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2023 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies in Illinois

44 Ranked Colleges
937 Degrees Awarded
$35,487 Avg Salary
Schools for a Bachelor's Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in Illinois

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in Illinois” ranking.

In 2021-2022, 538,925 liberal arts general studies students received their degree, making the major the 1st most popular in the country. In , liberal arts general studies graduates who were awarded their degree in , earned an average of $28,316 and had an average of $15,943 in loans still to pay off.

Across Illinois, there were 24,928 liberal arts general studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $27,909 and $14,453 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 937 liberal arts general studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $40,374 and $23,086 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in Illinois” ranking looked at 44 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in liberal arts general studies. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in liberal arts general studies.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in Illinois” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

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Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in Illinois

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in Illinois”.

Top 25 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies in Illinois

1
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Governors State University
University Park, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Governors State University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in Illinois list. Located in University Park, Illinois, this small public school handed out 103 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s liberal arts students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% 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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Governors State University

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Western Illinois University. The school came in at #2 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in Illinois. Western Illinois University is a medium-sized public school situated in Macomb, Illinois. It awarded 131 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad 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 Western Illinois University

3
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Chicago State University
Chicago, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Chicago State University. The school came in at #3 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in Illinois. CSU is a small public school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 44 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2021-2022.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 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 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at CSU

4

Out of the 44 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, Northeastern Illinois University landed the #4 spot on the list. Northeastern Illinois University is a medium-sized school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 106 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Northeastern Illinois University Liberal Arts General Studies Report

5
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Eastern Illinois University
Charleston, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Eastern Illinois University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in Illinois list. This medium-sized school is located in Charleston, Illinois, and it awarded 102 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at EIU

6
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Lincoln College
Lincoln, Illinois

Lincoln College landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in Illinois ranking.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Lincoln College

7
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Lake Forest College
Lake Forest, Illinois

With a ranking of #7, Lake Forest College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in Illinois list. Lake Forest College is a small school located in Lake Forest, Illinois that handed out 10 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Lake Forest

8

Illinois State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #8. Normal, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to 91 students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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%.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Illinois State

9
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Eureka College
Eureka, Illinois

Eureka College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in Illinois ranking. This small school is located in Eureka, Illinois, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2021-2022.

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 Eureka College

10

Northern Illinois University ranked #10 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in Illinois list. NIU is a public institution located in Dekalb, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 75 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.1% 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 NIU

11
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Saint Xavier University
Chicago, Illinois

Saint Xavier University ranked #11 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in Illinois list. Saint Xavier University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 19 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Saint Xavier University

12

Southern Illinois University Carbondale ranked #12 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in Illinois list. This fairly large school is located in Carbondale, Illinois, and it awarded 44 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2021-2022.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 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 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Southern Illinois University Carbondale

13
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DePaul University
Chicago, Illinois

DePaul University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in Illinois ranking. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to 67 students in 2021-2022.

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%.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at DePaul University

14
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Aurora University
Aurora, Illinois

Aurora University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in Illinois ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Aurora, Illinois, and it awarded 35 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% 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 Aurora

15

With a ranking of #15, University of Illinois at Springfield did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in Illinois list. Springfield, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to 9 students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at UIS

16
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Monmouth College
Monmouth, Illinois

Monmouth College ranked #16 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in Illinois list. Monmouth is a private not-for-profit institution located in Monmouth, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 0 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% 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 Monmouth College

17
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Quincy University
Quincy, Illinois

Quincy University landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in Illinois ranking. Located in Quincy, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 7 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s liberal arts students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Quincy U

18
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Knox College
Galesburg, Illinois

Knox College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #18. Knox College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Galesburg, Illinois. It awarded 3 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2021-2022.

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%.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Knox

19

Lincoln Christian University landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in Illinois ranking. Lincoln Christian University is a small school located in Lincoln, Illinois that handed out 2 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Lincoln Christian University

20
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Roosevelt University
Chicago, Illinois

Roosevelt University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #20. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to 2 students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% 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 Roosevelt University Liberal Arts General Studies Report

21
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Lewis University
Romeoville, Illinois

Lewis University ranked #21 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in Illinois list. Lewis University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Romeoville, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% 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 Lewis University Liberal Arts General Studies Report

22

With a ranking of #22, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in Illinois list. SIUE is a fairly large school located in Edwardsville, Illinois that handed out 19 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

23

Trinity International University - Illinois did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #23. Deerfield, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to 3 students in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Trinity International University - Illinois Liberal Arts General Studies Report

24
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McKendree University
Lebanon, Illinois

With a ranking of #24, McKendree University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in Illinois list. McKendree University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Lebanon, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full McKendree University Liberal Arts General Studies Report

25
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University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

University of Chicago ranked #25 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in Illinois list. UChicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 20 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 99%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. 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.

Full UChicago Liberal Arts General Studies Report

Notes and References

References

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