62Wilmington UniversityNew Castle, DE
63University of California - San DiegoLa Jolla, CA

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

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