Ranked #1 in popularity, liberal arts general studies is one of the most sought-after associate degree programs in the nation. So, there are lots of possibilities to explore when you're trying to determine where you want to get your degree.
In 2025, College Factual analyzed 7 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools in Hawaii ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 1,670 associate degrees in liberal arts general studies to qualified students.
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Choosing a Great Liberal Arts General Studies School for Your Associate Degree
The liberal arts associate degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. Important measures of a quality liberal arts program can vary widely even among the top schools. Below we explain some of the most important factors to consider before making your choice:
Overall Quality Is a Must
The overall quality of a associate degree school is important to ensure a good education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To make it into this list a school must rank well in our overall Best Colleges ranking. This ranking considered factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.
Average Early-Career Salaries
To determine the overall quality of a graduate school, one factor we look at is the average early-career salary of those receiving their associate degree from the school. After all, your associate degree won't mean much if it doesn't help you find a job that will help you earn a living.
Other Factors We Consider
In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:
Major Focus - How much a school focuses on liberal arts general studies students vs. other majors.
Major Demand - The number of liberal arts general studies students who choose to seek a associate degree at the school.
Educational Resources - The amount of money and other resources allocated to students while they are pursuing their degree. These resources include such things as number of students per instructor and education expenditures per student.
Student Debt - How easy is it for liberal arts general studies to pay back their student loans after receiving their associate degree.
Accreditation - Whether a school is regionally accredited and/or accredited by a recognized liberal arts general studies related body.
Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for liberal arts general studies students working on their associate degree.
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we've developed the Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools in Hawaii ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
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University of Hawaii Maui College is a great decision for individuals pursuing an associate degree in liberal arts general studies. Located in the city of Kahului, UH Maui College is a public university with a small student population.
Associate students who receive their degree from the liberal arts program make about $27,904 in their early career salary.
Kapiolani Community College is a wonderful choice for students pursuing an associate degree in liberal arts general studies. Kapiolani CC is a moderately-sized public college located in the city of Honolulu.
Associate recipients from the liberal arts general studies major at Kapiolani Community College earn $6,871 above the standard graduate with the same degree shortly after graduation.
Leeward Community College is one of the best schools in the United States for getting an associate degree in liberal arts general studies. Located in the suburb of Pearl City, Leeward CC is a public college with a medium-sized student population.
Associate graduates who receive their degree from the liberal arts program earn an average of $21,784 in their early career salary.
The bars on the spread charts above show the distribution of the schools on this list +/- one standard deviation from the mean.
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 the rest of our data about colleges.
The liberal arts associate degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. Important measures of a quality liberal arts program can vary widely even among the top schools. Below we explain some of the most important factors to consider before making your choice:
