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2025 Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in Pennsylvania

25 Colleges in Pennsylvania
3,875 Liberal Arts Degrees Awarded
$31,562 Avg Early-Career Salary
Ranked #1 in popularity, liberal arts general studies is one of the most sought-after degree programs in the nation. This makes choosing the right school a hard decision.

For its 2025 ranking, College Factual looked at 25 schools in Pennsylvania to determine which ones were the best for liberal arts general studies students pursuing a degree. Combined, these schools handed out 3,875 degrees in liberal arts general studies to qualified students.

What's on this page: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great Liberal Arts General Studies School

Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in Pennsylvania Your choice of liberal arts general studies school matters, so we have put together these rankings to help you make your decision. In order to come up with a best overall ranking for liberal arts general studies schools, we combine our degree-level rankings, weighting them by the number of degrees awarded at each level.

In order to find the schools that are the best fit for you, you may want to filter to one of the degree levels below.

Liberal Arts General Studies Rankings by Degree Level

Associate Degrees in Liberal Arts
Bachelor's Degrees in Liberal Arts
Master's Degrees in Liberal Arts

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 Schools in Pennsylvania ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision. You can also filter this list by location to find schools closer to you.

In addition to College Factual's rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don't forget it.

More information on how we come up with our rankings can be found here: College Factual's Data Methodology.

Best Schools for Liberal Arts General Studies in Pennsylvania

The schools below may not offer all types of liberal arts degrees so you may want to filter by degree level first. However, they are great for the degree levels they do offer.

10 Top Pennsylvania Schools in Liberal Arts

1
Villanova crest
Villanova University
Villanova, PA
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
54 Liberal Arts Degrees Awarded
$51,320 Median Starting Salary

Villanova University is a wonderful choice for students interested in a degree in liberal arts general studies. Villanova is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the suburb of Villanova. A Best Colleges rank of #34 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Villanova is a great university overall.

There were about 54 liberal arts general studies students who graduated with this degree at Villanova in the most recent year we have data available. Liberal Arts General Studies degree recipients from Villanova University earn a boost of approximately $19,758 above the typical income of liberal arts general studies graduates.

More information about a degree in liberal arts general studies from Villanova University

2
Drexel crest
Drexel University
Philadelphia, PA
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
54 Liberal Arts Degrees Awarded
$62,470 Median Starting Salary

It's difficult to beat Drexel University if you wish to pursue a degree in liberal arts general studies. Drexel is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Philadelphia. A Best Colleges rank of #115 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Drexel is a great university overall.

There were roughly 54 liberal arts general studies students who graduated with this degree at Drexel in the most recent data year. Those liberal arts general studies students who get their degree from Drexel University receive $30,908 more than the standard liberal arts graduate.

More information about a degree in liberal arts general studies from Drexel University

Sponsored
Associates Degree Type
AA in Liberal Arts Program Name

Strengthen your communication and critical-thinking skills with this online associate in liberal arts degree from Southern New Hampshire University.

More information about a degree in AA in Liberal Arts from Southern New Hampshire University

Related Programs

3
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
35th Most Popular In PA
19.2% Growth in Graduates

Carnegie Mellon University is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in liberal arts general studies. Carnegie Mellon is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Pittsburgh. A Best Colleges rank of #8 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Carnegie Mellon is a great university overall.

There were approximately 26 liberal arts general studies students who graduated with this degree at Carnegie Mellon in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in liberal arts general studies from Carnegie Mellon University

4
St. Joe's crest
Saint Joseph's University
Philadelphia, PA
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
$53,766 Median Starting Salary

Saint Joseph's University is a good decision for students interested in a degree in liberal arts general studies. Located in the city of Philadelphia, St. Joe's is a private not-for-profit university with a moderately-sized student population. A Best Colleges rank of #105 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means St. Joe's is a great university overall.

There were approximately 22 liberal arts general studies students who graduated with this degree at St. Joe's in the most recent year we have data available. Those liberal arts general studies students who get their degree from Saint Joseph's University make $22,204 more than the average liberal arts graduate.

More information about a degree in liberal arts general studies from Saint Joseph’s University

5
Graduate Certificate Highest Degree Type
33rd Most Popular In PA

Pitt is a fairly large public university located in the city of Pittsburgh. A Best Colleges rank of #85 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Pitt is a great university overall.

There were approximately 22 liberal arts general studies students who graduated with this degree at Pitt in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in liberal arts general studies from University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus

6
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
260 Liberal Arts Degrees Awarded
$32,697 Median Starting Salary

Located in the city of Philadelphia, Community College of Philadelphia is a public college with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #454 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Community College of Philadelphia is a great college overall.

There were roughly 260 liberal arts general studies students who graduated with this degree at Community College of Philadelphia in the most recent data year. After graduation, liberal arts degree recipients generally make an average of $32,697 in their early careers.

More information about a degree in liberal arts general studies from Community College of Philadelphia

7
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
55 Liberal Arts Degrees Awarded
$35,220 Median Starting Salary

Located in the large suburb of Aston, Neumann is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population. This university ranks 62nd out of 103 schools for overall quality in the state of Pennsylvania.

There were about 55 liberal arts general studies students who graduated with this degree at Neumann in the most recent year we have data available. Liberal Arts General Studies degree recipients from Neumann University receive an earnings boost of about $3,658 over the typical income of liberal arts general studies majors.

More information about a degree in liberal arts general studies from Neumann University

Sponsored
Bachelors Degree Type
BA in General Studies Program Name

Maximize your transfer credits and complete your bachelor's degree faster with this flexible online bachelor's from Southern New Hampshire University.

More information about a degree in BA in General Studies from Southern New Hampshire University

Related Programs

8
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
804 Liberal Arts Degrees Awarded
39.4% Growth in Graduates

Located in the large city of Pittsburgh, CCAC is a public college with a large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #599 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means CCAC is a great college overall.

There were roughly 804 liberal arts general studies students who graduated with this degree at CCAC in the most recent data year. Graduates who receive their degree from the liberal arts program make about $25,898 for their early career.

More information about a degree in liberal arts general studies from Community College of Allegheny County

9
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
40th Most Popular In PA

Located in the city of Scranton, University of Scranton is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population. A Best Colleges rank of #202 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means University of Scranton is a great university overall.

There were roughly 8 liberal arts general studies students who graduated with this degree at University of Scranton in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in liberal arts general studies from University of Scranton

10
EU crest
Eastern University
Saint Davids, PA
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
59 Liberal Arts Degrees Awarded
10.2% Growth in Graduates

Located in the suburb of Saint Davids, EU is a private not-for-profit university with a medium-sized student population. This university ranks 74th out of 103 schools for overall quality in the state of Pennsylvania.

There were roughly 59 liberal arts general studies students who graduated with this degree at EU in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the liberal arts program report average early career income of $28,442.

More information about a degree in liberal arts general studies from Eastern University

Best Liberal Arts General Studies Colleges in the Middle Atlantic Region

Explore all the Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in the Middle Atlantic Area or other specific states within that region.

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
New York 333 19,078
Maryland 279 9,514
New Jersey 273 9,619
District of Columbia 188 145
Delaware 175 649

View All Rankings >

One of 0 majors within the Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities area of study, Liberal Arts General Studies has other similar majors worth exploring.

Liberal Arts Concentrations

Major Annual Graduates
Liberal Arts 2,278
General Studies 1,437
Individualized Studies 101
Humanities 59

View All Liberal Arts Focus Areas >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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