by our College Data Analytics Team
[General Education](/majors/education/general-education/) graduates earn very different salaries depending on where they study. The schools below stand out for the salaries their general education graduates go on to command.
College Factual analyzed 9 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the highest-paying general education schools.
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If you want to know which schools send general education graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
University Of Pennsylvania earned the #1 spot for highest-paid general education graduates in Pennsylvania. University Of Pennsylvania is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Philadelphia. General Education graduates of University Of Pennsylvania earn a median of about $78,153 a year early in their careers.
A rank of #2 makes Misericordia University one of the highest-paying schools for general education. Misericordia University is a private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Dallas. Students who complete the general education program here go on to a median salary of roughly $69,392.
Strong graduate earnings at La Salle University earned it the #3 place for general education. La Salle University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Philadelphia. After graduating, general education degree recipients from La Salle University typically earn about $69,890 annually.
Students chasing top earnings in general education will find them at York College Pennsylvania, which ranked #4. Located in the suburb of York, York College Pennsylvania is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career general education graduates from York College Pennsylvania make a median of around $63,072 per year.
A rank of #5 makes Saint Francis University one of the highest-paying schools for general education. Saint Francis University is a private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Loretto. Students who complete the general education program here go on to a median salary of roughly $60,606.
Cedar Crest College landed the #6 spot for general education salaries this year. Set in the city of Allentown, Cedar Crest College is a private not-for-profit institution. General Education graduates of Cedar Crest College earn a median of about $61,498 a year early in their careers.
Holy Family University earned the #7 position for general education graduate earnings this year. Holy Family University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Philadelphia. After graduating, general education degree recipients from Holy Family University typically earn about $58,924 annually.
Temple University earned the #8 position for general education graduate earnings this year. Temple University is a public school located in the city of Philadelphia. General Education graduates of Temple University earn a median of about $83,682 a year early in their careers.
Messiah College came in at #9 for general education graduate earnings this year. Located in the suburb of Mechanicsburg, Messiah College is a private not-for-profit institution. General Education graduates of Messiah College earn a median of about $54,508 a year early in their careers.
This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their general education graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 9 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.