Master’s Degrees in Liberal Arts General Studies
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Education Levels of Liberal Arts Majors
In 2019-2020, 1,990 earned their master's degree in liberal arts. This makes it the 68th most popular master's degree program in the country.
The following table shows the number of diplomas awarded in liberal arts at each degree level.
Education Level | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Master’s Degree | 1,990 |
Graduate Certificate | 573 |
Doctor’s Degree | 114 |
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. This number may vary for a lot of reasons. For instance, you may decide to move to a location where people with your degree are rare and make more money. To get a better picture, earnings for this category of people can range from a low of $41,000 to a high of $50,850.

Student Debt
The median student debt for graduates holding a master's degree in liberal arts is $45,125. The school you go to and how long it takes you to graduate, among other things, can cause this number to vary. 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.

The median monthly payment of a liberal arts graduate with a 10-year repayment plan is $526.
Student Diversity
More women than men pursue their master's degree in liberal arts. About 61.4% of graduates with this degree are female.
Gender | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Men | 769 |
Women | 1,221 |

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 | 259 |
Hispanic or Latino | 173 |
White | 1,178 |
International Students | 141 |
Other Races/Ethnicities | 184 |

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:
The most popular school in the United States for liberal arts students seekinga master's degree is University of Oklahoma Norman Campus. Roughly 27,700 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $4,788 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $6,943 per year. The liberal arts program at University of Oklahoma Norman Campus awarded 195 master's degrees during the 2019-2020 school year. Of these students, 49% were women and 30% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
University of Chicago comes in at #2 on our list of the most popular colleges offering master's degrees in liberal arts. Each year, around 17,800 students seeking various degrees attend the university. 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 2019-2020 academic year, 132 people received their master's degree in liberal arts from UChicago. About 59% of this group were women, and 18% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group.
New York University is the 3rd most popular school in the nation for students seeking a master's degree in liberal arts. Roughly 52,700 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $52,204 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $34,704 per year. The liberal arts program at New York University awarded 101 master's degrees during the 2019-2020 school year. About 67% of this group were women, and 33% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group.
The 4th most popular school in the country for liberal arts majors who are seeking their master's degree is The Graduate Center, CUNY. Each year, around 9,300 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. For the 2019-2020 academic year, 93 master's degrees were handed out to liberal arts majors at The Graduate Center. Around 41% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 62% were women.
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 26,700 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 2019-2020 academic year, 76 master's degrees were handed out to liberal arts majors at SUNY Stony Brook. Of these students, 65% were women and 20% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
Middle Tennessee State University is the 6th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a master's degree in liberal arts. Roughly 22,000 attend the school each year. 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. The liberal arts program at Middle Tennessee State University awarded 41 master's degrees during the 2019-2020 school year. About 68% of this group were women, and 26% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group.
Johns Hopkins University comes in at #7 on our list of the most popular colleges offering master's degrees in liberal arts. Roughly 28,800 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $54,160 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $57,010 per year. The liberal arts program at Johns Hopkins University awarded 38 master's degrees during the 2019-2020 school year. Around 37% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 54% were women.
Tiffin University comes in at #8 on our list of the most popular colleges offering master's degrees in liberal arts. Roughly 2,900 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $27,210 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $12,600 per year. For the 2019-2020 academic year, 37 master's degrees were handed out to liberal arts majors at Tiffin University. About 77% of this group were women, and 20% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group.
University of North Carolina at Greensboro is the 8th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a master's degree in liberal arts. Each year, around 19,700 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. The liberal arts program at University of North Carolina at Greensboro awarded 37 master's degrees during the 2019-2020 school year. Around 25% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 75% were women.
Southern Methodist University is the 10th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a master's degree in liberal arts. Each year, around 12,300 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $51,958 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $40,896 per year. During the 2019-2020 academic year, 34 people received their master's degree in liberal arts from SMU. Of these students, 59% were women and 53% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
The 10th most popular school in the country for liberal arts majors who are seeking their master's degree is North Central College. Roughly 2,800 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $41,000 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 2019-2020 school year. About 60% of this group were women, and 23% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group.
The 12th most popular school in the country for liberal arts majors who are seeking their master's degree is Tennessee Technological University. Each year, around 10,100 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $8,358 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $10,280 per year. During the 2019-2020 academic year, 33 people received their master's degree in liberal arts from Tennessee Tech University. Of these students, 52% were women and 19% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
Texas Christian University is the 13th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a master's degree in liberal arts. Each year, around 11,300 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $51,570 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $32,220 per year. For the 2019-2020 academic year, 32 master's degrees were handed out to liberal arts majors at TCU. Around 33% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 63% were women.
DePaul University is the 14th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a master's degree in liberal arts. Roughly 21,900 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 $19,370 per year. During the 2019-2020 academic year, 31 people received their master's degree in liberal arts from DePaul. Of these students, 68% were women and 84% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
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 18,600 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. During the 2019-2020 academic year, 31 people received their master's degree in liberal arts from CSUDH. Of these students, 33% were women and 25% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
The 16th most popular school in the country for liberal arts majors who are seeking their master's degree is University of Pennsylvania. Each year, around 26,500 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $53,166 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $37,678 per year. During the 2019-2020 academic year, 30 people received their master's degree in liberal arts from UPenn. About 54% of this group were women, and 21% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group.
The 16th most popular school in the country for liberal arts majors who are seeking their master's degree is American Public University System. Each year, around 50,000 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $6,840 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $6,660 per year. During the 2019-2020 academic year, 30 people received their master's degree in liberal arts from American Military University. About 70% of this group were women, and 16% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group.
Austin Peay State University comes in at #18 on our list of the most popular colleges offering master's degrees in liberal arts. Each year, around 10,200 students seeking various degrees attend the university. 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. The liberal arts program at Austin Peay State University awarded 29 master's degrees during the 2019-2020 school year. Around 47% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 64% were women.
Adams State University is the 19th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a master's degree in liberal arts. Roughly 3,100 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $5,856 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $7,830 per year. The liberal arts program at Adams State University awarded 27 master's degrees during the 2019-2020 school year. Of these students, 58% were women and 8% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
Arizona State University - Skysong is the 19th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a master's degree in liberal arts. Roughly 53,900 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $10,710 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $6,516 per year. During the 2019-2020 academic year, 27 people received their master's degree in liberal arts from ASU - Skysong. Around 19% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 81% were women.
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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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