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2024 Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region

80 Colleges in the Plains States Region
26,376 Associate Degrees
$25,258 Avg Early-Career Salary
Liberal Arts General Studies is of the hottest associate degree programs in the United States, coming in as the #1 most popular major in the country. This means there are lots of options to choose from when you decide to get your degree.

College Factual looked at 80 colleges and universities when compiling its 2024 Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 26,376 associate degrees in liberal arts general studies during the 2020-2021 academic year.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology

Choosing a Great Liberal Arts General Studies School for Your Associate Degree

Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region The liberal arts associate degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. Important measures of a quality liberal arts program can vary widely even among the top schools. To make it into this list, a school must excel in the following areas.

A Great Overall School

The overall quality of a associate degree school is important to ensure a good education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To make it into this list a school must rank well in our overall Best Colleges ranking. This ranking considered factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.

Early-Career Earnings

Average early-career salary of those graduating with their associate degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. That is, everyone wants their associate degree to be worth something, and salaries are one measure of determining that.

Other Factors We Consider

In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:

Our complete ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for liberal arts general studies students working on their associate degree.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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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 Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region list, to help you choose the best school for you.

Best Schools for Associate Students to Study Liberal Arts General Studies in the Plains States Region

Learn about the top ranked colleges and universities for liberal arts general studies students seeking a an associate degree. Only those schools that rank in the top 15% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.

12 Top Plains States Region Schools for an Associate in Liberal Arts

1
712 Annual Graduates
$30,185 Median Starting Salary
$12,778 Median Student Debt

Any student who is interested in an associate degree in liberal arts general studies has to look into Normandale Community College. Normandale Community College is a medium-sized public college located in the city of Bloomington.

Associate recipients from the liberal arts general studies degree program at Normandale Community College get $4,927 above the typical college grad in this field when they enter the workforce.

More information about a associate in liberal arts general studies from Normandale Community College

2
Columbia College Missouri crest
Columbia College
Columbia, MO
515 Annual Graduates
$40,813 Median Starting Salary
$15,960 Median Student Debt

Any student who is interested in an associate degree in liberal arts general studies needs to look into Columbia College. Columbia College Missouri is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit college located in the city of Columbia.

Those liberal arts general studies students who get their associate degree from Columbia College receive $15,555 more than the typical liberal arts grad.

More information about a associate in liberal arts general studies from Columbia College

3
1,170 Annual Graduates
$28,831 Median Starting Salary
$11,000 Median Student Debt

Des Moines Area Community College is a great decision for individuals interested in an associate degree in liberal arts general studies. Located in the suburb of Ankeny, DMACC is a public college with a fairly large student population.

Associate recipients from the liberal arts general studies major at Des Moines Area Community College get $3,573 more than the typical college grad with the same degree when they enter the workforce.

More information about a associate in liberal arts general studies from Des Moines Area Community College

4
1,176 Annual Graduates
$24,540 Median Starting Salary
$7,321 Median Student Debt

Metropolitan Community College - Kansas City is one of the best schools in the United States for getting an associate degree in liberal arts general studies. Located in the city of Kansas City, MCC is a public college with a large student population.

Students who graduate with their associate from the liberal arts program state that they receive average early career wages of $24,540.

More information about a associate in liberal arts general studies from Metropolitan Community College - Kansas City

5
1,248 Annual Graduates
$29,254 Median Starting Salary
$9,700 Median Student Debt

Located in the city of Overland Park, JCCC is a public college with a large student population.

Associate recipients from the liberal arts general studies program at Johnson County Community College get $3,996 more than the typical graduate with the same degree when they enter the workforce.

More information about a associate in liberal arts general studies from Johnson County Community College

6
567 Annual Graduates
$27,271 Median Starting Salary
$10,214 Median Student Debt

MCC is a fairly large public college located in the large city of Omaha.

Liberal Arts General Studies associate degree recipients from Metropolitan Community College receive an earnings boost of around $2,013 above the average earnings of liberal arts general studies majors.

More information about a associate in liberal arts general studies from Metropolitan Community College

7
650 Annual Graduates
$33,340 Median Starting Salary
$12,943 Median Student Debt

Anoka-Ramsey Community College-Coon Rapids Campus is a medium-sized public college located in the large suburb of Coon Rapids.

Those liberal arts general studies students who get their associate degree from Anoka-Ramsey Community College earn $8,082 more than the average liberal arts graduate.

More information about a associate in liberal arts general studies from Anoka-Ramsey Community College

8
524 Annual Graduates
$22,683 Median Starting Salary
$6,500 Median Student Debt

SCC is a medium-sized public college located in the suburb of Cottleville.

Students who graduate with their associate from the liberal arts program state that they receive average early career income of $22,683.

More information about a associate in liberal arts general studies from St Charles Community College

9
326 Annual Graduates
$32,182 Median Starting Salary
$15,111 Median Student Debt

Located in the small city of Saint Cloud, St Cloud Technical and Community College is a public college with a small student population.

Associate recipients from the liberal arts general studies major at St Cloud Technical and Community College make $6,924 above the typical graduate with the same degree when they enter the workforce.

More information about a associate in liberal arts general studies from St Cloud Technical and Community College

10
Century College crest
Century College
White Bear Lake, MN
426 Annual Graduates
$33,736 Median Starting Salary
$14,264 Median Student Debt

Located in the suburb of White Bear Lake, Century College is a public college with a medium-sized student population.

Liberal Arts General Studies associate degree recipients from Century College earn a boost of approximately $8,478 above the average income of liberal arts general studies graduates.

More information about a associate in liberal arts general studies from Century College

11
52 Annual Graduates
$36,515 Median Starting Salary
$11,500 Median Student Debt

MSU-Bottineau is a small public college located in the remote area of Bottineau.

Associate recipients from the liberal arts general studies degree program at Dakota College at Bottineau earn $11,257 more than the average college graduate with the same degree shortly after graduation.

More information about a associate in liberal arts general studies from Dakota College at Bottineau

12
249 Annual Graduates
$35,016 Median Starting Salary
$13,830 Median Student Debt

North Hennepin Community College is a small public college located in the suburb of Brooklyn Park.

Those liberal arts general studies students who get their associate degree from North Hennepin Community College earn $9,758 more than the average liberal arts grad.

More information about a associate in liberal arts general studies from North Hennepin Community College

Additional Noteworthy Schools

Here are some additional great schools for Liberal Arts General Studies students in the Plains States Region that almost earned our Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region award.

Rank College Location
13 Lake Superior College Duluth, MN
14 Garden City Community College Garden City, KS
15 Iowa Western Community College Council Bluffs, IA
16 South Dakota State University Brookings, SD
17 Iowa Central Community College Fort Dodge, IA
18 Winona State University Winona, MN
19 Minneapolis Community and Technical College Minneapolis, MN
20 Central Lakes College - Brainerd Brainerd, MN

Best Liberal Arts General Studies Colleges by State

Explore the best liberal arts general studies colleges for a specific state in the Plains States Region .

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Minnesota 151 6,170
Kansas 146 5,695
Missouri 117 6,940
Iowa 116 5,487
Nebraska 98 1,161
South Dakota 93 101
North Dakota 92 778

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One of 0 majors within the Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities area of study, Liberal Arts General Studies has other similar majors worth exploring.

Liberal Arts Focus Areas

Major Annual Graduates
Liberal Arts 23,649
General Studies 1,843
Individualized Studies 884

Notes and References

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