2023 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools For Those Making $30-$48k
1,092
Ranked Colleges
556,813
Degrees Awarded
$4,500
Avg Net Price*
It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Liberal Arts Schools For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is part of that endeavor.
Liberal Arts General Studies is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 1st of all the majors we analyze. In 2020-2021, 556,813 degrees were awarded to students with this major. In 2019-2020, liberal arts general studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $28,337 and had an average of $17,430 in loans still to pay off.
This year’s “Best Value Liberal Arts Schools For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 1,092 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in liberal arts general studies. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great liberal arts general studies programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.
To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the liberal arts general studies program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
More Ways to Rank Liberal Arts General Studies Schools
The liberal arts school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Liberal Arts Schools For Those Making $30-$48k”.
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. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.
Best Value Liberal Arts Schools For Those Making $30-$48k
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Liberal Arts Schools For Those Making $30-$48k.
Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies (Income $30-$48k)
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Duke University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools For Those Making $30-$48k. Duke University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Durham, North Carolina. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 21 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Duke also made our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools” list, coming in at #10. The estimated yearly cost for Duke is $-927 for Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k. When an average net price is negative, it usually means that the student will receive more financial aid than it costs to attend the school.
The impressive undergraduate 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. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Duke
Out of the 1,092 schools in the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Chicago landed the #2 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 157 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
UChicago also made our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools” list, coming in at #2. The estimated yearly cost for UChicago is $4,777 for Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 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 Liberal Arts General Studies at UChicago
Out of the 1,092 schools in the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Pennsylvania landed the #3 spot on the list. UPenn is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It awarded 37 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
UPenn also took the #5 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UPenn is $1,938 for liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at UPenn
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Johns Hopkins University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools For Those Making $30-$48k. Johns Hopkins is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Baltimore, Maryland. It awarded 43 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Johns Hopkins also made our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools” list, coming in at #1. It costs about $4,859 for liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Johns Hopkins.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Johns Hopkins University
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Dartmouth College. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools For Those Making $30-$48k. Dartmouth is located in Hanover, New Hampshire and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 24 ’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.
Dartmouth not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools” list. It costs about $8,718 for Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Dartmouth.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Dartmouth
Georgetown University landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Washington, District of Columbia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s liberal arts degrees to 53 students in 2020-2021.
Georgetown did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools” list. It costs about $9,871 for Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Georgetown University.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Georgetown
Central New Mexico Community College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, this fairly large public school awarded 4,698 diplomas to qualified ’s liberal arts students in 2020-2021.
CNM also claimed a top spot on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for Central New Mexico Community College is $3,059 for liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.
Full CNM Liberal Arts General Studies Report
With a ranking of #8, University of South Florida - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. USF Tampa is a large public school situated in Tampa, Florida. It awarded 470 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
USF Tampa also made our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools” list, coming in at #25. It costs about $5,632 for liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend USF Tampa.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.3% 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 92%.
Full USF Tampa Liberal Arts General Studies Report
Wesleyan University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. This small school is located in Middletown, Connecticut, and it awarded 33 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Wesleyan U also made our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools” list, coming in at #15. The estimated yearly cost for Wesleyan University is $7,475 for liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Wesleyan U
Golden West College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #10. Golden West College is a public institution located in Huntington Beach, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 4,346 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on this list, Golden West College is in the top on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend Golden West College is $4,414 for liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Golden West College
City Colleges of Chicago - Harold Washington College landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s liberal arts degrees to 1,599 students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Harold Washington College is also in the top of our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for City Colleges of Chicago - Harold Washington College is $3,200 for liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Harold Washington College
With a ranking of #12, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and it awarded 67 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
U-M also claimed a top spot on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 5% of all schools on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools” list. It costs about $5,670 for liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend U-M.
With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% 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%.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at U-M
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and it awarded 46 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
UNC Chapel Hill also claimed a top spot on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 5% of all schools on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools” list. It costs about $5,729 for Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UNC Chapel Hill.
With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
With a ranking of #14, Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Indiana University - Bloomington is a large public school situated in Bloomington, Indiana. It awarded 225 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
IU Bloomington also claimed a top spot on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools” list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $7,061 for Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend IU Bloomington.
With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.4% 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%.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at IU Bloomington
With a ranking of #15, Oakland Community College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Oakland Community College is a public institution located in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 811 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Oakland Community College is also in the top of our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools” ranking. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. It costs about $2,762 for Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Oakland Community College.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Oakland Community College
South Texas College ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. McAllen, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s liberal arts degrees to 1,429 students in 2020-2021.
It costs about $1,783 for Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend South Texas College.
Full South Texas College Liberal Arts General Studies Report
Brigham Young University - Idaho did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #17. Brigham Young University - Idaho is a large school located in Rexburg, Idaho that handed out 1,598 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
BYU - I excels when it comes to liberal arts quality. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Brigham Young University - Idaho is $3,357 for liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Brigham Young University - Idaho
With a ranking of #18, Metropolitan Community College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Metropolitan Community College is located in Omaha, Nebraska and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 568 ’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, MCC is also in the top of our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools” ranking. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. It costs about $3,257 for liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Metropolitan Community College.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 5.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Metropolitan Community College Liberal Arts General Studies Report
With a ranking of #19, Ventura College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Ventura College is a public institution located in Ventura, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 1,949 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for Ventura College is $1,269 for liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Ventura College
California State University - Los Angeles ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Cal State LA is a large public school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 145 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $2,701 for Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend California State University - Los Angeles.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full California State University - Los Angeles Liberal Arts General Studies Report
Indian River State College came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Indian River State College is a public institution located in Fort Pierce, Florida. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 1,841 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $3,595 for Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Indian River State College.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Indian River State College
Suffolk County Community College ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Suffolk County Community College is a large public school situated in Selden, New York. It awarded 1,784 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
On top of its placing in this ranking, Suffolk County Community College also did well on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $4,212 for Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Suffolk County Community College.
Full Suffolk County Community College Liberal Arts General Studies Report
With a ranking of #23, MiraCosta College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. MiraCosta College is a public institution located in Oceanside, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 1,875 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $3,861 for liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend MiraCosta College.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at MiraCosta College
West Valley College ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Saratoga, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s liberal arts degrees to 678 students in 2020-2021.
On top of its placing in this ranking, West Valley College also did well on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for West Valley College is $3,654 for Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at West Valley College
North Carolina State University ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. NC State is located in Raleigh, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 51 ’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.
NC State also took the #14 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for North Carolina State University is $9,448 for liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at NC State
