Skip to content
CIP 24.0199 Liberal Arts and Sciences

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, Other

IPEDS Completions, US Department of Education · 2025

Total graduates

18,613

2025 · 320 schools

International share

1.6%

302 international students

Bachelor's degrees

2,714

2.0% international

Master's degrees

106

12.3% international

Overview

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities is a versatile and interdisciplinary field of study that encompasses a broad range of subjects aimed at fostering critical thinking, creativity, and effective communication. This program typically integrates various disciplines, including literature, philosophy, history, psychology, sociology, and the natural sciences, allowing students to explore diverse perspectives and ideas.

Students in this field are encouraged to develop analytical skills and a deeper understanding of human experiences and societal structures. The curriculum often emphasizes the importance of ethical reasoning, cultural awareness, and the ability to engage with complex problems. This holistic approach not only enriches students' knowledge but also prepares them for a wide variety of career paths.

Graduates of this program can pursue careers in education, public service, writing, media, social work, and many other fields that value critical thinking and communication skills. Additionally, the foundational knowledge acquired through these studies can serve as a stepping stone for further education in specialized areas, such as law, business, or graduate studies in the humanities and social sciences.

Overall, the Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities program cultivates well-rounded individuals who are equipped to navigate and contribute to a rapidly changing world, making them adaptable and valuable in various professional environments. This flexibility, combined with a broad academic foundation, makes this program an excellent choice for students seeking to develop their intellectual and practical skills.

Graduates by year

Graduates by degree level (first and second majors)

AssociateBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral

From 2002 to 2025, graduates grew 26% and the international share went from 1.7% to 1.6%.

International share (%)
Graduates by group, 2025
White
51.7%
Asian
3.9%
Hispanic
14.3%
Black
16.9%
Other
11.5%
Intl.
1.6%

Colleges that award this degree

In 2025, 320 schools awarded this degree as a first major. The table lists those in the 2027 U.S. News National or Liberal Arts rankings, plus the unranked schools with the most graduates.

RankSchoolStateGraduatesInternational
#7 University of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania 42 1
#8 Duke University North Carolina 26 6
#9 Johns Hopkins University Maryland 1 0
#12 Dartmouth College New Hampshire 23 6
#20 University of California-Los Angeles California 5 0
#29 University of California-San Diego California 5 0
#31 New York University New York 13 0
#34 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Illinois 1 0
#34 The University of Texas at Austin Texas 164 3
#44 Case Western Reserve University Ohio 1 0
#59 Tulane University of Louisiana Louisiana 5 0
#59 University of Massachusetts-Amherst Massachusetts 70 2
#73 North Carolina State University at Raleigh North Carolina 20 0
#85 Southern Methodist University Texas 31 2
#95 Rochester Institute of Technology New York 123 3
#100 Auburn University Alabama 16 0
#109 Fairfield University Connecticut 2 0
#116 University of San Francisco California 3 0
#116 University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus Oklahoma 59 3
#121 Arizona State University-Tempe Arizona 4 0
#121 University of the Pacific California 2 0
#121 Illinois Institute of Technology Illinois 2 0
#121 University of South Carolina-Columbia South Carolina 13 0
#121 George Mason University Virginia 111 3
#137 University of Alabama at Birmingham Alabama 13 1
#137 University of Maryland-Baltimore County Maryland 7 0
#137 St John's University (NY) New York 3 1
#156 University of St Thomas (MN) Minnesota 1 0
#156 Oregon State University Oregon 4 0
#169 DePaul University Illinois 17 0
#169 Butler University Indiana 2 0
#179 Gallaudet University D.C. 1 0
#191 Florida Atlantic University Florida 61 2
#191 Drake University Iowa 8 0
#202 Ohio University-Main Campus Ohio 39 2
#202 University of St. Thomas (TX) Texas 10 0
#219 Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis Indiana 143 2
#227 Ball State University Indiana 28 0
#250 University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley Texas 3 0
#288 University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee Wisconsin 134 0
#308 Oakland University Michigan 158 2
#317 Ferris State University Michigan 4 0
#317 Kean University New Jersey 27 0
#342 Lincoln Memorial University Tennessee 2 0
#353 University of Michigan--Flint Michigan 3 0
#353 Pennsylvania Western University Pennsylvania 71 2
#365 Troy University Alabama 134 0
#365 The University of Montana Montana 43 0
#376 Barry University Florida 1 0
#382 Columbus State University Georgia 4 0
#382 Valdosta State University Georgia 96 1
LAC #12 Vassar College New York 1 0
LAC #34 Colorado College Colorado 7 0
LAC #54 Centre College Kentucky 2 0
LAC #74 Rollins College Florida 2 0
LAC #85 Drew University New Jersey 2 0
LAC #97 Lewis & Clark College Oregon 1 0
LAC #128 University of Mary Washington Virginia 37 1
LAC #150 New College of Florida Florida 22 0
LAC #160 Salem College North Carolina 2 0
LAC #172 University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Wisconsin 254 0
LAC #184 Indiana University-Southeast Indiana 64 0
LAC #184 Louisiana State University at Alexandria Louisiana 70 0
LAC #184 Antioch College Ohio 11 0
— University of Maryland Global Campus Maryland 3,034 18
— Ivy Tech Community College Indiana 1,573 0
— Southern New Hampshire University New Hampshire 754 0
— Montgomery College Maryland 748 47
— Community College of Baltimore County Maryland 486 27
— Ozarks Technical Community College Missouri 477 0
— Anne Arundel Community College Maryland 361 4
— East Central Community College Mississippi 270 9
— Kent State University at Stark Ohio 254 1
— Fayetteville Technical Community College North Carolina 249 1
— Prince George's Community College Maryland 232 6
— Front Range Community College Colorado 224 2
— University of Wisconsin--Oshkosh Wisconsin 213 0
— Baton Rouge Community College Louisiana 187 6
— Harford Community College Maryland 177 1
— Frederick Community College Maryland 174 2
— Arapahoe Community College Colorado 173 2
— Meridian Community College Mississippi 170 0
— Bristol Community College Massachusetts 166 0
— Schoolcraft Community College District Michigan 162 9
— Metropolitan Community College Area Nebraska 149 0
— Linn-Benton Community College Oregon 147 0
— Itawamba Community College Mississippi 146 0
— University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Wisconsin 142 0
— Suffolk County Community College New York 133 0
— Cumberland University Tennessee 131 2
— Cape Fear Community College North Carolina 121 0
— Pitt Community College North Carolina 115 4
— Community College of Denver Colorado 114 5
— Western Illinois University Illinois 113 4

Purple: international students are 25% or more of the school's graduates.

Graduate counts: IPEDS Completions, US Department of Education, 2002–2025. Rankings: 2027 U.S. News.