2026 Best General Master’s Degree Schools
General is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.
For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 69 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for general students pursuing a degree.
What’s on this page:
Best Schools for General in the United States
See the highest-ranked general schools offering a master’s degree below.
Top Schools in General
No school ranked higher than University Of Colorado Boulder this year for general. Located in the city of Boulder, University Of Colorado Boulder is a very large public university. University Of Colorado Boulder graduates 74% of students within six years. About 12 general degrees were awarded at University Of Colorado Boulder in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, general degree recipients from University Of Colorado Boulder generally make around $55,861. Students borrow a median of $20,373 to complete this degree.
Read more about the general program at University Of Colorado Boulder
A rank of #2 makes West Chester University Of Pennsylvania one of the top schools for general. This large public university is located in the suburb of West Chester. The six-year graduation rate is 70%. There were roughly 12 general students who graduated with this degree at West Chester University Of Pennsylvania in the most recent data year.
Get the full general details for West Chester University Of Pennsylvania
The University Of Alabama is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in general, ranking #3. Set in the city of Tuscaloosa, The University Of Alabama is a very large public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 73%. The University Of Alabama awarded about 11 general degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their general degree from The University Of Alabama earn around $50,740 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $24,496.
More information about a degree in general from The University Of Alabama
University Of Oklahoma Norman Campus is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in general, ranking #4. This very large public university is located in the suburb of Norman. The six-year graduation rate is 75%. University Of Oklahoma Norman Campus awarded about 23 general degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the general program make about $58,084 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $23,138.
Get the full general details for University Of Oklahoma Norman Campus
South Dakota State University is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in general, ranking #5. This large public university is located in the town of Brookings. South Dakota State University graduates 62% of students within six years. South Dakota State University awarded about 10 general degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, general degree recipients from South Dakota State University generally make around $51,260. Students borrow a median of $24,989 to complete this degree.
Get the full general details for South Dakota State University
Western Michigan University landed the #6 spot for general this year. This large public university is located in the city of Kalamazoo. Western Michigan University graduates 58% of students within six years. Western Michigan University awarded about 13 general degrees in the most recent data year. General graduates of Western Michigan University earn a median of $48,966 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $27,981 to complete this degree.
Get the full general details for Western Michigan University
Texas Tech University ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best general schools. This very large public university is located in the city of Lubbock. The six-year graduation rate is 69%. There were roughly 10 general students who graduated with this degree at Texas Tech University in the most recent data year. General graduates of Texas Tech University earn a median of $50,332 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $24,271.
More information about a degree in general from Texas Tech University
Other General Degree Levels
Explore the best general schools at other degree levels:
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 69 schools evaluated.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
