2026 Best Value General Studies Schools in Connecticut

[General Studies](/majors/liberal-arts-sciences-humanities/liberal-arts-and-general-studies/general-studies/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general studies education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 13 schools to find the best return on investment for general studies students.
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2026 Best Value General Studies Schools in Connecticut
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general studies, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Studies Schools
For return on investment in general studies, no school beat Capital Community College this year. Located in the city of New Britain, Capital Community College is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,338, with out-of-state students paying around $15,596. Typical student debt for general studies graduates is $6,050. General Studies graduates of Capital Community College earn a median of $25,072 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Central Connecticut State University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value general studies schools. Located in the suburb of New Britain, Central Connecticut State University is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $13,050 in tuition and fees, compared with $16,550 for out-of-state students. General Studies graduates carry a median of $24,340 in student loans. Early-career general studies graduates make about $60,151. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 73% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Eastern Connecticut State University earned it the #3 place for general studies. Located in the town of Willimantic, Eastern Connecticut State University is a mid-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,928, with out-of-state students paying around $17,426. Students borrow a median of $25,373 to complete the general studies program here. Soon after graduation, general studies degree recipients from Eastern Connecticut State University generally make around $41,870. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 83%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Southern Connecticut State University earned it the #4 place for general studies. Southern Connecticut State University is a large public school located in the city of New Haven. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,442, while out-of-state students pay about $16,942. Students borrow a median of $26,625 to complete the general studies program here. Early-career general studies graduates make about $50,876. Set against $26,625 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Southern Connecticut State University admits about 92% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in general studies will find it at University Of Connecticut, which ranked #5. Set in the town of Storrs, University Of Connecticut is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $21,044, with out-of-state students paying around $43,712. Students borrow a median of $22,000 to complete the general studies program here. General Studies graduates of University Of Connecticut earn a median of $44,240 early in their careers. Set against $22,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 52% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Bridgeport earned the #6 position for value in general studies this year. University Of Bridgeport is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Bridgeport. Students from in state pay about $35,760 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $35,340 to complete the general studies program here. General Studies graduates of University Of Bridgeport earn a median of $43,743 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $35,340 median debt. University Of Bridgeport admits about 83% of applicants.
Goodwin College landed the #7 spot for general studies value this year. Located in the city of East Hartford, Goodwin College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $21,188. Typical student debt for general studies graduates is $35,611. Early-career general studies graduates make about $52,724. Set against $35,611 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
University Of Hartford earned the #8 position for value in general studies this year. University Of Hartford is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of West Hartford. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $49,075. General Studies graduates carry a median of $12,000 in student loans. Early-career general studies graduates make about $6,992. Set against $12,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Hartford admits about 96% of applicants.
University Of New Haven landed the #9 spot for general studies value this year. Located in the suburb of West Haven, University Of New Haven is a large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $47,332 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for general studies graduates is $26,244. General Studies graduates of University Of New Haven earn a median of $49,615 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of New Haven admits about 60% of applicants.
Sacred Heart University earned the #10 position for value in general studies this year. Located in the suburb of Fairfield, Sacred Heart University is a large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $50,404. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the general studies program here. Early-career general studies graduates make about $62,864. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 65% of applicants are accepted.
More General Studies Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 13 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 ranked 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 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.