by our College Data Analytics Team
It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Most Well Attended General Studies Major” ranking - to help you make that decision.
General Studies is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 5th of all the majors we analyze. In 2020-2021, 129,869 degrees were awarded to students with this major.
This year’s “Most Well Attended General Studies Major” ranking analyzed 1,000 colleges that offered a degree in general studies. To top this list, a school must have a successful general studies program that graduates more students in the field than other colleges that offer the same major.
Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Most Well Attended General Studies Major” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.
The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Well Attended General Studies Major”.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend El Centro College. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Well Attended General Studies Major list. El Centro College is a public institution located in Dallas, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 7,386 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Tarrant County College District. The school came in at #2 for the Most Well Attended General Studies Major. Tarrant County College is located in Fort Worth, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 4,817 ’s general studies degrees to qualified students.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend San Antonio College. The school came in at #3 for the Most Well Attended General Studies Major. This fairly large school is located in San Antonio, Texas, and it awarded 2,530 ’s general studies degrees in 2020-2021.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwest Vista College. The school came in at #4 for the Most Well Attended General Studies Major. Located in San Antonio, Texas, this fairly large public school awarded 2,322 degrees to qualified ’s general studies students in 2020-2021.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Houston Community College. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Well Attended General Studies Major list. This large school is located in Houston, Texas, and it awarded 2,293 ’s general studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Utah Valley University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended General Studies Major ranking. This large school is located in Orem, Utah, and it awarded 4,249 ’s general studies degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on General Studies at Utah Valley University
American Public University System came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended General Studies Major ranking. Charles Town, West Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out ’s general studies degrees to 1,815 students in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 98%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on General Studies at American Military University
With a ranking of #8, Southern New Hampshire University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended General Studies Major list. This large school is located in Manchester, New Hampshire, and it awarded 1,679 ’s general studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Southern New Hampshire University General Studies Report
Austin Community College District ranked #9 on this year’s Most Well Attended General Studies Major list. Austin Community College District is a large school located in Austin, Texas that handed out 1,654 ’s general studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Austin Community College District General Studies Report
Brigham Young University - Idaho landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended General Studies Major ranking. This large school is located in Rexburg, Idaho, and it awarded 1,581 ’s general studies degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about General Studies at Brigham Young University - Idaho
With a ranking of #11, Weber State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended General Studies Major list. WSU is a large public school situated in Ogden, Utah. It awarded 1,560 ’s general studies degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad 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 full report on General Studies at Weber State University
With a ranking of #12, Suffolk County Community College did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended General Studies Major list. Suffolk County Community College is a large public school situated in Selden, New York. It awarded 1,405 ’s general studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about General Studies at Suffolk County Community College
Austin Peay State University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended General Studies Major ranking. Austin Peay State University is a public institution located in Clarksville, Tennessee. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 1,365 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about General Studies at Austin Peay State University
With a ranking of #14, Northern Virginia Community College did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended General Studies Major list. Northern Virginia Community College is a public institution located in Annandale, Virginia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 1,351 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Northern Virginia Community College General Studies Report
Blinn College came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended General Studies Major ranking. Blinn College is a public institution located in Brenham, Texas. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 1,292 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Salt Lake Community College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended General Studies Major ranking. Salt Lake Community College is a large school located in Salt Lake City, Utah that handed out 1,290 ’s general studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on General Studies at Salt Lake Community College
Collin County Community College District did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended General Studies Major ranking, coming in at #17. Located in McKinney, Texas, this large public school awarded 1,244 degrees to qualified ’s general studies students in 2020-2021.
Read more about General Studies at Collin County Community College District
Community College of Rhode Island did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended General Studies Major ranking, coming in at #18. Community College of Rhode Island is located in Warwick, Rhode Island and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,233 ’s general studies degrees to qualified students.
Read more about General Studies at Community College of Rhode Island
Palo Alto College did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended General Studies Major ranking, coming in at #19. Palo Alto College is a fairly large school located in San Antonio, Texas that handed out 1,159 ’s general studies degrees in 2020-2021.
San Jacinto Community College landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended General Studies Major ranking. San Jacinto College is a large school located in Pasadena, Texas that handed out 1,087 ’s general studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on General Studies at San Jacinto Community College
Central New Mexico Community College did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended General Studies Major ranking, coming in at #21. Located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, this fairly large public school handed out 2,341 degrees to qualified ’s general studies students in 2020-2021.
Read full report on General Studies at Central New Mexico Community College
Portland Community College came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended General Studies Major ranking. This large school is located in Portland, Oregon, and it awarded 1,040 ’s general studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on General Studies at Portland Community College
With a ranking of #23, Macomb Community College did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended General Studies Major list. Located in Warren, Michigan, this fairly large public school awarded 1,053 degrees to qualified ’s general studies students in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #23, Hinds Community College did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended General Studies Major list. Located in Raymond, Mississippi, this fairly large public school handed out 1,036 diplomas to qualified ’s general studies students in 2020-2021.
Utah State University landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended General Studies Major ranking. Utah State University is a large school located in Logan, Utah that handed out 1,019 ’s general studies degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
While not in the ’top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 51 | Moraine Valley Community College | Palos Hills, IL |
| 52 | Odessa College | Odessa, TX |
| 53 | South Plains College | Levelland, TX |
| 54 | New Mexico State University - Dona Ana | Las Cruces, NM |
| 55 | Monroe Community College | Rochester, NY |
| 56 | Northeast Mississippi Community College | Booneville, MS |
| 57 | Yavapai College | Prescott, AZ |
| 58 | Schoolcraft College | Livonia, MI |
| 58 | Chemeketa Community College | Salem, OR |
| 60 | Kilgore College | Kilgore, TX |
| 61 | Coastal Alabama Community College | Bay Minette, AL |
| 62 | Mt. Hood Community College | Gresham, OR |
| 63 | Arkansas State University - Beebe | Beebe, AR |
| 64 | Community College of Allegheny County | Pittsburgh, PA |
| 65 | Southern Union State Community College | Wadley, AL |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 141 | Vernon College | Vernon, TX |
| 142 | Delaware Technical Community College - Terry | Dover, DE |
| 142 | Piedmont Virginia Community College | Charlottesville, VA |
| 144 | Morehead State University | Morehead, KY |
| 144 | Columbia Southern University | Orange Beach, AL |
| 146 | West Virginia University | Morgantown, WV |
| 147 | West Texas A&M University | Canyon, TX |
| 147 | Lamar University | Beaumont, TX |
| 147 | Black River Technical College | Pocahontas, AR |
| 150 | Cochise County Community College District | Sierra Vista, AZ |
| 151 | National University | La Jolla, CA |
| 151 | SUNY Broome | Binghamton, NY |
Read more about our data sources and methodologies