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2022 Best Value General Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k

11 Ranked Colleges
168 Degrees Awarded
$26,000 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees*
Best Value General Studies Schools for a Master's For Those Making $30-$48k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value General Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

With 133,583 degrees handed out in 2019-2020, general studies is the 5th most popular major in the United States.

At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 168 general studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $56,398 and $43,194 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value General Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 11 colleges that offer a degree in general studies. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality general studies programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the general studies program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value General Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k” list to help you make the college decision.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value General Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value General Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 11 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for General Studies (Income $30-$48k)

#1

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Chicago. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value General Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 16 degrees to qualified masters’s general studies students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our master’s degree general studies students whose families make $30-$48k list, UChicago has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best General Studies Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Chicago are $61,548, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about General Studies at UChicago

#2

Middle Tennessee State University

Murfreesboro, Tennessee
#3 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Middle Tennessee State University. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value General Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, this large public school handed out 25 diplomas to qualified masters’s general studies students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our master’s degree general studies students whose families make $30-$48k list, Middle Tennessee State University has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best General Studies Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Middle Tennessee State University are $26,172, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on General Studies at Middle Tennessee State University

#3

Tennessee State University

Nashville, Tennessee
#5 in overall quality

Out of the 11 schools in the Best Value General Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Tennessee State University landed the #3 spot on the list. Nashville, Tennessee is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s general studies degrees to 25 students in 2019-2020.

Tennessee State University also made our “Best General Studies Master’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #5. Average graduate tuition and fees at Tennessee State University are $20,860, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full Tennessee State University General Studies Report

#4

Tennessee Technological University

Cookeville, Tennessee
#4 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Tennessee Technological University. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value General Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Tennessee Tech University is a fairly large school located in Cookeville, Tennessee that handed out 31 masters’s general studies degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Tennessee Tech University, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best General Studies Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Tennessee Technological University are $20,498, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about General Studies at Tennessee Tech University

#5

Ball State University

Muncie, Indiana
#8 in overall quality

Out of the 11 schools in the Best Value General Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Ball State University landed the #5 spot on the list. Ball State is a large public school situated in Muncie, Indiana. It awarded 1 masters’s general studies degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our master’s degree general studies students whose families make $30-$48k list, Ball State has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best General Studies Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Ball State University are $26,204, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full Ball State General Studies Report

#6

University of Memphis

Memphis, Tennessee
#6 in overall quality

University of Memphis did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #6. UofM is a large public school situated in Memphis, Tennessee. It awarded 13 masters’s general studies degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our master’s degree general studies students whose families make $30-$48k list, UofM has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best General Studies Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Memphis are $14,202, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on General Studies at UofM

#7

East Tennessee State University

Johnson City, Tennessee
#9 in overall quality

East Tennessee State University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value General Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Johnson City, Tennessee, this fairly large public school awarded 5 diplomas to qualified masters’s general studies students in 2019-2020.

ETSU also made our “Best General Studies Master’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #9. Average graduate tuition and fees at East Tennessee State University are $25,679, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on General Studies at ETSU

#11 in overall quality

New Mexico State University - Main Campus landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Las Cruces, New Mexico is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s general studies degrees to 1 students in 2019-2020.

NMSU Main Campus also took the #11 spot in our “Best General Studies Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at New Mexico State University - Main Campus are $18,275, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full NMSU Main Campus General Studies Report

#9

Austin Peay State University

Clarksville, Tennessee
#7 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, Austin Peay State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Clarksville, Tennessee, this fairly large public school awarded 36 degrees to qualified masters’s general studies students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Austin Peay State University, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best General Studies Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Austin Peay State University are $14,669.

Read full report on General Studies at Austin Peay State University

#10 in overall quality

William Paterson University of New Jersey ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value General Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. William Paterson University is a public institution located in Wayne, New Jersey. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 1 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

William Paterson University also made our “Best General Studies Master’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #10. Average graduate tuition and fees at William Paterson University of New Jersey are $20,970, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on General Studies at William Paterson University of New Jersey

#11

Drexel University

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
#2 in overall quality

Drexel University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 2 masters’s general studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Drexel not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best General Studies Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Drexel University are $37,074, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full Drexel General Studies Report

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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