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2025 Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region

145 Colleges in the Middle Atlantic Region
38,659 Liberal Arts Degrees Awarded
$31,562 Avg Early-Career Salary
If you pursue a degree in liberal arts general studies, you won't be alone. The field of study is the #1 most popular program in the country. This means there are lots of options to choose from when you decide to get your degree.

For its 2025 ranking, College Factual looked at 145 schools in the Middle Atlantic Region to determine which ones were the best for liberal arts general studies students pursuing a degree. Combined, these schools handed out 38,659 degrees in liberal arts general studies to qualified students.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great Liberal Arts General Studies School

Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region The liberal arts program you select can have a big impact on your future. That's why we developed our collection of Best Schools for Liberal Arts General Studies rankings. We derive our Best Overall Liberal Arts General Studies School rankings by rolling up our degree-level rankings after weighting them by the number of degrees awarded at each school.

You may want to choose one of the degree levels below to find the schools of most interest to you.

Pick Your Liberal Arts General Studies Degree Level

Associate Degrees in Liberal Arts
Bachelor's Degrees in Liberal Arts
Master's Degrees in Liberal Arts
Doctor'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 the Middle Atlantic Region ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision. If you'd like to restrict your choices to just one part of the country, you can filter this list by location.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

If you want to learn more about how we derive our rankings, see College Factual's Methodology.

Best Schools for Liberal Arts General Studies in the Middle Atlantic Region

If you aren't interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the liberal arts degrees they offer, see the list below. Only those schools that rank in the top 20% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.

25 Top Middle Atlantic Region Schools in Liberal Arts

1
NYU crest
New York University
New York, NY
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
654 Liberal Arts Degrees Awarded
$38,783 Median Starting Salary

New York University is one of the best schools in the United States for getting a degree in liberal arts general studies. Located in the large city of New York, NYU is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #16 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means NYU is a great university overall.

There were roughly 654 liberal arts general studies students who graduated with this degree at NYU in the most recent year we have data available. Liberal Arts General Studies degree recipients from New York University earn a boost of around $7,221 above the average earnings of liberal arts general studies majors.

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

2
Georgetown crest
Georgetown University
Washington, DC
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
41 Liberal Arts Degrees Awarded
$66,719 Median Starting Salary

Georgetown University is one of the best schools in the United States for getting a degree in liberal arts general studies. Located in the city of Washington, Georgetown is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #11 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Georgetown is a great university overall.

There were roughly 41 liberal arts general studies students who graduated with this degree at Georgetown in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the liberal arts general studies degree program at Georgetown University make $35,157 more than the typical graduate with the same degree when they enter the workforce.

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

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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
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 one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in liberal arts general studies. Located in the suburb of Villanova, Villanova is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #34 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Villanova is a great university overall.

There were approximately 54 liberal arts general studies students who graduated with this degree at Villanova in the most recent data year. Those liberal arts general studies students who get their degree from Villanova University make $19,758 more than the typical liberal arts student.

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

4
Drexel crest
Drexel University
Philadelphia, PA
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
54 Liberal Arts Degrees Awarded
$62,470 Median Starting Salary

Every student who is interested in liberal arts general studies has to check out Drexel University. Located in the city of Philadelphia, Drexel is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #115 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Drexel is a great university overall.

There were approximately 54 liberal arts general studies students who graduated with this degree at Drexel in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the liberal arts general studies major at Drexel University get $30,908 more than the standard graduate with the same degree shortly after graduation.

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

5
Seton Hall crest
Seton Hall University
South Orange, NJ
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
123 Liberal Arts Degrees Awarded
$36,993 Median Starting Salary

Seton Hall is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university located in the suburb of South Orange. This university ranks 9th out of 45 colleges for overall quality in the state of New Jersey.

There were about 123 liberal arts general studies students who graduated with this degree at Seton Hall in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the liberal arts general studies degree program at Seton Hall University earn $5,431 more than the standard college grad in this field when they enter the workforce.

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

6
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
100 Liberal Arts Degrees Awarded
$36,318 Median Starting Salary

RIT is a large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Rochester. A Best Colleges rank of #147 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means RIT is a great school overall.

There were roughly 100 liberal arts general studies students who graduated with this degree at RIT in the most recent data year. Liberal Arts General Studies degree recipients from Rochester Institute of Technology receive an earnings boost of around $4,756 above the typical earnings of liberal arts general studies graduates.

More information about a degree in liberal arts general studies from Rochester Institute of Technology

7
Chesapeake College crest
Chesapeake College
Wye Mills, MD
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
94 Liberal Arts Degrees Awarded
$29,611 Median Starting Salary

Located in the rural area of Wye Mills, Chesapeake College is a public college with a small student population. This college ranks 9th out of 35 schools for overall quality in the state of Maryland.

There were approximately 94 liberal arts general studies students who graduated with this degree at Chesapeake College in the most recent year we have data available. After graduating, liberal arts degree recipients generally make about $29,611 at the beginning of their careers.

More information about a degree in liberal arts general studies from Chesapeake College

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Bachelors Degree Type
BA in General Studies Program Name

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

Related Programs

8
Molloy crest
Molloy College
Rockville Centre, NY
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
$74,868 Median Starting Salary

Molloy is a small private not-for-profit college located in the suburb of Rockville Centre. A Best Colleges rank of #98 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Molloy is a great college overall.

There were approximately 30 liberal arts general studies students who graduated with this degree at Molloy in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the liberal arts general studies program at Molloy College get $43,306 above the average graduate in this field shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in liberal arts general studies from Molloy College

9
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
1,401 Liberal Arts Degrees Awarded
$26,874 Median Starting Salary

Located in the large suburb of Selden, Suffolk County Community College is a public college with a fairly large student population. This college ranks 33rd out of 136 schools for overall quality in the state of New York.

There were about 1401 liberal arts general studies students who graduated with this degree at Suffolk County Community College in the most recent data year. Students who receive their degree from the liberal arts program earn an average of $26,874 for their early career.

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

10
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
568 Liberal Arts Degrees Awarded
$30,417 Median Starting Salary

Located in the suburb of Valhalla, SUNY Westchester Community College is a public college with a medium-sized student population. A Best Colleges rank of #159 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means SUNY Westchester Community College is a great college overall.

There were about 568 liberal arts general studies students who graduated with this degree at SUNY Westchester Community College in the most recent data year. Students who receive their degree from the liberal arts program make around $30,417 for their early career.

More information about a degree in liberal arts general studies from SUNY Westchester Community College

11
Montgomery College crest
Montgomery College
Rockville, MD
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
1,131 Liberal Arts Degrees Awarded
$20,217 Median Starting Salary

Montgomery College is a fairly large public college located in the small city of Rockville. This college ranks 7th out of 35 schools for overall quality in the state of Maryland.

There were roughly 1131 liberal arts general studies students who graduated with this degree at Montgomery College in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the liberal arts program report average early career earnings of $20,217.

More information about a degree in liberal arts general studies from Montgomery College

12
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
279 Liberal Arts Degrees Awarded
$38,840 Median Starting Salary

Located in the suburb of Teaneck, FDU is a private not-for-profit university with a moderately-sized student population. This university ranks 16th out of 45 schools for overall quality in the state of New Jersey.

There were about 279 liberal arts general studies students who graduated with this degree at FDU in the most recent year we have data available. Those liberal arts general studies students who get their degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University - Metropolitan Campus make $7,278 more than the average liberal arts graduate.

More information about a degree in liberal arts general studies from Fairleigh Dickinson University - Metropolitan Campus

13
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
35th Most Popular In PA
19.2% Growth in Graduates

Located in the large city of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #8 out of 2,152 colleges 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

14
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
1,609 Liberal Arts Degrees Awarded
$23,966 Median Starting Salary

Located in the large suburb of Paramus, Bergen Community College is a public college with a fairly large student population. This college ranks 8th out of 45 schools for overall quality in the state of New Jersey.

There were approximately 1609 liberal arts general studies students who graduated with this degree at Bergen Community College in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the liberal arts program state that they receive average early career earnings of $23,966.

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

15
St. John's Annapolis crest
St John's College
Annapolis, MD
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
139 Liberal Arts Degrees Awarded
27.3% Growth in Graduates

Located in the suburb of Annapolis, St. John's Annapolis is a private not-for-profit college with a fairly small student population. This college ranks 8th out of 35 schools for overall quality in the state of Maryland.

There were about 139 liberal arts general studies students who graduated with this degree at St. John's Annapolis in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the liberal arts program state that they receive average early career income of $28,888.

More information about a degree in liberal arts general studies from St John’s College

16
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
372 Liberal Arts Degrees Awarded
$25,252 Median Starting Salary

Monroe Community College is a moderately-sized public college located in the suburb of Rochester. This college ranks 82nd out of 136 schools for overall quality in the state of New York.

There were approximately 372 liberal arts general studies students who graduated with this degree at Monroe Community College in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the liberal arts program report average early career wages of $25,252.

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

17
St. Joe's crest
Saint Joseph's University
Philadelphia, PA
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
$53,766 Median Starting Salary

St. Joe's is a medium-sized private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Philadelphia. A Best Colleges rank of #105 out of 2,152 schools 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 data year. Degree recipients from the liberal arts general studies program at Saint Joseph's University earn $22,204 more than the standard college graduate in this field shortly after graduation.

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

18
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
611 Liberal Arts Degrees Awarded
$25,826 Median Starting Salary

Located in the suburb of Arnold, AACC is a public college with a fairly large student population. This college ranks 14th out of 35 colleges for overall quality in the state of Maryland.

There were about 611 liberal arts general studies students who graduated with this degree at AACC in the most recent year we have data available. Students who receive their degree from the liberal arts program make about $25,826 in their early career salary.

More information about a degree in liberal arts general studies from Anne Arundel Community College

19
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
771 Liberal Arts Degrees Awarded
17.1% Growth in Graduates

Located in the large suburb of Largo, PGCC is a public college with a fairly large student population. This college ranks 13th out of 35 schools for overall quality in the state of Maryland.

There were roughly 771 liberal arts general studies students who graduated with this degree at PGCC in the most recent year we have data available. Students who receive their degree from the liberal arts program make around $31,322 in their early career salary.

More information about a degree in liberal arts general studies from Prince George’s Community College

20
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
257 Liberal Arts Degrees Awarded
$13,833 Median Starting Salary

UD is a fairly large public university located in the suburb of Newark. A Best Colleges rank of #96 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UD is a great university overall.

There were approximately 257 liberal arts general studies students who graduated with this degree at UD in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the liberal arts program report average early career income of $13,833.

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

21
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
692 Liberal Arts Degrees Awarded
$27,852 Median Starting Salary

CCBC is a large public college located in the suburb of Baltimore. This college ranks 11th out of 35 colleges for overall quality in the state of Maryland.

There were about 692 liberal arts general studies students who graduated with this degree at CCBC in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the liberal arts program state that they receive average early career wages of $27,852.

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

22
Graduate Certificate Highest Degree Type
33rd Most Popular In PA

Located in the large city of Pittsburgh, Pitt is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #85 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Pitt is a great university overall.

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

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

23
Nassau Community College crest
Nassau Community College
Garden City, NY
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
1,020 Liberal Arts Degrees Awarded
$27,510 Median Starting Salary

Located in the suburb of Garden City, Nassau Community College is a public college with a large student population. This college ranks 43rd out of 136 schools for overall quality in the state of New York.

There were roughly 1020 liberal arts general studies students who graduated with this degree at Nassau Community College in the most recent data year. After graduating, liberal arts degree recipients usually make an average of $27,510 in the first five years of their career.

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

24
Union College crest
Union College New York
Schenectady, NY
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
$45,516 Median Starting Salary

Union College is a small private not-for-profit college located in the city of Schenectady. This college ranks 46th out of 136 schools for overall quality in the state of New York.

There were roughly 1 liberal arts general studies students who graduated with this degree at Union College in the most recent data year. Liberal Arts General Studies degree recipients from Union College New York receive an earnings boost of about $13,954 above the typical earnings of liberal arts general studies majors.

More information about a degree in liberal arts general studies from Union College New York

25
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
2,237 Liberal Arts Degrees Awarded
$40,191 Median Starting Salary

UMGC is a fairly large public university located in the large suburb of Adelphi. A Best Colleges rank of #179 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UMGC is a great university overall.

There were approximately 2237 liberal arts general studies students who graduated with this degree at UMGC in the most recent data year. Liberal Arts General Studies degree recipients from University of Maryland Global Campus earn a boost of about $8,629 over the typical income of liberal arts general studies graduates.

More information about a degree in liberal arts general studies from University of Maryland Global Campus

Rest of the Top Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region

26
Stockton State crest
Stockton University
Galloway, NJ
27
28
Sarah Lawrence crest
Sarah Lawrence College
Bronxville, NY
29

Additional Noteworthy Schools

These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region award.

Rank College Location
30 Frederick Community College Frederick, MD
31 Corning Community College Corning, NY
32 Dutchess Community College Poughkeepsie, NY
33 Borough of Manhattan Community College New York, NY
34 Howard Community College Columbia, MD
35 Genesee Community College Batavia, NY
36 William Paterson University of New Jersey Wayne, NJ
37 Tompkins Cortland Community College Dryden, NY
38 Ocean County College Toms River, NJ
39 Baltimore City Community College Baltimore, MD
40 Hudson Valley Community College Troy, NY
41 Salisbury University Salisbury, MD
42 Excelsior University Albany, NY
43 Rowan College at Burlington County Mount Laurel, NJ
44 Neumann University Aston, PA
45 Thomas Edison State University Trenton, NJ
46 Community College of Allegheny County Pittsburgh, PA
47 SUNY Old Westbury Old Westbury, NY
48 Purchase College Purchase, NY

Best Liberal Arts General Studies Colleges by State

Explore the best liberal arts general studies schools for a specific state in the Middle Atlantic Region .

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Pennsylvania 334 3,567
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 >

Liberal Arts General Studies is one of 0 different types of Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities programs to choose from.

Liberal Arts Focus Areas

Major Annual Graduates
Liberal Arts 20,848
General Studies 7,436
Individualized Studies 7,175
Humanities 3,200

View All Liberal Arts Concentrations >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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