2026 Best General Master’s Degree Schools

General programs are offered at a focused set of schools across the country. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.

For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 14 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for general students pursuing a degree.

What’s on this page:

• Best Master’s Degree General Schools
• Other Degree Levels

Best Schools for General in the United States

These are the top schools for a master’s degree in general, based on student outcomes and program quality.

Top Schools in General

1

Columbia University In The City Of New York
New York, NY

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

76 General Degrees Awarded

$86,770 Median Starting Salary

Our analysis ranked Columbia University In The City Of New York the best school in the country for a degree in general. Columbia University In The City Of New York is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of New York. The six-year graduation rate is 96%. Columbia University In The City Of New York awarded about 76 general degrees in the most recent data year. General graduates of Columbia University In The City Of New York earn a median of $86,770 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $23,258 to complete this degree. See the full general program report for Columbia University In The City Of New York

2

Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, AZ

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

14 General Degrees Awarded

$47,056 Median Starting Salary

Students looking for a strong general program will find one at Northern Arizona University, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Flagstaff, Northern Arizona University is a very large public institution. About 61% of students finish within six years. Northern Arizona University awarded about 14 general degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the general program make about $47,056 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $21,645 to complete this degree. Read more about the general program at Northern Arizona University

Other General Degree Levels

Looking for a different degree level? Compare General rankings across degree levels:

Notes and References

This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 14 schools evaluated.

• 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.