It's not easy to decide which school to attend when you have so many options available. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our Top Pennsylvania Colleges for an Associate ranking - to help you make that decision.
After analyzing 40 schools in Pennsylvania, we came up with our list of those that offered the best associate degree programs. Our ranking methodology focuses on different objective factors to make this determination of the best schools. In the next few paragraphs, we'll talk a little about what we use in our analysis and why.
Early-Career Salaries Are Higher
To determine the overall quality of a graduate school, one factor we look at is the average early-career salary of those receiving a associate degree from the school. Recent students who earned a associate degree in Pennsylvania entered the job market making an average of $40,465 while those in the top 23 schools on our list made an average of $43,252.
Starting Salary ( 37871 to 51216 )
Average Student Debt
In addition to average starting salaries, we also consider the average amount of student loans that students take on while pursuing their associate degree.
When attending a school in Pennsylvania, associate degree students accumulate an average of $16,770 in student debt before graduation.
The average amount taken out in student loans for graduates at a particular school may be crippling for those who earn less than average wages after graduation.
Other Ranking Factors in Our Methodology
We also analyze a number of other factors in addition to average post-graduation earnings and average student debt when coming up with our yearly Best Associate Degree Schools ranking.
Several other factors - such as how much the school spends on educational resources, the demand of the school, the availability of online learning options, and the student body caliber - go into our rankings.
If you'd rather work on your associate degree in a specific area of the country, you might be interested in our rankings by place. Also, check out our other college rankings to help you with your college decision.
Our 2025 rankings named Thomas Jefferson University the best school in Pennsylvania in terms of overall quality for students working on their associate degree. Thomas Jefferson University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 37 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from Thomas Jefferson University make an average of $46,768 a year.
The excellent associate degree programs at Lancaster Bible College helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in Pennsylvania. Lancaster Bible College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 50 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Those who receive a associate degree from Lancaster Bible College go into careers with an average salary of $25,662 during the early years of their career.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus. The school came in at #3 in Pennsylvania on this year’s best associate degree schools ranking. Pitt is a large public school situated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It awarded 19 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from Pitt is $47,465 during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $30,013 in student loans.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Central Penn College. The school came in at #4 in Pennsylvania on this year’s best associate degree schools ranking. Central Penn is a small private for-profit school situated in Summerdale, Pennsylvania. It awarded 119 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Those who receive a associate degree from Central Penn go into careers with an average salary of $36,018 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $19,856.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology. It ranked #5 on our 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Pennsylvania list. Lancaster, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 412 students in 2021-2022.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology is $43,760 during the early years of their career.
Harcum College landed the #6 spot on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Pennsylvania ranking. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 363 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from Harcum College make an average of $41,656 a year. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $35,258 after getting their degree.
Community College of Philadelphia landed the #7 spot on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Pennsylvania ranking. Community College of Philadelphia is a fairly large public school situated in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It awarded 1,815 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $35,122 during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $9,472 in student loans.
Alvernia University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in Pennsylvania ranking. Alvernia University is a small private not-for-profit school located in Reading, Pennsylvania that handed out 89 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Harrisburg Area Community College ranked #9 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in Pennsylvania list. This fairly large public school is located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 1,788 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Those who receive a associate degree from HACC go into careers with an average salary of $49,500 during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $11,372 in student loans.
With a ranking of #10, Pennsylvania College of Technology did quite well on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Pennsylvania list. Penn College is a public institution located in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 711 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from Penn College is $50,696 during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $32,602 in student loans.
Community College of Allegheny County came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in Pennsylvania ranking. CCAC is a public institution located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 2,027 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $46,563 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $9,713.
Pittsburgh Technical College did quite well in the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Pennsylvania ranking, coming in at #12. Located in Oakdale, Pennsylvania, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 520 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
Those who receive a associate degree from Pittsburgh Technical College go into careers with an average salary of $38,124 during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $18,789 in student loans.
Delaware County Community College landed the #13 spot on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Pennsylvania ranking. Delaware County Community College is a public institution located in Media, Pennsylvania. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 1,176 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $45,157 during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $16,552 in student loans.
Mercyhurst University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in Pennsylvania ranking. Mercyhurst is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Erie, Pennsylvania. It awarded 111 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from Mercyhurst make an average of $52,333 a year. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $14,000.
With a ranking of #15, Holy Family University did quite well on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Pennsylvania list. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 12 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from Holy Family is $54,068 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #16, Mount Aloysius College did quite well on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Pennsylvania list. Cresson, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out associate degrees to 132 students in 2021-2022.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from Mount Aloysius is $49,427 during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $28,755 in student loans.
Peirce College ranked #17 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in Pennsylvania list. Peirce College is a small private not-for-profit school located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that handed out 58 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Graduates with a associate degree from Peirce make an average of $45,911 per year during the early years of their career.
Johnson College landed the #18 spot on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Pennsylvania ranking. Located in Scranton, Pennsylvania, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 161 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
Those who receive a associate degree from Johnson College go into careers with an average salary of $39,875 during the early years of their career.
Montgomery County Community College landed the #19 spot on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Pennsylvania ranking. Located in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, the medium-sized public school handed out 1,253 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from Montco make an average of $35,411 a year. Associate students leave the school with an average of $13,786 in student loans.
Manor College landed the #20 spot on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Pennsylvania ranking. Located in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 109 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $42,819 during the early years of their career.
Lehigh Carbon Community College came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in Pennsylvania ranking. LCCC is located in Schnecksville, Pennsylvania and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 853 associate degrees to qualified graduate students.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from LCCC make an average of $47,002 a year. Associate students leave the school with an average of $10,612 in student loans.
Bucks County Community College landed the #22 spot on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Pennsylvania ranking. Newtown, Pennsylvania is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 823 students in 2021-2022.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $39,862 during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $10,922 in student loans.
Westmoreland County Community College landed the #23 spot on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Pennsylvania ranking. Located in Youngwood, Pennsylvania, the small public school handed out 455 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Northampton County Area Community College landed the #24 spot on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in Pennsylvania ranking. Located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, the medium-sized public school handed out 1,168 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Those who receive a associate degree from Northampton Community College go into careers with an average salary of $37,058 during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $12,438 in student loans.
Reading Area Community College came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in Pennsylvania ranking. RACC is located in Reading, Pennsylvania and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 464 associate degrees to qualified graduate students.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from RACC is $44,544 during the early years of their career.
The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
