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2023 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies

1,067 Ranked Colleges
43,302 Degrees Awarded
$32,881 Avg Salary
Schools for a Bachelor's Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major

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 “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major” 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 2020-2021, 556,813 degrees were awarded to students with this major. In 2019-2020, liberal arts general studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $28,337 and had an average of $17,430 in loans still to pay off.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 43,302 liberal arts general studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,682 and $26,217 respectively.

For this year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major” ranking, we looked at 1,067 colleges that offer a degree in liberal arts general studies. That schools that top this list have a program in liberal arts general studies in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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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 “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major” list to help you make the college 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. 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.

Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major”.

Top 25 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies

1
Thomas More College of Liberal Arts crest
Thomas More College of Liberal Arts
Merrimack, New Hampshire

Out of the 1,067 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Thomas More College of Liberal Arts landed the #1 spot on the list. Thomas More College of Liberal Arts is located in Merrimack, New Hampshire and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 13 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Full Thomas More College of Liberal Arts Liberal Arts General Studies Report

1
TAC crest
Thomas Aquinas College
Santa Paula, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Thomas Aquinas College. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major list. Located in Santa Paula, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 79 degrees to qualified bachelors’s liberal arts students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full TAC Liberal Arts General Studies Report

1
Providence Christian College crest
Providence Christian College
Pasadena, California

Out of the 1,067 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Providence Christian College landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Pasadena, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 28 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s liberal arts students in 2020-2021.

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 General Studies at Providence Christian College

4
Soka University crest
Soka University of America
Aliso Viejo, California

Out of the 1,067 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Soka University of America landed the #4 spot on the list. Soka University of America is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Aliso Viejo, California. It awarded 85 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Soka University of America

5
Sarah Lawrence crest
Sarah Lawrence College
Bronxville, New York

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Sarah Lawrence College. The school came in at #5 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major. This small school is located in Bronxville, New York, and it awarded 295 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. 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.

Full Sarah Lawrence College Liberal Arts General Studies Report

6

With a ranking of #6, Magdalen College of the Liberal Arts did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major list. Magdalen College of the Liberal Arts is located in Warner, New Hampshire and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 9 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 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 Magdalen College

7
St. John's Annapolis crest
St John's College
Annapolis, Maryland

St John’s College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major ranking. St John’s College is a small school located in Annapolis, Maryland that handed out 75 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full St John’s College Liberal Arts General Studies Report

8
Evergreen crest
The Evergreen State College
Olympia, Washington

With a ranking of #8, The Evergreen State College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major list. The Evergreen State College is a public institution located in Olympia, Washington. The school has a small population, and it awarded 541 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at The Evergreen State College

9

New Saint Andrews College landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major ranking. This small school is located in Moscow, Idaho, and it awarded 22 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at New Saint Andrews College

10
TKC crest
The King's College
New York, New York

The King’s College ranked #10 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major list. TKC is a small school located in New York, New York that handed out 71 bachelors’s liberal arts 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%.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at TKC

11

With a ranking of #11, Arlington Baptist University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major list. Arlington, 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 13 students in 2020-2021.

Full Arlington Baptist University Liberal Arts General Studies Report

12
New College crest
New College of Florida
Sarasota, Florida

New College of Florida ranked #12 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major list. Sarasota, Florida is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to 89 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.8% 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%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full New College of Florida Liberal Arts General Studies Report

13

Pacific Islands University ranked #13 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major list. Pacific Islands University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Mangilao, . The school has a small population, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Pacific Islands University

14
St. John's crest
St. John's College
Santa Fe, New Mexico

St. John’s College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major ranking. Located in Santa Fe, New Mexico, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 48 degrees to qualified bachelors’s liberal arts students in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at St. John’s

15

Whitworth University - Adult Degree Programs did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major ranking, coming in at #15. Whitworth University - Adult Degree Programs is a private not-for-profit institution located in Spokane, Washington. The school has a small population, and it awarded 36 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Whitworth University - Adult Degree Programs

16

Baptist University of the Americas ranked #16 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major list. This small school is located in San Antonio, Texas, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Baptist University of the Americas Liberal Arts General Studies Report

17
Randall crest
Randall University
Moore, Oklahoma

Randall University landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major ranking. Randall University is a small school located in Moore, Oklahoma that handed out 18 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Randall

18
Antioch College crest
Antioch College
Yellow Springs, Ohio

Antioch College ranked #18 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major list. Antioch College is located in Yellow Springs, Ohio and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 2 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 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 Antioch College

19
Excelsior College crest
Excelsior College
Albany, New York

Excelsior College came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major ranking. This fairly large school is located in Albany, New York, and it awarded 1,621 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.

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%.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Excelsior College

20
Charter Oak State College crest
Charter Oak State College
New Britain, Connecticut

Charter Oak State College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major ranking. New Britain, Connecticut is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to 174 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Charter Oak State College

21
Antioch University McGregor crest
Antioch University - Midwest
Yellow Springs, Ohio

With a ranking of #21, Antioch University - Midwest did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major list. Located in Yellow Springs, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 28 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s liberal arts 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%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Antioch University McGregor Liberal Arts General Studies Report

22
Antioch University - Santa Barbara crest
Antioch University - Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, California

Antioch University - Santa Barbara ranked #22 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major list. Antioch University - Santa Barbara is a small school located in Santa Barbara, California that handed out 30 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. 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 General Studies at Antioch University - Santa Barbara

23
UWest crest
University of the West
Rosemead, California

University of the West did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major ranking, coming in at #23. Rosemead, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to 15 students in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 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 University of the West

24
TESU crest
Thomas Edison State University
Trenton, New Jersey

Thomas Edison State University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major ranking. Thomas Edison State University is a public institution located in Trenton, New Jersey. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 550 bachelors’s degrees 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%.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Thomas Edison State University

25

Fairleigh Dickinson University - Metropolitan Campus landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major ranking. Fairleigh Dickinson University - Metropolitan Campus is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Teaneck, New Jersey. It awarded 315 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Fairleigh Dickinson University - Metropolitan Campus

Rest of the Best 50 in Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
27
28
Fresno Pacific crest
Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, California
29
West Virginia University at Parkersburg crest
West Virginia University at Parkersburg
Parkersburg, West Virginia
30
31
Kuyper crest
Kuyper College
Grand Rapids, Michigan
32
Goddard College crest
Goddard College
Plainfield, Vermont
33
Azusa Pacific's University College crest
Azusa Pacific University College
San Dimas, California
34
Sterling crest
Sterling College
Craftsbury Common, Vermont
35
University of Virginia crest
University of Virginia - Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia
36
Paul Quinn College crest
Paul Quinn College
Dallas, Texas
37
Wayland Baptist University crest
Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, Texas
38
WBU crest
Williams Baptist University
Walnut Ridge, Arkansas
39
40
Patrick Henry College crest
Patrick Henry College
Purcellville, Virginia
41
Hobe Sound Bible College crest
Hobe Sound Bible College
Hobe Sound, Florida
42
Oakwood crest
Oakwood University
Huntsville, Alabama
43
Concord University crest
Concord University
Athens, West Virginia
44
Columbia College Missouri crest
Columbia College
Columbia, Missouri
45
46
Neumann crest
Neumann University
Aston, Pennsylvania
47
48
49
Longwood crest
Longwood University
Farmville, Virginia
50
Alcorn State crest
Alcorn State University
Alcorn State, Mississippi

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major

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

Rank College Location
51 Shepherd University Shepherdstown, WV
52 Minerva Schools at Keck Graduate Institute Claremont, CA
53 West Virginia University Institute of Technology Beckley, WV
54 Mitchell College New London, CT
55 West Virginia State University Institute, WV
56 California State University - Monterey Bay Seaside, CA
57 Harris - Stowe State University Saint Louis, MO
57 Bethlehem College & Seminary Minneapolis, MN
59 Purchase College Purchase, NY
60 Hellenic College - Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology Brookline, MA
61 Louisiana State University - Alexandria Alexandria, LA
62 Eastern New Mexico University - Main Campus Portales, NM
63 Simpson University Redding, CA
64 McNeese State University Lake Charles, LA
65 Governors State University University Park, IL
Rank College Location
66 University of Nebraska at Omaha Omaha, NE
67 Westfield State University Westfield, MA
68 Kent State University at Trumbull Warren, OH
69 Mayville State University Mayville, ND
70 Southeastern Louisiana University Hammond, LA
71 Texas College Tyler, TX
72 Morehead State University Morehead, KY
73 University of Mary Washington Fredericksburg, VA
74 Indiana University - Southeast New Albany, IN
75 Pontifical College Josephinum Columbus, OH
76 Mansfield University of Pennsylvania Mansfield, PA
77 University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Pine Bluff, AR
78 California State University - Fresno Fresno, CA
79 Bethune - Cookman University Daytona Beach, FL
80 Indiana University - Kokomo Kokomo, IN
81 University of Louisiana at Lafayette Lafayette, LA
82 Bluefield State College Bluefield, WV
83 Northern Vermont University Johnson, VT
84 Marymount California University Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
85 Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico - Arecibo Arecibo, PR
86 Cheyney University of Pennsylvania Cheyney, PA
87 Clayton State University Morrow, GA
88 Northern New Mexico College Espanola, NM
89 California State University - Stanislaus Turlock, CA
90 Landmark College Putney, VT
Rank College Location
91 North Greenville University Tigerville, SC
92 Eastern Connecticut State University Willimantic, CT
93 Mary Baldwin University Staunton, VA
94 Western Illinois University Macomb, IL
95 Peirce College Philadelphia, PA
96 Fisk University Nashville, TN
97 Southern Virginia University Buena Vista, VA
98 Texas A & M University - Central Texas Killeen, TX
99 North Carolina A & T State University Greensboro, NC
100 University of Central Oklahoma Edmond, OK
101 Clarion University of Pennsylvania Clarion, PA
102 William Jewell College Liberty, MO
103 Notre Dame of Maryland University Baltimore, MD
104 Thomas More University Crestview Hills, KY
105 Chicago State University Chicago, IL
106 Antioch University - Seattle Seattle, WA
107 Bentley University Waltham, MA
108 Indiana University - South Bend South Bend, IN
109 Mississippi Valley State University Itta Bena, MS
110 Lesley University Cambridge, MA
111 Eastern Mennonite University Harrisonburg, VA
112 Miami University - Hamilton Hamilton, OH
113 Northwestern State University of Louisiana Natchitoches, LA
114 Antioch University - Los Angeles Culver City, CA
115 Aquinas College Michigan Grand Rapids, MI
Rank College Location
116 Hampton University Hampton, VA
117 Langston University Langston, OK
118 Marshall University Huntington, WV
119 Athens State University Athens, AL
120 West Texas A&M University Canyon, TX
121 Benedict College Columbia, SC
122 Indiana University - Northwest Gary, IN
123 Missouri Southern State University Joplin, MO
124 Morgan State University Baltimore, MD
125 Southwestern Assemblies of God University Waxahachie, TX
126 Northwestern Oklahoma State University Alva, OK
127 Columbia International University Columbia, SC
128 Indiana University - East Richmond, IN
129 Southern University at New Orleans New Orleans, LA
130 Fort Hays State University Hays, KS
131 Northeastern Illinois University Chicago, IL
132 Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA
133 Texas Woman’s University Denton, TX
134 Southern Nazarene University Bethany, OK
135 York College York, NE
135 Kentucky State University Frankfort, KY
137 Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ
138 West Liberty University West Liberty, WV
139 University of St. Thomas Houston, TX
140 Lee University Cleveland, TN
Rank College Location
141 Belmont Abbey College Belmont, NC
142 Stillman College Tuscaloosa, AL
143 Southern Connecticut State University New Haven, CT
144 Purdue University Fort Wayne Fort Wayne, IN
145 Southeast Missouri State University Cape Girardeau, MO
146 California State University - Channel Islands Camarillo, CA
147 Union College New York Schenectady, NY
148 Brigham Young University - Idaho Rexburg, ID
149 Florida College Temple Terrace, FL
150 Texas Southern University Houston, TX
151 Montana State University - Billings Billings, MT
152 University of South Carolina - Upstate Spartanburg, SC
153 Southeastern Oklahoma State University Durant, OK
154 Eastern Illinois University Charleston, IL
155 Oakland City University Oakland City, IN
155 Greensboro College Greensboro, NC
157 Buffalo State Buffalo, NY
158 Sonoma State University Rohnert Park, CA
159 Friends University Wichita, KS
160 Lincoln College Lincoln, IL
161 University of North Texas Denton, TX

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Notes and References

References

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