College Rankings

Best Liberal Arts Schools

The top 25 of 424 U.S. colleges offering an undergraduate Liberal Arts degree, ranked by early-career earnings and return on investment — using each school's real, aid-adjusted net price rather than sticker tuition.

Is Liberal Arts worth it?

The tired joke about unemployable humanities majors falls apart entirely when you look at the actual outcomes. A liberal arts degree can be highly lucrative, provided you understand how the job market values it. The payoff story here splits into two distinct, highly successful paths. On one end, elite private institutions turn this broad degree into a fast track for management consulting, federal intelligence, and tech strategy. On the other end, the value is overwhelmingly concentrated at low-cost public universities and regional colleges. For these schools, the degree acts as an incredibly cheap, efficient route for working professionals and transfer students to check the mandatory "bachelor's required" box, unlocking immediate mid-career promotions.

The catch is that you have to hustle. Unlike a nursing or accounting degree, a liberal arts diploma won't hand you a predetermined career track. You have to actively build your own pipeline through internships, networking, and pairing your soft skills with hard technical competencies.

Filter by state

#	School	State	Score	Median earnings	Net price / yr	10-yr net ROI
1	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	MA	56	$103,135	$20,111	+$951K
2	Georgetown University	DC	56	$66,719	$40,815	+$504K
3	DePaul University	IL	55	$84,066	$30,902	+$717K
4	Bentley University	MA	55	$72,333	$37,930	+$572K
5	Metropolitan State University	MN	52	$49,083	$16,863†	+$423K
6	University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh	WI	51	$50,438	$14,305†	+$447K
7	Arizona State University Campus Immersion	AZ	51	$49,147	$14,967†	+$432K
8	Saginaw Valley State University	MI	51	$40,740	$10,775†	+$364K
9	William Jewell College	MO	50	$50,663	$17,562	+$436K
10	University of Central Florida	FL	50	$48,391	$10,411†	+$442K
11	University of Notre Dame	IN	50	$45,579	$26,780	+$349K
12	CUNY City College	NY	50	$43,059	$3,776†	+$415K
13	Saint Xavier University	IL	49	$51,054	$10,970	+$467K
14	University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus	CT	49	$44,240	$10,875†	+$399K
15	Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus	NM	49	$43,186	$4,904†	+$412K
16	Trinity Washington University	DC	48	$50,283	$9,302	+$466K
17	University of South Florida	FL	48	$45,230	$9,812†	+$413K
18	University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee	WI	47	$42,673	$15,014†	+$367K
19	Weber State University	UT	47	$39,864	$10,258†	+$358K
20	Texas A&M University-Central Texas	TX	47	$38,253	$1,300†	+$377K
21	Molloy University	NY	46	$74,868	$24,347	+$651K
22	University of Wisconsin-Green Bay	WI	46	$54,436	$13,369†	+$491K
23	The University of Texas at Austin	TX	46	$45,243	$19,857†	+$373K
24	Charter Oak State College	CT	46	$44,615	$15,815†	+$383K
25	University of Connecticut-Avery Point	CT	46	$44,240	$13,807†	+$387K
26	Texas Woman's University	TX	46	$41,803	$11,963†	+$370K
27	Oakland University	MI	46	$36,157	$9,120†	+$325K
28	University of Minnesota-Twin Cities	MN	45	$56,778	$16,778†	+$501K
29	Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia	PA	45	$53,766	$29,689	+$419K
30	University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus	OK	45	$45,726	$15,300†	+$396K
31	Lamar University	TX	45	$43,524	$9,366†	+$398K
32	Sonoma State University	CA	45	$39,758	$12,885†	+$346K
33	California State University-East Bay	CA	45	$36,509	$9,320†	+$328K
34	Thomas More University	KY	44	$62,607	$21,835	+$539K
35	Middle Tennessee State University	TN	44	$45,074	$13,359†	+$397K
36	University of Connecticut-Stamford	CT	44	$44,240	$16,798†	+$375K
37	University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus	CT	44	$44,240	$16,403†	+$377K
38	Northern Arizona University	AZ	44	$43,752	$14,158†	+$381K
39	Northern Kentucky University	KY	44	$37,602	$8,191†	+$343K
40	Wayland Baptist University	TX	43	$44,688	$20,590	+$365K
41	University of Nevada-Reno	NV	43	$43,520	$15,927†	+$371K
42	Fort Hays State University	KS	43	$42,795	$12,569†	+$378K
43	Baker College	MI	43	$42,426	$13,157	+$372K
44	Kent State University at Stark	OH	43	$41,205	$10,897†	+$368K
45	Kent State University at Trumbull	OH	43	$41,205	$11,135†	+$368K
46	Clayton State University	GA	43	$37,898	$8,365†	+$346K
47	Drexel University	PA	42	$62,470	$38,509	+$471K
48	Yale University	CT	42	$61,133	$23,777	+$516K
49	Saint Mary's College of California	CA	42	$56,094	$30,378	+$439K
50	Utah Valley University	UT	42	$44,366	$6,376†	+$418K
51	Cameron University	OK	42	$43,865	$10,912†	+$395K
52	Indiana University-Indianapolis	IN	42	$41,499	$11,668†	+$368K
53	Kent State University at Ashtabula	OH	42	$41,205	$12,205†	+$363K
54	Kent State University at Geauga	OH	42	$41,205	$12,044†	+$364K
55	University of Nebraska at Omaha	NE	42	$40,892	$13,441†	+$355K
56	Eastern Illinois University	IL	42	$40,273	$12,786†	+$352K
57	The University of Texas at Arlington	TX	42	$40,185	$13,951†	+$346K
58	California State University-Northridge	CA	42	$33,324	$7,021†	+$305K
59	National University	CA	41	$57,429	$22,878	+$483K
60	University of St Thomas	TX	41	$53,187	$19,359	+$454K
61	Mercy University	NY	41	$46,408	$14,072	+$408K
62	Chicago State University	IL	41	$45,762	$12,335†	+$408K
63	Minot State University	ND	41	$44,614	$12,703†	+$395K
64	University of North Dakota	ND	41	$42,948	$18,551†	+$355K
65	University of Kansas	KS	41	$42,527	$18,059†	+$353K
66	George Mason University	VA	41	$41,398	$17,915†	+$342K
67	Kent State University at Tuscarawas	OH	41	$41,205	$12,542†	+$362K
68	Miami University-Hamilton	OH	41	$40,556	$11,286†	+$360K
69	Miami University-Middletown	OH	41	$40,556	$10,809†	+$362K
70	University of Maine at Augusta	ME	41	$39,982	$10,924†	+$356K
71	Indiana University-East	IN	41	$39,936	$8,134†	+$367K
72	University of Maine at Presque Isle	ME	41	$38,395	$7,035†	+$356K
73	Tennessee State University	TN	41	$37,716	$15,796†	+$314K
74	Indiana University-Northwest	IN	41	$37,035	$5,130†	+$350K
75	Notre Dame of Maryland University	MD	40	$48,819	$19,169	+$412K
76	Worcester State University	MA	40	$43,996	$13,381†	+$386K
77	University of Indianapolis	IN	40	$43,509	$21,602	+$349K
78	Rider University	NJ	40	$41,315	$24,792	+$314K
79	Kent State University at East Liverpool	OH	40	$41,205	$13,392†	+$358K
80	Kent State University at Salem	OH	40	$41,205	$13,799†	+$357K
81	Texas State University	TX	40	$38,829	$16,805†	+$321K
82	University of North Georgia	GA	40	$37,981	$9,823†	+$341K
83	Indiana University-Kokomo	IN	40	$35,482	$3,968†	+$339K
84	California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo	CA	40	$35,056	$16,665†	+$284K
85	Ohio University-Eastern Campus	OH	40	$34,707	$3,925†	+$331K
86	College of Staten Island CUNY	NY	40	$25,967	$5,579†	+$237K
87	Champlain College	VT	39	$71,207	$35,860	+$569K
88	Belmont University	TN	39	$41,245	$33,147	+$280K
89	Sam Houston State University	TX	39	$41,112	$16,404†	+$346K
90	Southeastern Oklahoma State University	OK	39	$38,899	$8,039†	+$357K
91	University of Michigan-Ann Arbor	MI	39	$38,065	$13,138†	+$328K
92	CUNY Medgar Evers College	NY	39	$37,808	$5,718†	+$355K
93	University of Michigan-Dearborn	MI	39	$37,742	$9,492†	+$339K
94	Indiana University-Southeast	IN	39	$37,440	$7,888†	+$343K
95	Potomac State College of West Virginia University	WV	39	$34,883	$9,197†	+$312K
96	West Virginia University Institute of Technology	WV	39	$34,883	$9,337†	+$311K
97	Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus	OH	39	$34,707	$5,755†	+$324K
98	Ohio University-Southern Campus	OH	39	$34,707	$5,993†	+$323K
99	Ohio University-Lancaster Campus	OH	39	$34,707	$5,650†	+$324K
100	Ohio University-Zanesville Campus	OH	39	$34,707	$5,746†	+$324K
101	San Francisco State University	CA	39	$32,112	$12,278†	+$272K
102	California State University-Stanislaus	CA	39	$29,148	$6,067†	+$267K
103	Southern New Hampshire University	NH	38	$55,339	$36,708	+$407K
104	James Madison University	VA	38	$49,408	$23,322†	+$401K
105	Longwood University	VA	38	$46,714	$19,066†	+$391K
106	West Virginia State University	WV	38	$41,319	$11,139†	+$369K
107	Wilmington University	DE	38	$41,066	$15,644	+$348K
108	University of Wisconsin-Whitewater	WI	38	$40,494	$14,158†	+$348K
109	Ramapo College of New Jersey	NJ	38	$40,331	$18,173†	+$331K
110	University of Missouri-Kansas City	MO	38	$39,992	$13,310†	+$347K
111	East Texas A&M University	TX	38	$39,969	$11,841†	+$352K
112	Ferris State University	MI	38	$38,583	$8,624†	+$351K
113	East Central University	OK	38	$37,389	$8,683†	+$339K
114	University of Louisiana at Monroe	LA	38	$35,951	$13,466†	+$306K
115	Florida International University	FL	38	$34,418	$9,288†	+$307K
116	Shepherd University	WV	38	$33,587	$11,363†	+$290K
117	West Virginia University at Parkersburg	WV	38	$32,909	$1,807†	+$322K
118	Regis College	MA	37	$52,559	$27,477	+$416K
119	University of the Incarnate Word	TX	37	$47,241	$22,775	+$381K
120	Spring Arbor University	MI	37	$47,121	$19,353	+$394K
121	Xavier University	OH	37	$47,064	$32,997	+$339K
122	Bridgewater College	VA	37	$46,820	$17,800	+$397K
123	Columbia College	MO	37	$45,133	$22,715	+$360K
124	Siena Heights University	MI	37	$44,746	$17,124	+$379K
125	University of Connecticut	CT	37	$44,240	$25,097†	+$342K
126	Northeastern Illinois University	IL	37	$42,976	$14,109†	+$373K
127	Stockton University	NJ	37	$42,209	$20,670†	+$339K
128	Governors State University	IL	37	$42,107	$12,329†	+$372K
129	University of Iowa	IA	37	$40,791	$22,531†	+$318K
130	Wesleyan University	CT	37	$39,764	$30,177	+$277K
131	Adams State University	CO	37	$39,546	$12,980†	+$344K
132	Lewis-Clark State College	ID	37	$39,404	$15,635†	+$332K
133	Colorado State University Pueblo	CO	37	$38,502	$10,051†	+$345K
134	Oklahoma State University-Main Campus	OK	37	$37,938	$17,447†	+$310K
135	University of North Texas	TX	37	$36,588	$15,649†	+$303K
136	Purdue University Northwest	IN	37	$33,295	$6,079†	+$309K
137	California State University-Los Angeles	CA	37	$30,824	$3,967†	+$292K
138	California State University-Sacramento	CA	37	$30,286	$9,338†	+$266K
139	Saint Louis University	MO	36	$48,829	$24,398	+$391K
140	Aurora University	IL	36	$44,614	$18,838	+$371K
141	Indiana Wesleyan University-National & Global	IN	36	$43,763	$16,898	+$370K
142	Rowan University	NJ	36	$43,486	$22,408†	+$345K
143	Ohio State University-Main Campus	OH	36	$43,393	$17,339†	+$365K
144	Texas Tech University	TX	36	$40,600	$19,070†	+$330K
145	Purdue University Fort Wayne	IN	36	$39,564	$13,171†	+$343K
146	Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus	NJ	36	$39,071	$15,404	+$329K
147	Western Illinois University	IL	36	$38,196	$12,937†	+$330K
148	Southern Illinois University-Carbondale	IL	36	$37,545	$13,297†	+$322K
149	Nelson University	TX	36	$34,800	$21,662	+$261K
150	California State University-Long Beach	CA	36	$31,802	$10,440†	+$276K
151	California State University-San Bernardino	CA	36	$24,979	$4,564†	+$232K
152	University of Bridgeport	CT	35	$43,743	$27,807	+$326K
153	Luther College	IA	35	$42,926	$23,097	+$337K
154	Colorado Mesa University	CO	35	$42,136	$15,103†	+$361K
155	Saint Leo University	FL	35	$40,874	$21,293	+$324K
156	University of Mount Union	OH	35	$40,431	$23,280	+$311K
157	University of Missouri-St Louis	MO	35	$38,332	$15,071†	+$323K
158	University of Memphis	TN	35	$37,158	$12,397†	+$322K
159	Northwestern Oklahoma State University	OK	35	$36,300	$10,104†	+$323K
160	Delaware State University	DE	35	$35,998	$13,910†	+$304K
161	Austin Peay State University	TN	35	$35,745	$9,735†	+$319K
162	University of Houston	TX	35	$35,565	$14,276†	+$299K
163	Louisiana State University-Shreveport	LA	35	$34,855	$7,022†	+$320K
164	University of Southern Indiana	IN	35	$34,573	$12,923†	+$294K
165	The University of Texas at San Antonio	TX	35	$34,397	$10,836†	+$301K
166	Murray State University	KY	35	$34,304	$9,096†	+$307K
167	California State University-San Marcos	CA	35	$29,341	$10,229†	+$252K
168	California State University-Fresno	CA	35	$25,349	$7,000†	+$225K
169	University of Miami	FL	34	$50,614	$37,244	+$357K
170	Whitworth University	WA	34	$44,645	$26,534	+$340K
171	South Dakota State University	SD	34	$43,563	$19,841†	+$356K
172	University of Mary Hardin-Baylor	TX	34	$42,522	$26,106	+$321K
173	Vermont State University	VT	34	$41,999	$18,212†	+$347K
174	North Carolina State University at Raleigh	NC	34	$41,661	$17,303†	+$347K
175	Bay Path University	MA	34	$41,141	$14,271	+$354K
176	University of Alabama at Birmingham	AL	34	$40,968	$18,749†	+$335K
177	Washington State University	WA	34	$40,061	$14,971†	+$341K
178	University of Missouri-Columbia	MO	34	$39,317	$20,268†	+$312K
179	Oregon State University-Cascades Campus	OR	34	$38,083	$18,048†	+$309K
180	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	NC	34	$37,709	$11,655†	+$330K
181	University of Mary Washington	VA	34	$37,677	$20,667†	+$294K
182	University of Mississippi	MS	34	$37,174	$13,314†	+$318K
183	Grand Valley State University	MI	34	$35,767	$16,317†	+$292K
184	Fairmont State University	WV	34	$33,815	$9,032†	+$302K
185	California State University-Dominguez Hills	CA	34	$33,588	$8,615†	+$301K
186	Louisiana State University at Alexandria	LA	34	$32,463	$7,065†	+$296K
187	Wayne State University	MI	34	$25,046	$12,766†	+$199K
188	California State University-Fullerton	CA	34	$24,706	$6,555†	+$221K
189	Cornell University	NY	33	$46,072	$28,690	+$346K
190	University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire	WI	33	$43,714	$16,550†	+$371K
191	Eastern Connecticut State University	CT	33	$41,870	$21,067†	+$334K
192	University of Arkansas at Monticello	AR	33	$41,530	$14,287†	+$358K
193	Kent State University at Kent	OH	33	$41,205	$20,787†	+$329K
194	Mary Baldwin University	VA	33	$40,887	$12,756	+$358K
195	West Texas A & M University	TX	33	$40,793	$19,487†	+$330K
196	Morgan State University	MD	33	$39,699	$14,985†	+$337K
197	Salisbury University	MD	33	$38,478	$17,743†	+$314K
198	New York University	NY	33	$38,447	$37,050	+$236K
199	Oregon State University	OR	33	$38,083	$19,604†	+$302K
200	Texas A&M University-Texarkana	TX	33	$37,685	$12,997†	+$325K
201	University of Central Missouri	MO	33	$36,845	$14,462†	+$311K
202	Florida State University	FL	33	$35,361	$11,297†	+$308K
203	New Mexico State University-Main Campus	NM	33	$31,568	$8,889†	+$280K
204	California State University-Monterey Bay	CA	33	$30,413	$13,663†	+$249K
205	Florida Atlantic University	FL	33	$29,605	$8,752†	+$261K
206	Eastern Mennonite University	VA	32	$46,585	$24,588	+$367K
207	Lee University	TN	32	$45,678	$18,878	+$381K
208	Alverno College	WI	32	$44,812	$22,540	+$358K
209	Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion	IN	32	$43,763	$22,866	+$346K
210	Grand View University	IA	32	$39,996	$21,774	+$313K
211	Seton Hall University	NJ	32	$36,993	$31,446	+$244K
212	Azusa Pacific University	CA	32	$35,194	$22,212	+$263K
213	West Virginia University	WV	32	$34,883	$15,634†	+$286K
214	Indiana University-South Bend	IN	32	$33,716	$8,653†	+$303K
215	Montana State University Billings	MT	32	$29,832	$16,524†	+$232K
216	California State University-Channel Islands	CA	32	$28,324	$9,849†	+$244K
217	University of California-Riverside	CA	32	$23,203	$14,304†	+$175K
218	Barry University	FL	31	$46,015	$22,613	+$370K
219	Jackson State University	MS	31	$41,812	$23,836†	+$323K
220	Dakota State University	SD	31	$41,119	$21,057†	+$327K
221	Randall University	OK	31	$38,244	$16,383	+$317K
222	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Shenango	PA	31	$37,834	$18,095†	+$306K
223	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Scranton	PA	31	$37,834	$17,910†	+$307K
224	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State DuBois	PA	31	$37,834	$17,428†	+$309K
225	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Hazleton	PA	31	$37,834	$17,597†	+$308K
226	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington	PA	31	$37,834	$18,071†	+$306K
227	University of Central Oklahoma	OK	31	$37,786	$18,309†	+$305K
228	Missouri Southern State University	MO	31	$36,783	$12,007†	+$320K
229	Pittsburg State University	KS	31	$36,597	$15,784†	+$303K
230	Eastern Kentucky University	KY	31	$35,958	$11,040†	+$315K
231	Southern Utah University	UT	31	$35,814	$10,462†	+$316K
232	Western Kentucky University	KY	31	$35,746	$10,990†	+$314K
233	Southeast Missouri State University	MO	31	$35,464	$15,882†	+$291K
234	Westfield State University	MA	31	$35,004	$16,721†	+$283K
235	Virginia State University	VA	31	$34,877	$15,840†	+$285K
236	Marshall University	WV	31	$32,282	$7,502†	+$293K
237	Framingham State University	MA	31	$31,613	$16,114†	+$252K
238	University of North Carolina at Greensboro	NC	31	$31,245	$10,965†	+$269K
239	Belmont Abbey College	NC	30	$46,654	$24,639	+$368K
240	Friends University	KS	30	$41,734	$27,715	+$306K
241	Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus	NJ	30	$39,071	$22,829	+$299K
242	Emporia State University	KS	30	$38,423	$16,261†	+$319K
243	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Mont Alto	PA	30	$37,834	$19,454†	+$301K
244	Pennsylvania State University-World Campus	PA	30	$37,834	$19,550†	+$300K
245	University of Massachusetts-Amherst	MA	30	$36,362	$22,383†	+$274K
246	University of South Carolina-Upstate	SC	30	$36,241	$13,557†	+$308K
247	Indiana University-Bloomington	IN	30	$35,775	$16,264†	+$293K
248	Ball State University	IN	30	$35,269	$14,940†	+$293K
249	Mayville State University	ND	30	$34,306	$11,456†	+$297K
250	Tennessee Technological University	TN	30	$33,678	$14,246†	+$280K
251	Indiana State University	IN	30	$33,414	$10,873†	+$291K
252	Northwestern State University of Louisiana	LA	30	$32,688	$13,606†	+$272K
253	William Paterson University of New Jersey	NJ	30	$32,581	$18,745†	+$251K
254	California State University-Chico	CA	30	$27,196	$14,480†	+$214K
255	University of Akron Main Campus	OH	30	$24,851	$13,946†	+$193K
256	CUNY Bernard M Baruch College	NY	30	$21,170	$3,033†	+$200K
257	Union College	NY	29	$45,516	$34,561	+$317K
258	University of Northern Iowa	IA	29	$40,009	$15,901†	+$336K
259	State University of New York at Cortland	NY	29	$37,940	$22,345†	+$290K
260	West Liberty University	WV	29	$37,379	$15,366†	+$312K
261	University of Massachusetts-Lowell	MA	29	$37,140	$17,163†	+$303K
262	East Carolina University	NC	29	$36,809	$15,739†	+$305K
263	Seattle University	WA	29	$35,398	$34,662	+$215K
264	McNeese State University	LA	29	$35,282	$12,493†	+$303K
265	Neumann University	PA	29	$35,220	$27,804	+$241K
266	Texas Southern University	TX	29	$34,661	$16,590†	+$280K
267	Georgia Southern University	GA	29	$34,576	$15,267†	+$285K
268	University of Maine	ME	29	$34,404	$17,510†	+$274K
269	Arkansas State University	AR	29	$33,881	$12,366†	+$289K
270	Southeastern Louisiana University	LA	29	$33,705	$13,154†	+$284K
271	Bethel University	IN	29	$31,754	$18,610	+$243K
272	Utah State University	UT	29	$31,049	$14,936†	+$251K
273	Northern Illinois University	IL	29	$29,426	$13,391†	+$241K
274	San Diego State University	CA	29	$23,190	$15,364†	+$170K
275	Endicott College	MA	28	$45,277	$40,654	+$290K
276	Simpson College	IA	28	$43,635	$21,936	+$349K
277	Los Angeles Pacific University	CA	28	$37,985	$22,677	+$289K
278	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona	PA	28	$37,834	$22,213†	+$289K
279	University of Southern Mississippi	MS	28	$37,800	$21,708†	+$291K
280	Johnson & Wales University-Online	RI	28	$37,266	$20,252	+$292K
281	University of Massachusetts Global	CA	28	$36,875	$32,654†	+$238K
282	Mississippi State University	MS	28	$36,318	$17,595†	+$293K
283	Concord University	WV	28	$32,499	$9,966†	+$285K
284	SUNY Buffalo State University	NY	28	$32,082	$11,346†	+$275K
285	Northeastern State University	OK	28	$31,794	$12,710†	+$267K
286	Brigham Young University-Idaho	ID	28	$29,803	$8,221	+$265K
287	California State Polytechnic University-Pomona	CA	28	$25,168	$11,531†	+$206K
288	Union University	TN	27	$41,320	$27,171	+$305K
289	Baker University	KS	27	$40,704	$25,301	+$306K
290	Miami University-Oxford	OH	27	$40,556	$28,384†	+$292K
291	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg	PA	27	$37,834	$23,330†	+$285K
292	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine	PA	27	$37,834	$22,585†	+$288K
293	Husson University	ME	27	$36,809	$21,005	+$284K
294	Iowa State University	IA	27	$36,532	$18,589†	+$291K
295	Southern Connecticut State University	CT	27	$36,168	$20,857†	+$278K
296	Valparaiso University	IN	27	$35,931	$18,578	+$285K
297	Langston University	OK	27	$35,510	$11,504†	+$309K
298	California Lutheran University	CA	27	$34,989	$30,109	+$229K
299	Youngstown State University	OH	27	$31,492	$12,767†	+$264K
300	North Carolina A & T State University	NC	27	$30,397	$10,846†	+$261K
301	Morehead State University	KY	27	$30,055	$9,793†	+$261K
302	New College of Florida	FL	27	$20,395	$7,195†	+$175K
303	Liberty University	VA	26	$42,669	$29,357	+$309K
304	St. Joseph's University-New York	NY	26	$38,090	$19,035	+$305K
305	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College	PA	26	$37,834	$24,558†	+$280K
306	Johnson & Wales University-Providence	RI	26	$37,266	$31,027	+$249K
307	Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte	NC	26	$37,266	$27,426	+$263K
308	Hampton University	VA	26	$37,179	$25,319	+$271K
309	University of South Dakota	SD	26	$35,907	$19,858†	+$280K
310	Rutgers University-Camden	NJ	26	$35,768	$18,745†	+$283K
311	Colorado State University-Fort Collins	CO	26	$34,540	$21,279†	+$260K
312	California Baptist University	CA	26	$33,793	$26,285	+$233K
313	University of Idaho	ID	26	$33,620	$14,831†	+$277K
314	Frostburg State University	MD	26	$32,889	$16,715†	+$262K
315	University of New Mexico-Main Campus	NM	26	$31,428	$15,489†	+$252K
316	University of Washington-Tacoma Campus	WA	26	$30,437	$10,163†	+$264K
317	Montclair State University	NJ	26	$22,201	$15,566†	+$160K
318	Rutgers University-New Brunswick	NJ	25	$35,768	$24,406†	+$260K
319	Anderson University	IN	25	$35,722	$25,021	+$257K
320	Winston-Salem State University	NC	25	$35,414	$13,479†	+$300K
321	Tarleton State University	TX	25	$35,270	$20,783†	+$270K
322	Ripon College	WI	25	$34,731	$20,216	+$266K
323	University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff	AR	25	$34,143	$12,653†	+$291K
324	Aquinas College	MI	25	$33,555	$16,626	+$269K
325	University of Southern Maine	ME	25	$29,716	$13,596†	+$243K
326	University of Hawaii-West Oahu	HI	25	$29,588	$10,327†	+$255K
327	University of Arkansas-Fort Smith	AR	25	$26,728	$10,574†	+$225K
328	Valdosta State University	GA	25	$25,441	$10,945†	+$211K
329	Portland State University	OR	25	$23,253	$9,552†	+$194K
330	Missouri Baptist University	MO	24	$35,595	$27,006	+$248K
331	Temple University	PA	24	$35,205	$28,198†	+$239K
332	Ohio University-Main Campus	OH	24	$34,707	$21,637†	+$261K
333	University of Maryland Global Campus	MD	24	$34,196	$22,063†	+$254K
334	Thomas More College of Liberal Arts	NH	24	$33,863	$18,489	+$265K
335	University of Kentucky	KY	24	$33,700	$18,851†	+$262K
336	Indiana University of Pennsylvania	PA	24	$33,174	$16,804†	+$265K
337	Missouri State University-Springfield	MO	24	$33,014	$17,613†	+$260K
338	Idaho State University	ID	24	$32,082	$12,193†	+$272K
339	University of Louisiana at Lafayette	LA	24	$31,419	$13,530†	+$260K
340	Jacksonville State University	AL	24	$30,939	$14,279†	+$252K
341	Drew University	NJ	24	$28,961	$24,280	+$192K
342	Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus	PA	23	$37,834	$32,875†	+$247K
343	Concordia University Texas	TX	23	$36,012	$23,131	+$268K
344	Vassar College	NY	23	$35,316	$39,343	+$196K
345	Lubbock Christian University	TX	23	$34,330	$24,456	+$245K
346	Johnson C Smith University	NC	23	$33,847	$20,894	+$255K
347	University of Arkansas at Little Rock	AR	23	$33,780	$17,248†	+$269K
348	University of Cincinnati-Main Campus	OH	23	$33,745	$25,648†	+$235K
349	Centenary University	NJ	23	$32,988	$20,503	+$248K
350	John Brown University	AR	23	$32,974	$20,397	+$248K
351	East Tennessee State University	TN	23	$32,474	$15,983†	+$261K
352	Mississippi University for Women	MS	23	$31,811	$12,411†	+$268K
353	Southern Arkansas University Main Campus	AR	23	$30,901	$14,027†	+$253K
354	University of Washington-Bothell Campus	WA	23	$30,437	$12,319†	+$255K
355	University of La Verne	CA	23	$25,945	$20,161	+$179K
356	University of Hawaii at Manoa	HI	23	$20,074	$15,664†	+$138K
357	Pennsylvania Western University	PA	22	$33,573	$18,256†	+$263K
358	Thomas Aquinas College	CA	22	$33,432	$26,196	+$230K
359	Williams Baptist University	AR	22	$31,309	$15,745	+$250K
360	Michigan State University	MI	22	$30,916	$19,680†	+$230K
361	Coastal Carolina University	SC	22	$27,221	$13,966†	+$216K
362	Villanova University	PA	22	$25,436	$43,756	+$79K
363	Rochester Institute of Technology	NY	21	$36,318	$34,906	+$224K
364	Benedict College	SC	21	$33,120	$18,250	+$258K
365	Arlington Baptist University	TX	21	$32,360	$24,906	+$224K
366	Illinois State University	IL	21	$31,745	$19,398†	+$240K
367	Providence College	RI	21	$31,117	$48,523	+$117K
368	University of Washington-Seattle Campus	WA	21	$30,437	$14,091†	+$248K
369	University of Nebraska at Kearney	NE	21	$29,471	$16,242†	+$230K
370	Alabama A & M University	AL	21	$28,877	$17,621†	+$218K
371	SUNY Old Westbury	NY	21	$27,165	$11,282†	+$227K
372	Lesley University	MA	20	$35,658	$31,152	+$232K
373	University of South Carolina-Columbia	SC	20	$33,245	$22,811†	+$241K
374	Juniata College	PA	20	$31,548	$23,988	+$220K
375	State University of New York at Plattsburgh	NY	20	$30,318	$17,156†	+$235K
376	Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania	PA	19	$31,805	$15,699†	+$255K
377	Oakwood University	AL	19	$30,724	$25,669	+$205K
378	Roberts Wesleyan University	NY	19	$30,102	$23,130	+$208K
379	North Carolina Central University	NC	19	$28,522	$15,359†	+$224K
380	California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt	CA	19	$27,303	$13,171†	+$220K
381	Bethune-Cookman University	FL	19	$25,459	$12,030	+$206K
382	University of North Carolina Asheville	NC	19	$22,144	$12,250†	+$172K
383	Soka University of America	CA	19	$19,776	$18,260	+$125K
384	Henderson State University	AR	18	$32,875	$23,405†	+$235K
385	Montana State University	MT	18	$30,380	$22,499†	+$214K
386	Nova Southeastern University	FL	18	$28,890	$30,371	+$167K
387	Western Connecticut State University	CT	18	$27,784	$17,604†	+$207K
388	Harding University	AR	18	$27,686	$22,130	+$188K
389	New Mexico Highlands University	NM	18	$26,461	$14,838†	+$205K
390	Alcorn State University	MS	18	$26,269	$13,265†	+$210K
391	Bluefield State University	WV	18	$25,677	$13,684†	+$202K
392	Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College	LA	18	$24,879	$19,151†	+$172K
393	Allen University	SC	18	$23,371	$10,972	+$190K
394	Fort Valley State University	GA	18	$23,157	$10,338†	+$190K
395	Francis Marion University	SC	18	$21,838	$11,386†	+$173K
396	Providence Christian College	CA	17	$32,598	$25,163	+$225K
397	Southern University at New Orleans	LA	17	$25,777	$14,810†	+$199K
398	SUNY at Purchase College	NY	17	$25,197	$18,913†	+$176K
399	Texas Christian University	TX	16	$28,328	$36,660	+$137K
400	Lander University	SC	16	$25,204	$15,363†	+$191K
401	North Greenville University	SC	15	$29,506	$21,063	+$211K
402	Bowling Green State University-Main Campus	OH	15	$28,620	$24,022†	+$190K
403	Northwest Nazarene University	ID	15	$25,923	$29,580	+$141K
404	Pace University	NY	15	$25,595	$30,892	+$132K
405	Cumberland University	TN	15	$23,264	$18,759	+$158K
406	University of Louisville	KY	15	$22,239	$17,988†	+$150K
407	Southern Nazarene University	OK	14	$23,445	$22,084	+$146K
408	Appalachian State University	NC	14	$21,143	$16,836†	+$144K
409	Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo	PR	14	$19,848	$11,117	+$154K
410	Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez	PR	14	$19,848	$11,502	+$152K
411	The Evergreen State College	WA	13	$26,328	$24,319†	+$166K
412	Concordia University-Irvine	CA	13	$22,652	$28,115	+$114K
413	Livingstone College	NC	13	$21,640	$13,479	+$162K
414	Glenville State University	WV	12	$24,636	$14,006†	+$190K
415	Bryn Mawr College	PA	12	$22,335	$31,759	+$96K
416	Southern Virginia University	VA	12	$22,024	$22,213	+$131K
417	Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce	PR	12	$19,848	$13,192	+$146K
418	The New School	NY	11	$27,701	$58,741	+$42K
419	Sarah Lawrence College	NY	11	$25,846	$41,437	+$93K
420	Lincoln University	MO	11	$21,282	$19,092†	+$136K
421	St. John's College	MD	10	$25,307	$45,597	+$71K
422	The Master's University and Seminary	CA	10	$18,621	$32,647	+$56K
423	St. John's College	NM	9	$23,029	$26,674	+$124K
424	Hampshire College	MA	9	$21,113	$24,034	+$115K

Top 10 programs by 10-year net ROI

How to read this: Median earnings = typical pay one year after graduation. Net price = average annual cost after grant aid, incl. living costs — not sticker tuition. 10-yr net ROI = ten years of earnings minus four years of net price. Score = the CollegeRanked Score (0–100) that sets the order — it blends ROI with longer-run earnings, job demand and automation resilience, so a school can outrank one with a slightly higher 10-yr ROI. † = public university — net price shown is the in-state cost; out-of-state students pay more. See the full methodology.

Why these schools rank where they do

Massachusetts Institute of Technology taking the #1 spot for a liberal arts degree might look like a data glitch, but it makes perfect insider sense. Every MIT undergraduate, regardless of their major, must complete a grueling core curriculum in calculus, physics, and biology. When MIT students major in the humanities—or utilize joint programs like Course 21E (Humanities and Engineering)—they graduate with a phenomenally rare hybrid of elite quantitative literacy and high-level communication skills. Silicon Valley and Wall Street recruiters hire them on sight for product management and strategy roles because they can translate complex engineering problems for corporate stakeholders.

Georgetown follows at #2 for a more traditional reason: its unparalleled pipeline into Washington D.C. A liberal arts degree from Georgetown is the standard currency for K Street lobbying firms, federal intelligence agencies, and elite think tanks. But the real surprise on this list is the dominance of regional, access-oriented public schools over famous liberal arts colleges. Look at Metropolitan State University at #5 or Texas A&M-Central Texas at #20. These institutions cater heavily to non-traditional adult learners. Their liberal arts and general studies programs are designed as highly efficient degree-completion vehicles. These graduates aren't starting at the bottom of the corporate ladder; they are already in the workforce, using a low-cost, flexible credential to bypass HR filters and secure management promotions. Meanwhile, a business-focused powerhouse like Bentley University lands at #4 because it encourages its liberal arts majors to heavily integrate corporate finance and accounting courses, feeding graduates directly into Boston's financial sector with a unique blend of creative problem-solving and hard corporate skills.

What is Liberal Arts?

A liberal arts major is the ultimate academic chameleon, blending humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences into a single interdisciplinary track. Rather than training for one specific job title, graduates build elite critical thinking, research, and communication skills, spending their days writing policy, managing projects, or synthesizing complex data for corporate, government, and non-profit employers.

Frequently asked questions

Should I double major or pick up a minor?

It is highly recommended. Pairing a broad liberal arts major with a specialized minor—like data analytics, economics, or computer science—gives you the best of both worlds. You get the critical thinking and writing foundation that executives claim they want, alongside the hard technical skills that recruiters actually screen for in applicant tracking systems.

Will I need to go to graduate school to get a good job?

Not necessarily. While many liberal arts grads eventually pursue law school or master's degrees in public policy, this bachelor's is a terminal credential for plenty of corporate and government roles. If you want to work in human resources, technical recruiting, corporate sales, or operations management, your undergraduate degree is more than enough to get your foot in the door and climb the ladder.

Why are there so many regional public schools on this list instead of Ivy League colleges?

Because financial value is a strict function of cost versus reward. Elite private schools might offer higher absolute earnings, but their steep tuition often drags down their overall financial efficiency. Regional public universities like the University of Wisconsin system campuses or Arizona State offer rock-bottom in-state tuition. When you combine minimal student debt with solid local hiring pipelines in state government or regional business hubs, the financial return easily outpaces more famous, expensive colleges.