Best General Studies Schools Near Lancaster, PA (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Lancaster, Pennsylvania has 5 accredited schools offering general studies programs. Lancaster has a population of about 57,683. Median household income is $63,421 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 27.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Lancaster, PA metro area, the top-earning general studies-related role is General and Operations Managers at a median $98,810 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest General Studies Schools to Lancaster

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer general studies programs near Lancaster, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Lancaster city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Lancaster. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Franklin and Marshall College

Lancaster, PA 1.0 miles from Lancaster
  • 4 year
63.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 84%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $76,124
Avg net price $36,425/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 42

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Lancaster Bible College

Lancaster, PA 2.4 miles from Lancaster
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
48.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,096
Avg net price $25,480/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 34

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Pennsylvania schools on the Pennsylvania general studies page.

General Studies Wages Near Lancaster

Lancaster is part of the Lancaster, PA metro area (BLS area code 29540). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Pennsylvania statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
General and Operations Managers $98,810 Lancaster, PA $100,519
Management Analysts $96,210 Lancaster, PA $97,874
Human Resources Specialists $66,330 Lancaster, PA $67,477
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $64,790 Lancaster, PA $65,910
Writers and Authors $65,660 Lancaster, PA $66,796
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $80,820 Lancaster, PA $82,218
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers $64,040 Lancaster, PA $65,148
Social and Community Service Managers $77,390 Lancaster, PA $78,728

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Lancaster at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 57,683 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $63,421 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 27.1% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 98.3 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Lancaster-Area Cities With General Studies Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited general studies schools are near Lancaster, PA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering general studies programs near Lancaster. The closest is Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, PA (1.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Pennsylvania State University-Penn State York (22.2 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying general studies roles near Lancaster?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying general studies-related roles near Lancaster are: General and Operations Managers ($98,810), Management Analysts ($96,210), Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education ($80,820). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Pennsylvania statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Lebanon instead of Lancaster?

Lebanon, PA is 21.6 miles from Lancaster and has its own set of local general studies programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Lancaster an affordable place to study general studies?

Lancaster’s median household income of $63,421 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Lancaster while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Pennsylvania public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About General Studies Programs

Other Programs Available in Lancaster

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Lancaster:

Data verified: September 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

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