Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Find Schools Near

2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k

17 Ranked Colleges
873 Degrees Awarded
$18,200 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor's in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2019-2020, 365,980 liberal arts students received their degree, making the major the 2nd most popular in the country.

Across Pennsylvania, there were 2,349 liberal arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 873 liberal arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking analyzed 17 colleges that offered a degree in liberal arts. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great liberal arts programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the liberal arts program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 17 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts (Income $30-$48k) in Pennsylvania

#1

Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Carnegie Mellon University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to 17 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $30-$48k list, Carnegie Mellon has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Carnegie Mellon University is $13,782 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Carnegie Mellon University Liberal Arts Report

#2

Mansfield University of Pennsylvania

Mansfield, Pennsylvania
#14 in overall quality

Out of the 17 schools in the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Mansfield University of Pennsylvania landed the #2 spot on the list. Mansfield University of Pennsylvania is a public institution located in Mansfield, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 24 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Mansfield University, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Mansfield University is $16,252 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at Mansfield University

#3

University of Pittsburgh - Bradford

Bradford, Pennsylvania
#10 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Pittsburgh - Bradford. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k list. Pitt Bradford is a small public school situated in Bradford, Pennsylvania. It awarded 9 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Pitt Bradford also took the #10 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Pittsburgh - Bradford is $15,476 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Liberal Arts at Pitt Bradford

#4

West Chester University of Pennsylvania

West Chester, Pennsylvania
#5 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend West Chester University of Pennsylvania. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k list. This fairly large school is located in West Chester, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 161 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.

WCUPA also took the #5 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend West Chester University of Pennsylvania is $17,966 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Full West Chester University of Pennsylvania Liberal Arts Report

#5

Cheyney University of Pennsylvania

Cheyney, Pennsylvania
#15 in overall quality

Out of the 17 schools in the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Cheyney University of Pennsylvania landed the #5 spot on the list. This small school is located in Cheyney, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Cheyney University of Pennsylvania did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The yearly cost to attend Cheyney University of Pennsylvania is $8,609 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania

#6

Edinboro University of Pennsylvania

Edinboro, Pennsylvania
#13 in overall quality

Edinboro University of Pennsylvania landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Edinboro, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to 47 students in 2019-2020.

Edinboro also took the #13 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Edinboro University of Pennsylvania is $13,986 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania

#6 in overall quality

University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k list. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to 5 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $30-$48k list, Pitt has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $21,011 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Pitt.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Pitt Liberal Arts Report

#8

California University of Pennsylvania

California, Pennsylvania
#8 in overall quality

California University of Pennsylvania landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. California University of Pennsylvania is a medium-sized public school situated in California, Pennsylvania. It awarded 55 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Cal U also made our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list, coming in at #8. The estimated yearly cost for California University of Pennsylvania is $14,428 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Cal U Liberal Arts Report

#9

Clarion University of Pennsylvania

Clarion, Pennsylvania
#9 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, Clarion University of Pennsylvania did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k list. Clarion University of Pennsylvania is a public institution located in Clarion, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 146 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Clarion University also took the #9 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $17,224 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Clarion University of Pennsylvania.

Read more about Liberal Arts at Clarion University of Pennsylvania

#10

Saint Joseph's University

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
#4 in overall quality

With a ranking of #10, Saint Joseph’s University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 21 degrees to qualified bachelors’s liberal studies students in 2019-2020.

St. Joe’s not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. It costs about $25,012 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Saint Joseph’s University.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The low student loan default rate of 3.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Liberal Arts at St. Joe’s

#11

Lock Haven University

Lock Haven, Pennsylvania
#12 in overall quality

Lock Haven University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This small school is located in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 17 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.

LHU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. It costs about $17,281 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Lock Haven University.

Full LHU Liberal Arts Report

#12

Villanova University

Villanova, Pennsylvania
#2 in overall quality

With a ranking of #12, Villanova University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k list. Villanova University is located in Villanova, Pennsylvania and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 29 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to qualified students.

Villanova also took the #2 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Villanova University is $21,359 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Read more about Liberal Arts at Villanova University

#13

University of Scranton

Scranton, Pennsylvania
#7 in overall quality

University of Scranton came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Scranton is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Scranton, Pennsylvania. It awarded 17 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.

University of Scranton also made our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list, coming in at #7. It costs about $24,686 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Scranton.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at University of Scranton

#14

Manor College

Jenkintown, Pennsylvania
#16 in overall quality

Manor College ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k list. Manor College is a small school located in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania that handed out 3 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Manor College also took the #16 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Manor College is $16,436 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Liberal Arts at Manor College

#15

Drexel University

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
#3 in overall quality

Drexel University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #15. Drexel is a private not-for-profit institution located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The school has a large population, and it awarded 76 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Drexel not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The yearly cost to attend Drexel is $27,057 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Liberal Arts at Drexel

#16

Neumann University

Aston, Pennsylvania
#11 in overall quality

Neumann University landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Neumann is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Aston, Pennsylvania. It awarded 67 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Neumann not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The estimated yearly cost for Neumann University is $21,636 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Neumann Liberal Arts Report

#17

Lackawanna College

Scranton, Pennsylvania
#17 in overall quality

With a ranking of #17, Lackawanna College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Scranton, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 4 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s liberal studies students in 2019-2020.

Lackawanna College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. It costs about $17,256 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Lackawanna College.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at Lackawanna College

Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Featured Liberal Arts Schools

Find Schools Near You