2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies
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In 2019-2020, 559,661 liberal arts general studies students received their degree, making the major the 1st most popular in the country. 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 bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 44,236 liberal arts general studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s” ranking analyzed 477 colleges that offered a degree 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.
To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the liberal arts general studies program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
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Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s.
Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies
Out of the 477 schools in the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, American Public University System landed the #1 spot on the list. American Public University System is a large private for-profit school situated in Charles Town, West Virginia. It awarded 118 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at American Military University, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend American Military University is $10,222 for Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 98%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at American Public University System
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Thomas Edison State University. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s list. TESU is a fairly large public school situated in Trenton, New Jersey. It awarded 473 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
TESU also claimed a top spot on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Charter Oak State College. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s. Charter Oak State College is a small public school situated in New Britain, Connecticut. It awarded 188 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on this list, Charter Oak State College is in the top on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Charter Oak State College is $10,724 for bachelor’s degree liberal arts students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Charter Oak State College
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Excelsior University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s. Excelsior University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Albany, New York. The school has a large population, and it awarded 1,445 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Excelsior University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list.
Full Excelsior University Liberal Arts General Studies Report
Out of the 477 schools in the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Columbia College landed the #5 spot on the list. Columbia, Missouri is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to 377 students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Columbia College Missouri is also in the top of our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $26,730 for bachelor’s degree liberal arts students per year to attend Columbia College Missouri.
Brigham Young University - Idaho came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Brigham Young University - Idaho is a private not-for-profit institution located in Rexburg, Idaho. The school has a large population, and it awarded 638 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Brigham Young University - Idaho is $7,167 for bachelor’s degree liberal arts students.
The 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 full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Brigham Young University - Idaho
Southern New Hampshire University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s list. This large school is located in Manchester, New Hampshire, and it awarded 803 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
SNHU also claimed a top spot on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for Southern New Hampshire University is $41,095 for bachelor’s degree liberal arts students.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Southern New Hampshire University
Brigham Young University - Provo came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. BYU is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Provo, Utah. It awarded 37 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $13,322 for Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students per year to attend BYU.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, 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 students.
With a ranking of #9, Arizona State University - Skysong did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Arizona State University - Skysong is a public institution located in Scottsdale, Arizona. The school has a large population, and it awarded 342 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
ASU - Skysong excels when it comes to liberal arts quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for ASU - Skysong is $13,971 for Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Arizona State University - Skysong
University of North Dakota came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. This fairly large school is located in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and it awarded 110 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
UND also claimed a top spot on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend University of North Dakota is $15,738 for bachelor’s degree liberal arts students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
University of Wisconsin - Green Bay did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #11. UW - Green Bay is a public institution located in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 103 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, UW - Green Bay is also in the top of our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for UW - Green Bay is $14,395 for bachelor’s degree liberal arts students.
Full University of Wisconsin - Green Bay Liberal Arts General Studies Report
West Texas A&M University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s list. West Texas A&M University is a fairly large public school situated in Canyon, Texas. It awarded 202 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for West Texas A&M University is $12,761 for bachelor’s degree liberal arts students.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at West Texas A&M University
Maria College of Albany came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. This small school is located in Albany, New York, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
Maria College of Albany also claimed a top spot on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Maria College of Albany is $12,995 for bachelor’s degree liberal arts students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Maria College of Albany
Eastern New Mexico University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #14. This medium-sized school is located in Portales, New Mexico, and it awarded 148 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Eastern New Mexico University - Main Campus is $9,516 for Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Eastern New Mexico University - Main Campus
Western Illinois University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Macomb, Illinois, this medium-sized public school awarded 169 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s liberal arts students in 2019-2020.
It costs about $16,210 for bachelor’s degree liberal arts students per year to attend WIU.
Brandman University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Irvine, California, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 170 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s liberal arts students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Brandman is also in the top of our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for Brandman University is $21,604 for bachelor’s degree liberal arts students.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Brandman University
University of South Dakota landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. USD is located in Vermillion, South Dakota and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 45 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.
The estimated yearly cost for USD is $18,555 for bachelor’s degree liberal arts students.
The low student loan default rate of 4.8% 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 more about Liberal Arts General Studies at University of South Dakota
With a ranking of #18, Brigham Young University - Hawaii did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Laie, Hawaii is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to 6 students in 2019-2020.
It costs about $14,051 for bachelor’s degree liberal arts students per year to attend Brigham Young University - Hawaii.
Full Brigham Young University - Hawaii Liberal Arts General Studies Report
South Dakota State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #19. South Dakota State University is a fairly large public school situated in Brookings, South Dakota. It awarded 30 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend South Dakota State is $19,252 for Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at South Dakota State University
With a ranking of #20, Minot State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Minot, North Dakota, this small public school awarded 26 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s liberal arts students in 2019-2020.
It costs about $11,898 for bachelor’s degree liberal arts students per year to attend MSU.
Fort Hays State University ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s list. FHSU is a fairly large school located in Hays, Kansas that handed out 249 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
FHSU also claimed a top spot on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend FHSU is $12,053 for Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students.
With a ranking of #22, Wilmington University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Wilmington University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in New Castle, Delaware. It awarded 66 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $14,683 for Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students per year to attend Wilmington University.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Wilmington University
University of Wisconsin - Platteville did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #23. University of Wisconsin - Platteville is a public institution located in Platteville, Wisconsin. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Platteville is $15,718 for Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students.
Full University of Wisconsin - Platteville Liberal Arts General Studies Report
University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh is a fairly large school located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin that handed out 37 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend UW Oshkosh is $15,463 for bachelor’s degree liberal arts students.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh
Westfield State University ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Westfield, Massachusetts is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to 156 students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Westfield is also in the top of our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category. It costs about $19,167 for Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students per year to attend Westfield State University.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Westfield
Rest of the Best 50 in Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s
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 a Bachelor’s
While not in the ‘top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 51 | University of Nebraska at Omaha | Omaha, NE |
| 52 | University of Maryland Global Campus | Adelphi, MD |
| 53 | University of Nebraska at Kearney | Kearney, NE |
| 54 | Youngstown State University | Youngstown, OH |
| 55 | Arkansas State University - Main Campus | Jonesboro, AR |
| 56 | Stockton University | Galloway, NJ |
| 57 | McNeese State University | Lake Charles, LA |
| 58 | University of Central Florida | Orlando, FL |
| 59 | Iowa State University | Ames, IA |
| 60 | California State University - Northridge | Northridge, CA |
| 61 | Middle Georgia State University | Macon, GA |
| 62 | Harding University | Searcy, AR |
| 62 | California University of Pennsylvania | California, PA |
| 64 | University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point | Stevens Point, WI |
| 65 | Sam Houston State University | Huntsville, TX |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 66 | Henderson State University | Arkadelphia, AR |
| 67 | University of Southern Mississippi | Hattiesburg, MS |
| 68 | University of Oklahoma Norman Campus | Norman, OK |
| 69 | University of Central Missouri | Warrensburg, MO |
| 70 | Mayville State University | Mayville, ND |
| 71 | Florida International University | Miami, FL |
| 72 | Florida Atlantic University | Boca Raton, FL |
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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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