Best Colleges in Pennsylvania of 2023-2024

Pennsylvania is home to more than a hundred four-year public and private colleges and universities that award bachelor’s degrees. So, if you’re looking to go to college in Pennsylvania, you’ll have many institutions to choose from. 

In this BrokeScholar study, we focused on identifying the best colleges in Pennsylvania. In order to do this, we analyzed every four-year public and four-year private nonprofit college and university in Pennsylvania that awards bachelor’s degrees. The methodology for determining the best colleges in Pennsylvania is based on a combination of factors, including graduation rate, admission rate, number of bachelor’s degrees awarded, the ratio of bachelor’s degrees awarded to undergraduate population (done in order to avert larger schools that give out large quantities of degrees from automatically ranking highest), in-state tuition costs, and out-of-state tuition costs. All data was sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). For a full description of the analysis, see the methodology section.

Read on to find out the best colleges in Pennsylvania of 2023-2024.

Best Colleges in Pennsylvania

The best colleges in Pennsylvania combine solid academic records and academic programs, with generally high graduation rates, as well as competitive rates of admissions. The result of this study is an interesting mix of private nonprofit and public universities and colleges in Pennsylvania, which means that high school students looking for the best colleges in Pennsylvania will have plenty to choose from. Here’s a look at the 15 best colleges in Pennsylvania:

1. University of Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania is the state of Pennsylvania’s lone Ivy League school. UPenn has the most selective rate of admission in our study, with just a 7% admission rate in the 2023 academic year. Contrast that with the study’s overall average admission rate of 78%. What's more, of those 7% admitted, more than two-thirds (68%) proceed to enroll at UPenn, one of the highest rates in the study. Another major strong point of UPenn is its high graduation rate, 96%, which is far higher than the study’s overall average graduation rate of 63% for the 108 colleges and universities in Pennsylvania analyzed in this study. And when it comes to SAT scores, enrolling students pulled no punches, putting up a median SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score of 750 and a median SAT Math score of 790.

U.S. News ranks the University of Pennsylvania as the No. 8 best school in its National Universities category, No. 14 in its Best Value Schools category, and the No. 26 Most Innovative Schools nationally. With an undergraduate population of 11,292 students and with 2,869 bachelor’s degrees awarded last academic year, that works out to a ratio of 25.4% of bachelor’s degrees to undergraduate students, one of the highest ratios in the study.

2. Swarthmore College

Swarthmore College is a very well-known, highly selective private liberal arts college and one of the best colleges in Pennsylvania. Its graduation rate actually fell slightly from the previous academic year, from 97% down to 94%, which is still one of the highest graduation rates in the state. Swarthmore’s undergraduate acceptance rate is very competitive, tying UPenn at an admission rate of just 7%.

With a small undergraduate population of 1,651, Swarthmore awarded 419 bachelor’s degrees, for a ratio of 25.4% of bachelor’s degrees to undergraduate students, once again tying one of UPenn's data points. U.S. News ranked Swarthmore College No. 3 in its National Liberal Arts Colleges category, No. 4 for Best Undergraduate Teaching, and No. 2 in its Best Value Schools category. The most popular major at Swarthmore, based on the number of bachelor's degrees awarded last academic year, is Economics, General, which earned 65 degrees, followed by Computer and Information Sciences, General, in second place, with 33 bachelor's degrees.

3. Carnegie Mellon University

When it comes to the top universities in Pennsylvania, it’s hard to beat Carnegie Mellon University. With an admission rate of 11% in the latest academic year, it's actually gotten harder to get into Carnegie Mellon, as in the previous academic year the undergraduate acceptance rate was 14%. In terms of SAT scores of  first-time students admitted and enrolled, Carnegie Mellon's median SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score was an excellent 750, but its median SAT Math score was even higher, at 790, which makes this university rank No. 14 out of the top 50 colleges with the highest SAT scores in the country.

What’s more, its graduation rate is a superb 92%, well above the study’s overall average graduation rate of 63%.  Carnegie Mellon awarded 1,618 bachelor’s degrees in the last academic year, against an undergraduate population of 6,932, for a ratio of 23.3% of bachelor’s degrees to undergraduate students. Carnegie Mellon also scores highly in U.S. News rankings, placing at No. 25 in its National Universities category, and even more impressive, No.5 in its Most Innovative Schools category.

4. Haverford College

Easily one of the top liberal arts colleges in the nation — it was ranked 16th in U.S. News’s National Liberal Arts Colleges category — Haverford College ranks No. 4 in our study of the best colleges in Pennsylvania. Haverford College is highly selective, with an admission rate of 14% in the latest academic year, down from 18% the previous year. And students who get accepted to Haverford seem eager to go, as of the 14% admitted, an impressive 45% proceeded to enroll at the college.

At the same time, its graduation rate is excellent, at 91%, albeit down two percentage points from the prior academic year. Another sign that students enjoy attending Haverford College is the fact that the school's transfer-out rate is a tiny 5%. With a small undergraduate population of 1,420 students, Haverford College awarded 304 bachelor’s degrees in the last academic year, making for a 21.4% ratio of bachelor’s degrees to undergraduate students. Added bonus: In a separate BrokeScholar study, Haverford College ranked among the top 10 best colleges for political science in Pennsylvania.

5. Villanova University

Villanova University ranks highly in our study of the best colleges in Pennsylvania. First off, the admission rate at Villanova is quite selective, with an admission rate of only 23% in the latest academic year, which is a tad more selective than the previous year's 25%. Another stand out area was Villanova's graduation rate, which came in at 91%. Like Haverford, students at Villanova show that they want to continue and complete their education at this university, considering its transfer-out rate was a minimal 8%.

With an undergraduate population of an estimated 7,032 students in the latest academic year, Villanova University awarded 1,761 bachelor's degrees, for a ratio of 25% of bachelor’s degrees awarded to undergraduate students, one of the highest rates of degrees awarded in the study. U.S. News ranked Villanova as No. 49 in its National Universities ranking category, and No. 23 in its best colleges for Nursing category. Villanova is also one of the top 10 best Catholic colleges in Pennsylvania.

6. Bucknell University

Bucknell University ranks as the No. 6 school in our study of the best colleges in Pennsylvania thanks to a number of key factors. The university’s graduation rate of 87% is excellent, far superior to the 63% average for the whole study. Meanwhile, its admissions are more competitive than most colleges and universities in Pennsylvania. Bucknell University’s admission rate for the last academic year was 33%, in contrast to the 78% average admission rate for the study overall; it was also down two percentage points from its undergraduate acceptance rate of 35% a year earlier.

Though a small school with an undergraduate population of only 3,724 students in , Bucknell University awarded 881 bachelor’s degrees that year, for a ratio of 23.7% of bachelor’s degrees to undergraduate students, better than the study’s overall average. According to U.S. News, Bucknell University is not just one of the top colleges in Pennsylvania, but a national contender. U.S. News named it the No. 38 best school in its National Liberal Arts Colleges category, and No. 7 in its Most Innovative Schools category. The most popular major at Bucknell University is Psychology, General, which earned 78 bachelor's degrees last academic year.

7. Lafayette College

Lafayette College is a private nonprofit college that has a smallish sized undergraduate population of 2,725, with the school only offering degrees on the bachelor's level. Lafayette College ranked well in our study of the best colleges in Pennsylvania, boasting a graduation rate of 89%, the sixth-best in the study. Lafayette College’s admission rate is also very competitive, with an admission rate that got much more competitive than the previous academic year: 34% now versus 45%. Students at Lafayette College tend to want to stay there, as reflected by the school's low transfer-out rate of 9%.

Against its undergraduate population of 2,725 students, 694 bachelor’s degrees were awarded in the 2021 academic year; that works out to a 25.5% ratio of bachelor’s degrees awarded to undergraduate students, one of the highest rates in the study. The smaller-than-average student population means that Lafayette has a great, low student-to-teacher ratio of 10 students to every one teacher. What’s more, U.S. News ranked Lafayette College at No. 38 in its National Liberal Arts Colleges category.

8. Franklin and Marshall College

Franklin and Marshall College scored very well across categories in our study of the best colleges in Pennsylvania. Admissions to Franklin and Marshall are competitive, with the school having an admission rate of 36% in the latest academic year, as against 38% the previous year. Franklin and Marshall is widely recognized as an excellent liberal arts college, being ranked by U.S. News as the No. 42 top school in its National Liberal Arts Colleges category, as well as No. 31 in its Best Value Schools category. In addition to its high marks for liberal arts, Franklin and Marshall also boasts a graduation rate of 86%.

With a relatively small undergraduate population of 2,145 students, Franklin and Marshall awarded 546 bachelor’s degrees in the latest academic year, for an excellent ratio of 25.5% of bachelor’s degrees conferred to undergraduate student population. Franklin and Marshall awards only degrees on the bachelor's level. The most popular major at Franklin and Marshall is Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other, which earned 82 bachelor's degrees last academic year.

9. Lehigh University

Located in the classic steel town of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Lehigh University came in as the No. 9 school in our study of the best colleges in Pennsylvania. With a graduation rate of 91%, Lehigh University far surpasses the study’s overall graduation rate average of 63%, and increased from 88% in the previous iteration of the study. Its admission rate of 46% for the 2021-2022 academic year made Lehigh much more selective than the average school in Pennsylvania. for the latest academic year, though, the undergraduate acceptance rate at Lehigh got even more competitive, with only 37% of applicants getting in.

Lehigh students seem to enjoy their time at the university, as suggested by the excellent retention rate of 94% for first-time students seeking a bachelor's degree. In U.S. News’s National Universities category, Lehigh University was ranked No. 49 in the whole country, as well as No. 13 in its Best Undergraduate Teaching category. Along with its high graduation rate, Lehigh University has a high ratio of bachelor’s degrees awarded versus its undergraduate population. With an undergraduate population of 5,451 students, Lehigh awarded 1,251 bachelor’s degrees, for a ratio of 22.9%, exceeding the study’s overall average of 21%.

10. Bryn Mawr College

Bryn Mawr College is another small private nonprofit school to make our list of the best colleges in Pennsylvania. Although on the smaller side, Bryn Mawr — unlike several other best colleges to make our list — offers multiple levels of degrees, including master's and doctoral degrees. Admissions to Bryn Mawr College are competitive and got even more so, going from an undergraduate acceptance rate of 39% in the academic year 2021-2022, down to 31% in the latest academic year.

Bryn Mawr College’s graduation rate dipped by just two percentage points since this study's last iteration, from 85% down to 83%, which is still better than the study’s overall average of 63%. Bryn Mawr has been recognized for its academic record, being ranked by U.S. News as being the No. 7 school in its Best Undergraduate Teaching category, and a more intriguing ranking of No. 19 best school in its First-Year Experiences category. The most popular majors at Bryn Mawr college, based on the number of bachelor's degrees awarded last academic year, were Psychology, General, which earned 42 degrees; followed by English Language and Literature, General, which earned 30 degrees; and in third, Mathematics, General, which earned 26 degrees.

11. Dickinson College

Dickinson College is widely recognized as a strong liberal arts college, and indeed was ranked by U.S. News as the No. 50 top school in its National Liberal Arts Colleges category. Also rather cool, Dickinson College was ranked No. 16 nationally for Study Abroad programs. Dickinson College is one of the more selective schools in our best colleges in Pennsylvania study. It had an admission rate of 48% in the 2021-2022 academic year, before getting markedly more competitive for the latest academic year, having an undergraduate acceptance rate of only 35%. Its graduation rate of 84% is also better than the average of 63% for all the 108 Pennsylvania colleges analyzed in the study. Dickinson College offers degrees on the bachelor's and master's levels. Interestingly, the most popular major at Dickinson College is International Business/Trade/Commerce, which earned 59 bachelor's degrees last academic year.

12. University of Pittsburgh

University of Pittsburgh is a versatile school, with excellent engineering and biomedical programs. Often just referred to as Pitt, this university boasts a very solid graduation rate of 84%, which puts it among the top-15 schools with the highest graduation rates in our study of the best colleges in Pennsylvania. Its admissions is more competitive than the majority of schools considered in our study, especially for a public institution, which tend to be less selective compared to private not-for-private schools. The University of Pittsburgh had an admission rate of 67% in the 2021 academic year, before declining to a much more competitive 49% undergraduate acceptance rate for the latest academic year.

Out of all the colleges in the nation, U.S. News ranked the University of Pittsburgh No. 59 in its National Universities category, as well as ranking No. 20 in its Top Public Schools in the country category. As a public institution, Pitt has different rates of tuition depending on if the student is an in-state resident or from out-of-state. With an estimated in-state cost of tuition and required fees of $21,080 and out-of-state cost of $37,320 per year, Pitt is actually more affordable than most colleges in our study.

13. Temple University

Temple University in Philadelphia ranks as the No. 13 school in our study of the top colleges in Pennsylvania. Its graduation rate of 78% beats the study’s overall average of 63%, and is an improvement over the graduation rate in this study's previous iteration. Like the University of Pittsburgh, Temple University is a four-year public college. This could account for its less competitive undergraduate acceptance rate of 80%. However, considering its large size — consisting of nearly 26,000 undergraduates — Temple's graduation rate and retention rate of 86% are very solid.

Temple University offers strong academics at an affordable price for in-state students. Both its approximate cost of tuition and fees for in-state students — $21,135 — and out-of-state students — $35,608 — are cheaper than the study's overall average and cheaper than most of the schools to make our list of the best colleges in Pennsylvania. Plus, U.S. News ranked Temple University as the No. 46 Top Public School out of all national universities, and perhaps more interestingly, ranked in 5th in terms of having the Best Undergraduate Insurance Program under its undergraduate business program rankings.

14. Grove City College

Coming in at the No. 14 spot in our study of the best colleges in Pennsylvania, Grove City College  combines solid academic scores with affordability, a tough thing to pull off. With a graduation rate of 81% in the latest academic year, Grove City College is well above the study’s overall average of 63%. With an undergraduate population of 2,306 students, Grove City College awarded 549 bachelor’s degrees, for a 23.8% ratio of degrees awarded to undergraduate students, which is better than the average of 21% for the study as a whole.

As a private not-for-profit institution, Grove City College breaks from the trend of other private nonprofit schools that made our list in terms of price. Grove City's estimated cost of tuition and required fees is only $19,990 per year. According to U.S. News, Grove City College was ranked No. 105 in the whole country in its National Liberal Arts Colleges category. Also notable is that Grove City College is considered one of the most conservative colleges in the US socio-politically.

15. Pennsylvania State University

Good ole Penn State rounds out our list of the best colleges in Pennsylvania. For a massive public college with nearly 89,000 students in total, it's incredible that Penn State University (PSU) has managed to maintain competitive admission rates and high graduation rates. Indeed, that student population makes Penn State one of the largest colleges in the US. The university's undergraduate acceptance rate for the latest academic year was fairly competitive, at 55%, which is a selective admission rate for a big state school. Plus, with a graduation rate of 83%, PSU's graduation rate is 20 percentage points better than the study’s overall average of 63%. 

According to U.S. News college rankings, Penn State came in as the No. 63 top school in its National Universities category, while also being ranked as No. 21 for the Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs and No. 23 in its Top Public Schools category. For in-state students, Penn State is particularly attractive for its affordability. The average cost of in-state tuition and required fees is $19,835 per year, well below the study’s overall average in-state tuition cost.

The Bottom Line on the Best Colleges in Pennsylvania

These 15 best colleges in Pennsylvania tend to combine affordability, excellent academic records, high graduation rates, competitive admission rates, and high proportions of bachelor’s degrees awarded per academic year. Naturally, some Pennsylvania colleges and universities that made this top-15 list are more expensive than others. Franklin and Marshall is most notable n this regard, costing more than $63,000 per year in tuition and required fees, higher than even the Ivy Leaguer UPenn. However, it also offers one of the best academic experiences in all of Pennsylvania and is often ranked among the best colleges in the country. 

Since money is such an essential factor in choosing and attending college, be sure to review the student discounts offered by BrokeScholar to help reduce the cost of purchases you might make when attending one of these schools in Pennsylvania. What’s more, take time to investigate the vast library of scholarships compiled on BrokeScholar that can help you save even more money.