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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts (Income $48-$75k) in the Southwest Region

18 Ranked Colleges
2,285 Degrees Awarded
Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor's in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking.

With 365,980 degrees handed out in 2019-2020, liberal arts is the 2nd most popular major in the United States.

Across the Southwest region, there were 28,078 liberal arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 2,285 liberal arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,896 and $23,899 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking looked at 18 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in liberal arts. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent liberal arts programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the liberal arts program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k.

Top 19 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts (Income $48-$75k) in the Southwest Region

#1 in overall quality

Out of the 18 schools in the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, The University of Texas at Austin landed the #1 spot on the list. The University of Texas at Austin is a large public school situated in Austin, Texas. It awarded 143 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.

UT Austin also made our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #1. The estimated yearly cost for UT Austin is $15,757 for southwest region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.7% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full UT Austin Liberal Arts Report

#2

University of St. Thomas

Houston, Texas
#3 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of St. Thomas. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Houston, Texas, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 17 degrees to qualified bachelors’s liberal studies students in 2019-2020.

UST also made our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #3. It costs about $17,429 for southwest region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UST.

Read more about Liberal Arts at UST

#13 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Eastern New Mexico University - Main Campus. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k. Eastern New Mexico University - Main Campus is a medium-sized public school situated in Portales, New Mexico. It awarded 71 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.

ENMU - Main Campus did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $11,117 for southwest region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Eastern New Mexico University - Main Campus.

Full Eastern New Mexico University - Main Campus Liberal Arts Report

#6 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Oklahoma State University - Main Campus. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k. Oklahoma State University - Main Campus is a large public school situated in Stillwater, Oklahoma. It awarded 27 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.

OSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $14,698 for southwest region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Oklahoma State University - Main Campus.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Oklahoma State University - Main Campus Liberal Arts Report

#5

Texas Tech University

Lubbock, Texas
#5 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Texas Tech University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k. Texas Tech University is a public institution located in Lubbock, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Texas Tech also made our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #5. It costs about $17,421 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Texas Tech University.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at Texas Tech

#6

University of Houston

Houston, Texas
#10 in overall quality

University of Houston ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. UH is located in Houston, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 58 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our southwest region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $48-$75k list, UH has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UH is $12,505 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Read more about Liberal Arts at UH

#4 in overall quality

With a ranking of #7, Arizona State University - Skysong did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Scottsdale, Arizona is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to 342 students in 2019-2020.

ASU - Skysong did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Arizona State University - Skysong is $15,891 for southwest region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at Arizona State University - Skysong

#7

Northern Arizona University

Flagstaff, Arizona
#8 in overall quality

Northern Arizona University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. NAU is a large school located in Flagstaff, Arizona that handed out 545 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.

NAU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Northern Arizona University is $12,675 for southwest region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at NAU

#19 in overall quality

New Mexico State University - Main Campus came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Las Cruces, New Mexico, this fairly large public school handed out 166 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s liberal studies students in 2019-2020.

NMSU Main Campus also took the #19 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend NMSU Main Campus is $10,235 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full NMSU Main Campus Liberal Arts Report

#9

Sam Houston State University

Huntsville, Texas
#11 in overall quality

Sam Houston State University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. SHSU is a large school located in Huntsville, Texas that handed out 54 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.

SHSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Sam Houston State University is $14,832 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at SHSU

#12 in overall quality

Arizona State University - Tempe came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. ASU - Tempe is a large public school situated in Tempe, Arizona. It awarded 102 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.

ASU - Tempe did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Arizona State University - Tempe is $14,033 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Liberal Arts at Arizona State University - Tempe

#14 in overall quality

Texas A&M University - Commerce landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Texas A&M University - Commerce is a fairly large school located in Commerce, Texas that handed out 33 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $48-$75k list, Texas A&M Commerce has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Texas A&M Commerce is $14,033 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at Texas A&M Commerce

#2 in overall quality

University of Oklahoma Norman Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #12. University of Oklahoma is a large public school situated in Norman, Oklahoma. It awarded 148 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.

University of Oklahoma also made our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #2. It costs about $21,812 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Oklahoma Norman Campus.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at University of Oklahoma Norman Campus

#9 in overall quality

University of Central Oklahoma landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. UCO is located in Edmond, Oklahoma and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 2 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to qualified students.

UCO also made our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #9. The estimated yearly cost for University of Central Oklahoma is $18,693 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full University of Central Oklahoma Liberal Arts Report

#14

University of New Mexico - Main Campus

Albuquerque, New Mexico
#17 in overall quality

University of New Mexico - Main Campus came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. UNM is located in Albuquerque, New Mexico and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 197 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our southwest region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $48-$75k list, UNM has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UNM is $16,557 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Liberal Arts at University of New Mexico - Main Campus

#15

Oklahoma Christian University

Edmond, Oklahoma
#16 in overall quality

Oklahoma Christian University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #15. Located in Edmond, Oklahoma, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 27 degrees to qualified bachelors’s liberal studies students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $48-$75k list, OC has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for OC is $20,865 for southwest region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Oklahoma Christian University Liberal Arts Report

#16

Northern New Mexico College

Espanola, New Mexico
#20 in overall quality

Northern New Mexico College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Espanola, New Mexico is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to 7 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $48-$75k list, Northern New Mexico College has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Northern New Mexico College is $9,991 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Northern New Mexico College Liberal Arts Report

#17

St. John's College

Santa Fe, New Mexico
#15 in overall quality

With a ranking of #17, St. John’s College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This small school is located in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and it awarded 74 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.

St. John’s did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $47,487 for southwest region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend St. John’s College.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Liberal Arts at St. John’s

#18

Tarleton State University

Stephenville, Texas
#18 in overall quality

Tarleton State University landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Stephenville, Texas, and it awarded 99 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Tarleton also took the #18 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Tarleton State University is $19,542 for southwest region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Liberal Arts at Tarleton

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Notes and References

References

  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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