Liberal Arts and General Studies colleges in Missouri, ranked by graduates
13 colleges in Missouri awarded at least 10 bachelor's degrees in liberal arts and general studies in 2023: 786 degrees, 6.1% of all bachelor's degrees at those colleges (1.9% across every college CollegeCalcAI tracks). Columbia College (MO) graduated the most (162, 16.5% of its class). 9 of the 13 are public universities. The median acceptance rate among them is 73%; the most selective is Harris-Stowe State University at 50%.
Liberal Arts and General Studies colleges in Missouri
Every Missouri college awarding at least 10 bachelor's degrees in liberal arts and general studies, ranked by 2023 graduates. Click a college for its liberal arts and general studies page.
| # | College | Type | Degrees (2023) | Share of grads | Acceptance rate | SAT 75th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbia College (MO) | Private | 162 | 16.5% | 65% | 1120 |
| 2 | Southeast Missouri State University | Public | 116 | 7.3% | 74% | 1120 |
| 3 | University of Missouri-Kansas City | Public | 112 | 7% | 72% | 1270 |
| 4 | Missouri Southern State | Public | 85 | 12.7% | 97% | 1100 |
| 5 | Central Missouri | Public | 84 | 6.1% | 64% | 1120 |
| 6 | Missouri State University | Public | 65 | 2% | 91% | 1210 |
| 7 | Northwest Missouri State | Public | 46 | 4.2% | 86% | 1100 |
| 8 | Missouri-St. Louis | Public | 40 | 2.9% | 63% | 1120 |
| 9 | Harris-Stowe State University | Public | 21 | 9.8% | 50% | 1000 |
| 10 | Missouri Baptist University | Private | 17 | 4.7% | 69% | 1120 |
| 11 | Lincoln University (MO) | Public | 16 | 6.6% | 75% | 1120 |
| 12 | Avila University | Private | 11 | 5.6% | 88% | 1120 |
| 13 | Hannibal-LaGrange University | Private | 11 | 13.4% | 73% | 1120 |
Questions about liberal arts and general studies colleges in Missouri
What is the best college for liberal arts and general studies in Missouri?
By bachelor's degrees awarded in 2023, the largest liberal arts and general studies programs in Missouri are Columbia College (MO) (162), Southeast Missouri State University (116), University of Missouri-Kansas City (112). "Best" depends on your profile: this page ranks every Missouri college in the field by output and shows each one's acceptance rate and admitted SAT so you can match it to your own numbers.
How many colleges in Missouri offer liberal arts and general studies?
13 four-year colleges in Missouri awarded 10 or more bachelor's degrees in liberal arts and general studies in 2023, 9 public and 4 private, for 786 graduates in total.
Is in-state status an advantage for liberal arts and general studies in Missouri?
At the 9 public universities on this list, Missouri residents are usually admitted at a higher rate than out-of-state applicants and pay in-state tuition. CollegeCalcAI applies the residency effect when you set your home state, and the per-major adjustment when you set the major.
Liberal Arts and General Studies elsewhere
The same field in other states, and the national ranking.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 Completions (bachelor's degrees, first majors, CIP 2-digit series), joined to CollegeCalcAI's admissions dataset. Built 2026-09-19. Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are not predictions or guarantees.