Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Liberal Arts General Studies

Find Schools Near

2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k

18 Ranked Colleges
913 Degrees Awarded
$18,500 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor's in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k

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 Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Liberal Arts General Studies is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 1st of all the majors we analyze. In 2019-2020, 559,661 degrees were awarded to students with this major. In 2017-2018, liberal arts general studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $26,786 and had an average of $16,538 in loans still to pay off.

Across Massachusetts, there were 3,758 liberal arts general studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $29,110 and $17,045 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 913 liberal arts general studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $42,887 and $24,387 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 18 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in liberal arts general studies. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality liberal arts general studies programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the liberal arts general studies program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Liberal Arts General Studies Schools

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 Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k” list to help you make the college decision.

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. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for massachusetts bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Top 18 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies (Income $30-$48k) in Massachusetts

#1

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Out of the 18 schools in the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Massachusetts Institute of Technology landed the #1 spot on the list. Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a fairly large school located in Cambridge, Massachusetts that handed out 10 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at MIT, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology is $1,820 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 98%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full MIT Liberal Arts General Studies Report

#2

Harvard University

Cambridge, Massachusetts
#3 in overall quality

Out of the 18 schools in the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Harvard University landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 34 degrees to qualified bachelors’s liberal arts students in 2019-2020.

Harvard also made our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #3. It costs about $1,010 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Harvard.

The low student loan default rate of 1.1% 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 student-to-faculty ratio of 5 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 General Studies at Harvard University

#3

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Amherst, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Massachusetts Amherst. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k list. Amherst, Massachusetts is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to 95 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k list, UMass Amherst has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Massachusetts Amherst is $14,474 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at UMass Amherst

#4

Westfield State University

Westfield, Massachusetts

Out of the 18 schools in the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Westfield State University landed the #4 spot on the list. Westfield is located in Westfield, Massachusetts and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 156 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.

Westfield did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The yearly cost to attend Westfield State University is $14,071 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Westfield Liberal Arts General Studies Report

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Massachusetts - Lowell. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Lowell, Massachusetts, this fairly large public school awarded 105 degrees to qualified bachelors’s liberal arts students in 2019-2020.

UMass Lowell also took the #7 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Massachusetts - Lowell is $12,330 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.4% 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 General Studies at University of Massachusetts - Lowell

#6

Framingham State University

Framingham, Massachusetts

Framingham State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #6. Framingham State is a public institution located in Framingham, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 45 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Framingham State also took the #8 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Framingham State is $16,490 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Framingham State University Liberal Arts General Studies Report

#7

Bentley University

Waltham, Massachusetts

Bentley University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k list. Bentley is a private not-for-profit institution located in Waltham, Massachusetts. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 126 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Bentley also made our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #2. The yearly cost to attend Bentley is $22,405 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.1% 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%.

Full Bentley University Liberal Arts General Studies Report

#8

University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth

North Dartmouth, Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts, and it awarded 25 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

UMass Dartmouth not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The estimated yearly cost for UMass Dartmouth is $15,219 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at UMass Dartmouth

#9

Bay Path University

Longmeadow, Massachusetts

Bay Path University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #9. Bay Path University is a small school located in Longmeadow, Massachusetts that handed out 43 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Bay Path, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Bay Path University is $19,636 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Bay Path University

#10

Salem State University

Salem, Massachusetts

Salem State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #10. Salem, Massachusetts is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to 7 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k list, Salem State has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Salem State University is $16,416 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Salem State University

#11

Springfield College

Springfield, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #11, Springfield College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k list. Springfield College is located in Springfield, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 14 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Springfield College, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $22,254 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Springfield College.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Springfield College Liberal Arts General Studies Report

#12

Eastern Nazarene College

Quincy, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #12, Eastern Nazarene College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Quincy, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 14 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s liberal arts students in 2019-2020.

ENC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The yearly cost to attend Eastern Nazarene College is $19,494 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

The impressive 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 more about Liberal Arts General Studies at ENC

#13

American International College

Springfield, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #13, American International College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k list. American International College is a small school located in Springfield, Massachusetts that handed out 13 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

AIC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The estimated yearly cost for American International College is $21,810 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full American International College Liberal Arts General Studies Report

#14

Endicott College

Beverly, Massachusetts

Endicott College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This small school is located in Beverly, Massachusetts, and it awarded 47 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Endicott not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $25,921 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Endicott.

The low 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 Endicott College Liberal Arts General Studies Report

#15

Curry College

Milton, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #15, Curry College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k list. Curry is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Milton, Massachusetts. It awarded 2 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Curry did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The yearly cost to attend Curry College is $24,483 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Curry College Liberal Arts General Studies Report

#16

Lesley University

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Lesley University landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Lesley is a small school located in Cambridge, Massachusetts that handed out 75 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Lesley also took the #9 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Lesley University is $30,430 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.4% 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%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Lesley University

#17

Regis College

Weston, Massachusetts

Regis College ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k list. Regis College is a small school located in Weston, Massachusetts that handed out 1 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Regis College, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Regis College is $26,115 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

The 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 General Studies at Regis College

#18

Dean College

Franklin, Massachusetts

Dean College came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Dean College is a small school located in Franklin, Massachusetts that handed out 5 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k list, Dean College has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Dean College is $28,371 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Dean College Liberal Arts General Studies Report

Switch to a Different Ranking Method

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.

Featured Liberal Arts Schools

Find Schools Near You