2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts in Pennsylvania
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania” ranking - to help you make that decision.
With 365,980 degrees handed out in 2019-2020, liberal arts is the 2nd most popular major in the United States.
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” 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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
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One Size Does Not Fit All
The liberal studies school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania”.
One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania.
Top 17 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts in Pennsylvania
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend West Chester University of Pennsylvania. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania. Located in West Chester, Pennsylvania, this fairly large public school handed out 161 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s liberal studies students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree liberal studies students list, WCUPA has also earned the #5 rank 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 per year to attend WCUPA.
With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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%.
Out of the 17 schools in the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania that were part of this year’s ranking, California University of Pennsylvania landed the #2 spot on the list. 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.
In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree liberal studies students list, Cal U has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $18,154 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students per year to attend Cal U.
Read full report on Liberal Arts at California University of Pennsylvania
Out of the 17 schools in the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania that were part of this year’s ranking, Clarion University of Pennsylvania landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Clarion, Pennsylvania, this small public school handed out 146 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s liberal studies students in 2019-2020.
Clarion University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The yearly cost to attend Clarion University of Pennsylvania is $20,011 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree liberal studies students.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Pittsburgh - Bradford. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania. University of Pittsburgh - Bradford is a public institution located in Bradford, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Pitt Bradford also made our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list, coming in at #10. The yearly cost to attend Pitt Bradford is $18,906 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree liberal studies students.
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%.
Read more about Liberal Arts at University of Pittsburgh - Bradford
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania list. Pitt is a large school located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that handed out 5 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
Pitt also made our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list, coming in at #6. The estimated yearly cost for Pitt is $27,938 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students.
With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 3.5% 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%.
Read full report on Liberal Arts at University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus
Edinboro University of Pennsylvania landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania ranking. Edinboro University of Pennsylvania is a small school located in Edinboro, Pennsylvania that handed out 47 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree liberal studies students list, Edinboro has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $16,833 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree liberal studies students per year to attend Edinboro.
Read more about Liberal Arts at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania
Lock Haven University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania list. Lock Haven, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to 17 students 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. It costs about $20,506 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree liberal studies students per year to attend Lock Haven University.
With a ranking of #8, Mansfield University of Pennsylvania did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania list. This small school is located in Mansfield, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 24 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
Mansfield University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. It costs about $19,065 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students per year to attend Mansfield University.
Cheyney University of Pennsylvania ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania list. Cheyney University of Pennsylvania is a small school located in Cheyney, Pennsylvania that handed out 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 estimated yearly cost for Cheyney University of Pennsylvania is $7,656 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students.
Read more about Liberal Arts at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania
With a ranking of #10, Manor College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania list. Manor College is located in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 3 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree liberal studies students list, Manor College has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $16,658 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students per year to attend Manor College.
Lackawanna College ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania list. Lackawanna College is a small school located in Scranton, Pennsylvania that handed out 4 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Lackawanna College, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Lackawanna College is $18,120 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree liberal studies students.
Neumann University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania list. Neumann is located in Aston, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 67 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to qualified students.
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 $23,808 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree liberal studies students.
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 ranking. St. Joe’s is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It awarded 21 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
St. Joe’s also took the #4 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for St. Joe’s is $33,375 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree liberal studies students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, 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 89%.
With a ranking of #14, University of Scranton did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania 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 did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Scranton is $34,374 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree liberal studies students.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Villanova University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania ranking, coming in at #15. Villanova 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 made our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list, coming in at #2. The yearly cost to attend Villanova is $41,027 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students.
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%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Drexel University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania ranking. Drexel University is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 76 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to qualified students.
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 estimated yearly cost for Drexel University is $34,914 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students.
The low student loan default rate of 2.3% 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 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Carnegie Mellon University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania list. Carnegie Mellon is a fairly large school located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that handed out 17 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
Carnegie Mellon also took the #1 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Carnegie Mellon is $34,508 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%. 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.
Read full report on Liberal Arts at Carnegie Mellon University
- Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts in the Middle Atlantic Region
- Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts
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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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