by our College Data Analytics Team
[Liberal Arts](/majors/liberal-arts-sciences-humanities/liberal-arts-and-general-studies/liberal-arts/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 15 schools to find the best return on investment for liberal arts students.
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If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the liberal arts degrees they offer, see the list below.
Oklahoma City Community College tops our 2026 list of the best value liberal arts schools in Oklahoma. Set in the city of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma City Community College is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $4,059, with out-of-state students paying around $9,810. Students borrow a median of $12,000 to complete the liberal arts program here. Early-career liberal arts graduates make about $34,626. Set against $12,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in liberal arts will find it at Redlands Community College, which ranked #2. Redlands Community College is a mid-sized public school located in the town of El Reno. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,385, with out-of-state students paying around $7,951. Students borrow a median of $8,739 to complete the liberal arts program here. Early-career liberal arts graduates make about $28,878. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Tulsa Community College came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value liberal arts schools. Set in the city of Tulsa, Tulsa Community College is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,792, compared with $9,720 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $13,837 to complete the liberal arts program here. Early-career liberal arts graduates make about $30,847. Set against $13,837 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Western Oklahoma State College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in liberal arts, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the town of Altus, Western Oklahoma State College is a small public university. Students from in state pay about $5,390 in tuition and fees, compared with $9,758 for out-of-state students. Liberal Arts graduates carry a median of $6,308 in student loans. Liberal Arts graduates of Western Oklahoma State College earn a median of $17,755 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $6,308 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in liberal arts will find it at Rose State College, which ranked #5. Set in the suburb of Midwest City, Rose State College is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,030, compared with $11,407 for out-of-state students. Liberal Arts graduates carry a median of $12,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, liberal arts degree recipients from Rose State College generally make around $26,364. Set against $12,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
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Rogers State University placed #6 among the best values for liberal arts. Rogers State University is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Claremore. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,750, while out-of-state students pay about $16,410. Liberal Arts graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, liberal arts degree recipients from Rogers State University generally make around $45,644. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Oklahoma State University Main Campus earned the #7 position for value in liberal arts this year. Located in the town of Stillwater, Oklahoma State University Main Campus is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,110, compared with $25,630 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for liberal arts graduates is $26,000. Soon after graduation, liberal arts degree recipients from Oklahoma State University Main Campus generally make around $37,938. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 75%.
Langston University ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best value liberal arts schools. Set in the rural area of Langston, Langston University is a mid-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $6,863, compared with $14,616 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for liberal arts graduates is $31,000. Early-career liberal arts graduates make about $35,510. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
University Of Oklahoma Norman Campus landed the #9 spot for liberal arts value this year. Located in the suburb of Norman, University Of Oklahoma Norman Campus is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $9,797, while out-of-state students pay about $27,377. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the liberal arts program here. Soon after graduation, liberal arts degree recipients from University Of Oklahoma Norman Campus generally make around $55,222. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Oklahoma Norman Campus admits about 77% of applicants.
University Of Central Oklahoma ranked #10 on our 2026 list of the best value liberal arts schools. Set in the suburb of Edmond, University Of Central Oklahoma is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $8,818 in tuition and fees, compared with $19,704 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for liberal arts graduates is $27,000. Liberal Arts graduates of University Of Central Oklahoma earn a median of $37,786 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. University Of Central Oklahoma admits about 78% of applicants.
Oklahoma Christian University ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the best value liberal arts schools. Oklahoma Christian University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Edmond. Students from in state pay about $27,180 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $26,050 to complete the liberal arts program here. Liberal Arts graduates of Oklahoma Christian University earn a median of $49,615 early in their careers. Set against $26,050 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 96%.
Oral Roberts University placed #12 among the best values for liberal arts. Oral Roberts University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Tulsa. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $35,470. Liberal Arts graduates carry a median of $28,022 in student loans. Soon after graduation, liberal arts degree recipients from Oral Roberts University generally make around $41,180. That is a strong return on a $28,022 median debt. The acceptance rate is 99%.
This list is compiled 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 · 15 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 8 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.