2023 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools
1,033
Ranked Colleges
556,813
Degrees Awarded
$9,000
Avg Net Price*
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 / Sciences & Humanities Schools” ranking - to help you make that decision.
With 556,813 degrees handed out in 2020-2021, liberal arts / sciences and humanities is the 3rd most popular major in the United States. In 2019-2020, liberal arts / sciences and humanities 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 / Sciences & Humanities Schools” ranking analyzed 1,033 colleges that offered a degree in liberal arts / sciences and humanities. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great liberal arts / sciences and humanities programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.
Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the liberal arts / sciences and humanities program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
One Size Does Not Fit All
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.
Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools
The colleges and universities below are the best for liberal arts / sciences & humanities students.
Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend American Public University System. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools. American Military University is located in Charles Town, West Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,837 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at American Military University, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for American Public University System is $10,563 for Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 98%.
Full American Military University Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Brigham Young University - Idaho. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools list. Rexburg, Idaho is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to 1,598 students in 2020-2021.
On top of its placing in this ranking, BYU - I also did well on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $6,698 for Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students per year to attend BYU - I.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Brigham Young University - Idaho
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Thomas Edison State University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools list. TESU is a public institution located in Trenton, New Jersey. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 660 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
TESU also claimed a top spot on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools” list.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Thomas Edison State University
Out of the 1,033 schools in the Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools that were part of this year’s ranking, Central New Mexico Community College landed the #4 spot on the list. Albuquerque, New Mexico is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to 4,698 students in 2020-2021.
CNM also claimed a top spot on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools” list. It costs about $3,322 for Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students per year to attend Central New Mexico Community College.
Full CNM Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Central Texas College. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools list. Located in Killeen, Texas, this medium-sized public school handed out 1,171 degrees to qualified ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities students in 2020-2021.
Central Texas College also claimed a top spot on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for Central Texas College is $5,196 for liberal arts / sciences & humanities students.
Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Central Texas College
Metropolitan Community College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools ranking. Omaha, Nebraska is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to 568 students in 2020-2021.
MCC also claimed a top spot on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for MCC is $4,315 for liberal arts / sciences & humanities students.
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%.
Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Metropolitan Community College
Northern Virginia Community College landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools ranking. Annandale, Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to 3,606 students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Northern Virginia Community College is also in the top of our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools” ranking. It’s ranked in the top 5% of all schools on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools” list. It costs about $9,452 for Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students per year to attend Northern Virginia Community College.
Full Northern Virginia Community College Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report
Collin County Community College District came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools ranking. This large school is located in McKinney, Texas, and it awarded 3,223 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on this list, Collin County Community College District is in the top on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $7,040 for Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students per year to attend Collin County Community College District.
Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Collin County Community College District
With a ranking of #9, Columbia College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools list. Columbia College Missouri is located in Columbia, Missouri and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 871 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to qualified students.
Columbia College Missouri also claimed a top spot on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools” list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for Columbia College Missouri is $26,668 for Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students.
Full Columbia College Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report
McLennan Community College landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools ranking. MCC is a public institution located in Waco, Texas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 879 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
MCC also claimed a top spot on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools” list. It costs about $6,849 for Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students per year to attend MCC.
Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at McLennan Community College
With a ranking of #11, Excelsior College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools list. Excelsior College is located in Albany, New York and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,878 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to qualified students.
Excelsior College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools” list.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% 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%.
Full Excelsior College Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report
Cleveland Community College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools ranking, coming in at #12. Cleveland Community College is a small school located in Shelby, North Carolina that handed out 260 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend Cleveland Community College is $-141 for Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students. A negative average net price may seem strange, but it generally means that financial aid will more than cover the cost to attend the school.
Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Cleveland Community College
University of Maryland Global Campus did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools ranking, coming in at #13. Located in Adelphi, Maryland, this large public school handed out 2,567 diplomas to qualified ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities students in 2020-2021.
UMGC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #22 on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools” list. It costs about $15,395 for Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students per year to attend University of Maryland Global Campus.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full UMGC Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report
Macomb Community College ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools list. This fairly large school is located in Warren, Michigan, and it awarded 1,226 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2020-2021.
Macomb Community College also claimed a top spot on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for Macomb Community College is $9,982 for Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students.
Full Macomb Community College Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report
With a ranking of #14, South Dakota State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools list. Located in Brookings, South Dakota, this fairly large public school handed out 65 degrees to qualified ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities students in 2020-2021.
On top of its placing in this ranking, South Dakota State also did well on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for South Dakota State University is $18,578 for liberal arts / sciences & humanities students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at South Dakota State
Oakland Community College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools ranking, coming in at #16. 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.
On top of its placing in this ranking, Oakland Community College also did well on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $3,665 for Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students per year to attend Oakland Community College.
Full Oakland Community College Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report
With a ranking of #17, Chesapeake College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools list. Located in Wye Mills, Maryland, this small public school awarded 128 degrees to qualified ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities students in 2020-2021.
It costs about $4,118 for liberal arts / sciences & humanities students per year to attend Chesapeake College.
Full Chesapeake College Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report
Brigham Young University - Provo landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools ranking. BYU is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Provo, Utah. It awarded 36 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, BYU is also in the top of our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools” ranking. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for BYU is $13,474 for liberal arts / sciences & humanities students.
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%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Brigham Young University - Provo
With a ranking of #19, Dakota College at Bottineau did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools list. Dakota College at Bottineau is located in Bottineau, North Dakota and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 78 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on this list, MSU-Bottineau is in the top on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for MSU-Bottineau is $10,490 for Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students.
Full Dakota College at Bottineau Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report
Ivy Tech Community College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools ranking. Ivy Tech Community College is a large school located in Indianapolis, Indiana that handed out 6,224 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2020-2021.
Ivy Tech Community College excels when it comes to liberal arts / sciences and humanities quality. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for Ivy Tech Community College is $7,669 for liberal arts / sciences & humanities students.
Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Ivy Tech Community College
With a ranking of #21, Johnson County Community College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools list. JCCC is located in Overland Park, Kansas and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,257 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on this list, JCCC is in the top on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend JCCC is $13,371 for liberal arts / sciences & humanities students.
Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at JCCC
Central Arizona College came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools ranking. Pinal County Community College is a small public school situated in Coolidge, Arizona. It awarded 651 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $5,804 for Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students per year to attend Central Arizona College.
Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Central Arizona College
Elgin Community College came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools ranking. Located in Elgin, Illinois, this medium-sized public school awarded 931 degrees to qualified ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities students in 2020-2021.
ECC also claimed a top spot on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Elgin Community College is $3,828 for liberal arts / sciences & humanities students.
Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at ECC
Charter Oak State College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools ranking, coming in at #24. This small school is located in New Britain, Connecticut, and it awarded 222 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2020-2021.
Charter Oak State College also claimed a top spot on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. It costs about $11,872 for Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students per year to attend Charter Oak State College.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Charter Oak State College
Georgia State University-Perimeter College ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools list. Georgia State University-Perimeter College is located in Atlanta, Georgia and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 2,419 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to qualified students.
Georgia State University-Perimeter College excels when it comes to liberal arts / sciences and humanities quality. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Georgia State University-Perimeter College is $9,316 for liberal arts / sciences & humanities students.
Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Georgia State University-Perimeter College