Source: IPEDS, as of September 29, 2026. Cost is resident tuition plus required fees, 2023-24.
Associate Degrees in Pennsylvania
18
Meet the Ranking Threshold
9
Median Resident Tuition and Fees
$12,420
With a Fully Online Option
8
General Studies Associate Degrees in Pennsylvania
Nine general studies associate degrees in Pennsylvania are ranked, all of them at public community colleges, and 9 others sit below the threshold, most at private colleges awarding one to six degrees a year. The ranked nine are a tightly priced group with very different results. Pennsylvania Highlands Community College in Johnstown has the top score at 44.3, 277th nationally, because it pairs the highest graduation rate among the nine, 38%, with 67 degrees a year and $9,360 in resident tuition and required fees for 2023-24.
Lehigh Carbon Community College in Schnecksville is second at 38.5, awarding 129 degrees a year at a 30% graduation rate with a fully online option. Butler County Community College scores 37.7 on a 37% graduation rate and the lowest tuition and fees of the nine at $8,700. The Community College of Allegheny County in Pittsburgh is the largest program, 297 degrees a year, but its 24% graduation rate holds it to 36. Harrisburg Area Community College awards 149 degrees a year, graduates 21% and offers the degree online, as do Bucks County and Northampton.
Tuition and fees across the ranked programs run from $8,700 at Butler County to $13,860 at the Community College of Beaver County in Monaca, and graduation rates from 38% at Pennsylvania Highlands to 12% at Beaver County, which scores 5.6. Below the threshold, the public options are Reading Area Community College at $10,890 and Pennsylvania College of Technology at $17,940, both online.
The 9 Best General Studies Associate Degrees in Pennsylvania
The best general studies associate degrees in Pennsylvania are ranked below by their national score, from the national associate degree ranking. The number on each card is the program's place in Pennsylvania. Each needed at least 10 graduates in the latest year to be ranked.
1
Pennsylvania Highlands Community College
Pennsylvania
44.3- Public
- College graduation rate
- 38%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $9,360 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 67
About the Program
Some 2,501 students attend Pennsylvania Highlands Community College, a public community college in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. It conferred 67 associate's degrees in the latest reported year, which is more than 47% of the associate's programs ranked at this level. Its college-wide graduation rate is 38%, the 59th percentile, because the federal record tracks completion by institution. Tuition and fees run $9,360 a year in state against $13,080 out of state, so on price it sits at the 21st percentile. What lifts it most is the graduation rate of its college, where it reaches the 59th percentile.
2
Lehigh Carbon Community College
Pennsylvania
38.5- Public
- Fully Online Option
- College graduation rate
- 30%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $9,210 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 129
About the Program
Based in Schnecksville, Pennsylvania, Lehigh Carbon Community College is a public community college with 6,221 students on its rolls. The program's last federal report shows 129 associate's degrees conferred, so it is larger than 67 in every 100 programs measured here. A 30% graduation rate puts the college at the 33rd percentile, though that figure counts every student who started there and not this degree alone. Expect tuition and fees of $9,210 a year as a resident and $13,205 otherwise. Distance students can complete the whole degree online, so where you live matters less here. Strongest of its measures is the number of degrees it awards, which lands at the 67th percentile.
3
Butler County Community College
Pennsylvania
37.7- Public
- College graduation rate
- 37%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $8,700 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 23
About the Program
Some 2,317 students attend Butler County Community College, a public community college in Butler, Pennsylvania. It conferred 23 associate's degrees in the latest reported year, which is more than 19% of the associate's programs ranked at this level. A 37% graduation rate puts the college at the 56th percentile, though that figure counts every student who started there and not this degree alone. Expect tuition and fees of $8,700 a year as a resident and $11,700 otherwise. On the graduation rate of its college it does best, reaching the 56th percentile.
4
Community College of Allegheny County
Pennsylvania
36.0- Public
- College graduation rate
- 24%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $8,803 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 297
About the Program
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is home to Community College of Allegheny County, a public community college of 10,609 students. Some 297 associate's degrees were conferred in the last year on record, a bigger output than 83% of the programs ranked alongside it. Of the students who start at Community College of Allegheny County, 24% graduate, and that beats 17 in every 100 institutions on this measure. Expect tuition and fees of $8,803 a year as a resident and $12,583 otherwise. On the number of degrees it awards it does best, reaching the 83rd percentile.
5
Harrisburg Area Community College
Pennsylvania
29.3- Public
- Fully Online Option
- College graduation rate
- 21%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $8,918 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 149
About the Program
Harrisburg Area Community College is a public community college in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania that enrolls 12,585 students. Some 149 associate's degrees were conferred in the last year on record, a bigger output than 70% of the programs ranked alongside it. Of the students who start at Harrisburg Area Community College, 21% graduate, and that beats 11 in every 100 institutions on this measure. Tuition and fees are $8,918 a year for residents and $11,400 for students from out of state, which makes it cheaper than 23% of programs at this level. Nothing in the degree requires attending in person, since it is offered fully online. What lifts it most is the number of degrees it awards, where it reaches the 70th percentile.
6
Bucks County Community College
Pennsylvania
26.5- Public
- Fully Online Option
- College graduation rate
- 32%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $9,184 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 11
About the Program
Based in Newtown, Pennsylvania, Bucks County Community College is a public community college with 6,232 students on its rolls. During the most recent year on record it awarded 11 associate's degrees, a count at the 4th percentile for size. Of the students who start at Bucks County Community College, 32% graduate, and that beats 41 in every 100 institutions on this measure. Tuition and fees are $9,184 a year for residents and $13,384 for students from out of state, which makes it cheaper than 23% of programs at this level. Because the full degree is offered online, it is open to students well outside the region. Strongest of its measures is the graduation rate of its college, which lands at the 41st percentile.
7
Northampton County Area Community College
Pennsylvania
25.7- Public
- Fully Online Option
- College graduation rate
- 24%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $10,980 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 85
About the Program
Some 8,810 students attend Northampton County Area Community College, a public community college in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. It conferred 85 associate's degrees in the latest reported year, which is more than 54% of the associate's programs ranked at this level. A 24% graduation rate puts the college at the 17th percentile, though that figure counts every student who started there and not this degree alone. Tuition and fees run $10,980 a year in state against $14,730 out of state, so on price it sits at the 15th percentile. Because the full degree is offered online, it is open to students well outside the region. Its strongest mark is the number of degrees it awards, at the 54th percentile.
8
Delaware County Community College
Pennsylvania
24.7- Public
- College graduation rate
- 24%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $10,800 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 75
About the Program
Based in Media, Pennsylvania, Delaware County Community College is a public community college with 7,402 students on its rolls. During the most recent year on record it awarded 75 associate's degrees, a count at the 49th percentile for size. Its college-wide graduation rate is 24%, the 17th percentile, because the federal record tracks completion by institution. Expect tuition and fees of $10,800 a year as a resident and $14,940 otherwise. Strongest of its measures is the number of degrees it awards, which lands at the 49th percentile.
9
Community College of Beaver County
Pennsylvania
5.6- Public
- College graduation rate
- 12%
- In-state tuition and fees
- $13,860 a year
- Degrees awarded, latest year
- 14
About the Program
Some 1,936 students attend Community College of Beaver County, a public community college in Monaca, Pennsylvania. During the most recent year on record it awarded 14 associate's degrees, a count at the 9th percentile for size. Its college-wide graduation rate is 12%, the 2nd percentile, because the federal record tracks completion by institution. Residents pay $13,860 a year in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay $20,070. Strongest of its measures is price, which lands at the 9th percentile.
Other General Studies Associate Degrees in Pennsylvania
The other general studies associate degrees in Pennsylvania awarded fewer than 10 degrees in the latest year or did not report a figure the ranking uses, so they are listed here without a score. That says something about size and nothing on its own about quality.
| College | Degrees Awarded | Graduation Rate | Tuition and Fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harcum College, Bryn Mawr | 6 | 44% | $29,900 |
| Peirce College, Philadelphia | 5 | 10% | $15,060 |
| Reading Area Community College, Reading | 4 | 34% | $10,890 |
| Pennsylvania College of Technology, Williamsport | 2 | 53% | $17,940 |
| Pennsylvania Institute of Technology, Media | 1 | 21% | $14,445 |
| Thiel College, Greenville | 1 | 49% | $36,864 |
| Valley Forge Military College, Wayne | 1 | 96% | $32,176 |
| Villanova University, Villanova | 1 | 92% | $64,701 |
| York College of Pennsylvania, York | 1 | 64% | $24,606 |
Source: IPEDS, as of September 29, 2026. Graduation rate is the college's, for first-time, full-time students.
How Much Does a General Studies Associate Degree Cost in Pennsylvania?
A general studies associate degree in Pennsylvania costs $12,420 a year in tuition and required fees at the median of the 18 programs for 2023-24, but that midpoint separates two groups. The nine ranked community colleges charge residents $8,700 at Butler County, $8,803 at Allegheny County, $8,918 at Harrisburg Area, $9,184 at Bucks County, $9,210 at Lehigh Carbon and $9,360 at Pennsylvania Highlands, then $10,800 at Delaware County and $10,980 at Northampton, with Beaver County at $13,860. Nonresidents pay $11,400 to $20,070 at those nine. The private associate programs below the threshold start at $14,445 at the Pennsylvania Institute of Technology and reach $64,701 at Villanova.
The PA State Grant, run by PHEAA, is built so a community college student can hold it part-time. The 2025-26 program manual requires you to be enrolled at least half-time, at least 6 semester credits, in an approved program of study of at least 2 academic years in length, and a two-year associate meets the length test. Half-time enrollees are eligible for up to one-half of their full-time award, so taking six credits a semester halves the grant rather than losing it. Eligibility is based primarily on financial need.
Will a General Studies Associate Degree Transfer in Pennsylvania?
A general studies associate degree in Pennsylvania transfers course by course through the 30-Credit Transfer Framework rather than as a whole degree, because the framework is a menu of foundation courses from which students may select up to 30 credits to transfer toward a degree at any PA TRAC college. All nine ranked colleges on this page are inside the system, since by state law Pennsylvania's 15 community colleges and 10 State System universities fully join PA TRAC. The large state-related universities are in on narrower terms: Penn State, Temple and Pitt meet minimum requirements by accepting at least 30 credits from the 30-Credit Transfer Framework.
The state's whole-degree guarantee is Program-to-Program articulation, which allows students who graduate with specific associate degrees to transfer as juniors into bachelor's degrees in similar fields of study at PA TRAC colleges. The word that matters is specific. The guarantee is written around named degree pairings, and a general studies associate isn't aimed at one field, so ask your community college whether its general studies degree appears on any Program-to-Program list and, if not, how many of its courses are on the framework. Thirty credits is the floor the framework protects, and the rest of your associate is evaluated by the receiving college on its own terms.
What Do Jobs With a General Studies Associate Degree Pay in Pennsylvania?
Jobs open to a general studies associate degree in Pennsylvania pay the state medians below, from the May 2025 federal wage survey, with the national median beside each for comparison. Each row links to the salary guide for that job.
How to Choose a General Studies Associate Degree Program in Pennsylvania
A general studies associate degree program in Pennsylvania should be chosen on completion and format, because the nine ranked community colleges charge between $8,700 and $13,860 and nothing else about the price will steer you. Pennsylvania Highlands graduates 38% and Butler County 37%, while Allegheny County, Northampton and Delaware County each graduate 24%, Harrisburg Area 21% and Beaver County 12%. The trade-off the data shows is that the two biggest programs, Allegheny County at 297 degrees and Harrisburg Area at 149, have two of the lowest completion rates, while the two colleges with the highest rates award 67 and 23 degrees a year.
Four ranked colleges offer the degree fully online: Lehigh Carbon, Harrisburg Area, Bucks County and Northampton. Bucks has the highest graduation rate of the four at 32%, on a small cohort of 11 degrees. If you plan to continue to a bachelor's, remember that Pennsylvania's general studies bachelor's degrees are nearly all at private colleges outside PA TRAC's legal membership, so pick the community college whose transfer office can show you where its general studies graduates have gone and what those colleges accepted.
If you plan to finish a bachelor's in the state, the general studies bachelor's degrees in Pennsylvania have their own page.