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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies in the Southwest Region

41 Ranked Colleges
6,337 Degrees Awarded
$14,200 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor's in the Southwest Region

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region” ranking.

With 559,661 degrees handed out in 2019-2020, liberal arts general studies is the 1st most popular major in the United States. 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 the Southwest region, there were 78,664 liberal arts general studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $27,829 and $15,343 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 6,337 liberal arts general studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,896 and $23,899 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region” ranking, we looked at 41 colleges that offer 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.

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.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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 a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. 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.

Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region

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

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies in the Southwest Region

Out of the 41 schools in the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Arizona State University - Skysong landed the #1 spot on the 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 did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $13,971 for southwest region bachelor’s degree liberal arts students per year to attend ASU - Skysong.

Full ASU - Skysong Liberal Arts General Studies Report

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend West Texas A&M University. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region list. West Texas A&M University is a fairly large school located in Canyon, Texas that handed out 202 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at West Texas A&M University, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend West Texas A&M University is $12,761 for southwest region bachelor’s degree liberal arts students.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at West Texas A&M University

Out of the 41 schools in the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Eastern New Mexico University - Main Campus landed the #3 spot on the list. ENMU - Main Campus is located in Portales, New Mexico and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 148 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.

ENMU - Main Campus also took the #23 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Eastern New Mexico University - Main Campus is $9,516 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students.

Full Eastern New Mexico University - Main Campus Liberal Arts General Studies Report

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Texas A & M University - Central Texas. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region list. Killeen, Texas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to 52 students in 2019-2020.

Texas A & M University - Central Texas also made our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #13.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Texas A & M University - Central Texas

#5

Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, Texas

Out of the 41 schools in the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Wayland Baptist University landed the #5 spot on the list. This small school is located in Plainview, Texas, and it awarded 205 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Wayland Baptist University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $25,152 for southwest region bachelor’s degree liberal arts students per year to attend Wayland Baptist University.

The impressive 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.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Wayland Baptist University

Northwestern Oklahoma State University landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region ranking. This small school is located in Alva, Oklahoma, and it awarded 31 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend NWOSU is $9,791 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Northwestern Oklahoma State University

Southeastern Oklahoma State University landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region ranking. Southeastern Oklahoma State University is located in Durant, Oklahoma and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 90 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our southwest region bachelor’s degree liberal arts students list, Southeastern Oklahoma State University has also earned the #25 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Southeastern Oklahoma State University is $8,237 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students.

Full Southeastern Oklahoma State University Liberal Arts General Studies Report

University of North Texas came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region ranking. University of North Texas is a large school located in Denton, Texas that handed out 618 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNT, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $15,086 for southwest region bachelor’s degree liberal arts students per year to attend University of North Texas.

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

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at UNT

#9

Northeastern State University

Tahlequah, Oklahoma

With a ranking of #9, Northeastern State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region list. Northeastern State University is a public institution located in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 89 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region bachelor’s degree liberal arts students list, NSU has also earned the #24 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Northeastern State University is $9,994 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at NSU

#10

Texas Woman's University

Denton, Texas

With a ranking of #10, Texas Woman’s University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region list. Denton, Texas is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to 238 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region bachelor’s degree liberal arts students list, TWU has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $9,617 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students per year to attend Texas Woman’s University.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Texas Woman’s University

University of Central Oklahoma did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #11. University of Central Oklahoma is located in Edmond, Oklahoma and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 207 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCO, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UCO is $16,562 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students.

Full University of Central Oklahoma Liberal Arts General Studies Report

#12

Northern Arizona University

Flagstaff, Arizona

Northern Arizona University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region ranking. Located in Flagstaff, Arizona, this large public school awarded 546 degrees to qualified bachelors’s liberal arts students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at NAU, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for NAU is $12,915 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Northern Arizona University

#13

Sam Houston State University

Huntsville, Texas

Sam Houston State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #13. Sam Houston State University is a large school located in Huntsville, Texas that handed out 54 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SHSU, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for SHSU is $14,617 for southwest region bachelor’s degree liberal arts students.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Sam Houston State University

University of Oklahoma Norman Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #14. University of Oklahoma is located in Norman, Oklahoma and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 336 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.

University of Oklahoma also took the #3 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $21,145 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students per year to attend University of Oklahoma Norman Campus.

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

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at University of Oklahoma Norman Campus

#15

Texas Tech University

Lubbock, Texas

Texas Tech University landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region ranking. Located in Lubbock, Texas, this large public school awarded 237 degrees to qualified bachelors’s liberal arts students in 2019-2020.

Texas Tech also made our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #10. The yearly cost to attend Texas Tech University is $17,571 for southwest region bachelor’s degree liberal arts students.

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

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Texas Tech

The University of Texas at San Antonio did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #16. UTSA is a large school located in San Antonio, Texas that handed out 166 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UTSA, the school also landed the #22 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for The University of Texas at San Antonio is $13,853 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students.

Full The University of Texas at San Antonio Liberal Arts General Studies Report

Oklahoma State University - Main Campus came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region ranking. Oklahoma State University - Main Campus is a public institution located in Stillwater, Oklahoma. The school has a large population, and it awarded 265 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at OSU, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend OSU is $14,648 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students.

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

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Oklahoma State University - Main Campus

#18

University of Houston

Houston, Texas

University of Houston landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region ranking. UH is a public institution located in Houston, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 58 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UH also made our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #19. The estimated yearly cost for UH is $12,838 for southwest region bachelor’s degree liberal arts students.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full UH Liberal Arts General Studies Report

#19

Tarleton State University

Stephenville, Texas

With a ranking of #19, Tarleton State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region list. Located in Stephenville, Texas, this fairly large public school handed out 99 degrees to qualified bachelors’s liberal arts students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Tarleton is $18,979 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students.

Full Tarleton State University Liberal Arts General Studies Report

#20

Texas State University

San Marcos, Texas

Texas State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #20. Texas State is a large school located in San Marcos, Texas that handed out 164 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Texas State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $15,230 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students per year to attend Texas State University.

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

#21

Lamar University

Beaumont, Texas

Lamar University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region ranking. Lamar University is a fairly large public school situated in Beaumont, Texas. It awarded 146 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Lamar University is $12,311 for southwest region bachelor’s degree liberal arts students.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Lamar University

#22

East Central University

Ada, Oklahoma

With a ranking of #22, East Central University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region list. East Central University is located in Ada, Oklahoma and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 27 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for East Central University is $10,334 for southwest region bachelor’s degree liberal arts students.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at East Central University

With a ranking of #23, Southwestern Assemblies of God University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region list. Waxahachie, Texas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to 24 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $24,982 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students per year to attend Southwestern Assemblies of God University.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Southwestern Assemblies of God University

University of Houston - Downtown ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region list. This fairly large school is located in Houston, Texas, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Houston - Downtown is $6,848 for southwest region bachelor’s degree liberal arts students.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at UH Downtown

Texas A&M University - Commerce landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region ranking. Texas A&M Commerce is located in Commerce, Texas and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 133 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $13,017 for southwest region bachelor’s degree liberal arts students per year to attend Texas A&M Commerce.

Full Texas A&M Commerce Liberal Arts General Studies Report

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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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