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2023 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts

625 Ranked Colleges
24,975 Degrees Awarded
$23,100 Avg Cost*
Schools for a Bachelor's Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

With 366,996 degrees handed out in 2020-2021, liberal arts is the 2nd most popular major in the United States.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 24,975 liberal arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,682 and $26,217 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major” ranking looked at 625 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in liberal arts. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their liberal arts program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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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 “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major”.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. 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.

Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major

The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree liberal studies students.

Top 25 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts

1
Providence Christian College crest
Providence Christian College
Pasadena, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Providence Christian College. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major. Providence Christian College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Pasadena, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 28 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Providence Christian College Liberal Arts Report

1
TAC crest
Thomas Aquinas College
Santa Paula, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Thomas Aquinas College. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major. Located in Santa Paula, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 79 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s liberal studies students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at Thomas Aquinas College

3
Soka University crest
Soka University of America
Aliso Viejo, California

Out of the 625 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Soka University of America landed the #3 spot on the list. This small school is located in Aliso Viejo, California, and it awarded 85 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Liberal Arts at Soka University

4
Sarah Lawrence crest
Sarah Lawrence College
Bronxville, New York

Out of the 625 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Sarah Lawrence College landed the #4 spot on the list. Bronxville, New York is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to 295 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% 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%. 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.

Full Sarah Lawrence College Liberal Arts Report

5

Out of the 625 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Magdalen College of the Liberal Arts landed the #5 spot on the list. Magdalen College of the Liberal Arts is located in Warner, New Hampshire and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 9 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to qualified students.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 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 Liberal Arts at Magdalen College

6
St. John's Annapolis crest
St John's College
Annapolis, Maryland

St John’s College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major ranking. St John’s College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Annapolis, Maryland. It awarded 75 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full St John’s College Liberal Arts Report

7
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The Evergreen State College
Olympia, Washington

The Evergreen State College ranked #7 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major list. Olympia, Washington is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to 541 students in 2020-2021.

Full The Evergreen State College Liberal Arts Report

8

New Saint Andrews College landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major ranking. New Saint Andrews is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Moscow, Idaho. It awarded 22 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at New Saint Andrews College

9

Pacific Islands University landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major ranking. This small school is located in Mangilao, , and it awarded 5 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Pacific Islands University Liberal Arts Report

10
St. John's crest
St. John's College
Santa Fe, New Mexico

St. John’s College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major ranking. This small school is located in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and it awarded 48 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at St. John’s

11

Whitworth University - Adult Degree Programs did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major ranking, coming in at #11. Whitworth University - Adult Degree Programs is located in Spokane, Washington and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 36 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Whitworth University - Adult Degree Programs Liberal Arts Report

12
Excelsior College crest
Excelsior College
Albany, New York

Excelsior College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major ranking, coming in at #12. Excelsior College is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Albany, New York. It awarded 1,620 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.

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%.

Full Excelsior College Liberal Arts Report

13
Charter Oak State College crest
Charter Oak State College
New Britain, Connecticut

With a ranking of #13, Charter Oak State College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major list. New Britain, Connecticut is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to 174 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.4% 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 Charter Oak State College

14
Antioch University - Santa Barbara crest
Antioch University - Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, California

With a ranking of #14, Antioch University - Santa Barbara did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major list. Antioch University - Santa Barbara is a private not-for-profit institution located in Santa Barbara, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 30 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Antioch University - Santa Barbara Liberal Arts Report

15
UWest crest
University of the West
Rosemead, California

University of the West ranked #15 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major list. Located in Rosemead, California, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 15 degrees to qualified bachelors’s liberal studies students in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at University of the West

16
Antioch University McGregor crest
Antioch University - Midwest
Yellow Springs, Ohio

Antioch University - Midwest landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major ranking. Antioch University - Midwest is a private not-for-profit institution located in Yellow Springs, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 22 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Antioch University McGregor Liberal Arts Report

17

The University of Virginia’s College at Wise landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major ranking. The University of Virginia’s College at Wise is located in Wise, Virginia and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 47 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to qualified students.

Full The University of Virginia’s College at Wise Liberal Arts Report

18

University of Maine at Augusta landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major ranking. University of Maine at Augusta is located in Augusta, Maine and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 114 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to qualified students.

Read more about Liberal Arts at University of Maine at Augusta

19
Fresno Pacific crest
Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, California

Fresno Pacific University landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major ranking. This small school is located in Fresno, California, and it awarded 262 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Liberal Arts at Fresno Pacific

20
TESU crest
Thomas Edison State University
Trenton, New Jersey

Thomas Edison State University landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Trenton, New Jersey, and it awarded 447 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees 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%.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at Thomas Edison State University

21
Goddard College crest
Goddard College
Plainfield, Vermont

With a ranking of #21, Goddard College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major list. Plainfield, Vermont is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to 24 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.9% 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 Goddard College Liberal Arts Report

22
Azusa Pacific's University College crest
Azusa Pacific University College
San Dimas, California

Azusa Pacific University College ranked #22 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major list. Azusa Pacific University College is a small school located in San Dimas, California that handed out 71 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at Azusa Pacific University College

23
University of Virginia crest
University of Virginia - Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia

University of Virginia - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major ranking, coming in at #23. This large school is located in Charlottesville, Virginia, and it awarded 1,289 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Virginia Liberal Arts Report

24
Paul Quinn College crest
Paul Quinn College
Dallas, Texas

Paul Quinn College landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major ranking. Paul Quinn College is located in Dallas, Texas and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 13 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to qualified students.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at Paul Quinn College

25
WBU crest
Williams Baptist University
Walnut Ridge, Arkansas

With a ranking of #25, Williams Baptist University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major list. WBU is a small school located in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas that handed out 13 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Liberal Arts at WBU

Rest of the Best 50 in Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major

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
Patrick Henry College crest
Patrick Henry College
Purcellville, Virginia
28
29
Neumann crest
Neumann University
Aston, Pennsylvania
30
Longwood crest
Longwood University
Farmville, Virginia
31
Mitchell College crest
Mitchell College
New London, Connecticut
32
Harris - Stowe State University crest
Harris - Stowe State University
Saint Louis, Missouri
33
Simpson U crest
Simpson University
Redding, California
34
GSU crest
Governors State University
University Park, Illinois
35
TC crest
Texas College
Tyler, Texas
36
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Westfield State University
Westfield, Massachusetts
37
Mansfield University crest
Mansfield University of Pennsylvania
Mansfield, Pennsylvania
38
39
Bethune - Cookman University crest
Bethune - Cookman University
Daytona Beach, Florida
40
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Purchase College
Purchase, New York
41
MCU crest
Marymount California University
Rancho Palos Verdes, California
42
43
44
Clayton State University crest
Clayton State University
Morrow, Georgia
45
Northern New Mexico College crest
Northern New Mexico College
Espanola, New Mexico
46
47
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Mary Baldwin University
Staunton, Virginia
48
Peirce crest
Peirce College
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
49
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Southern Virginia University
Buena Vista, Virginia
50

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major

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

Rank College Location
51 North Carolina A & T State University Greensboro, NC
52 Clarion University of Pennsylvania Clarion, PA
53 William Jewell College Liberty, MO
54 Thomas More University Crestview Hills, KY
55 Antioch University - Seattle Seattle, WA
56 Bentley University Waltham, MA
57 Eastern Mennonite University Harrisonburg, VA
58 Miami University - Hamilton Hamilton, OH
59 Aquinas College Michigan Grand Rapids, MI
60 Langston University Langston, OK
61 Athens State University Athens, AL
62 Missouri Southern State University Joplin, MO
63 University of Mary Washington Fredericksburg, VA
64 Morgan State University Baltimore, MD
65 Columbia International University Columbia, SC
Rank College Location
66 Fort Hays State University Hays, KS
67 Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA
68 Kentucky State University Frankfort, KY
69 Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ
70 Belmont Abbey College Belmont, NC
71 North Greenville University Tigerville, SC
72 Southern Connecticut State University New Haven, CT
73 California State University - Channel Islands Camarillo, CA
74 Eastern New Mexico University - Main Campus Portales, NM
75 Florida College Temple Terrace, FL
76 Lee University Cleveland, TN
77 Montana State University - Billings Billings, MT
78 Hampton University Hampton, VA
79 University of South Carolina - Upstate Spartanburg, SC
80 Eastern Illinois University Charleston, IL
81 Greensboro College Greensboro, NC
82 Sonoma State University Rohnert Park, CA
83 University of La Verne La Verne, CA
84 Union College New York Schenectady, NY
85 Northeastern Illinois University Chicago, IL
86 California State University - Monterey Bay Seaside, CA
87 Chicago State University Chicago, IL
88 University of Wisconsin - Green Bay Green Bay, WI
89 Jacksonville State University Jacksonville, AL
90 California State University - Chico Chico, CA
Rank College Location
91 Bridgewater College Bridgewater, VA
92 Frostburg State University Frostburg, MD
93 Brandman University Irvine, CA
94 Alcorn State University Alcorn State, MS

Notes and References

References

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