2025 Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools in Illinois
Liberal Arts General Studies is of the hottest associate degree programs in the United States, coming in as the #1 most popular major in the country. This means there are lots of options to choose from when you decide to get your degree.
College Factual looked at 44 colleges and universities when compiling its 2025 Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools in Illinois ranking. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 15,266 associate degrees in liberal arts general studies during the 2022-2023 academic year.
Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology
Choosing a Great Liberal Arts General Studies School for Your Associate Degree
The liberal arts associate degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. Important measures of a quality liberal arts program can vary widely even among the top schools. To make it into this list, a school must excel in the following areas.
A Great Overall School
The overall quality of a associate degree school is important to ensure a quality education, not just how well they do in a particular major. 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.
Early-Career Earnings
Average early-career salary of those graduating with their associate degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. That is, everyone wants their associate degree to be worth something, and salaries are one measure of determining that.
Other Factors We Consider
In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:
- Major Focus - How much a school focuses on liberal arts general studies students vs. other majors.
- Major Demand - The number of liberal arts general studies students who choose to seek a associate degree at the school.
- Educational Resources - The amount of money and other resources allocated to students while they are pursuing their degree. These resources include such things as number of students per instructor and education expenditures per student.
- Student Debt - How easy is it for liberal arts general studies to pay back their student loans after receiving their associate degree.
- Accreditation - Whether a school is regionally accredited and/or accredited by a recognized liberal arts general studies related body.
Our complete ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for liberal arts general studies students working on their associate degree.
One Size Does Not Fit All
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 Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools in Illinois list to help you make the college decision.
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Featured Liberal Arts General Studies Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
AA in Liberal Arts
Strengthen your communication and critical-thinking skills with this online associate in liberal arts degree from Southern New Hampshire University.
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Best Schools for Associate Students to Study Liberal Arts General Studies in Illinois
Explore the top ranked colleges and universities for liberal arts general studies students seeking a an associate degree.
10 Top Illinois Schools for an Associate in Liberal Arts
Lincoln Land Community College is one of the finest schools in the country for getting an associate degree in liberal arts general studies. Located in the rural area of Springfield, LLCC is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.
Associate recipients from the liberal arts general studies major at Lincoln Land Community College earn $6,931 more than the standard college grad with the same degree when they enter the workforce.
More information about a associate in liberal arts general studies from Lincoln Land Community College
It's hard to beat Waubonsee Community College if you want to pursue an associate degree in liberal arts general studies. Located in the rural area of Sugar Grove, Waubonsee is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.
Soon after graduating, liberal arts associate recipients usually earn about $27,597 in the first five years of their career.
More information about a associate in liberal arts general studies from Waubonsee Community College
Every student pursuing a degree in an associate degree in liberal arts general studies needs to look into William Rainey Harper College. Harper College is a large public college located in the large suburb of Palatine.
Associate students who receive their degree from the liberal arts program make around $27,619 for their early career.
More information about a associate in liberal arts general studies from William Rainey Harper College
College of Lake County is one of the best schools in the country for getting an associate degree in liberal arts general studies. College of Lake County is a large public college located in the suburb of Grayslake.
Liberal Arts General Studies associate degree recipients from College of Lake County get an earnings boost of about $6,180 over the typical earnings of liberal arts general studies majors.
More information about a associate in liberal arts general studies from College of Lake County
Located in the midsize city of Elgin, ECC is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.
After graduation, liberal arts associate recipients usually earn about $25,377 in the first five years of their career.
More information about a associate in liberal arts general studies from Elgin Community College
