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2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid

181 Ranked Colleges
4,798 Degrees Awarded
$14,000 Avg Net Price*
Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor's For Those Getting Aid

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid” ranking - to help you make that decision.

General Education is the 28th most popular major in the country with 29,936 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 4,798 general education graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid” ranking looked at 181 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in general education. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality general education programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the general education program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

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. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid

The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree general education students with aid.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Education (With Aid)

#2 in overall quality

Out of the 181 schools in the Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Washington - Seattle Campus landed the #1 spot on the list. This large school is located in Seattle, Washington, and it awarded 106 bachelors’s general education degrees in 2019-2020.

UW Seattle did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $13,297 for Bachelor’s Degree General Education students with aid per year to attend UW Seattle.

The low student loan default rate of 2.2% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full UW Seattle General Education Report

#2

Berea College

Berea, Kentucky

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Berea College. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. Berea is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Berea, Kentucky. It awarded 15 bachelors’s general education degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Berea College is $5,184 for bachelor’s degree general education students with aid.

The 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. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its 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 Berea College General Education Report

#3

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida
#11 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Florida. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. UF is located in Gainesville, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 21 bachelors’s general education degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree general education students with aid list, UF has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $6,302 for Bachelor’s Degree General Education students with aid per year to attend University of Florida.

The 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on General Education at University of Florida

#4

Heritage University

Toppenish, Washington

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Heritage University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid. This small school is located in Toppenish, Washington, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s general education degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $10,056 for bachelor’s degree general education students with aid per year to attend Heritage University.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 6 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 General Education at Heritage University

Top 20% in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Green Bay. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. Green Bay, Wisconsin is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s general education degrees to 74 students in 2019-2020.

On top of its placing in this ranking, UW - Green Bay also did well on our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Green Bay is $14,395 for bachelor’s degree general education students with aid.

Full UW - Green Bay General Education Report

#15 in overall quality

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. This large school is located in Champaign, Illinois, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s general education degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $15,880 for bachelor’s degree general education students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign General Education Report

#21 in overall quality

University of California - Irvine came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. UC Irvine is located in Irvine, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 367 bachelors’s general education degrees to qualified students.

UC Irvine also took the #21 spot in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $14,783 for bachelor’s degree general education students with aid per year to attend University of California - Irvine.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of California - Irvine General Education Report

#8

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana
Top 20% in overall quality

Purdue University - Main Campus came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. Purdue University - Main Campus is located in West Lafayette, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 12 bachelors’s general education degrees to qualified students.

Purdue excels when it comes to general education quality. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category. It costs about $13,986 for Bachelor’s Degree General Education students with aid per year to attend Purdue University - Main Campus.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Education at Purdue University - Main Campus

#9

Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, Florida
Top 25% in overall quality

Florida Atlantic University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #9. Located in Boca Raton, Florida, this large public school handed out 65 degrees to qualified bachelors’s general education students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend FAU is $10,186 for Bachelor’s Degree General Education students with aid.

Read more about General Education at Florida Atlantic University

#10

Florida Gulf Coast University

Fort Myers, Florida

With a ranking of #10, Florida Gulf Coast University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. FGCU is a public institution located in Fort Myers, Florida. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 38 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $11,606 for bachelor’s degree general education students with aid per year to attend FGCU.

Full Florida Gulf Coast University General Education Report

#11

North Carolina State University

Raleigh, North Carolina
#20 in overall quality

North Carolina State University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Raleigh, North Carolina, this large public school awarded 19 degrees to qualified bachelors’s general education students in 2019-2020.

NC State also made our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #20. The yearly cost to attend North Carolina State University is $16,458 for bachelor’s degree general education students with aid.

The low student loan default rate of 2.9% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Full North Carolina State University General Education Report

#12

Michigan State University

East Lansing, Michigan
#8 in overall quality

Michigan State University landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. East Lansing, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s general education degrees to 157 students in 2019-2020.

Michigan State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Michigan State is $19,173 for bachelor’s degree general education students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, 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 91%.

Read more about General Education at Michigan State

#13

SUNY Empire State College

Saratoga Springs, New York

SUNY Empire State College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. SUNY Empire State College is located in Saratoga Springs, New York and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 102 bachelors’s general education degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend SUNY Empire State College is $12,142 for Bachelor’s Degree General Education students with aid.

Read full report on General Education at SUNY Empire State College

Top 25% in overall quality

University of Hawaii - West Oahu did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #14. UH West Oahu is located in Kapolei, Hawaii and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 37 bachelors’s general education degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend University of Hawaii - West Oahu is $13,331 for Bachelor’s Degree General Education students with aid.

Full UH West Oahu General Education Report

Top 20% in overall quality

University of California - San Diego ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. University of California - San Diego is a large public school situated in La Jolla, California. It awarded 11 bachelors’s general education degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on this list, UCSD is in the top on our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend University of California - San Diego is $14,232 for Bachelor’s Degree General Education students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Education at UCSD

#16

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Top 25% in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. Milwaukee, Wisconsin is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s general education degrees to 153 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend UWM is $17,876 for bachelor’s degree general education students with aid.

Full UWM General Education Report

The University of Texas at San Antonio came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. The University of Texas at San Antonio is a large school located in San Antonio, Texas that handed out 82 bachelors’s general education degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $13,853 for Bachelor’s Degree General Education students with aid per year to attend The University of Texas at San Antonio.

Full UTSA General Education Report

#18

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, Michigan
#19 in overall quality

Grand Valley State University landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Allendale, Michigan, this large public school awarded 221 degrees to qualified bachelors’s general education students in 2019-2020.

GVSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Grand Valley State University is $17,646 for Bachelor’s Degree General Education students with aid.

The low 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 Grand Valley State University General Education Report

#19

Texas Tech University

Lubbock, Texas
Top 20% in overall quality

Texas Tech University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #19. Texas Tech University is a public institution located in Lubbock, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 133 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Texas Tech is also in the top of our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category. It costs about $17,571 for Bachelor’s Degree General Education students with aid per year to attend Texas Tech University.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on General Education at Texas Tech

#20

Eastern Washington University

Cheney, Washington

Eastern Washington University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #20. EWU is a public institution located in Cheney, Washington. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $12,607 for bachelor’s degree general education students with aid per year to attend Eastern Washington University.

Full EWU General Education Report

#21

University of Missouri - St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri

University of Missouri - St Louis landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. This fairly large school is located in Saint Louis, Missouri, and it awarded 24 bachelors’s general education degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Missouri - St Louis is $9,435 for bachelor’s degree general education students with aid.

Read full report on General Education at UMSL

#22

Bellevue University

Bellevue, Nebraska

Bellevue University landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. Bellevue University is located in Bellevue, Nebraska and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 12 bachelors’s general education degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $15,616 for bachelor’s degree general education students with aid per year to attend Bellevue University.

Full Bellevue University General Education Report

#23

Western Oregon University

Monmouth, Oregon

Western Oregon University landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. Western Oregon University is a small public school situated in Monmouth, Oregon. It awarded 121 bachelors’s general education degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Western Oregon State College is $19,315 for Bachelor’s Degree General Education students with aid.

Full Western Oregon University General Education Report

#24

Swarthmore College

Swarthmore, Pennsylvania
#10 in overall quality

Swarthmore College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #24. Swarthmore is a small school located in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania that handed out 1 bachelors’s general education degrees in 2019-2020.

Swarthmore also took the #10 spot in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $19,184 for bachelor’s degree general education students with aid per year to attend Swarthmore.

With a 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 freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Education at Swarthmore

#25

Wilmington University

New Castle, Delaware

Wilmington University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #25. New Castle, Delaware is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s general education degrees to 48 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Wilmington University is $14,683 for Bachelor’s Degree General Education students with aid.

Read full report on General Education at Wilmington University

Rest of the Best 28 in Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid

Not only did these schools make the top 28 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

#26

Colgate University

Hamilton, New York

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.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to KOKUYO.

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