General degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.
For its 2027 ranking, College Factual looked at 2 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for general students pursuing a degree.
Where you study general matters for your future. To help, we created our Best General Schools rankings. Our overall ranking combines our degree-level rankings, weighted by 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.
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we have developed a number of rankings, including this Best General Schools list, to help you choose. Want schools in a particular part of the country? Narrow the list by region or state.
To further help you make the college decision, we have developed a unique tool called College Combat that lets you compare schools on the factors that matter most to you.
University Of Pennsylvania is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in general. Set in the city of Philadelphia, University Of Pennsylvania is a very large private not-for-profit institution. University Of Pennsylvania graduates 96% of students within six years. University Of Pennsylvania awarded about 23 general degrees in the most recent data year. General graduates of University Of Pennsylvania earn a median of $99,682 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $16,155 to complete this degree.
Read more about the general program at University Of Pennsylvania
A rank of #2 makes Beacon College one of the top schools for general. Beacon College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Leesburg. Roughly 58% of students complete a degree within six years here. Beacon College awarded about 20 general degrees in the most recent data year.
See the full general program report for Beacon College
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 2 schools evaluated.
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).
