Master’s Degrees in Liberal Arts General Studies
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Education Levels of Liberal Arts Majors
During the 2018-2019 academic year, 2,109 students earned their master's degree in liberal arts. This earns it the #68 spot on the list of the most popular master's degree programs in the nation.
The following table shows the number of diplomas awarded in liberal arts at each degree level.
Education Level | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Associate’s Degree | 411,234 |
Undergraduate Certificate | 78,686 |
Bachelor’s Degree | 45,514 |
Basic Certificate | 9,669 |
Master’s Degree | 2,109 |
Graduate Certificate | 218 |
Doctor’s Degree | 109 |
Earnings of Liberal Arts Majors With Master’s Degrees
The median salary for graduates holding a master's degree in liberal arts is $45,700. A lot of factors can contribute to this number, such as the location of your workplace and the availability of other perks and bonuses.
A better approximation of salary is to look at the typical range of salaries. In this case the low is $41,000 and the high is $50,850.

Student Debt
The median student debt for graduates holding a master's degree in liberal arts is $45,125. The length of time it takes you to graduate and what college you attend can affect this number quite a bit.
The chart below shows the range of accumulated debt loads. On the high side of the range, $53,968 is the debt load, and the debt load on the low side is $31,447.

Those students who are paying back their debt on a 10-year repayment plan have a median monthly payment of $526.
Student Diversity
More women than men pursue their master's degree in liberal arts. About 62.4% of graduates with this degree are female.
Gender | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Men | 792 |
Women | 1,317 |

The racial-ethnic distribution of liberal arts master’s degree students is as follows:
Race/Ethnicity | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Asian | 55 |
Black or African American | 245 |
Hispanic or Latino | 184 |
White | 1,259 |
International Students | 151 |
Other Races/Ethnicities | 215 |

Most Popular Liberal Arts Programs for Master’s Degrees
There are 219 colleges that offer a master’s degree in liberal arts. Learn more about the most popular 20 below:
University of Oklahoma Norman Campus tops the list of the most popular school in the U.S. for liberal arts majors who are seeking their master's degree. Each year, around 28,500 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $4,788 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $6,583 per year.
The liberal arts program at University of Oklahoma Norman Campus awarded 195 master's degrees during the 2018-2019 school year. Around 26% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 46% were women.
The 2nd most popular school in the country for liberal arts majors who are seeking their master's degree is University of Chicago. Roughly 17,000 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $57,642 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $60,300 per year.
During the 2018-2019 academic year, 132 people received their master's degree in liberal arts from UChicago. Of these students, 58% were women and 20% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
New York University is the 3rd most popular school in the nation for students seeking a master's degree in liberal arts. Each year, around 51,800 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $50,684 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $33,408 per year.
The liberal arts program at New York University awarded 101 master's degrees during the 2018-2019 school year. About 79% of this group were women, and 22% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group.
The Graduate Center, CUNY comes in at #4 on our list of the most popular colleges offering master's degrees in liberal arts. Each year, around 8,000 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $6,930 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $9,930 per year.
During the 2018-2019 academic year, 93 people received their master's degree in liberal arts from The Graduate Center. Of these students, 60% were women and 38% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
Stony Brook University comes in at #5 on our list of the most popular colleges offering master's degrees in liberal arts. Each year, around 26,200 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $7,070 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $11,310 per year.
For the 2018-2019 academic year, 76 master's degrees were handed out to liberal arts majors at SUNY Stony Brook. About 66% of this group were women, and 13% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group.
The 6th most popular school in the country for liberal arts majors who are seeking their master's degree is Middle Tennessee State University. Each year, around 21,600 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $7,200 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $8,946 per year.
For the 2018-2019 academic year, 41 master's degrees were handed out to liberal arts majors at Middle Tennessee State University. Of these students, 68% were women and 24% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
The 7th most popular school in the country for liberal arts majors who are seeking their master's degree is Johns Hopkins University. Each year, around 26,100 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $55,350 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $55,350 per year.
The liberal arts program at Johns Hopkins University awarded 38 master's degrees during the 2018-2019 school year. Around 24% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 53% were women.
Tiffin University comes in at #8 on our list of the most popular colleges offering master's degrees in liberal arts. Each year, around 3,000 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $25,710 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $12,600 per year.
For the 2018-2019 academic year, 37 master's degrees were handed out to liberal arts majors at Tiffin University. Around 32% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 68% were women.
The 8th most popular school in the country for liberal arts majors who are seeking their master's degree is University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Each year, around 20,100 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $4,422 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $5,219 per year.
During the 2018-2019 academic year, 37 people received their master's degree in liberal arts from UNC Greensboro. About 81% of this group were women, and 38% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group.
The 10th most popular school in the country for liberal arts majors who are seeking their master's degree is Southern Methodist University. Roughly 11,600 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $50,200 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $40,896 per year.
For the 2018-2019 academic year, 34 master's degrees were handed out to liberal arts majors at SMU. About 62% of this group were women, and 47% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group.
North Central College comes in at #10 on our list of the most popular colleges offering master's degrees in liberal arts. Each year, around 2,900 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $39,860 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $15,822 per year.
The liberal arts program at North Central College awarded 34 master's degrees during the 2018-2019 school year. Of these students, 68% were women and 24% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
Tennessee Technological University is the 12th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a master's degree in liberal arts. Roughly 10,100 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $7,656 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $10,280 per year.
The liberal arts program at Tennessee Technological University awarded 33 master's degrees during the 2018-2019 school year. About 58% of this group were women, and 33% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group.
Texas Christian University is the 13th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a master's degree in liberal arts. Roughly 10,900 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $49,160 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $30,780 per year.
For the 2018-2019 academic year, 32 master's degrees were handed out to liberal arts majors at TCU. About 47% of this group were women, and 25% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group.
DePaul University is the 14th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a master's degree in liberal arts. Roughly 22,400 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $40,551 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $19,584 per year.
During the 2018-2019 academic year, 31 people received their master's degree in liberal arts from DePaul. Around 58% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 84% were women.
The 14th most popular school in the country for liberal arts majors who are seeking their master's degree is California State University - Dominguez Hills. Roughly 16,700 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $5,742 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $7,176 per year.
The liberal arts program at California State University - Dominguez Hills awarded 31 master's degrees during the 2018-2019 school year. Around 10% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 55% were women.
The 16th most popular school in the country for liberal arts majors who are seeking their master's degree is University of Pennsylvania. Roughly 25,800 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $51,156 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $36,254 per year.
During the 2018-2019 academic year, 30 people received their master's degree in liberal arts from UPenn. About 77% of this group were women, and 17% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group.
American Public University System is the 16th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a master's degree in liberal arts. Each year, around 46,000 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $6,804 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $6,615 per year.
For the 2018-2019 academic year, 30 master's degrees were handed out to liberal arts majors at American Military University. About 67% of this group were women, and 30% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group.
The 18th most popular school in the country for liberal arts majors who are seeking their master's degree is Austin Peay State University. Roughly 10,900 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $6,720 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $8,100 per year.
During the 2018-2019 academic year, 29 people received their master's degree in liberal arts from Austin Peay State University. Of these students, 48% were women and 41% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
Adams State University comes in at #19 on our list of the most popular colleges offering master's degrees in liberal arts. Each year, around 3,100 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $5,736 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $4,590 per year.
For the 2018-2019 academic year, 27 master's degrees were handed out to liberal arts majors at Adams State. Around 7% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 52% were women.
Arizona State University - Skysong is the 19th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a master's degree in liberal arts. Each year, around 38,500 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $8,867 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $6,384 per year.
During the 2018-2019 academic year, 27 people received their master's degree in liberal arts from ASU - Skysong. About 59% of this group were women, and 41% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group.
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References
*The racial-ethnic minority student count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the percentage of racial-ethnic minorities.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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