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2023 Best Value Colleges for Liberal Arts (With Aid)

825 Ranked Colleges
366,996 Degrees Awarded
$4,400 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Liberal Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Liberal Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2020-2021, 366,996 liberal arts students received their degree, making the major the 2nd most popular in the country.

For this year’s “Best Value Liberal Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid” ranking, we looked at 825 colleges that offer a degree in liberal arts. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great liberal arts programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the liberal arts program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Liberal Arts Schools

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
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More Liberal Studies Rankings Other Ranking Categories

The liberal studies school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Liberal Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid”.

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. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Liberal Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid

The colleges and universities below are the best for liberal studies students with aid.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Liberal Arts (With Aid)

1

Out of the 825 schools in the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Central New Mexico Community College landed the #1 spot on the list. CNM is a fairly large public school situated in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It awarded 2,357 ’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, CNM also did well on our “Best Liberal Arts Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 5% of all schools on our “Best Liberal Arts Schools” list. It costs about $3,322 for Liberal Studies students with aid per year to attend CNM.

Read more about Liberal Arts at CNM

2

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend City Colleges of Chicago - Harold Washington College. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s liberal studies degrees to 1,448 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Harold Washington College is also in the top of our “Best Liberal Arts Schools” ranking. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. It costs about $2,726 for Liberal Studies students with aid per year to attend City Colleges of Chicago - Harold Washington College.

Read more about Liberal Arts at City Colleges of Chicago - Harold Washington College

3
Oakland Community College crest
Oakland Community College
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Oakland Community College. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid. Oakland Community College is a fairly large public school situated in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. It awarded 410 ’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Oakland Community College also did well on our “Best Liberal Arts Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for Oakland Community College is $3,665 for Liberal Studies students with aid.

Full Oakland Community College Liberal Arts Report

4
South Texas College crest
South Texas College
McAllen, Texas

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend South Texas College. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid. Located in McAllen, Texas, this large public school awarded 460 degrees to qualified ’s liberal studies students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for South Texas College is $1,504 for liberal studies students with aid.

Read more about Liberal Arts at South Texas College

5
College of Lake County crest
College of Lake County
Grayslake, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend College of Lake County. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid. College of Lake County is a public institution located in Grayslake, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 1,446 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on this list, College of Lake County is in the top on our “Best Liberal Arts Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Liberal Arts Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend College of Lake County is $4,989 for Liberal Studies students with aid.

Read more about Liberal Arts at College of Lake County

6
Indian River State College crest
Indian River State College
Fort Pierce, Florida

Indian River State College ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Fort Pierce, Florida is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s liberal studies degrees to 1,841 students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Indian River State College is $3,786 for Liberal Studies students with aid.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at Indian River State College

7
Golden West College crest
Golden West College
Huntington Beach, California

With a ranking of #7, Golden West College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Golden West College is a fairly large school located in Huntington Beach, California that handed out 3,237 ’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Golden West College is also in the top of our “Best Liberal Arts Schools” ranking. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend Golden West College is $4,024 for liberal studies students with aid.

Full Golden West College Liberal Arts Report

8
Central Texas College crest
Central Texas College
Killeen, Texas

Central Texas College ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Central Texas College is a medium-sized public school situated in Killeen, Texas. It awarded 345 ’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Central Texas College is also in the top of our “Best Liberal Arts Schools” ranking. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend Central Texas College is $5,196 for Liberal Studies students with aid.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at Central Texas College

9
Palm Beach State College crest
Palm Beach State College
Lake Worth, Florida

Palm Beach State College ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Lake Worth, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s liberal studies degrees to 4,062 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on this list, Palm Beach State College is in the top on our “Best Liberal Arts Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Liberal Arts Schools” list. It costs about $9,481 for Liberal Studies students with aid per year to attend Palm Beach State College.

Full Palm Beach State College Liberal Arts Report

10
Pima County Community College District crest
Pima Community College
Tucson, Arizona

Pima Community College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. Pima Community College is located in Tucson, Arizona and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,788 ’s liberal studies degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on this list, Pima County Community College District is in the top on our “Best Liberal Arts Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. It costs about $3,846 for liberal studies students with aid per year to attend Pima Community College.

Read more about Liberal Arts at Pima County Community College District

11

Suffolk County Community College landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. Suffolk County Community College is a large school located in Selden, New York that handed out 53 ’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Suffolk County Community College is also in the top of our “Best Liberal Arts Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend Suffolk County Community College is $5,270 for liberal studies students with aid.

Read more about Liberal Arts at Suffolk County Community College

12
Northwest Vista College crest
Northwest Vista College
San Antonio, Texas

Northwest Vista College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #12. Northwest Vista College is located in San Antonio, Texas and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 62 ’s liberal studies degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on this list, Northwest Vista College is in the top on our “Best Liberal Arts Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Liberal Arts Schools” list. It costs about $6,407 for Liberal Studies students with aid per year to attend Northwest Vista College.

Full Northwest Vista College Liberal Arts Report

13

Metropolitan Community College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Omaha, Nebraska is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s liberal studies degrees to 353 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, MCC is also in the top of our “Best Liberal Arts Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend Metropolitan Community College is $4,315 for Liberal Studies students with aid.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 5.0% 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 Liberal Arts at MCC

14

City Colleges of Chicago - Wilbur Wright College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s liberal studies degrees to 926 students in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Wilbur Wright College also did well on our “Best Liberal Arts Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for Wilbur Wright College is $2,482 for liberal studies students with aid.

Read more about Liberal Arts at Wilbur Wright College

15

University of South Florida - Main Campus ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid list. University of South Florida - Main Campus is a large public school situated in Tampa, Florida. It awarded 453 ’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.

USF Tampa did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best Liberal Arts Schools” list. It costs about $8,346 for liberal studies students with aid per year to attend USF Tampa.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.3% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%.

Read more about Liberal Arts at USF Tampa

16
Cerritos College crest
Cerritos College
Norwalk, California

Cerritos College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. This fairly large school is located in Norwalk, California, and it awarded 1,561 ’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Cerritos College also did well on our “Best Liberal Arts Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for Cerritos College is $2,310 for Liberal Studies students with aid.

Full Cerritos College Liberal Arts Report

17

Hillsborough Community College landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. Tampa, Florida is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s liberal studies degrees to 3,242 students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend HCC is $2,949 for liberal studies students with aid.

Full Hillsborough Community College Liberal Arts Report

18
Valencia College crest
Valencia College
Orlando, Florida

Valencia College landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. Valencia College is located in Orlando, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 7,810 ’s liberal studies degrees to qualified students.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Valencia College also did well on our “Best Liberal Arts Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $5,354 for Liberal Studies students with aid per year to attend Valencia College.

Read more about Liberal Arts at Valencia College

19

Florida State College at Jacksonville landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. Florida State College at Jacksonville is a large school located in Jacksonville, Florida that handed out 3,217 ’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Florida State College at Jacksonville is $3,129 for liberal studies students with aid.

Full FSCJ Liberal Arts Report

20

Moraine Valley Community College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. This fairly large school is located in Palos Hills, Illinois, and it awarded 711 ’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $1,901 for liberal studies students with aid per year to attend MVCC.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at MVCC

21
Nassau Community College crest
Nassau Community College
Garden City, New York

With a ranking of #21, Nassau Community College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Nassau Community College is a public institution located in Garden City, New York. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 70 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Nassau Community College also did well on our “Best Liberal Arts Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for Nassau Community College is $4,932 for Liberal Studies students with aid.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at Nassau Community College

22

California State University - Los Angeles came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. California State University - Los Angeles is a large public school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 145 ’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $3,302 for liberal studies students with aid per year to attend Cal State LA.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Cal State LA Liberal Arts Report

23

Collin County Community College District did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #23. Collin County Community College District is a large school located in McKinney, Texas that handed out 1,979 ’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Collin County Community College District also did well on our “Best Liberal Arts Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Liberal Arts Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Collin County Community College District is $7,040 for liberal studies students with aid.

Read more about Liberal Arts at Collin County Community College District

24
Waubonsee crest
Waubonsee Community College
Sugar Grove, Illinois

With a ranking of #24, Waubonsee Community College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Waubonsee Community College is a medium-sized school located in Sugar Grove, Illinois that handed out 449 ’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Waubonsee also did well on our “Best Liberal Arts Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Liberal Arts Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Waubonsee is $5,104 for liberal studies students with aid.

Full Waubonsee Liberal Arts Report

25
Forsyth Tech crest
Forsyth Technical Community College
Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Forsyth Technical Community College landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. Forsyth Tech is a public institution located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 501 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $5,388 for liberal studies students with aid per year to attend Forsyth Technical Community College.

Read more about Liberal Arts at Forsyth Technical Community College

Rest of the Best 50 in Best Value Liberal Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid

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

26
27
28
29
MiraCosta College crest
MiraCosta College
Oceanside, California
30
31
32
LCC crest
Lansing Community College
Lansing, Michigan
33
Cleveland Community College crest
Cleveland Community College
Shelby, North Carolina
34
San Antonio College crest
San Antonio College
San Antonio, Texas
35
SCC crest
St Charles Community College
Cottleville, Missouri
36
Joliet Junior College crest
Joliet Junior College
Joliet, Illinois
37
Riverside City College crest
Riverside City College
Riverside, California
38
Tallahassee Community College crest
Tallahassee Community College
Tallahassee, Florida
39
FTCC crest
Fayetteville Technical Community College
Fayetteville, North Carolina
40
41
42
MCC crest
McHenry County College
Crystal Lake, Illinois
43
Ivy Tech Community College crest
Ivy Tech Community College
Indianapolis, Indiana
43
45
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Ventura College
Ventura, California
46
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina
47
LLCC crest
Lincoln Land Community College
Springfield, Illinois
48
Wake Technical Community College crest
Wake Technical Community College
Raleigh, North Carolina
49
Frederick Community College crest
Frederick Community College
Frederick, Maryland
50

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Best Value Liberal Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid

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

RankCollegeLocation
51Washtenaw Community CollegeAnn Arbor, MI
52St Petersburg CollegeClearwater, FL
53McLennan Community CollegeWaco, TX
54Georgia State University-Perimeter CollegeAtlanta, GA
55Henry Ford CollegeDearborn, MI
56Oklahoma City Community CollegeOklahoma City, OK
57West Valley CollegeSaratoga, CA
57Montgomery CollegeRockville, MD
59Imperial Valley CollegeImperial, CA
60Eastern Florida State CollegeCocoa, FL
61Orange County Community CollegeMiddletown, NY
62Rowan-Cabarrus Community CollegeSalisbury, NC
63Chemeketa Community CollegeSalem, OR
64Chesapeake CollegeWye Mills, MD
65Metropolitan Community College - Kansas CityKansas City, MO
RankCollegeLocation
66Oakton Community CollegeDes Plaines, IL
67Lewis and Clark Community CollegeGodfrey, IL
68College of DuPageGlen Ellyn, IL
69Lorain County Community CollegeElyria, OH
70Bergen Community CollegeParamus, NJ
71The City College of New YorkNew York, NY
72City Colleges of Chicago - Harry S Truman CollegeChicago, IL
73Delta CollegeUniversity Center, MI
74Middlesex Community CollegeBedford, MA
75City Colleges of Chicago - Malcolm X CollegeChicago, IL
76Vincennes UniversityVincennes, IN
77Colorado Mountain CollegeGlenwood Springs, CO
78Caldwell Community College and Technical InstituteHudson, NC
79Indiana University - BloomingtonBloomington, IN
80Orange Coast CollegeCosta Mesa, CA
81Cossatot Community College of the University of ArkansasDe Queen, AR
81Central Arizona CollegeCoolidge, AZ
83City Colleges of Chicago - Richard J Daley CollegeChicago, IL
84California State University - SacramentoSacramento, CA
85Florida International UniversityMiami, FL
86Norco CollegeNorco, CA
87Macomb Community CollegeWarren, MI
88College of the SequoiasVisalia, CA
89Miami Dade CollegeMiami, FL
90Cuyahoga Community College DistrictCleveland, OH
RankCollegeLocation
91Northeast Alabama Community CollegeRainsville, AL
92El Paso Community CollegeEl Paso, TX
93Lenoir Community CollegeKinston, NC
94Portland Community CollegePortland, OR
95University of Wisconsin - Green BayGreen Bay, WI
96Florida SouthWestern State CollegeFort Myers, FL
97Southwest Tennessee Community CollegeMemphis, TN
98Aims Community CollegeGreeley, CO
99Danville Area Community CollegeDanville, IL
100West Virginia UniversityMorgantown, WV
101Mott Community CollegeFlint, MI
102California State University - StanislausTurlock, CA
103Santa Ana CollegeSanta Ana, CA
104Palo Alto CollegeSan Antonio, TX
105Triton CollegeRiver Grove, IL
106Moreno Valley CollegeMoreno Valley, CA
107Dakota College at BottineauBottineau, ND
108Beaufort County Community CollegeWashington, NC
109Georgia Highlands CollegeRome, GA
110California State University - BakersfieldBakersfield, CA
110Middle Tennessee State UniversityMurfreesboro, TN
112Central Piedmont Community CollegeCharlotte, NC
113NorthWest Arkansas Community CollegeBentonville, AR
113University of Central FloridaOrlando, FL
115Howard Community CollegeColumbia, MD
RankCollegeLocation
116Community College of Baltimore CountyBaltimore, MD
117Rockingham Community CollegeWentworth, NC
118Florida Atlantic UniversityBoca Raton, FL
119Niagara County Community CollegeSanborn, NY
120College of Southern NevadaLas Vegas, NV
121Lane Community CollegeEugene, OR
122State Fair Community CollegeSedalia, MO
123Prairie State CollegeChicago Heights, IL
124College of the AlbemarleElizabeth City, NC

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

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