2023 Best Value Colleges for Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities (Income $0-$30k)
1,023
Ranked Colleges
556,813
Degrees Awarded
$3,700
Avg Net Price*
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking.
Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 3rd of all the majors we analyze. In 2020-2021, 556,813 degrees were awarded to students with this major. 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 For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 1,023 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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.
When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the liberal arts / sciences and humanities program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
More Ways to Rank Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that 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. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.
Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools For Those Making $0-$30k
The colleges and universities below are the best for liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $0-$30k.
Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities (Income $0-$30k)
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Johns Hopkins University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools For Those Making $0-$30k. Johns Hopkins is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Baltimore, Maryland. It awarded 43 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2020-2021.
Johns Hopkins not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Johns Hopkins University is $2,084 for Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $0-$30k.
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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Full Johns Hopkins University Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Chicago. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Chicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 157 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to qualified students.
UChicago not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools” list. It costs about $2,500 for Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UChicago.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 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 100%, 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 / Sciences & Humanities at UChicago
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Pennsylvania. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools For Those Making $0-$30k. UPenn is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It awarded 37 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2020-2021.
UPenn did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools” list. It costs about $580 for Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UPenn.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. 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.
Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at UPenn
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Georgetown University. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Georgetown is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Washington, District of Columbia. It awarded 53 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2020-2021.
Georgetown also made our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools” list, coming in at #4. The yearly cost to attend Georgetown University is $3,077 for Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Georgetown
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Wesleyan University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Wesleyan University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Middletown, Connecticut. The school has a small population, and it awarded 33 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Wesleyan U not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Wesleyan University is $4,782 for liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $0-$30k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, 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 undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Wesleyan University
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Ann Arbor, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to 67 students in 2020-2021.
U-M excels when it comes to liberal arts / sciences and humanities quality. It’s in the top 5% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is $2,670 for liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $0-$30k.
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%. 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 / Sciences & Humanities at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
University of South Florida - Main Campus landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in Tampa, Florida, and it awarded 470 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2020-2021.
USF Tampa did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #24 on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools” list. It costs about $4,176 for Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend USF Tampa.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full University of South Florida - Main Campus Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #8. UNC Chapel Hill is a large school located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina that handed out 46 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, UNC Chapel Hill 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. The yearly cost to attend UNC Chapel Hill is $3,753 for liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $0-$30k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at UNC Chapel Hill
North Carolina State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #9. North Carolina State University is a public institution located in Raleigh, North Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 51 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
NC State also made our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools” list, coming in at #13. The estimated yearly cost for North Carolina State University is $7,283 for liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 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 full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at NC State
Central New Mexico Community College landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. CNM is a fairly large public school situated in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It awarded 4,698 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2020-2021.
On top of its placing in this ranking, CNM 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 yearly cost to attend CNM is $1,994 for liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $0-$30k.
Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at CNM
Golden West College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #11. This fairly large school is located in Huntington Beach, California, and it awarded 4,346 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on this list, Golden West College is in the top 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 yearly cost to attend Golden West College is $3,094 for liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $0-$30k.
Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Golden West College
With a ranking of #12, Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Indiana University - Bloomington is located in Bloomington, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 225 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on this list, IU Bloomington is in the top 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 $5,752 for liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Indiana University - Bloomington.
With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.
Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at IU Bloomington
With a ranking of #13, Oakland Community College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Bloomfield Hills, Michigan is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to 811 students 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 / Sciences & Humanities Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $1,464 for Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Oakland Community College.
Full Oakland Community College Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report
With a ranking of #14, City Colleges of Chicago - Harold Washington College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. City Colleges of Chicago - Harold Washington College is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,599 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to qualified students.
Harold Washington 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. It costs about $2,045 for liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Harold Washington College.
Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Harold Washington College
Brigham Young University - Idaho came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in Rexburg, Idaho, and it awarded 1,598 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, BYU - I is also in the top of our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools” ranking. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools” list. It costs about $2,073 for liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend BYU - I.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% 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 full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at BYU - I
Suffolk County Community College landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Suffolk County Community College is a public institution located in Selden, New York. The school has a large population, and it awarded 1,784 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Suffolk County Community College is also in the top of our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools” ranking. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Suffolk County Community College is $2,585 for liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $0-$30k.
Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Suffolk County Community College
American Public University System ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Charles Town, West Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to 1,837 students in 2020-2021.
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. It costs about $9,660 for Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend American Military University.
With a freshman retention rate of 98%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at American Public University System
West Valley College ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. This medium-sized school is located in Saratoga, California, and it awarded 678 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2020-2021.
West Valley 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 West Valley College is $2,924 for Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $0-$30k.
Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at West Valley College
Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #19. IUPUI is a large public school situated in Indianapolis, Indiana. It awarded 261 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2020-2021.
IUPUI excels when it comes to liberal arts / sciences and humanities quality. It’s ranked in the top 5% of all schools on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for IUPUI is $7,026 for liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $0-$30k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at IUPUI
Central Texas College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #20. Killeen, Texas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to 1,171 students in 2020-2021.
On top of its placing in this ranking, Central Texas College also did well 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 estimated yearly cost for Central Texas College is $4,491 for liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $0-$30k.
Full Central Texas College Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report
Florida State University ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Tallahassee, Florida, and it awarded 296 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on this list, Florida State is in the top 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 Florida State is $4,950 for liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $0-$30k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, 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 95%.
Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Florida State University
South Texas College landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. McAllen, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to 1,429 students in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for South Texas College is $1,200 for Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $0-$30k.
Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at South Texas College
Nassau Community College landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Nassau Community College is a fairly large public school situated in Garden City, New York. It awarded 1,139 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2020-2021.
On top of its placing in this ranking, Nassau Community College also did well 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 Nassau Community College is $2,197 for liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $0-$30k.
Full Nassau Community College Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report
Palm Beach State College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #24. Palm Beach State College is a large school located in Lake Worth, Florida that handed out 4,062 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2020-2021.
Palm Beach State College excels when it comes to liberal arts / sciences and humanities quality. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for Palm Beach State College is $8,452 for liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $0-$30k.
Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Palm Beach State College
California State University - Los Angeles landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Cal State LA is a large public school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 145 ’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend California State University - Los Angeles is $1,887 for liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $0-$30k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Cal State LA
