Best Liberal Arts Colleges in the United States (2026)
Updated
This page ranks 417 schools in the United States by the median earnings of Liberal Arts graduates four years after completing. Massachusetts Institute of Technology leads the list at $147,998, followed by Yale University at $113,788 and Georgetown University at $112,722.
Across the 404 schools with a reported completion median, median earnings reach $50,652, with values spanning from $147,998 to $15,552.
Public institutions make up 63% of the list, with 261 schools alongside 156 private nonprofits. CUNY Bernard M Baruch College reports the lowest average net price at $3,033.
CUNY Bernard M Baruch College ranks 2nd on Azimuth's composite ranking among the 1,467 public and private nonprofit four-year institutions Azimuth ranks nationally.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Median Liberal Arts Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology · Cambridge, MA | $147,998 | $20,111 | -$2,533* | 4.6% |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology reports $147,998 in median earnings for its Liberal Arts graduates four years after completing, alongside a 96% six-year completion rate. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (11 graduates) | |||||
| 2 | Yale University · New Haven, CT | $113,788 | $23,777 | $17,633 | 3.9% |
| With an admission rate of 4%, Yale University posts median earnings of $113,788 for its Liberal Arts graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (16 graduates) | |||||
| 3 | Georgetown University · Washington, DC | $112,722 | $40,815 | $5,064 | 12.9% |
| Georgetown University shows an average net price of $5,064 for families earning under $30,000, while its Liberal Arts graduates earn a median of $112,722 four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (18 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($112,722) | |||||
| 4 | Bentley University · Waltham, MA | $105,183 | $37,930 | $21,196 | 45.1% |
| Bentley University ranks 4th on this list and reports a six-year completion rate of 87%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (80 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($105,183) | |||||
| 5 | University of Chicago · Chicago, IL | $96,510 | $14,860 | -$1,264* | 4.5% |
| University of Chicago admits 4% of applicants and lists an average net price of $14,860 for federal aid recipients. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (20 graduates) | |||||
| 6 | Northwestern University · Evanston, IL | $93,180 | $29,167 | $1,764 | 7.7% |
| Northwestern University reports an average net price of $1,764 for families earning under $30,000, and its Liberal Arts graduates earn a median of $93,180 four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (6 graduates) | |||||
| 7 | Champlain College · Burlington, VT | $91,533 | $35,860 | $28,885 | 82.9% |
| Champlain College ranks 7th on this list, with median earnings of $91,533 for its Liberal Arts graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (24 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($91,533) | |||||
| 8 | Emory University · Atlanta, GA | $90,025 | $22,585 | $7,363 | 10.7% |
| Emory University graduates 91% of its students within six years and reports an average net price of $22,585. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (8 graduates) | |||||
| 9 | DePaul University · Chicago, IL | $86,444 | $30,902 | $27,359 | 75.9% |
| DePaul University admits 76% of applicants and posts median earnings of $86,444 for its Liberal Arts graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (67 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($86,444) | |||||
| 10 | Drexel University · Philadelphia, PA | $84,166 | $38,509 | $28,055 | 79.4% |
| Drexel University shows a six-year completion rate of 78% and an average net price of $28,055 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (43 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($84,166) | |||||
| 11 | University of Hartford · West Hartford, CT | $80,775 | $30,282 | $25,925 | 95.8% |
| University of Hartford reports median earnings of $80,775 for its Liberal Arts graduates four years after completing, with an admission rate of 96%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (24 graduates) | |||||
| 12 | Life University · Marietta, GA | $78,151 | $29,791 | $28,151 | 93.0% |
| Life University ranks 12th on this list and lists a six-year completion rate of 38%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (34 graduates) | |||||
| 13 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst · Amherst, MA | $73,242 | $22,383 | $10,164 | 59.7% |
| University of Massachusetts-Amherst reports $73,242 in median earnings for its Liberal Arts graduates four years after completing, and its six-year completion rate is 83%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (82 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($73,242) | |||||
| 14 | The University of Texas at Austin · Austin, TX | $73,089 | $19,857 | $12,553 | 26.6% |
| With an admission rate of 27%, The University of Texas at Austin ranks 9th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (253 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($73,089) | |||||
| 15 | William Jewell College · Liberty, MO | $72,507 | $17,562 | $12,909 | 38.4% |
| A private nonprofit institution in Liberty, William Jewell College posts an average net price of $17,562 and median earnings of $72,507 for its Liberal Arts graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (7 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($72,507) | |||||
| 16 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · Chapel Hill, NC | $72,422 | $11,655 | $2,004 | 15.3% |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill graduates 91% within six years and carries an average net price of $2,004 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (45 graduates) | |||||
| 17 | Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia · Philadelphia, PA | $72,048 | $29,689 | $22,570 | 88.8% |
| Ranking 17th on this list, Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia shows median earnings of $72,048 for its Liberal Arts graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (22 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($72,048) | |||||
| 18 | Wesleyan University · Middletown, CT | $71,932 | $30,177 | $4,871 | 16.5% |
| Wesleyan University admits 16% of applicants and reports median earnings of $71,932 for its Liberal Arts graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (11 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($71,932) | |||||
| 19 | University of North Dakota · Grand Forks, ND | $71,538 | $18,551 | $13,126 | 76.9% |
| A public university in Grand Forks, University of North Dakota has a six-year completion rate of 60% and an average net price of $18,551. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (101 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($71,538) | |||||
| 20 | Molloy University · Rockville Centre, NY | $71,097 | $24,347 | $17,548 | 81.7% |
| Molloy University ranks 212th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports median earnings of $71,097 for its Liberal Arts graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (26 graduates) | |||||
| 21 | Xavier University · Cincinnati, OH | $69,546 | $32,997 | $26,728 | 86.4% |
| With an admission rate of 86%, Xavier University posts an average net price of $26,728 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (44 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($69,546) | |||||
| 22 | Saint Mary's College of California · Moraga, CA | $68,501 | $30,378 | $19,462 | 86.5% |
| Saint Mary's College of California reports median earnings of $68,501 for its Liberal Arts graduates four years after completing and graduates 70% within six years. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (64 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($68,501) | |||||
| 23 | CUNY Bernard M Baruch College · New York, NY | $68,471 | $3,033 | $607 | 47.5% |
| CUNY Bernard M Baruch College carries an average net price of $3,033 and ranks 2nd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (22 graduates) | |||||
| 24 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo · San Luis Obispo, CA | $68,171 | $16,665 | $7,529 | 31.3% |
| A public institution in San Luis Obispo, California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo admits 31% of applicants and reports median earnings of $68,171 for its Liberal Arts graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (107 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($68,171) | |||||
| 25 | Sacred Heart University · Fairfield, CT | $68,092 | $46,174 | $38,691 | 65.4% |
| Sacred Heart University reports $68,092 in median earnings for its Liberal Arts graduates four years after completing, and admits 65% of applicants. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (22 graduates) | |||||
* Net price can be negative: when grants and scholarships exceed the listed cost of attendance, students can receive the difference as a refund for other expenses.
How this list is ordered
Schools are ordered by the median earnings of their Liberal Arts graduates four years after completing, or two years for programs that report only a two-year figure, highest first. The figure captures federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled after completing. For 43 of the 417 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The figures cited on this page cover the 404 schools with a reported completion median. The gap between Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Yale University is $34,210, and the spread from the top of the list to the bottom reaches $132,446.