by our College Data Analytics TeamFor its 2025 ranking, College Factual looked at 16 schools in the Plains States Region to determine which ones were the best for general studies students pursuing a bachelor's degree. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 1,420 bachelor's degrees in general studies during the 2022-2023 academic year.
Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology
Your choice of general studies for getting your bachelor's degree school matters. Important measures of a quality general studies program can vary widely even among the top schools. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:
A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To make it into this list a school must rank well in our overall Best Colleges ranking. This ranking considered factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.
In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:
Our complete ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for general studies students working on their bachelor's degree.
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 General Studies Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Plains States Region 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.
The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing a bachelor's degree in general studies.
Columbia College is a good option for individuals interested in a bachelor's degree in general studies. Columbia College Missouri is a medium-sized private not-for-profit college located in the city of Columbia.More information about a bachelor’s in general studies from Columbia College
University of Missouri - Columbia is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a bachelor's degree in general studies. Mizzou is a very large public university located in the midsize city of Columbia.More information about a bachelor’s in general studies from University of Missouri - Columbia
Any student who is interested in a bachelor's degree in general studies needs to check out University of North Dakota. Located in the city of Grand Forks, UND is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in general studies from University of North Dakota
Any student who is interested in a bachelor's degree in general studies needs to check out University of Nebraska at Omaha. Located in the large city of Omaha, UNOMAHA is a public university with a large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in general studies from University of Nebraska at Omaha
Located in the city of Cape Girardeau, Southeast Missouri State University is a public university with a medium-sized student population.More information about a bachelor’s in general studies from Southeast Missouri State University
South Dakota State is a fairly large public university located in the remote town of Brookings.More information about a bachelor’s in general studies from South Dakota State University
Located in the distant town of Vermillion, USD is a public university with a moderately-sized student population.More information about a bachelor’s in general studies from University of South Dakota
Dakota State is a small public university located in the distant town of Madison.More information about a bachelor’s in general studies from Dakota State University
WSU is a large public university located in the large city of Wichita.More information about a bachelor’s in general studies from Wichita State University
UNK is a moderately-sized public university located in the town of Kearney.More information about a bachelor’s in general studies from University of Nebraska at Kearney
Explore the best general studies colleges for a specific state in the Plains States Region .
| State | Colleges | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Missouri | 475 | 671 |
| Minnesota | 446 | 11 |
| Iowa | 403 | 9 |
| Kansas | 352 | 131 |
| Nebraska | 331 | 423 |
| North Dakota | 251 | 175 |
| South Dakota | 237 | 113 |
General Studies is one of 3 different types of Liberal Arts General Studies programs to choose from.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Liberal Arts | 1,214 |
| Individualized Studies | 118 |
| Humanities | 19 |