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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies (Income $30-$48k)

460 Ranked Colleges
44,236 Degrees Awarded
$6,100 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor's For Those Making $30-$48k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2019-2020, 559,661 liberal arts general studies students received their degree, making the major the 1st most popular in the country. In 2017-2018, liberal arts general studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $26,786 and had an average of $16,538 in loans still to pay off.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 44,236 liberal arts general studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking analyzed 460 colleges that offered a degree 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. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Liberal Arts General Studies Schools

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 Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” list to help you make the college decision.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies (Income $30-$48k)

#1

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, Massachusetts

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 10 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s liberal arts students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k list, MIT has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend MIT is $1,820 for bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 98%.

Full MIT Liberal Arts General Studies Report

#2

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
#7 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Pennsylvania. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k. UPenn is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 10 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.

UPenn also made our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #7. The estimated yearly cost for UPenn is $4,833 for Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The impressive 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 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 full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at University of Pennsylvania

#3

Harvard University

Cambridge, Massachusetts
#10 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Harvard University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k. Cambridge, Massachusetts is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to 34 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Harvard, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Harvard University is $1,010 for Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Harvard

#4

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Chicago. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k. University of Chicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 19 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UChicago, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Chicago is $2,800 for bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at UChicago

#5

Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, Maryland
#9 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Johns Hopkins University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Johns Hopkins University is located in Baltimore, Maryland and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 2 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.

Johns Hopkins not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Johns Hopkins University is $8,210 for bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

The 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 excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Johns Hopkins Liberal Arts General Studies Report

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #6. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 68 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k list, U-M has also earned the #23 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $5,887 for bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor.

The low student loan default rate of 1.2% 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 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

#7

The City College of New York

New York, New York

The City College of New York came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This fairly large school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 104 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend The City College of New York is $2,947 for Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at The City College of New York

#8

Georgetown University

Washington, District of Columbia
#4 in overall quality

Georgetown University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Washington, District of Columbia, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 27 degrees to qualified bachelors’s liberal arts students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k list, Georgetown has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $8,678 for Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Georgetown University.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Georgetown University

#9

Wesleyan University

Middletown, Connecticut

Wesleyan University landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Wesleyan University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Middletown, Connecticut. The school has a small population, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Wesleyan U, the school also landed the #24 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Wesleyan University is $7,740 for Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, 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 87%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Wesleyan U Liberal Arts General Studies Report

University of South Florida - Main Campus came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of South Florida - Main Campus is a large public school situated in Tampa, Florida. It awarded 260 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, USF Tampa is also in the top of our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $5,616 for Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend USF Tampa.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at University of South Florida - Main Campus

#11

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, Indiana

University of Notre Dame did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #11. University of Notre Dame is located in Notre Dame, Indiana and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 47 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k list, Notre Dame has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $15,609 for bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Notre Dame.

The low 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Notre Dame Liberal Arts General Studies Report

#12

Emory University

Atlanta, Georgia
#15 in overall quality

Emory University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Emory University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Atlanta, Georgia. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k list, Emory has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $9,629 for Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Emory University.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The 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 full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Emory University

#13

Baruch College

New York, New York

Baruch College came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Baruch College is a public institution located in New York, New York. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 21 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Baruch is $4,201 for Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low 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%.

Full Baruch Liberal Arts General Studies Report

#14

University of Central Florida

Orlando, Florida

University of Central Florida came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UCF is a large public school situated in Orlando, Florida. It awarded 13 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, UCF is also in the top of our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for University of Central Florida is $7,847 for Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 4.2% 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%.

Full UCF Liberal Arts General Studies Report

#15

University of North Texas

Denton, Texas

University of North Texas ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Denton, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to 618 students in 2019-2020.

UNT also claimed a top spot on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $9,082 for bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of North Texas.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of North Texas Liberal Arts General Studies Report

California State University - Los Angeles did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #16. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to 180 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Cal State LA is $2,117 for bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Cal State LA Liberal Arts General Studies Report

#17

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana

With a ranking of #17, Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Indiana University - Bloomington is a large public school situated in Bloomington, Indiana. It awarded 238 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

IU Bloomington also claimed a top spot on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for IU Bloomington is $6,192 for bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Indiana University - Bloomington

Florida International University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. FIU is a large school located in Miami, Florida that handed out 368 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for FIU is $6,683 for Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at FIU

#19

North Carolina State University

Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina State University landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. NC State is a public institution located in Raleigh, North Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 27 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

NC State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #21 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for North Carolina State University is $9,887 for bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.9% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at North Carolina State University

University of Washington - Seattle Campus came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Washington - Seattle Campus is a public institution located in Seattle, Washington. The school has a large population, and it awarded 15 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UW Seattle also claimed a top spot on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend UW Seattle is $7,467 for bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at UW Seattle

Brigham Young University - Idaho did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #21. Located in Rexburg, Idaho, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 638 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s liberal arts students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Brigham Young University - Idaho is $3,595 for Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Brigham Young University - Idaho

California State University - Stanislaus ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Turlock, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to 235 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Stanislaus is $3,958 for bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.3% 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%. 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 full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Stan State

California State University - Fresno came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Fresno State is located in Fresno, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 485 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $3,731 for bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Fresno State.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Fresno State

#24

American Public University System

Charles Town, West Virginia

With a ranking of #24, American Public University System did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Charles Town, West Virginia, this large private for-profit school awarded 118 degrees to qualified bachelors’s liberal arts students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k list, American Military University has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend American Public University System is $10,917 for Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 98%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full American Military University Liberal Arts General Studies Report

John Jay College of Criminal Justice landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. John Jay College of Criminal Justice is a fairly large school located in New York, New York that handed out 12 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend John Jay College of Criminal Justice is $3,108 for bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at John Jay College of Criminal Justice

Rest of the Best 50 in Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

#29

University of Richmond

University of Richmond, Virginia
#30

Northern Kentucky University

Highland Heights, Kentucky
#31

Texas Woman's University

Denton, Texas
#33

Florida State University

Tallahassee, Florida
#34

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

Green Bay, Wisconsin
#37

Oakland University

Rochester Hills, Michigan
#38

Soka University of America

Aliso Viejo, California
#39

California State University - San Bernardino

San Bernardino, California
#44

Washington State University

Pullman, Washington
#45

Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
#48

San Diego State University

San Diego, California
#49

Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, Florida

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k

While not in the ‘top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

Rank College Location
51 Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX
52 California State University - Bakersfield Bakersfield, CA
53 Indiana University - South Bend South Bend, IN
54 University of Missouri - Columbia Columbia, MO
55 Marshall University Huntington, WV
56 West Virginia University Morgantown, WV
57 Iowa State University Ames, IA
58 West Virginia University Institute of Technology Beckley, WV
59 University of California - Riverside Riverside, CA
60 College of Staten Island CUNY Staten Island, NY
61 Eastern New Mexico University - Main Campus Portales, NM
62 University of Nebraska at Omaha Omaha, NE
63 St. Francis College Brooklyn Heights, NY
64 Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro, TN
65 Charter Oak State College New Britain, CT
Rank College Location
66 University of Missouri - St Louis Saint Louis, MO
67 Northeastern State University Tahlequah, OK
68 Indiana University - Kokomo Kokomo, IN
69 Fort Hays State University Hays, KS
70 Louisiana State University - Alexandria Alexandria, LA

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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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