2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major
29
Ranked Colleges
90
Degrees Awarded
$32,800
Avg Cost*
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual has developed its “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
With 556,813 degrees handed out in 2020-2021, liberal arts general studies is the 1st most popular major in the United States. 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 doctor’s degree level specifically, there were 90 liberal arts general studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $75,260 and $0 respectively.
This year’s “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major” ranking looked at 29 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in liberal arts general studies. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in liberal arts general studies.
Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
One Size Does Not Fit All
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
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Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major
The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major”.
Top 29 Most Focused Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Institute for Doctoral Studies in the Visual Arts. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major list. Institute for Doctoral Studies in the Visual Arts is a small school located in Portland, Maine that handed out 3 doctorate’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Full Institute for Doctoral Studies in the Visual Arts Liberal Arts General Studies Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Pacifica Graduate Institute. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major list. This small school is located in Carpinteria, California, and it awarded 7 doctorate’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.0% 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 Pacifica Graduate Institute Liberal Arts General Studies Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Clark Atlanta University. The school came in at #3 for the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major. CAU is a small school located in Atlanta, Georgia that handed out 11 doctorate’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Clark Atlanta University
Out of the 29 schools in the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Salve Regina University landed the #4 spot on the list. Salve Regina is a private not-for-profit institution located in Newport, Rhode Island. The school has a small population, and it awarded 5 doctorate’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% 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 more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Salve Regina University
Out of the 29 schools in the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Maryland - Baltimore County landed the #5 spot on the list. University of Maryland - Baltimore County is a fairly large school located in Baltimore, Maryland that handed out 10 doctorate’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at UMBC
Southern Methodist University landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major ranking. SMU is located in Dallas, Texas and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 9 doctorate’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full SMU Liberal Arts General Studies Report
The University of Texas at Dallas landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major ranking. Richardson, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s liberal arts degrees to 13 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at UT Dallas
Montana State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major ranking, coming in at #8. Montana State University is a public institution located in Bozeman, Montana. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 4 doctorate’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.5% 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 MSU Bozeman
With a ranking of #9, Yale University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major list. Yale is a private not-for-profit institution located in New Haven, Connecticut. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 5 doctorate’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Yale
With a ranking of #10, Georgetown University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major list. Georgetown University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Washington, District of Columbia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 6 doctorate’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Georgetown
With a ranking of #11, New Mexico State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major list. Las Cruces, New Mexico is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s liberal arts degrees to 2 students in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at NMSU Main Campus
Washington University in St Louis did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major ranking, coming in at #12. Saint Louis, Missouri is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate’s liberal arts degrees to 3 students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad 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%. 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. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full WUSTL Liberal Arts General Studies Report
With a ranking of #13, George Mason University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major list. GMU is a public institution located in Fairfax, Virginia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 5 doctorate’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% 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 GMU
With a ranking of #14, Emory University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major list. Emory is a fairly large school located in Atlanta, Georgia that handed out 2 doctorate’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 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 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Emory University Liberal Arts General Studies Report
With a ranking of #15, Tulane University of Louisiana did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major list. This fairly large school is located in New Orleans, Louisiana, and it awarded 1 doctorate’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Tulane
Johns Hopkins University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major ranking. Located in Baltimore, Maryland, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 2 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s liberal arts students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Johns Hopkins
With a ranking of #17, University of Louisville did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major list. University of Louisville is located in Louisville, Kentucky and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1 doctorate’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at University of Louisville
Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major ranking, coming in at #18. Ohio State University - Main Campus is located in Columbus, Ohio and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1 doctorate’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.
With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Ohio State
Florida State University ranked #19 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major list. This large school is located in Tallahassee, Florida, and it awarded 296 doctorate’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Florida State University
University of Memphis came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major ranking. This large school is located in Memphis, Tennessee, and it awarded 123 doctorate’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at University of Memphis
Faulkner University landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major ranking. Montgomery, Alabama is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate’s liberal arts degrees to 20 students in 2020-2021.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Faulkner
University of Nevada - Las Vegas landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major ranking. UNLV is a large school located in Las Vegas, Nevada that handed out 2 doctorate’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
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%.
Full UNLV Liberal Arts General Studies Report
University of California - Merced came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major ranking. Merced, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s liberal arts degrees to 3 students in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full UC Merced Liberal Arts General Studies Report
With a ranking of #19, Ferris State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major list. Ferris is a fairly large school located in Big Rapids, Michigan that handed out 83 doctorate’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Ferris Liberal Arts General Studies Report
Syracuse University ranked #19 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major list. Syracuse, New York is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate’s liberal arts degrees to 11 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, 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 undergraduate students.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Syracuse
With a ranking of #19, Illinois Institute of Technology did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major list. Illinois Institute of Technology is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 3 doctorate’s degrees in 2020-2021.
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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Illinois Tech
Mississippi State University ranked #19 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major list. Mississippi State University is located in Mississippi State, Mississippi and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 84 doctorate’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.
With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Mississippi State
With a ranking of #19, University of Maine did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major list. University of Maine is a fairly large public school situated in Orono, Maine. It awarded 59 doctorate’s liberal arts degrees 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%.
Full UMaine Liberal Arts General Studies Report
With a ranking of #19, University at Albany did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major list. UAlbany is located in Albany, New York and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 0 doctorate’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.
The low undergrad 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 UAlbany
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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
- *Avg Salary and Avg 4-Year Grad Rate 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.