Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Pennsylvania (2026)
Updated
This page ranks the 15 Liberal Arts programs in Pennsylvania by median earnings of Liberal Arts graduates four years after completing. Drexel University leads the list at $84,166, followed by Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia at $72,048 and Carnegie Mellon University at $62,027.
Across the listed schools, the median figure is $50,536, with values ranging from $84,166 to $27,439. For 5 of the 15 programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
The list includes 7 public and 8 private nonprofit institutions. Carnegie Mellon University ranks 106th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania posts the lowest average net price at $15,699, while Carnegie Mellon University reports the highest six-year completion rate at 94%.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Median Liberal Arts Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Drexel University · Philadelphia, PA | $84,166 | $38,509 | $28,055 | 79.4% |
| Drexel University reports $84,166 in median earnings of Liberal Arts graduates four years after completing and ranks 1st on this list. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (43 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($84,166) | |||||
| 2 | Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia · Philadelphia, PA | $72,048 | $29,689 | $22,570 | 88.8% |
| With an average net price of $29,689, Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia posts $72,048 in median earnings for its Liberal Arts graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (22 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($72,048) | |||||
| 3 | Carnegie Mellon University · Pittsburgh, PA | $62,027 | $31,944 | $9,097 | 11.7% |
| Carnegie Mellon University admits 12% of applicants and its Liberal Arts graduates earn a median of $62,027 four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (26 graduates) | |||||
| 4 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus · University Park, PA | $58,195 | $32,875 | $19,845 | 60.6% |
| Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus, a public university in University Park, graduates 86% of its students within six years and reports $58,195 in median earnings of Liberal Arts graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (13 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($58,195) | |||||
| 5 | Neumann University · Aston, PA | $57,721 | $27,804 | $24,467 | 81.3% |
| Neumann University ranks 5th on this page with $57,721 in median earnings four years after completing, alongside a six-year completion rate of 54%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (55 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($57,721) | |||||
| 6 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania · Indiana, PA | $54,958 | $16,804 | $12,364 | 90.8% |
| An average net price of $16,804 coincides with median earnings of $54,958 for Liberal Arts graduates of Indiana University of Pennsylvania four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (33 graduates) | |||||
| 7 | Villanova University · Villanova, PA | $53,181 | $43,756 | $17,823 | 27.0% |
| Villanova University posts a six-year completion rate of 92% and its Liberal Arts graduates earn a median of $53,181 four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (49 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($53,181) | |||||
| 8 | Temple University · Philadelphia, PA | $50,536 | $28,198 | $22,694 | 80.4% |
| Temple University reports $50,536 in median earnings of Liberal Arts graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $28,198. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (24 graduates) | |||||
| 9 | Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania · Bloomsburg, PA | $46,030 | $15,699 | $11,374 | 93.1% |
| Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania reports $46,030 in median earnings for its Liberal Arts graduates four years after completing, and its average net price of $15,699 is the lowest on the page. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (43 graduates) | |||||
| 10 | Pennsylvania Western University · California, PA | $44,180 | $18,256 | $13,944 | 94.3% |
| Pennsylvania Western University admits 94% of applicants and its Liberal Arts graduates earn a median of $44,180 four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (220 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($44,180) | |||||
| 11 | Misericordia University · Dallas, PA | $38,289 | $37,485 | $36,759 | 70.9% |
| Misericordia University reports $38,289 in median earnings for its Liberal Arts graduates two years after completing and an average net price of $37,485. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (6 graduates) | |||||
| 12 | University of Scranton · Scranton, PA | $32,029 | $32,568 | $23,896 | 81.2% |
| University of Scranton graduates 80% of its students within six years, and its Liberal Arts graduates earn a median of $32,029 two years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (8 graduates) | |||||
| 13 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus · Pittsburgh, PA | $31,305 | $30,434 | $14,709 | 58.1% |
| With a six-year completion rate of 86%, University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus reports median earnings of $31,305 for its Liberal Arts graduates two years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (18 graduates) | |||||
| 14 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania · West Chester, PA | $30,771 | $23,331 | $17,018 | 78.4% |
| Admitting 78% of applicants, West Chester University of Pennsylvania ranks 14th on this list and posts an average net price of $23,331. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (126 graduates) | |||||
| 15 | Mercyhurst University · Erie, PA | $27,439 | $19,444 | $22,626 | 81.0% |
| Mercyhurst University, a private nonprofit university in Erie, ranks 1096th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports median earnings of $27,439 for its Liberal Arts graduates two years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (7 graduates) | |||||
How this list is ordered
Schools are ordered by the median earnings of their Liberal Arts graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only schools with a reported Liberal Arts earnings cohort in Pennsylvania appear. The figure captures federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled four years after finishing. For 5 of the 15 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The range and median below cover the 15 schools with a published figure. Drexel University leads Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia by $12,118, and the spread from top to bottom is $56,727.