2022 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies
It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
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.
At the associate degree level specifically, there were 403,365 liberal arts general studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $33,082 and $17,678 respectively.
For this year’s “Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate” ranking, we looked at 934 colleges that offer a degree in liberal arts general studies. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent liberal arts general studies programs, but they also cost less that 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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
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More Ways to Rank Liberal Arts General Studies Schools
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
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Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate
The colleges and universities below are the best for associate degree liberal arts students.
Top 25 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend American Public University System. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate. American Military University is a large private for-profit school situated in Charles Town, West Virginia. It awarded 1,323 associates’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
American Military University also made our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools” list, coming in at #1. The yearly cost to attend American Public University System is $10,222 for associate degree liberal arts students.
With a freshman retention rate of 98%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Full American Military University Liberal Arts General Studies Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Collin County Community College District. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate. This large school is located in McKinney, Texas, and it awarded 2,763 associates’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
Collin County Community College District not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Collin County Community College District is $6,293 for Associate Degree Liberal Arts students.
Full Collin County Community College District Liberal Arts General Studies Report
Out of the 934 schools in the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate that were part of this year’s ranking, Houston Community College landed the #3 spot on the list. Houston Community College is located in Houston, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 2,851 associates’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.
Houston Community College also made our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools” list, coming in at #19. The yearly cost to attend Houston Community College is $5,272 for Associate Degree Liberal Arts students.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Houston Community College
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Hillsborough Community College. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate. HCC is a fairly large public school situated in Tampa, Florida. It awarded 3,253 associates’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
HCC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for HCC is $3,238 for Associate Degree Liberal Arts students.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Hillsborough Community College
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Tallahassee Community College. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate. Tallahassee, Florida is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s liberal arts degrees to 2,554 students in 2019-2020.
Tallahassee Community College excels when it comes to liberal arts quality. It’s ranked in the top 5% of all schools on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Tallahassee Community College is $4,048 for associate degree liberal arts students.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Tallahassee Community College
El Centro College landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate ranking. El Centro College is located in Dallas, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 5,589 associates’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at El Centro College, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for El Centro College is $4,373 for Associate Degree Liberal Arts students.
With a ranking of #7, Northern Virginia Community College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate list. Annandale, Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s liberal arts degrees to 1,612 students in 2019-2020.
Northern Virginia Community College also made our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools” list, coming in at #3. The estimated yearly cost for Northern Virginia Community College is $10,005 for Associate Degree Liberal Arts students.
Full Northern Virginia Community College Liberal Arts General Studies Report
Tarrant County College District came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate ranking. This large school is located in Fort Worth, Texas, and it awarded 4,575 associates’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
Tarrant County College also made our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools” list, coming in at #12. The estimated yearly cost for Tarrant County College District is $5,434 for Associate Degree Liberal Arts students.
Full Tarrant County College Liberal Arts General Studies Report
With a ranking of #9, Highline College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate list. Highline is a medium-sized school located in Des Moines, Washington that handed out 618 associates’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
Highline also claimed a top spot on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend Highline College is $7,052 for associate degree liberal arts students.
Valencia College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate ranking, coming in at #10. Orlando, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s liberal arts degrees to 7,122 students in 2019-2020.
Valencia College also made our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools” list, coming in at #9. The yearly cost to attend Valencia College is $5,205 for associate degree liberal arts students.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Valencia College
Midland College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate ranking, coming in at #11. Midland College is a public institution located in Midland, Texas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 266 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on this list, Midland College is in the top on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend Midland College is $4,745 for Associate Degree Liberal Arts students.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Midland College
Indian River State College ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate list. Indian River State College is a fairly large public school situated in Fort Pierce, Florida. It awarded 2,032 associates’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Indian River State College is also in the top of our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools” ranking. It’s ranked in the top 5% of all schools on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Indian River State College is $2,003 for associate degree liberal arts students.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Indian River State College
Brazosport College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate ranking, coming in at #13. This small school is located in Lake Jackson, Texas, and it awarded 306 associates’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
BC excels when it comes to liberal arts quality. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category. It costs about $4,404 for associate degree liberal arts students per year to attend Brazosport College.
With a ranking of #14, Normandale Community College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate list. Normandale Community College is a medium-sized public school situated in Bloomington, Minnesota. It awarded 687 associates’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
Normandale Community College excels when it comes to liberal arts quality. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $12,620 for Associate Degree Liberal Arts students per year to attend Normandale Community College.
Full Normandale Community College Liberal Arts General Studies Report
Lone Star College System did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate ranking, coming in at #15. Located in The Woodlands, Texas, this large public school awarded 5,833 diplomas to qualified associates’s liberal arts students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our associate degree liberal arts students list, North Harris Montgomery has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend North Harris Montgomery is $8,016 for associate degree liberal arts students.
Full Lone Star College System Liberal Arts General Studies Report
Seminole State College of Florida did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate ranking, coming in at #16. Seminole State College of Florida is located in Sanford, Florida and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1,957 associates’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.
Seminole State also made our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools” list, coming in at #21. It costs about $8,326 for Associate Degree Liberal Arts students per year to attend Seminole State College of Florida.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Seminole State College of Florida
Oakland Community College landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate ranking. Located in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, this fairly large public school awarded 1,305 degrees to qualified associates’s liberal arts students in 2019-2020.
On top of its placing in this ranking, Oakland Community College also did well on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for Oakland Community College is $2,825 for Associate Degree Liberal Arts students.
Full Oakland Community College Liberal Arts General Studies Report
Palm Beach State College ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate list. Located in Lake Worth, Florida, this large public school awarded 3,907 diplomas to qualified associates’s liberal arts students in 2019-2020.
Palm Beach State College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Palm Beach State College is $2,651 for associate degree liberal arts students.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Palm Beach State College
Central Texas College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate ranking, coming in at #19. This fairly large school is located in Killeen, Texas, and it awarded 793 associates’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Central Texas College is also in the top of our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools” ranking. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Central Texas College is $5,112 for associate degree liberal arts students.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Central Texas College
Rowan College at Burlington County did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate ranking, coming in at #20. Located in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, this medium-sized public school awarded 1,589 degrees to qualified associates’s liberal arts students in 2019-2020.
RCBC also claimed a top spot on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for RCBC is $7,618 for Associate Degree Liberal Arts students.
Full Rowan College at Burlington County Liberal Arts General Studies Report
Saint Louis Community College came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate ranking. Saint Louis Community College is located in Saint Louis, Missouri and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1,377 associates’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.
On top of its placing in this ranking, Saint Louis Community College also did well on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend Saint Louis Community College is $6,796 for Associate Degree Liberal Arts students.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Saint Louis Community College
Central Piedmont Community College ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate list. Charlotte, North Carolina is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s liberal arts degrees to 1,353 students in 2019-2020.
Central Piedmont Community College excels when it comes to liberal arts quality. It’s ranked in the top 5% of all schools on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Central Piedmont Community College is $6,002 for Associate Degree Liberal Arts students.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Central Piedmont Community College
With a ranking of #23, Cuyahoga Community College District did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate list. This fairly large school is located in Cleveland, Ohio, and it awarded 1,804 associates’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
Cuyahoga Community College District excels when it comes to liberal arts quality. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for Cuyahoga Community College District is $5,415 for Associate Degree Liberal Arts students.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Cuyahoga Community College District
Anoka-Ramsey Community College landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate ranking. Located in Coon Rapids, Minnesota, this medium-sized public school awarded 639 diplomas to qualified associates’s liberal arts students in 2019-2020.
Anoka-Ramsey Community College-Coon Rapids Campus excels when it comes to liberal arts quality. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Anoka-Ramsey Community College-Coon Rapids Campus is $11,890 for associate degree liberal arts students.
Full Anoka-Ramsey Community College-Coon Rapids Campus Liberal Arts General Studies Report
With a ranking of #25, North Central Texas College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate list. North Central Texas College is a medium-sized school located in Gainesville, Texas that handed out 720 associates’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
NCTC excels when it comes to liberal arts quality. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools” list. It costs about $5,307 for Associate Degree Liberal Arts students per year to attend NCTC.
Rest of the Best 50 in Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate
Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for an Associate
While not in the ‘top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 51 | South Plains College | Levelland, TX |
| 52 | North Hennepin Community College | Brooklyn Park, MN |
| 53 | Florida SouthWestern State College | Fort Myers, FL |
| 54 | Metropolitan Community College | Omaha, NE |
| 55 | Northland Community and Technical College | Thief River Falls, MN |
| 56 | South Seattle College | Seattle, WA |
| 57 | Suffolk County Community College | Selden, NY |
| 58 | Seattle Central College | Seattle, WA |
| 58 | Blinn College | Brenham, TX |
| 60 | Madison Area Technical College | Madison, WI |
| 61 | Metropolitan Community College - Kansas City | Kansas City, MO |
| 62 | Rochester Community and Technical College | Rochester, MN |
| 63 | San Jacinto Community College | Pasadena, TX |
| 64 | Northwest Mississippi Community College | Senatobia, MS |
| 65 | Kirkwood Community College | Cedar Rapids, IA |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 141 | Cleveland Community College | Shelby, NC |
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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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