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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities

477 Ranked Colleges
44,236 Degrees Awarded
$16,000 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor's

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 3rd of all the majors we analyze. In 2019-2020, 559,661 degrees were awarded to students with this major. In 2017-2018, liberal arts / sciences and humanities graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $26,786 and had an average of $16,538 in loans still to pay off.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 44,236 liberal arts / sciences and humanities graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s” ranking analyzed 477 colleges that offered a degree in liberal arts / sciences and humanities. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great liberal arts / sciences and humanities programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the liberal arts / sciences and humanities program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools

The liberal arts / sciences & humanities school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s”.

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. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s

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

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities

#1

American Public University System

Charles Town, West Virginia
#12 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend American Public University System. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Charles Town, West Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to 118 students in 2019-2020.

American Military University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend American Public University System is $10,222 for bachelor’s degree liberal arts / sciences & humanities students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 98%.

Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at American Military University

#2

Thomas Edison State University

Trenton, New Jersey
Top 10% in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Thomas Edison State University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s. Thomas Edison State University is a public institution located in Trenton, New Jersey. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 473 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on this list, TESU is in the top on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list.

Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Thomas Edison State University

#3

Charter Oak State College

New Britain, Connecticut
Top 15% in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Charter Oak State College. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Charter Oak State College is a small public school situated in New Britain, Connecticut. It awarded 188 bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

Charter Oak State College excels when it comes to liberal arts / sciences and humanities quality. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for Charter Oak State College is $10,724 for bachelor’s degree liberal arts / sciences & humanities students.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Charter Oak State College

#4

Excelsior University

Albany, New York
#5 in overall quality

Out of the 477 schools in the Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Excelsior University landed the #4 spot on the list. Excelsior University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Albany, New York. The school has a large population, and it awarded 1,445 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Excelsior University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list.

Full Excelsior University Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report

#5

Columbia College

Columbia, Missouri
Top 10% in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Columbia College. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s. Located in Columbia, Missouri, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 377 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities students in 2019-2020.

Columbia College Missouri excels when it comes to liberal arts / sciences and humanities quality. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $26,730 for bachelor’s degree liberal arts / sciences & humanities students per year to attend Columbia College Missouri.

Full Columbia College Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report

Brigham Young University - Idaho ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s list. BYU - I is a large school located in Rexburg, Idaho that handed out 638 bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for BYU - I is $7,167 for Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students.

The low 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%.

Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Brigham Young University - Idaho

#7

Southern New Hampshire University

Manchester, New Hampshire
Top 10% in overall quality

Southern New Hampshire University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #7. Southern New Hampshire University is located in Manchester, New Hampshire and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 803 bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on this list, SNHU is in the top on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $41,095 for Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students per year to attend Southern New Hampshire University.

Full Southern New Hampshire University Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report

Brigham Young University - Provo did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #8. BYU is a large school located in Provo, Utah that handed out 37 bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend BYU is $13,322 for bachelor’s degree liberal arts / sciences & humanities students.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 1.7% 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 Brigham Young University - Provo Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report

Top 20% in overall quality

Arizona State University - Skysong came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Arizona State University - Skysong is a large school located in Scottsdale, Arizona that handed out 342 bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on this list, ASU - Skysong is in the top on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category. It costs about $13,971 for Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students per year to attend Arizona State University - Skysong.

Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Arizona State University - Skysong

#10

University of North Dakota

Grand Forks, North Dakota
Top 10% in overall quality

University of North Dakota landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. University of North Dakota is a fairly large school located in Grand Forks, North Dakota that handed out 110 bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

On top of its placing in this ranking, UND also did well on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for UND is $15,738 for Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of North Dakota Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report

#11

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

Green Bay, Wisconsin
Top 15% in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #11. Green Bay, Wisconsin is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to 103 students in 2019-2020.

On top of its placing in this ranking, UW - Green Bay also did well on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Green Bay is $14,395 for bachelor’s degree liberal arts / sciences & humanities students.

Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

#12

West Texas A&M University

Canyon, Texas

West Texas A&M University landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. West Texas A&M University is a public institution located in Canyon, Texas. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 202 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for West Texas A&M University is $12,761 for Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students.

Full West Texas A&M University Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report

#13

Maria College of Albany

Albany, New York
Top 15% in overall quality

With a ranking of #13, Maria College of Albany did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Maria College of Albany is a small school located in Albany, New York that handed out 4 bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Maria College of Albany also did well on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Maria College of Albany is $12,995 for Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students.

The impressive 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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%.

Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Maria College of Albany

Eastern New Mexico University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #14. Portales, New Mexico is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to 148 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $9,516 for bachelor’s degree liberal arts / sciences & humanities students per year to attend ENMU - Main Campus.

Full Eastern New Mexico University - Main Campus Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report

#15

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois
Top 25% in overall quality

Western Illinois University landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Western Illinois University is a public institution located in Macomb, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 169 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $16,210 for bachelor’s degree liberal arts / sciences & humanities students per year to attend Western Illinois University.

Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Western Illinois University

#16

Brandman University

Irvine, California
Top 10% in overall quality

With a ranking of #16, Brandman University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Brandman University is located in Irvine, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 170 bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Brandman is also in the top of our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $21,604 for Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students per year to attend Brandman.

Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Brandman University

#17

University of South Dakota

Vermillion, South Dakota

University of South Dakota came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. USD is a medium-sized school located in Vermillion, South Dakota that handed out 45 bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $18,555 for Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students per year to attend USD.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at USD

Brigham Young University - Hawaii landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. BYU - H is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Laie, Hawaii. It awarded 6 bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $14,051 for Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students per year to attend Brigham Young University - Hawaii.

Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at BYU - H

#19

South Dakota State University

Brookings, South Dakota

With a ranking of #19, South Dakota State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Brookings, South Dakota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to 30 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend South Dakota State is $19,252 for bachelor’s degree liberal arts / sciences & humanities students.

The low 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%.

Full South Dakota State Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report

#20

Minot State University

Minot, North Dakota

Minot State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #20. Located in Minot, North Dakota, this small public school handed out 26 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Minot State University is $11,898 for Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students.

Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Minot State University

Top 20% in overall quality

Fort Hays State University landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. FHSU is located in Hays, Kansas and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 249 bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to qualified students.

On top of its placing in this ranking, FHSU also did well on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend Fort Hays State University is $12,053 for Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students.

Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Fort Hays State University

#22

Wilmington University

New Castle, Delaware

Wilmington University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #22. Wilmington University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in New Castle, Delaware. It awarded 66 bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Wilmington University is $14,683 for bachelor’s degree liberal arts / sciences & humanities students.

Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Wilmington University

#23

University of Wisconsin - Platteville

Platteville, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Platteville came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. University of Wisconsin - Platteville is a medium-sized school located in Platteville, Wisconsin that handed out 3 bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Platteville is $15,718 for Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students.

Full University of Wisconsin - Platteville Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report

University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh is a public institution located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 37 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $15,463 for bachelor’s degree liberal arts / sciences & humanities students per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh.

Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh

#25

Westfield State University

Westfield, Massachusetts
Top 15% in overall quality

Westfield State University ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s list. This medium-sized school is located in Westfield, Massachusetts, and it awarded 156 bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

Westfield excels when it comes to liberal arts / sciences and humanities quality. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for Westfield is $19,167 for bachelor’s degree liberal arts / sciences & humanities students.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Westfield Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report

Rest of the Best 50 in Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s

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

#27

The Graduate Center, CUNY

New York, New York
#28

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois
#29

National University

La Jolla, California
#30

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater

Whitewater, Wisconsin
#31

Southeast Missouri State University

Cape Girardeau, Missouri
#32

Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, Texas
#33

Georgia Southern University

Statesboro, Georgia
#35

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois
#36

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Eau Claire, Wisconsin
#40

Baker College

Owosso, Michigan
#41

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, Michigan
#42

West Virginia University at Parkersburg

Parkersburg, West Virginia
#43

University of North Texas

Denton, Texas
#44

Northeastern State University

Tahlequah, Oklahoma
#46

Texas Woman's University

Denton, Texas
#48

Northern Arizona University

Flagstaff, Arizona
#49

Purdue University Northwest

Hammond, Indiana
#50

Ferris State University

Big Rapids, Michigan

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s

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

Rank College Location
51 University of Nebraska at Omaha Omaha, NE
52 University of Maryland Global Campus Adelphi, MD
53 University of Nebraska at Kearney Kearney, NE
54 Youngstown State University Youngstown, OH
55 Arkansas State University - Main Campus Jonesboro, AR
56 Stockton University Galloway, NJ
57 McNeese State University Lake Charles, LA
58 University of Central Florida Orlando, FL
59 Iowa State University Ames, IA
60 California State University - Northridge Northridge, CA
61 Middle Georgia State University Macon, GA
62 California University of Pennsylvania California, PA
62 Harding University Searcy, AR
64 University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point Stevens Point, WI
65 Sam Houston State University Huntsville, TX
Rank College Location
66 Henderson State University Arkadelphia, AR
67 University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg, MS
68 University of Oklahoma Norman Campus Norman, OK
69 University of Central Missouri Warrensburg, MO
70 Mayville State University Mayville, ND
71 Florida International University Miami, FL
72 Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, FL

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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

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees 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.

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