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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts in Pennsylvania (With Aid)

17 Ranked Colleges
873 Degrees Awarded
$24,000 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor's in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid” ranking.

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.

For this year’s “Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid” ranking, we looked at 17 colleges that offer 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.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the liberal arts program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Liberal Arts Schools

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 Getting Aid” 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 Getting Aid

The colleges and universities below are the best for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree liberal studies students with aid.

Top 17 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts in Pennsylvania (With Aid)

#1

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 #1 on our 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid list. WCUPA is a fairly large school located in West Chester, Pennsylvania that handed out 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. It costs about $22,495 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree liberal studies students with aid per year to attend West Chester University of Pennsylvania.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full WCUPA Liberal Arts Report

#2

Mansfield University of Pennsylvania

Mansfield, Pennsylvania
#14 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Mansfield University of Pennsylvania. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid. Mansfield University of Pennsylvania is located in Mansfield, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 24 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to qualified students.

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 of Pennsylvania is $19,065 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students with aid.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at Mansfield University

#3

University of Pittsburgh - Bradford

Bradford, Pennsylvania
#10 in overall quality

Out of the 17 schools in the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Pittsburgh - Bradford landed the #3 spot on the list. University of Pittsburgh - Bradford is a small school located in Bradford, Pennsylvania that handed out 9 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree liberal studies students with aid list, Pitt Bradford has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Pittsburgh - Bradford is $18,906 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree liberal studies students with aid.

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%.

Full Pitt Bradford Liberal Arts Report

#4

Cheyney University of Pennsylvania

Cheyney, Pennsylvania
#15 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Cheyney University of Pennsylvania. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Cheyney, Pennsylvania, this small public school awarded 6 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s liberal studies students in 2019-2020.

Cheyney University of Pennsylvania not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The yearly cost to attend Cheyney University of Pennsylvania is $7,656 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree liberal studies students with aid.

Read more about Liberal Arts at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania

#5

Edinboro University of Pennsylvania

Edinboro, Pennsylvania
#13 in overall quality

Out of the 17 schools in the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania landed the #5 spot on the list. 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 did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The yearly cost to attend Edinboro is $16,833 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students with aid.

Full Edinboro Liberal Arts Report

#6

California University of Pennsylvania

California, Pennsylvania
#8 in overall quality

California University of Pennsylvania did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #6. Located in California, Pennsylvania, this medium-sized public school awarded 55 degrees to qualified bachelors’s liberal studies students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree liberal studies students with aid list, Cal U has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California University of Pennsylvania is $18,154 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree liberal studies students with aid.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at California University of Pennsylvania

#6 in overall quality

University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid ranking. 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.

Pitt also took the #6 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $27,938 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students with aid per year to attend Pitt.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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 University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus

#8

Clarion University of Pennsylvania

Clarion, Pennsylvania
#9 in overall quality

Clarion University of Pennsylvania did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #8. Clarion University of Pennsylvania is a small public school situated in Clarion, Pennsylvania. It awarded 146 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree liberal studies students with aid list, Clarion University has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Clarion University of Pennsylvania is $20,011 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students with aid.

Read more about Liberal Arts at Clarion University of Pennsylvania

#9

Lock Haven University

Lock Haven, Pennsylvania
#12 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, Lock Haven University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid list. LHU is a public institution located in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 17 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

LHU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The estimated yearly cost for LHU is $20,506 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students with aid.

Read more about Liberal Arts at Lock Haven University

#10

Manor College

Jenkintown, Pennsylvania
#16 in overall quality

Manor College ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid list. Manor College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania. It awarded 3 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Manor College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. It costs about $16,658 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students with aid per year to attend Manor College.

Read more about Liberal Arts at Manor College

#11

Lackawanna College

Scranton, Pennsylvania
#17 in overall quality

Lackawanna College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid ranking. Lackawanna College is a small school located in Scranton, Pennsylvania that handed out 4 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees 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. The estimated yearly cost for Lackawanna College is $18,120 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students with aid.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at Lackawanna College

#12

Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
#1 in overall quality

Carnegie Mellon University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid list. Carnegie Mellon University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It awarded 17 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Carnegie Mellon did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The yearly cost to attend Carnegie Mellon University is $34,508 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students with aid.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at Carnegie Mellon

#13

Saint Joseph's University

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
#4 in overall quality

Saint Joseph’s University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid ranking. Saint Joseph’s University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 21 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

St. Joe’s also made our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list, coming in at #4. It costs about $33,375 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree liberal studies students with aid per year to attend St. Joe’s.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at Saint Joseph’s University

#14

Villanova University

Villanova, Pennsylvania
#2 in overall quality

With a ranking of #14, Villanova University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid list. Villanova is a fairly large school located in Villanova, Pennsylvania that handed out 29 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Villanova also made our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list, coming in at #2. It costs about $41,027 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree liberal studies students with aid per year to attend Villanova University.

The low student loan default rate of 1.5% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Liberal Arts at Villanova

#15

Neumann University

Aston, Pennsylvania
#11 in overall quality

With a ranking of #15, Neumann University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid list. Aston, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to 67 students in 2019-2020.

Neumann also took the #11 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $23,808 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree liberal studies students with aid per year to attend Neumann.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at Neumann

#16

Drexel University

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
#3 in overall quality

With a ranking of #16, Drexel University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 76 degrees to qualified bachelors’s liberal studies students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Drexel, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Drexel is $34,914 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree liberal studies students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Liberal Arts at Drexel University

#17

University of Scranton

Scranton, Pennsylvania
#7 in overall quality

With a ranking of #17, University of Scranton did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid list. University of Scranton is a private not-for-profit institution located in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 17 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

University of Scranton also made our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list, coming in at #7. The yearly cost to attend University of Scranton is $34,374 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree liberal studies students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 1.9% 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 University of Scranton

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.

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