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

1,067 Ranked Colleges
43,302 Degrees Awarded
$32,881 Avg Salary
Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major for a Bachelor's

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major for a Bachelor’s” ranking is part of that endeavor.

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 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.

This year’s “Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major for a Bachelor’s” ranking analyzed 1,067 colleges that offered a degree in liberal arts general studies. This ranking identifies schools that graduate the most students in liberal arts general studies.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major for a Bachelor’s” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. 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.

Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major for a Bachelor’s

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

1
Excelsior College crest
Excelsior College
Albany, New York

Out of the 1,067 schools in the Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Excelsior College landed the #1 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in Albany, New York, and it awarded 1,621 bachelors’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%.

Full Excelsior College Liberal Arts General Studies Report

2
University of Virginia crest
University of Virginia - Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia

Out of the 1,067 schools in the Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Virginia - Main Campus landed the #2 spot on the list. University of Virginia is a large school located in Charlottesville, Virginia that handed out 1,289 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. 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%.

Full University of Virginia - Main Campus Liberal Arts General Studies Report

3
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Southern New Hampshire University
Manchester, New Hampshire

Out of the 1,067 schools in the Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Southern New Hampshire University landed the #3 spot on the list. SNHU is located in Manchester, New Hampshire and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,105 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Southern New Hampshire University

4
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New York University
New York, New York

Out of the 1,067 schools in the Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, New York University landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in New York, New York, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 595 degrees to qualified bachelors’s liberal arts students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, 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 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full New York University Liberal Arts General Studies Report

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of North Texas. The school came in at #5 for the Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major for a Bachelor’s. UNT is located in Denton, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 560 bachelors’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.

Full University of North Texas Liberal Arts General Studies Report

6

Thomas Edison State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #6. 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 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%.

Full TESU Liberal Arts General Studies Report

7
Evergreen crest
The Evergreen State College
Olympia, Washington

The Evergreen State College ranked #7 on this year’s Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major for a Bachelor’s list. The Evergreen State College is located in Olympia, Washington and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 541 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Evergreen

8

California State University - Fresno came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. Fresno, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to 534 students 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 3.2% 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%.

Full Fresno State Liberal Arts General Studies Report

9
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Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, Arizona

Northern Arizona University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Flagstaff, Arizona, this large public school handed out 498 degrees to qualified bachelors’s liberal arts students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at NAU

10

Brigham Young University - Idaho did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #10. Located in Rexburg, Idaho, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 422 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s liberal arts students 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%.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at BYU - I

11

Arizona State University - Skysong came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. ASU - Skysong is located in Scottsdale, Arizona and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 376 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.5% 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 Arizona State University - Skysong

12

California State University - Bakersfield landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. CSUB is located in Bakersfield, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 361 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.

Full California State University - Bakersfield Liberal Arts General Studies Report

13
GMU crest
George Mason University
Fairfax, Virginia

George Mason University ranked #13 on this year’s Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major for a Bachelor’s list. GMU is a large school located in Fairfax, Virginia that handed out 357 bachelors’s liberal arts 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%.

Full GMU Liberal Arts General Studies Report

14
Columbia College Missouri crest
Columbia College
Columbia, Missouri

Columbia College did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #14. Columbia College is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Columbia, Missouri. It awarded 356 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Columbia College

15

With a ranking of #15, University of Nebraska at Omaha did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major for a Bachelor’s list. University of Nebraska at Omaha is located in Omaha, Nebraska and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 346 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.0% 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%.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at University of Nebraska at Omaha

16

University of Oklahoma Norman Campus did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #16. This large school is located in Norman, Oklahoma, and it awarded 333 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.

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

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at University of Oklahoma

17

California State University - Northridge came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. CSUN is a large public school situated in Northridge, California. It awarded 318 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 CSUN

18

University of Louisiana at Lafayette came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. University of Louisiana at Lafayette is a fairly large school located in Lafayette, Louisiana that handed out 315 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at UL Lafayette

18

Fairleigh Dickinson University - Metropolitan Campus ranked #18 on this year’s Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major for a Bachelor’s list. This medium-sized school is located in Teaneck, New Jersey, and it awarded 315 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Fairleigh Dickinson University - Metropolitan Campus

20

With a ranking of #20, Florida International University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Miami, Florida, this large public school handed out 307 degrees to qualified bachelors’s liberal arts students 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Florida International University

21

The University of Texas at Arlington did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #21. The University of Texas at Arlington is a public institution located in Arlington, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 295 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.6% 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 The University of Texas at Arlington

21
Sarah Lawrence crest
Sarah Lawrence College
Bronxville, New York

Sarah Lawrence College did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #21. This small school is located in Bronxville, New York, and it awarded 295 bachelors’s liberal arts 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. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Sarah Lawrence College Liberal Arts General Studies Report

23

California State University - Long Beach landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. CSULB is located in Long Beach, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 293 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.4% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full California State University - Long Beach Liberal Arts General Studies Report

24

With a ranking of #24, The University of Texas at Austin did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major for a Bachelor’s list. The University of Texas at Austin is located in Austin, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 273 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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 The University of Texas at Austin

25
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James Madison University
Harrisonburg, Virginia

James Madison University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #25. James Madison University is a public institution located in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 263 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.0% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at James Madison University

25
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Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, California

With a ranking of #25, Fresno Pacific University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major for a Bachelor’s list. This small school is located in Fresno, California, and it awarded 263 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.5% 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 more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Fresno Pacific University

25

Oklahoma State University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #25. This large school is located in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and it awarded 263 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. 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%.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at OSU

Rest of the Best 48 in Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major for a Bachelor’s

Not only did these schools make the top 48 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

28
29
30
31
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San Diego State University
San Diego, California
32
33
33
35
36
37
38
38
40
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West Virginia University
Morgantown, West Virginia
41
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University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa
42
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Ball State University
Muncie, Indiana
43
44
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Texas State University
San Marcos, Texas
45
45
47
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East Carolina University
Greenville, North Carolina
48
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Georgia Southern University
Statesboro, Georgia
49
Texas Tech crest
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, Texas
50
NC A&T crest
North Carolina A & T State University
Greensboro, North Carolina

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major for a Bachelor’s

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

RankCollegeLocation
51California State University - SacramentoSacramento, CA
52Wayland Baptist UniversityPlainview, TX
53Marshall UniversityHuntington, WV
54University of Southern MississippiHattiesburg, MS
55California State University - San MarcosSan Marcos, CA
55Charter Oak State CollegeNew Britain, CT
57Western Illinois UniversityMacomb, IL
57The University of Texas at San AntonioSan Antonio, TX
59California State University - Dominguez HillsCarson, CA
60Brandman UniversityIrvine, CA
61West Texas A&M UniversityCanyon, TX
61Lamar UniversityBeaumont, TX
63Eastern Kentucky UniversityRichmond, KY
64California State Polytechnic University - PomonaPomona, CA
65California State University - FullertonFullerton, CA
RankCollegeLocation
66West Chester University of PennsylvaniaWest Chester, PA
67Rowan UniversityGlassboro, NJ
67Seton Hall UniversitySouth Orange, NJ
69Ohio University - Athens CampusAthens, OH
70New Mexico State University - Main CampusLas Cruces, NM
71Morehead State UniversityMorehead, KY
72Middle Tennessee State UniversityMurfreesboro, TN
73Western Kentucky UniversityBowling Green, KY
74Northwestern State University of LouisianaNatchitoches, LA
74University of North Carolina at GreensboroGreensboro, NC
74California State University - Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA
77Texas A&M University - CommerceCommerce, TX
78West Virginia University at ParkersburgParkersburg, WV
78McNeese State UniversityLake Charles, LA
80University of California - RiversideRiverside, CA
81University of Missouri - Kansas CityKansas City, MO
81Westfield State UniversityWestfield, MA
83Southeast Missouri State UniversityCape Girardeau, MO
84Eastern New Mexico University - Main CampusPortales, NM
84Southern Connecticut State UniversityNew Haven, CT
86University of South Carolina - ColumbiaColumbia, SC
87The City College of New YorkNew York, NY
88Illinois State UniversityNormal, IL
89The New SchoolNew York, NY
89California State University - Channel IslandsCamarillo, CA
RankCollegeLocation
91Kent State University at KentKent, OH
92California Polytechnic State University - San Luis ObispoSan Luis Obispo, CA
92Washington State UniversityPullman, WA
94University of La VerneLa Verne, CA
95Oakland UniversityRochester Hills, MI
96California State University - East BayHayward, CA
96Governors State UniversityUniversity Park, IL
96Bentley UniversityWaltham, MA
99University of Mary WashingtonFredericksburg, VA
100Sonoma State UniversityRohnert Park, CA
101University of KansasLawrence, KS
101Buffalo StateBuffalo, NY
101Youngstown State UniversityYoungstown, OH
104University of Maine at AugustaAugusta, ME
104Universidad del TuraboGurabo, PR
106San Francisco State UniversitySan Francisco, CA
107Stockton UniversityGalloway, NJ
107Northeastern Illinois UniversityChicago, IL
109Longwood UniversityFarmville, VA
109Clarion University of PennsylvaniaClarion, PA
111Austin Peay State UniversityClarksville, TN
112Rochester Institute of TechnologyRochester, NY
112Clayton State UniversityMorrow, GA
114Missouri State University - SpringfieldSpringfield, MO
114Florida Atlantic UniversityBoca Raton, FL
RankCollegeLocation
116University of Massachusetts - LowellLowell, MA
116American Public University SystemCharles Town, WV
116Northern Kentucky UniversityHighland Heights, KY
119University of Missouri - St LouisSaint Louis, MO
119University of Missouri - ColumbiaColumbia, MO
119Mercy CollegeDobbs Ferry, NY
119Florida State UniversityTallahassee, FL
119Jacksonville State UniversityJacksonville, AL
124Azusa Pacific UniversityAzusa, CA
125Utah State UniversityLogan, UT
125Murray State UniversityMurray, KY
125Eastern Illinois UniversityCharleston, IL
128University of North DakotaGrand Forks, ND
129Colorado State University - Fort CollinsFort Collins, CO
129University of Alabama at BirminghamBirmingham, AL
129East Tennessee State UniversityJohnson City, TN
132University of ConnecticutStorrs, CT
132University of MississippiUniversity, MS
134Purchase CollegePurchase, NY
134University of Wisconsin - Green BayGreen Bay, WI
136University of Massachusetts AmherstAmherst, MA
136DePaul UniversityChicago, IL
138Indiana University - SoutheastNew Albany, IN
138Morgan State UniversityBaltimore, MD
140Missouri Southern State UniversityJoplin, MO
RankCollegeLocation
140University of MemphisMemphis, TN
142New College of FloridaSarasota, FL
143Northern Illinois UniversityDekalb, IL
143Eastern Connecticut State UniversityWillimantic, CT
145Southeastern Oklahoma State UniversityDurant, OK
145Tarleton State UniversityStephenville, TX
147Lesley UniversityCambridge, MA
148Soka University of AmericaAliso Viejo, CA
149Mississippi State UniversityMississippi State, MS
149Purdue University Fort WayneFort Wayne, IN
151Arizona State University - TempeTempe, AZ
152Wichita State UniversityWichita, KS
153University of Central MissouriWarrensburg, MO
153California Baptist UniversityRiverside, CA
155Wilkes UniversityWilkes-Barre, PA
155Iowa State UniversityAmes, IA
157Thomas Aquinas CollegeSanta Paula, CA
158Grand Valley State UniversityAllendale, MI
158Texas Southern UniversityHouston, TX
160Wilmington UniversityNew Castle, DE
161Northeastern State UniversityTahlequah, OK
161Alcorn State UniversityAlcorn State, MS

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

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