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2023 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts in New York

56 Ranked Colleges
3,414 Degrees Awarded
$34,400 Avg Cost*
Schools for a Bachelor's Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major in New York

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual has developed its “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major in New York” 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.

Across New York, there were 10,128 liberal arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 3,414 liberal arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,555 and $23,635 respectively.

For this year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major in New York” ranking, we looked at 56 colleges that offer a degree 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.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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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 in New York”.

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. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

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

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major in New York”.

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

1
Sarah Lawrence crest
Sarah Lawrence College
Bronxville, New York

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Sarah Lawrence College. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major in New York. Sarah Lawrence is a private not-for-profit institution located in Bronxville, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 295 bachelors’s degrees 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%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Liberal Arts at Sarah Lawrence College

2
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Excelsior College
Albany, New York

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Excelsior College. The school came in at #2 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major in New York. This fairly large school is located in Albany, New York, and it awarded 1,620 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% 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 Excelsior College

3
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Purchase College
Purchase, New York

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Purchase College. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major in New York list. Purchase College is a public institution located in Purchase, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 80 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Liberal Arts at Purchase College

4
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Union College New York
Schenectady, New York

Out of the 56 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major in New York that were part of this year’s ranking, Union College New York landed the #4 spot on the list. Union College New York is located in Schenectady, New York and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 28 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to qualified students.

With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 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 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Liberal Arts at Union College

5
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The New School
New York, New York

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The New School. The school came in at #5 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major in New York. Located in New York, New York, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 125 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s liberal studies students in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at The New School

6
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St. Francis College
Brooklyn Heights, New York

With a ranking of #6, St. Francis College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major in New York list. This small school is located in Brooklyn Heights, New York, and it awarded 23 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Full SFC Liberal Arts Report

7
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Mercy College
Dobbs Ferry, New York

Mercy College ranked #7 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major in New York list. Located in Dobbs Ferry, New York, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 102 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s liberal studies students in 2020-2021.

Full Mercy College Liberal Arts Report

8

St. Joseph’s College - New York ranked #8 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major in New York list. Brooklyn, 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 52 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at St. Joseph’s College - New York

9
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The City College of New York
New York, New York

The City College of New York came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major in New York ranking. New York, New York is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to 128 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full The City College of New York Liberal Arts Report

10
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New York University
New York, New York

New York University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major in New York ranking, coming in at #10. New York University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 579 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees 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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.

Read more about Liberal Arts at NYU

11
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Medgar Evers College
Brooklyn, New York

Medgar Evers College landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major in New York ranking. Medgar Evers College is located in Brooklyn, New York and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 39 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to qualified students.

Full Medgar Liberal Arts Report

12
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The Graduate Center, CUNY
New York, New York

The Graduate Center, CUNY came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major in New York ranking. New York, New York is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to 67 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 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at The Graduate Center, CUNY

13
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Elmira College
Elmira, New York

Elmira College ranked #13 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major in New York list. Elmira is a small school located in Elmira, New York that handed out 5 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Liberal Arts at Elmira

14

Hobart and William Smith Colleges came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major in New York ranking. Located in Geneva, New York, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 9 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s liberal studies students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full The Colleges Liberal Arts Report

15
St. Lawrence crest
St Lawrence University
Canton, New York

St Lawrence University ranked #15 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major in New York list. Canton, 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 10 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full St. Lawrence Liberal Arts Report

16
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Maria College of Albany
Albany, New York

With a ranking of #16, Maria College of Albany did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major in New York list. Maria College of Albany is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Albany, New York. It awarded 3 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at Maria College of Albany

17
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College of Staten Island CUNY
Staten Island, New York

College of Staten Island CUNY did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major in New York ranking, coming in at #17. CSI is a fairly large public school situated in Staten Island, New York. It awarded 34 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Full College of Staten Island CUNY Liberal Arts Report

18
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Daemen College
Amherst, New York

Daemen College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major in New York ranking, coming in at #18. This small school is located in Amherst, New York, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.2% 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%.

Full Daemen College Liberal Arts Report

19
Pace University crest
Pace University - New York
New York, New York

Pace University - New York came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major in New York ranking. Located in New York, New York, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 40 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s liberal studies students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.8% 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 Pace University - New York

20
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St. John Fisher College
Rochester, New York

St. John Fisher College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major in New York ranking, coming in at #20. St. John Fisher College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Rochester, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.

Read more about Liberal Arts at St. John Fisher College

21
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St. Thomas Aquinas College
Sparkill, New York

St. Thomas Aquinas College landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major in New York ranking. St. Thomas Aquinas College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Sparkill, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Liberal Arts at STAC

22
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Medaille College
Buffalo, New York

Medaille College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major in New York ranking, coming in at #22. Located in Buffalo, New York, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 5 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s liberal studies students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at Medaille

23
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Utica College
Utica, New York

Utica College ranked #23 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major in New York list. Utica College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Utica, New York. It awarded 14 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Utica College Liberal Arts Report

24
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Niagara University
Niagara University, New York

Niagara University landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major in New York ranking. Niagara University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Niagara University, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s degrees 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%.

Full Niagara Liberal Arts Report

25
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Baruch College
New York, New York

Baruch College ranked #25 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Studies Major in New York list. This fairly large school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 37 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at Baruch

Notes and References

References

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