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2024 Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in Pennsylvania

24 Colleges in Pennsylvania
3,648 Liberal Arts Degrees Awarded
$32,278 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 2024 ranking, College Factual looked at 24 schools in Pennsylvania to determine which ones were the best for liberal arts general studies students pursuing a degree. Combined, these schools handed out 3,648 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
UPenn crest
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
37 Liberal Arts Degrees Awarded
$46,473 Median Starting Salary

University of Pennsylvania is one of the finest schools in the United States for getting a degree in liberal arts general studies. UPenn is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Philadelphia. A Best Colleges rank of #4 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means UPenn is a great university overall.

There were approximately 37 liberal arts general studies students who graduated with this degree at UPenn in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the liberal arts general studies program at University of Pennsylvania make $14,195 above the standard college graduate with the same degree shortly after graduation.

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

2
Drexel crest
Drexel University
Philadelphia, PA
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
60 Liberal Arts Degrees Awarded
$52,955 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 #125 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Drexel is a great university overall.

There were approximately 60 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 make $20,677 more than the average liberal arts student.

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

3
Villanova crest
Villanova University
Villanova, PA
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
54 Liberal Arts Degrees Awarded
$42,586 Median Starting Salary

Villanova University is a great option for students interested in a degree in liberal arts general studies. Villanova is a large private not-for-profit university located in the suburb of Villanova. A Best Colleges rank of #70 out of 2,217 colleges 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. Liberal Arts General Studies degree recipients from Villanova University receive an earnings boost of approximately $10,307 above the average income of liberal arts general studies graduates.

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

4
St. Joe's crest
Saint Joseph's University
Philadelphia, PA

Saint Joseph's University is a great choice 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 medium-sized student population. A Best Colleges rank of #157 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means St. Joe's is a great university overall.

There were approximately 26 liberal arts general studies students who graduated with this degree at St. Joe's in the most recent data year. Liberal Arts General Studies degree recipients from Saint Joseph's University receive an earnings boost of around $16,764 above the typical income of liberal arts general studies majors.

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

5
Graduate Certificate Highest Degree Type
45.8% Growth in Graduates
$36,904 Median Starting Salary

Pitt is a very large public university located in the city of Pittsburgh. A Best Colleges rank of #79 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Pitt is a great university overall.

There were about 24 liberal arts general studies students who graduated with this degree at Pitt in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the liberal arts general studies degree program at University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus make $4,626 more than the average college graduate in this field when they enter the workforce.

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

6
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
487 Liberal Arts Degrees Awarded
$26,835 Median Starting Salary

Located in the large city of Pittsburgh, CCAC is a public college with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #876 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means CCAC is a great college overall.

There were approximately 487 liberal arts general studies students who graduated with this degree at CCAC 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 income of $26,835.

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

7
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
156 Liberal Arts Degrees Awarded
$34,185 Median Starting Salary

Located in the large suburb of West Chester, WCUPA is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #241 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means WCUPA is a great university overall.

There were about 156 liberal arts general studies students who graduated with this degree at WCUPA in the most recent year we have data available. After graduating, liberal arts degree recipients typically make about $34,185 in their early careers.

More information about a degree in liberal arts general studies from West Chester University of Pennsylvania

7
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
116 Liberal Arts Degrees Awarded
$29,128 Median Starting Salary

Located in the town of Clarion, Clarion University is a public university with a small student population.

There were approximately 116 liberal arts general studies students who graduated with this degree at Clarion University in the most recent data year. Soon after graduating, liberal arts degree recipients usually earn about $29,128 in the first five years of their career.

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

8
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
35 Liberal Arts Degrees Awarded
$32,321 Median Starting Salary

IUP is a moderately-sized public university located in the town of Indiana. A Best Colleges rank of #888 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means IUP is a great university overall.

There were roughly 35 liberal arts general studies students who graduated with this degree at IUP 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 $32,321.

More information about a degree in liberal arts general studies from Indiana University of Pennsylvania - Main Campus

9
Temple crest
Temple University
Philadelphia, PA

Temple is a fairly large public university located in the city of Philadelphia. A Best Colleges rank of #147 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Temple is a great university overall.

There were roughly 29 liberal arts general studies students who graduated with this degree at Temple 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 $27,578.

More information about a degree in liberal arts general studies from Temple 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 2,233
General Studies 1,303
Humanities 60
Individualized Studies 52

View All Liberal Arts Focus Areas >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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