Muhlenberg College (MC)

Muhlenberg College is a liberal arts institution with an undergraduate enrollment of approximately 2,000 students located in Allentown, Pennsylvania, about 55 miles north of Philadelphia. Muhlenberg integrates a rigorous curriculum with faculty who personify intellectual excellence and put teaching first. Students benefit from personalized coaching and support as they take risks and make breakthroughs.

The College offers 39 majors and 36 minors, and the curriculum is designed to ensure that all students explore a variety of disciplines. Unlike many liberal arts colleges, Muhlenberg offers a range of career-oriented majors like accounting, business administration, media & communication, public health and more. The College is known for its strong preprofessional programs, including prehealth, predental and prelaw. The outstanding quality of the Muhlenberg academic program has been recognized by Phi Beta Kappa and 15 additional national honorary societies with established chapters at the College. Muhlenberg also recently began offering graduate degrees.

Muhlenberg students don't have to wait to put their education to use: Faculty work hand-in-hand with the Career Center, connecting students with a multitude of experiential learning opportunities including sophisticated research, job shadows, externships and internships — hands-on experiences that allow students to explore career options and network. Muhlenberg is also a leader when it comes to providing fully-funded research opportunities for undergraduates across the curriculum. The experiences students have at Muhlenberg, both inside and outside of the classroom, give them the knowledge and skills that top employers and graduate schools are looking for.

Muhlenberg has a student population of approximately 2,000 with 36 states and 12 countries represented. On Muhlenberg's residential campus, students develop new and enduring friendships. A dedicated team of residential professional and student staff coach students as they build resilience and connections away from home.

Muhlenberg offers a diverse, dynamic community: More than 21.7 percent of the Muhlenberg Class of 2026 were first-generation students, and about 29.7 percent of the class identify as students of color.

Muhlenberg's residential campus offers everything you'd expect from a top-tier college: 118 student clubs and organizations (including thriving Greek organizations and affinity groups), 23 NCAA Division III varsity teams, more than 500 student leadership positions and a vibrant performing arts scene. From advocacy to performance, from academic groups to special interest clubs, Muhlenberg offers a community for each student — and the support to create new groups to explore untapped passions.

Students at Muhlenberg College are described as extremely "hardworking" and "friendly." A French and education double-major explains, "Most people are involved with many different aspects of campus life, and these aspects tend not to be 'cliquey' because of the crossover. For example, there are many football players who are members of a cappella groups or who take dance." Importantly, we're also told that "being nice is kind of important" at Muhlenberg. An English major somewhat sarcastically qualifies, "If someone doesn't hold the door open for the person behind them, they're basically made to wear a scarlet letter and deemed a pariah." The overall demographics have been changing over the last two years, but some students still describe a number of their peers as "white, uppermiddle class, [and] from New Jersey." That said, students agree that there's no one fixed type; in fact: "There is a place for everyone on campus. We have a huge theater program, yet almost 30 percent of our school participates in athletics, so you can see there are all extremes and everything in between."

It's quite easy to lead a full and fulfilling life at Muhlenberg. To begin with, the "school offers tons of free activities over the weekends, from movie showings to Stuff-A-Plush." Undergrads here also love the college's strong performing arts scene. Indeed, "a cappella groups are very popular at Muhlenberg." Additionally, given "the large theater department," it's virtually guaranteed that "there's always a show in production." Sports are equally popular: "football and basketball games have good attendance records." While there's a modest amount of drinking, the college doesn't have a crazy party scene. As a biology major shares, "There's a few bars and clubs in the area that offer college nights on Thursdays, which is fun. From time to time, the school hosts theme parties "like flapperera zombies or a speakeasy (with a live jazz band!)" as well. Lastly, undergrads enjoy Allentown's public parks which provide "great areas to hike, explore, bird-watch, read or take a jog." And they periodically capitalize on Muhlenberg's relatively close proximity to both Philadelphia and New York.

PayScale.com reports that 43 percent of Muhlenberg graduates would describe their careers as helping to improve society and earn a median starting salary of $50,000. Popular careers for graduates include web project manager, high school teacher, and software developer. The Muhlenberg website offers two helpful services to students looking to gain traction in the work world: Collegefeed.com, where students upload a profile and the site “connect[s] [students] directly to hiring managers and founders at 500+ great companies;” and Interviewstream.com, a “virtual interviewing system” where students can “record an unlimited amount of practice interviews before seeking employment” and view “video clips on interviewing with tips from experts.” A French and Business double major says that “Muhlenberg is very strong in academics and I feel that I will be well prepared for whatever career I [choose].”