Best MLIS Schools Near State College, PA (2026)

State College, Pennsylvania is home to about 40,669 residents. Median household income is $47,132 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 70.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Pennsylvania, the top-earning library science-related role is Library Science Teacher, Postsecondary at a median $86,250 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Library Science Schools to State College

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer library science programs near State College, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from State College 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 State College. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

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

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#1

Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

Kutztown, PA 110.3 miles from State College
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
53.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 58%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,775
Avg net price $21,331/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 56

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus

Pittsburgh, PA 112.5 miles from State College
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
73.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 82%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $66,125
Avg net price $30,434/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 92%
  • Programs offered: 239

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Pennsylvania Western University

California, PA 118.0 miles from State College
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
45.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,295
Avg net price $18,256/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 130

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Drexel University

Philadelphia, PA 151.8 miles from State College
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
71.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 74%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $84,648
Avg net price $38,509/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 90%
  • Programs offered: 187

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Library Science Wages Near State College

State College is part of the State College, PA metro area (BLS area code 44300). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Pennsylvania statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Librarian and Media Collections Specialist$77,560State College, PA$80,124
Library Technician$46,100PA statewide$47,624
Archivist$60,690PA statewide$62,696
Library Science Teacher, Postsecondary$86,250PA statewide$89,101

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.


State College at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population40,669Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$47,132Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+70.7%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)96.8 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other State College-Area Cities With Library Science Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest-paying library science roles near State College?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying library science-related roles near State College are: Library Science Teacher, Postsecondary ($86,250), Librarian and Media Collections Specialist ($77,560), Archivist ($60,690). 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 Lewistown instead of State College?

Lewistown, PA is 20.0 miles from State College and has its own set of local library science programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is State College an affordable place to study library science?

State College’s median household income of $47,132 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in State College 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 Library Science Programs

Other Programs Available in State College

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

Data verified: September 1, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024โ€“2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.