by our College Data Analytics TeamFor its 2025 ranking, College Factual looked at 13 schools in the Plains States Region to determine which ones were the best for liberal arts students pursuing a bachelor's degree. Combined, these schools handed out 1,214 bachelor's degrees in liberal arts to qualified students.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
Your choice of liberal arts for getting your bachelor's degree school matters. Important measures of a quality liberal studies program can vary widely even among the top schools. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:
The overall quality of a bachelor's degree school is important to ensure a quality education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To account for this we consider a college's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a host of various factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.
Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for liberal arts students working on their bachelor's degree.
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Liberal Arts Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Plains States Region list, to help you choose the best school for you.
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.
Below you'll see a list of the best colleges and universities for pursuing a bachelor's degree in liberal arts.
Any student who is interested in a bachelor's degree in liberal arts needs to check out University of Iowa. Located in the city of Iowa City, Iowa is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in liberal arts from University of Iowa
University of Kansas is one of the best schools in the country for getting a bachelor's degree in liberal arts. Located in the city of Lawrence, KU is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in liberal arts from University of Kansas
Any student pursuing a degree in a bachelor's degree in liberal arts has to look into University of Northern Iowa. UNI is a moderately-sized public university located in the city of Cedar Falls.More information about a bachelor’s in liberal arts from University of Northern Iowa
Every student who is interested in a bachelor's degree in liberal arts needs to check out University of Missouri - Kansas City. Located in the large city of Kansas City, UMKC is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in liberal arts from University of Missouri - Kansas City
Located in the remote town of Hays, FHSU is a public university with a large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in liberal arts from Fort Hays State University
Iowa State is a fairly large public university located in the small city of Ames.More information about a bachelor’s in liberal arts from Iowa State University
Located in the city of Des Moines, Grand View University is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population.More information about a bachelor’s in liberal arts from Grand View University
Pitt State is a medium-sized public university located in the town of Pittsburg.More information about a bachelor’s in liberal arts from Pittsburg State University
Missouri State is a fairly large public university located in the medium-sized city of Springfield.More information about a bachelor’s in liberal arts from Missouri State University - Springfield
Located in the large suburb of Saint Louis, UMSL is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in liberal arts from University of Missouri - St Louis
Explore the best liberal arts colleges for a specific state in the Plains States Region .
| State | Colleges | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Missouri | 475 | 521 |
| Minnesota | 446 | 30 |
| Iowa | 403 | 453 |
| Kansas | 352 | 459 |
| Nebraska | 331 | 17 |
| North Dakota | 251 | 0 |
| South Dakota | 237 | 8 |
One of 3 majors within the Liberal Arts General Studies area of study, Liberal Arts has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| General Studies | 1,420 |
| Individualized Studies | 118 |
| Humanities | 19 |