College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2023 Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts

625 Ranked Colleges
24,975 Degrees Awarded
$29,000 Avg Cost*
Most Well Attended Liberal Studies Major for a Bachelor's

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Most Well Attended Liberal Studies Major for a Bachelor’s” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

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

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 “Most Well Attended Liberal Studies Major for a Bachelor’s” ranking looked at 625 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in liberal arts. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have one of the most popular liberal arts programs in the United States.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Liberal Arts Schools

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Liberal Studies Rankings Other Ranking Categories

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Most Well Attended Liberal Studies Major for a Bachelor’s” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Most Well Attended Liberal Studies Major for a Bachelor’s

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

1
Excelsior College crest
Excelsior College
Albany, New York

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Excelsior College. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Studies Major for a Bachelor’s list. Excelsior College is located in Albany, New York and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,620 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to qualified students.

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

2
University of Virginia crest
University of Virginia - Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Virginia - Main Campus. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Studies Major for a Bachelor’s list. University of Virginia - Main Campus is a large school located in Charlottesville, Virginia that handed out 1,289 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.

Full University of Virginia - Main Campus Liberal Arts Report

3
NYU crest
New York University
New York, New York

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend New York University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Studies Major for a Bachelor’s list. Located in New York, New York, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 579 degrees to qualified bachelors’s liberal studies students 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. 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at New York University

4
Evergreen crest
The Evergreen State College
Olympia, Washington

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend The Evergreen State College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Studies Major for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Olympia, Washington, this small public school awarded 541 degrees to qualified bachelors’s liberal studies students in 2020-2021.

Full Evergreen Liberal Arts Report

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Fresno. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Studies Major for a Bachelor’s list. Fresno State is located in Fresno, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 534 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to qualified students.

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

Read more about Liberal Arts at Fresno State

6
NAU crest
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, Arizona

Northern Arizona University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Studies Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #6. NAU is located in Flagstaff, Arizona and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 498 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full NAU Liberal Arts Report

7

Thomas Edison State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Studies Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #7. TESU is located in Trenton, New Jersey and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 447 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to qualified students.

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%.

Full Thomas Edison State University Liberal Arts Report

8

Arizona State University - Skysong ranked #8 on this year’s Most Well Attended Liberal Studies Major for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Scottsdale, Arizona, this large public school handed out 376 degrees to qualified bachelors’s liberal studies students 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%.

Full Arizona State University - Skysong Liberal Arts Report

9

With a ranking of #9, California State University - Bakersfield did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Studies Major for a Bachelor’s list. CSUB is a public institution located in Bakersfield, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 361 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Liberal Arts at California State University - Bakersfield

10

California State University - Northridge landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Studies Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. CSUN is a large public school situated in Northridge, California. It awarded 318 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%.

Full California State University - Northridge Liberal Arts Report

11

Florida International University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Liberal Studies Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. This large school is located in Miami, Florida, and it awarded 307 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Liberal Arts at FIU

12
Sarah Lawrence crest
Sarah Lawrence College
Bronxville, New York

Sarah Lawrence College did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Studies Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #12. Sarah Lawrence College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Bronxville, New York. It awarded 295 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. 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%.

Read more about Liberal Arts at Sarah Lawrence

13

With a ranking of #13, California State University - Long Beach did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Studies Major for a Bachelor’s list. This large school is located in Long Beach, California, and it awarded 293 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Read more about Liberal Arts at California State University - Long Beach

14
JMU crest
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, Virginia

James Madison University landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Studies Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. This large school is located in Harrisonburg, Virginia, and it awarded 263 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.0% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Liberal Arts at James Madison University

15
Fresno Pacific crest
Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, California

Fresno Pacific University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Studies Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #15. Fresno Pacific is a private not-for-profit institution located in Fresno, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 262 bachelors’s 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

16

Fort Hays State University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Liberal Studies Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. Fort Hays State University is located in Hays, Kansas and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 257 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to qualified students.

Full Fort Hays State University Liberal Arts Report

17
SDSU crest
San Diego State University
San Diego, California

San Diego State University landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Studies Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. This large school is located in San Diego, California, and it awarded 232 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. 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%.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at SDSU

17

Portland State University landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Studies Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Portland, Oregon, this large public school awarded 232 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s liberal studies students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Portland State University Liberal Arts Report

19

California State University - Chico did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Studies Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #19. Chico, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to 230 students in 2020-2021.

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%.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at California State University - Chico

20

California State University - Stanislaus came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Liberal Studies Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Turlock, California, this fairly large public school handed out 226 degrees to qualified bachelors’s liberal studies students in 2020-2021.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at Stan State

21

With a ranking of #21, Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Studies Major for a Bachelor’s list. Indiana University - Bloomington is located in Bloomington, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 225 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to qualified students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full IU Bloomington Liberal Arts Report

22

California State University - San Bernardino landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Studies Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in San Bernardino, California, this fairly large public school handed out 224 degrees to qualified bachelors’s liberal studies students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.0% 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 more about Liberal Arts at California State University - San Bernardino

23
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

University of Iowa did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Studies Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #23. This large school is located in Iowa City, Iowa, and it awarded 218 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. 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%.

Full University of Iowa Liberal Arts Report

24
Ball State crest
Ball State University
Muncie, Indiana

Ball State University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Liberal Studies Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. Ball State University is a public institution located in Muncie, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 217 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.2% 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%.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at Ball State

25

University of South Florida - Main Campus landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Studies Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. University of South Florida - Main Campus is a public institution located in Tampa, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 215 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at USF Tampa

Rest of the Best 52 in Most Well Attended Liberal Studies Major for a Bachelor’s

Not only did these schools make the top 52 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
27
ECU crest
East Carolina University
Greenville, North Carolina
28
NC A&T crest
North Carolina A & T State University
Greensboro, North Carolina
29
30
30
Charter Oak State College crest
Charter Oak State College
New Britain, Connecticut
30
33
Brandman crest
Brandman University
Irvine, California
34
35
36
WCUPA crest
West Chester University of Pennsylvania
West Chester, Pennsylvania
37
38
39
39
41
42
43
Westfield crest
Westfield State University
Westfield, Massachusetts
44
45
46
47
47
New School University crest
The New School
New York, New York
49
ULV crest
University of La Verne
La Verne, California
50
GSU crest
Governors State University
University Park, Illinois
50
50
Bentley crest
Bentley University
Waltham, Massachusetts

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Most Well Attended Liberal Studies Major for a Bachelor’s

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

RankCollegeLocation
53University of Southern MississippiHattiesburg, MS
53Rowan UniversityGlassboro, NJ
55Sonoma State UniversityRohnert Park, CA
56University of KansasLawrence, KS
57University of Maine at AugustaAugusta, ME
58California State University - Monterey BaySeaside, CA
59Stockton UniversityGalloway, NJ
60Clarion University of PennsylvaniaClarion, PA
60Longwood UniversityFarmville, VA
62Clayton State UniversityMorrow, GA
63Missouri State University - SpringfieldSpringfield, MO
64University of Massachusetts - LowellLowell, MA
64Northern Kentucky UniversityHighland Heights, KY
66Jacksonville State UniversityJacksonville, AL
66University of Missouri - St LouisSaint Louis, MO
RankCollegeLocation
66Mercy CollegeDobbs Ferry, NY
69University of South Carolina - ColumbiaColumbia, SC
69California Polytechnic State University - San Luis ObispoSan Luis Obispo, CA
71Eastern Illinois UniversityCharleston, IL
72Colorado State University - Fort CollinsFort Collins, CO
73Northeastern Illinois UniversityChicago, IL
74University of Wisconsin - Green BayGreen Bay, WI
75Morgan State UniversityBaltimore, MD
75San Francisco State UniversitySan Francisco, CA
77George Mason UniversityFairfax, VA
77Missouri Southern State UniversityJoplin, MO
79Northern Illinois UniversityDekalb, IL
80Soka University of AmericaAliso Viejo, CA
81Arizona State University - TempeTempe, AZ
82California Baptist UniversityRiverside, CA
82University of MemphisMemphis, TN
82East Tennessee State UniversityJohnson City, TN
85Wilkes UniversityWilkes-Barre, PA
85Purchase CollegePurchase, NY
85University of Mary WashingtonFredericksburg, VA
85Iowa State UniversityAmes, IA
89Thomas Aquinas CollegeSanta Paula, CA
90Grand Valley State UniversityAllendale, MI
91Wilmington UniversityNew Castle, DE
92St John’s CollegeAnnapolis, MD
RankCollegeLocation
92University of HoustonHouston, TX
94Azusa Pacific University CollegeSan Dimas, CA
94Eastern New Mexico University - Main CampusPortales, NM

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options