by our College Data Analytics Team
[Liberal Arts And General Studies](/majors/liberal-arts-sciences-humanities/liberal-arts-and-general-studies/) is a field where your choice of school can shape what you earn after graduation. The highest-paying schools turn a liberal arts and general studies degree into the strongest early-career earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 100 schools on the early-career earnings of their liberal arts and general studies graduates.
What’s on this page:
The right liberal arts and general studies school can pay off in your paycheck for years to come. That is why we built our Highest Paid Liberal Arts And General Studies Graduates ranking. We rank each school on the early-career earnings of its liberal arts and general studies graduates to surface the highest-paying programs.
Read more about our methodology
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we offer several rankings, including this Highest Paid Liberal Arts And General Studies Graduates list, to help you choose. Want schools in a particular part of the country? Narrow the list by region or state.
Want to compare schools head to head? Try our College Combat tool to weigh the factors that matter most to you.
Below are the schools whose liberal arts and general studies graduates go on to earn the most.
Our analysis ranked City College Of San Francisco the top school for liberal arts and general studies graduate earnings in the United States. Set in the city of San Francisco, City College Of San Francisco is a public institution. Students who complete the liberal arts and general studies program here go on to a median salary of roughly $96,593.
Massachusetts Institute Of Technology produces some of the highest-paid graduates in liberal arts and general studies, landing the #2 spot this year. Massachusetts Institute Of Technology is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Cambridge. Early-career liberal arts and general studies graduates from Massachusetts Institute Of Technology make a median of around $103,135 per year.
Students chasing top earnings in liberal arts and general studies will find them at Purdue University Main Campus, which ranked #3. Purdue University Main Campus is a public school located in the city of West Lafayette. After graduating, liberal arts and general studies degree recipients from Purdue University Main Campus typically earn about $73,422 annually.
Skyline College came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying liberal arts and general studies schools. Set in the suburb of San Bruno, Skyline College is a public institution. Liberal Arts And General Studies graduates of Skyline College earn a median of about $75,221 a year early in their careers.
Oklahoma Wesleyan University came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying liberal arts and general studies schools. Oklahoma Wesleyan University is a private not-for-profit school located in the town of Bartlesville. After graduating, liberal arts and general studies degree recipients from Oklahoma Wesleyan University typically earn about $70,869 annually.
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Evergreen Valley College ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying liberal arts and general studies schools. Evergreen Valley College is a public school located in the city of San Jose. After graduating, liberal arts and general studies degree recipients from Evergreen Valley College typically earn about $69,528 annually.
Georgetown University placed #7 among the highest-paying schools for liberal arts and general studies. Located in the city of Washington, Georgetown University is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, liberal arts and general studies degree recipients from Georgetown University typically earn about $119,188 annually.
Palomar College landed the #8 spot for liberal arts and general studies salaries this year. Located in the suburb of San Marcos, Palomar College is a public institution. Liberal Arts And General Studies graduates of Palomar College earn a median of about $67,708 a year early in their careers.
Brigham Young University Provo placed #9 among the highest-paying schools for liberal arts and general studies. Located in the city of Provo, Brigham Young University Provo is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, liberal arts and general studies degree recipients from Brigham Young University Provo typically earn about $86,939 annually.
College Of San Mateo placed #10 among the highest-paying schools for liberal arts and general studies. College Of San Mateo is a public school located in the city of San Mateo. Liberal Arts And General Studies graduates of College Of San Mateo earn a median of about $64,571 a year early in their careers.
Depaul University came in at #11 for liberal arts and general studies graduate earnings this year. Depaul University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. After graduating, liberal arts and general studies degree recipients from Depaul University typically earn about $86,015 annually.
Maria College Of Albany landed the #12 spot for liberal arts and general studies salaries this year. Set in the city of Albany, Maria College Of Albany is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the liberal arts and general studies program here go on to a median salary of roughly $60,857.
Columbia Southern University ranked #13 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying liberal arts and general studies schools. Located in the town of Orange Beach, Columbia Southern University is a private for-profit institution. After graduating, liberal arts and general studies degree recipients from Columbia Southern University typically earn about $66,199 annually.
Lake Washington Institute Of Technology earned the #14 position for liberal arts and general studies graduate earnings this year. Located in the suburb of Kirkland, Lake Washington Institute Of Technology is a public institution. Early-career liberal arts and general studies graduates from Lake Washington Institute Of Technology make a median of around $57,162 per year.
American Public University System ranked #15 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying liberal arts and general studies schools. Located in the town of Charles Town, American Public University System is a private for-profit institution. Liberal Arts And General Studies graduates of American Public University System earn a median of about $64,517 a year early in their careers.
Chabot College placed #16 among the highest-paying schools for liberal arts and general studies. Located in the suburb of Hayward, Chabot College is a public institution. Liberal Arts And General Studies graduates of Chabot College earn a median of about $57,032 a year early in their careers.
Molloy College came in at #17 for liberal arts and general studies graduate earnings this year. Located in the suburb of Rockville Centre, Molloy College is a private not-for-profit institution. Liberal Arts And General Studies graduates of Molloy College earn a median of about $74,868 a year early in their careers.
Rio Salado College placed #18 among the highest-paying schools for liberal arts and general studies. Set in the city of Tempe, Rio Salado College is a public institution. Early-career liberal arts and general studies graduates from Rio Salado College make a median of around $55,835 per year.
Southern Methodist University placed #19 among the highest-paying schools for liberal arts and general studies. Located in the suburb of Dallas, Southern Methodist University is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career liberal arts and general studies graduates from Southern Methodist University make a median of around $74,509 per year.
Albertus Magnus College landed the #20 spot for liberal arts and general studies salaries this year. Set in the city of New Haven, Albertus Magnus College is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the liberal arts and general studies program here go on to a median salary of roughly $55,801.
University Of Wisconsin La Crosse earned the #21 position for liberal arts and general studies graduate earnings this year. University Of Wisconsin La Crosse is a public school located in the city of La Crosse. After graduating, liberal arts and general studies degree recipients from University Of Wisconsin La Crosse typically earn about $55,075 annually.
Miles Community College landed the #22 spot for liberal arts and general studies salaries this year. Miles Community College is a public school located in the town of Miles City. After graduating, liberal arts and general studies degree recipients from Miles Community College typically earn about $54,815 annually.
Lamar State College Orange earned the #23 position for liberal arts and general studies graduate earnings this year. Lamar State College Orange is a public school located in the town of Orange. After graduating, liberal arts and general studies degree recipients from Lamar State College Orange typically earn about $54,588 annually.
Marion Technical College placed #24 among the highest-paying schools for liberal arts and general studies. Located in the town of Marion, Marion Technical College is a public institution. Early-career liberal arts and general studies graduates from Marion Technical College make a median of around $57,300 per year.
Cecil College came in at #25 for liberal arts and general studies graduate earnings this year. Cecil College is a public school located in the rural area of North East. Liberal Arts And General Studies graduates of Cecil College earn a median of about $53,044 a year early in their careers.
Not far behind, these schools also produced high-earning liberal arts and general studies graduates:
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These schools also placed among the highest-paying for liberal arts and general studies graduates this year:
Learn about other programs related to Liberal Arts And General Studies that might interest you.
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This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology measures the salaries liberal arts and general studies graduates go on to earn early in their careers, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 100 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
