2023 Best Value Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools
Identifying Quality Schools at More Affordable Prices
Finding the Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree School for You
In 2020-2021, 556,813 degrees and certificates were awarded to liberal arts general studies students, making the major the most popular in the country.
There are lots of options to pick from today when trying to decide which program is right for you. You can choose a traditional brick and mortar school, or with the growth of online education, you can attend a school half-way across the country without even leaving your house. Also there are many trade schools that offer short-term programs that open up more career options.
To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Best Value Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools ranking. Our analysis looked at 851 schools in the United States to see which associate degree programs offered the best value experiences for liberal arts students with the aim of identifying those quality schools that are more affordable than some of their counterparts.
When determining this ranking, we place a high emphasis on the school's quality as well as its sticker price. Even though a college may be affordable, it may not offer value. More specifically, we discount our quality score by the published tuition and fees charged by a school. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The value is determined by how much quality your dollar buys.
Our calculations use out-of-state tuition and fees in our nationwide and regional rankings. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.
Top 25 Best Schools for Affordable Quality for an Associate in Liberal Arts General Studies
Our analysis found Haskell Indian Nations University to be the best value school for liberal arts general studies students who want to pursue a associate degree in the United States. Haskell is a fairly small public school located in the city of Lawrence.
On average, liberal arts graduates from Haskell take out $5,347 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.
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A rank of #2 on this year’s list means New Mexico Junior College is a great value for liberal arts general studies students working on their associate degree. Located in the town of Hobbs, New Mexico Junior College is a public school with a small student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at New Mexico Junior College are $2,280 per year. The average amount in student loans that liberal arts majors at New Mexico Junior College take out while working on their Associate Degree is $10,498.
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Out of the 851 schools in the United States that were part of this year’s ranking, Southeast Community College Area landed the # 3 spot on the list. Southeast Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Lincoln.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Southeast Community College are $3,780 a year. The average amount in student loans that liberal arts majors at Southeast Community College take out while working on their Associate Degree is $13,990.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, Southeast Community College also did well on our Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
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The excellent associate degree programs at American Public University System helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best value liberal arts general studies schools in the United States. American Military University is a very large private for-profit school located in the town of Charles Town.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at American Military University are $7,360 per year. The average amount in student loans that liberal arts majors at American Military University take out while working on their Associate Degree is $10,159.
American Military University also made our Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools list, coming in at #2.
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The excellent associate degree programs at Highland Community College helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best value liberal arts general studies schools in the United States. Located in the rural area of Highland, Highland Community College is a public school with a small student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Highland Community College are $3,570 per year. After completing their Associate Degree, liberal arts graduates from Highland Community College carry an average student debtload of $13,241.
Full Liberal Arts General Studies at Highland Community College Report
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Columbia Southern University landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree liberal arts general studies programs. Columbia Southern University is a large private for-profit school located in the town of Orange Beach.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Columbia Southern University are $5,775 a year. After completing their Associate Degree, liberal arts graduates from Columbia Southern University carry an average student debtload of $21,013.
Columbia Southern University not only placed well in our value ranking, but it is also #3 on our Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools list.
Full Liberal Arts General Studies at Columbia Southern University Report
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Leech Lake Tribal College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for liberal arts general studies students to get a associate degree. It came in at #7 on the list. Located in the rural area of Cass Lake, Leech Lake Tribal College is a public school with a small student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Leech Lake Tribal College are $3,926 per year. The average amount in student loans that liberal arts majors at Leech Lake Tribal College take out while working on their Associate Degree is $5,426.
Leech Lake Tribal College excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools list.
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Metropolitan Community College ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools list. MCC is a fairly large public school located in the large city of Omaha.
MCC undergraduate students pay an average of $4,680 in tuition and fees each year. On average, liberal arts graduates from MCC take out $11,848 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.
MCC also claimed a spot on our Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category.
Full Liberal Arts General Studies at Metropolitan Community College Report
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North Hennepin Community College ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools list. Located in the suburb of Brooklyn Park, North Hennepin Community College is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at North Hennepin Community College are $4,882 a year. After completing their Associate Degree, liberal arts graduates from North Hennepin Community College carry an average student debtload of $19,456.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, North Hennepin Community College also is in the top 10% of our Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools ranking.
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With a ranking of #10, Anoka-Ramsey Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for liberal arts general studies students working on their associate degree. Anoka-Ramsey Community College-Coon Rapids Campus is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Coon Rapids.
Anoka-Ramsey Community College-Coon Rapids Campus undergraduate students pay an average of $5,515 in tuition and fees each year. While working on their Associate Degree, liberal arts majors at Anoka-Ramsey Community College-Coon Rapids Campus accumulate an average of around $16,841 in student debt.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, Anoka-Ramsey Community College-Coon Rapids Campus also did well on our Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools list. It’s in the top 1% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
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Johnson County Community College landed the #11 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree liberal arts general studies programs. JCCC is a fairly large public school located in the midsize city of Overland Park.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at JCCC are $5,352 a year. After completing their Associate Degree, liberal arts graduates from JCCC carry an average student debtload of $12,689.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, JCCC also did well on our Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
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Collin County Community College District came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools ranking. Located in the medium-sized suburb of McKinney, Collin County Community College District is a public school with a very large student population.
Collin County Community College District undergraduate students pay an average of $5,104 in tuition and fees each year. On average, liberal arts graduates from Collin County Community College District take out $13,712 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Collin County Community College District also is in the top 5% of our Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools ranking.
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With a ranking of #13, Rochester Community and Technical College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for liberal arts general studies students working on their associate degree. Rochester Community and Technical College is a small public school located in the medium-sized city of Rochester.
Rochester Community and Technical College undergraduate students pay an average of $5,372 in tuition and fees each year. Liberal Arts majors at Rochester Community and Technical College take out an average of $18,661 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.
In addition to its great value ranking, Rochester Community and Technical College is in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools list.
Full Liberal Arts General Studies at Rochester Community and Technical College Report
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St Cloud Technical and Community College ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools list. Located in the city of Saint Cloud, St Cloud Technical and Community College is a public college with a small student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at St Cloud Technical and Community College are $5,874 a year. While working on their Associate Degree, liberal arts majors at St Cloud Technical and Community College accumulate an average of around $16,986 in student debt.
St Cloud Technical and Community College also claimed a spot on our Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools in this category.
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NorthWest Arkansas Community College ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools list. NWACC is a moderately-sized public school located in the small city of Bentonville.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at NWACC are $4,456 a year. Liberal Arts majors at NWACC take out an average of $13,692 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.
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New Mexico State University - Carlsbad came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools ranking. Located in the rural area of Carlsbad, NMSU Carlsbad is a public school with a small student population.
NMSU Carlsbad undergraduate students pay an average of $4,008 in tuition and fees each year. While working on their Associate Degree, liberal arts majors at NMSU Carlsbad accumulate an average of around $15,695 in student debt.
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Normandale Community College landed the #17 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree liberal arts general studies programs. Located in the city of Bloomington, Normandale Community College is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Normandale Community College are $5,789 per year. While working on their Associate Degree, liberal arts majors at Normandale Community College accumulate an average of around $16,425 in student debt.
Normandale Community College excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 5% of all schools on our Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools list.
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University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Flex came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools ranking. Located in the city of Milwaukee, UWM Flexible Option is a public college with a fairly small student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at UWM Flexible Option are $6,750 per year. Liberal Arts majors at UWM Flexible Option take out an average of $13,206 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.
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South Seattle College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for liberal arts general studies students to get a associate degree. It came in at #19 on the list. South Seattle is a small public school located in the large city of Seattle.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at South Seattle are $4,831 a year. On average, liberal arts graduates from South Seattle take out $11,686 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.
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Cascadia College came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools ranking. Cascadia College is a small public school located in the suburb of Bothell.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Cascadia College are $4,768 per year. Liberal Arts majors at Cascadia College take out an average of $10,408 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.
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Northland Community and Technical College landed the #21 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree liberal arts general studies programs. Located in the remote town of Thief River Falls, Northland Community and Technical College is a public college with a small student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Northland Community and Technical College are $6,052 a year. After completing their Associate Degree, liberal arts graduates from Northland Community and Technical College carry an average student debtload of $16,020.
In addition to its great value ranking, Northland Community and Technical College is in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools list.
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Garden City Community College came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools ranking. Located in the town of Garden City, Garden City Community College is a public college with a small student population.
Garden City Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,020 in tuition and fees each year. Liberal Arts majors at Garden City Community College take out an average of $8,162 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.
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Century College landed the #23 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree liberal arts general studies programs. Located in the large suburb of White Bear Lake, Century College is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Century College are $5,907 per year. The average amount in student loans that liberal arts majors at Century College take out while working on their Associate Degree is $18,772.
Century College also claimed a spot on our Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category.
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Central Community College came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools ranking. Located in the small city of Grand Island, Central Community College is a public college with a medium-sized student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Central Community College are $4,590 a year. Liberal Arts majors at Central Community College take out an average of $9,935 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.
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With a ranking of #25, Cloud County Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for liberal arts general studies students working on their associate degree. Cloud County Community College is a small public school located in the rural area of Concordia.
Cloud County Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $3,570 in tuition and fees each year. After completing their Associate Degree, liberal arts graduates from Cloud County Community College carry an average student debtload of $10,597.
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Remaining Award Winners
This section represents the rest of the schools awarded a Best Value Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools badge. Showing in this list means the college was ranked in the top 15% of the 851 different United States liberal arts general studies schools we analyzed.
Additional Noteworthy Schools
These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Value Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools award.
Liberal Arts General Studies by Region
View the Best Value Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools for a specific region near you.
| Region |
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| Southeast |
| New England |
| Rocky Mountains |
| Plains States |
| Middle Atlantic |
| Far Western US |
| Southwest |
| Great Lakes |
More Liberal Arts General Studies Rankings
Liberal Arts General Studies Related Majors for Liberal Arts
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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