2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools 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. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Master’s” ranking is part of that endeavor.
Liberal Arts is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 2nd of all the majors we analyze. In 2019-2020, 365,980 degrees were awarded to students with this major.
At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 1,188 liberal arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $56,398 and $43,194 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Master’s” ranking analyzed 55 colleges that offered 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.
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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
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One Size Does Not Fit All
When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Master’s” list to help you make the college 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. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.
Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Master’s
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Master’s.
Top 25 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend North Central College. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Master’s list. This small school is located in Naperville, Illinois, and it awarded 9 masters’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at North Central, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at North Central are $15,822, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Out of the 55 schools in the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Master’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Arizona State University - Skysong landed the #2 spot on the list. ASU - Skysong is a large public school situated in Scottsdale, Arizona. It awarded 32 masters’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at ASU - Skysong are $6,724.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend The University of Texas at Austin. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Master’s list. Located in Austin, Texas, this large public school handed out 20 degrees to qualified masters’s liberal studies students in 2019-2020.
UT Austin also took the #7 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UT Austin are $22,886, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Oklahoma Norman Campus. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Master’s list. Norman, Oklahoma is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s liberal studies degrees to 160 students in 2019-2020.
University of Oklahoma did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Liberal Arts Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Oklahoma Norman Campus are $23,236, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Out of the 55 schools in the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Master’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Villanova University landed the #5 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in Villanova, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 3 masters’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
Villanova not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Liberal Arts Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Villanova are $20,719, but some majors have different tuition rates.
University of Memphis came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Master’s ranking. This large school is located in Memphis, Tennessee, and it awarded 4 masters’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Memphis are $14,202, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
St John’s College landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Master’s ranking. St. John’s Annapolis is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Annapolis, Maryland. It awarded 27 masters’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
St. John’s Annapolis also made our “Best Liberal Arts Master’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #18. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at St. John’s Annapolis are $19,316.
The Graduate Center, CUNY landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Master’s ranking. The Graduate Center is located in New York, New York and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 79 masters’s liberal studies degrees to qualified students.
The Graduate Center not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Liberal Arts Master’s Degree Schools” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at The Graduate Center are $23,640.
Excelsior University landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Master’s ranking. Excelsior University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Albany, New York. The school has a large population, and it awarded 8 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Excelsior University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #25 on our “Best Liberal Arts Master’s Degree Schools” list.
University of South Florida - Main Campus landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Master’s ranking. Tampa, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s liberal studies degrees to 27 students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at USF Tampa, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of South Florida - Main Campus are $21,126, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Full University of South Florida - Main Campus Liberal Arts Report
North Carolina State University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Master’s ranking. NC State is located in Raleigh, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 17 masters’s liberal studies degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at NC State, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at North Carolina State University are $28,999, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Northern Kentucky University landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Master’s ranking. Located in Highland Heights, Kentucky, this fairly large public school awarded 11 degrees to qualified masters’s liberal studies students in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at NKU are $17,358, but some majors have different tuition rates.
With a ranking of #13, University of Richmond did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Master’s list. URichmond is a small school located in University of Richmond, Virginia that handed out 7 masters’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
URichmond also made our “Best Liberal Arts Master’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #13. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Richmond are $25,260, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Middle Tennessee State University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Master’s ranking. Middle Tennessee State University is located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 9 masters’s liberal studies degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Middle Tennessee State University, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Middle Tennessee State University are $26,172, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read full report on Liberal Arts at Middle Tennessee State University
University of North Carolina at Greensboro came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Master’s ranking. Located in Greensboro, North Carolina, this fairly large public school handed out 28 degrees to qualified masters’s liberal studies students in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at University of North Carolina at Greensboro are $21,918, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Indiana University - South Bend did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #16. South Bend, Indiana is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s liberal studies degrees to 12 students in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Indiana University - South Bend are $18,275, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read more about Liberal Arts at Indiana University - South Bend
Stony Brook University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Master’s ranking. SUNY Stony Brook is a large school located in Stony Brook, New York that handed out 65 masters’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
SUNY Stony Brook also made our “Best Liberal Arts Master’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #12. Average graduate tuition and fees at Stony Brook University are $25,583, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
With a ranking of #17, Albertus Magnus College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Master’s list. This small school is located in New Haven, Connecticut, and it awarded 6 masters’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Albertus Magnus, the school also landed the #22 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Albertus Magnus are $21,304, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
With a ranking of #19, Coastal Carolina University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Master’s list. Located in Conway, South Carolina, this fairly large public school awarded 8 diplomas to qualified masters’s liberal studies students in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Coastal Carolina University are $19,836, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read full report on Liberal Arts at Coastal Carolina University
Houston Baptist University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #20. HBU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Houston, Texas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 8 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Houston Baptist University are $12,650.
University of St. Thomas ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Master’s list. Houston, Texas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s liberal studies degrees to 21 students in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UST are $21,634.
Clayton State University landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Master’s ranking. Located in Morrow, Georgia, this medium-sized public school awarded 9 degrees to qualified masters’s liberal studies students in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Clayton State University are $13,915, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read full report on Liberal Arts at Clayton State University
University of Arkansas at Little Rock did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #23. University of Arkansas at Little Rock is a medium-sized school located in Little Rock, Arkansas that handed out 6 masters’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at UA Little Rock are $14,884, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read full report on Liberal Arts at University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Union Institute & University landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Master’s ranking. Union is a private not-for-profit institution located in Cincinnati, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 14 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Union are $16,868, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Texas A & M University - Central Texas ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Master’s list. Texas A & M University - Central Texas is located in Killeen, Texas and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 2 masters’s liberal studies degrees to qualified students.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Texas A & M University - Central Texas are $13,561, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read full report on Liberal Arts at Texas A & M University - Central Texas
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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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