by our College Data Analytics Team
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major” ranking.
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 master’s degree level specifically, there were 2,044 liberal arts general studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $58,425 and $0 respectively.
This year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major” ranking analyzed 215 colleges that offered 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.
For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.
The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major”.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Institute for Doctoral Studies in the Visual Arts. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major. IDSVA is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Portland, Maine. It awarded 4 masters’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend St John’s College. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major list. St. John’s Annapolis is a private not-for-profit institution located in Annapolis, Maryland. The school has a small population, and it awarded 25 masters’s 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 low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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 St John’s College
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend St. John’s College. The school came in at #3 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major. This small school is located in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and it awarded 19 masters’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Out of the 215 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Pacifica Graduate Institute landed the #4 spot on the list. Pacifica Graduate Institute is a small school located in Carpinteria, California that handed out 17 masters’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Pacifica Graduate Institute Liberal Arts General Studies Report
Out of the 215 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Alaska Pacific University landed the #5 spot on the list. This small school is located in Anchorage, Alaska, and it awarded 7 masters’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
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.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Alaska Pacific University
Goddard College ranked #6 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major list. This small school is located in Plainfield, Vermont, and it awarded 7 masters’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Goddard College
University of Dallas came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major ranking. UD is a small school located in Irving, Texas that handed out 31 masters’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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%.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at University of Dallas
Tiffin University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major ranking. This small school is located in Tiffin, Ohio, and it awarded 31 masters’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Tiffin University
Wilson College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major ranking, coming in at #9. Wilson is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 11 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Wilson College
Union Institute & University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major ranking. Union is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Cincinnati, Ohio. It awarded 11 masters’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 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.
With a ranking of #11, University of Oklahoma Norman Campus did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major list. University of Oklahoma Norman Campus is a large public school situated in Norman, Oklahoma. It awarded 190 masters’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 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.
Full University of Oklahoma Liberal Arts General Studies Report
Tennessee Technological University ranked #12 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major list. This medium-sized school is located in Cookeville, Tennessee, and it awarded 61 masters’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Tennessee Tech University Liberal Arts General Studies Report
University of Chicago landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major ranking. This fairly large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 137 masters’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 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 University of Chicago
Wesleyan University landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major ranking. Wesleyan University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Middletown, Connecticut. It awarded 21 masters’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 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%. 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.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Wesleyan University
Saint Mary’s College of California ranked #15 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major list. Located in Moraga, California, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 24 degrees to qualified masters’s liberal arts students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Full Saint Mary’s College of California Liberal Arts General Studies Report
Hollins University landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major ranking. Located in Roanoke, Virginia, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 4 diplomas to qualified masters’s liberal arts students in 2020-2021.
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 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Hollins University
Tennessee State University landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major ranking. Tennessee State University is a medium-sized public school situated in Nashville, Tennessee. It awarded 25 masters’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Tennessee State University
The Graduate Center, CUNY came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major ranking. This medium-sized school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 48 masters’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. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at The Graduate Center
Auburn University at Montgomery came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major ranking. Located in Montgomery, Alabama, this medium-sized public school handed out 18 degrees to qualified masters’s liberal arts students in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #20, Prescott College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major list. This small school is located in Prescott, Arizona, and it awarded 5 masters’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad 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 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Prescott College
Stony Brook University landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major ranking. SUNY Stony Brook is a large public school situated in Stony Brook, New York. It awarded 121 masters’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.
Full Stony Brook University Liberal Arts General Studies Report
University of St. Thomas landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major ranking. University of St. Thomas is a small school located in Houston, Texas that handed out 13 masters’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% 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%.
Texas Christian University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major ranking. Texas Christian University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Fort Worth, Texas. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 38 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full Texas Christian University Liberal Arts General Studies Report
Indiana University - South Bend came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major ranking. Indiana University - South Bend is a small school located in South Bend, Indiana that handed out 11 masters’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Indiana University - South Bend Liberal Arts General Studies Report
University of North Carolina at Asheville came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major ranking. Asheville, North Carolina is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s liberal arts degrees to 9 students in 2020-2021.
Not only did these schools make the top 33 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
