2024 Best Colleges in Pennsylvania
109
Colleges
$70,573
Avg Salary*
71%
Avg 4-Year Grad Rate*
It's not easy to decide which college 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 ranking - to help you make that decision.
We analyzed 109 colleges and universities across Pennsylvania to determine which were the best in terms of overall quality. Our ranking is based on over 20 objective factors, including post graduate earnings, freshman retention, and graduation rate. We steer clear of subjective measures since they don't give a clear picture when determining how one school compares to another.
Get more details on our ranking methodology.
Custom Rankings
Since one ranking on its own is not enough to give you a complete understanding of your educational options, you can refine this list by location and field of study. We've also developed a number of other tools and rankings based on other factors. These other rankings highlight colleges that excel in other factors such as value or diversity as well as schools that excel in serving different groups of students such as veterans or returnings adults.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering!
Top Colleges in Pennsylvania
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2024 rankings named University of Pennsylvania the best school in Pennsylvania in terms of overall quality for students working on their bachelor’s degree. UPenn is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It awarded 9,822 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Bachelor’s degree students at the school tend to finish their degree on-time. The 4-year graduation rate is 86%, which is impressive compared to the national rate of 33%. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $103,246 during the early years of their career..
Full University of Pennsylvania Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Carnegie Mellon University. It ranked #2 on our 2024 Best Colleges in Pennsylvania list.Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 5,381 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Carnegie Mellon make an average of $99,998 per year during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Carnegie Mellon University
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Swarthmore College. The school came in at #3 in Pennsylvania on this year’s overall quality ranking. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 481 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Swarthmore make an average of $72,637 per year during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Swarthmore College
Out of the 109 schools in Pennsylvania that were part of this year’s ranking, Bucknell University landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 1,093 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
With a student-to-faculty rate of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $88,154 during the early years of their career..
Read full report on Bucknell University
The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at Villanova University helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in Pennsylvania. Villanova is a private not-for-profit institution located in Villanova, Pennsylvania. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 4,100 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. During the early years of their career, graduates from Villanova make an average of $90,613 a year.
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Lehigh University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Pennsylvania ranking. Lehigh is located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 2,158 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
Bachelor’s degree students at the school tend to finish their degree on-time. The 4-year graduation rate is 80%, which is impressive compared to the national rate of 33%. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Lehigh make an average of $95,033 per year during the early years of their career.
Full Lehigh University Report
University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus ranked #7 on this year’s Best Colleges in Pennsylvania list.Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 9,832 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $57,961 during the early years of their career..
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With a ranking of #8, Thomas Jefferson University did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in Pennsylvania list. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 2,771 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 1.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $67,807 during the early years of their career..
Read full report on Thomas Jefferson University
Lafayette College landed the #9 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Pennsylvania ranking. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Easton, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 720 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Lafayette go into careers with an average salary of $84,939 during the early years of their career.
Full Lafayette College Report
Drexel University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Colleges in Pennsylvania list. Drexel is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It awarded 6,793 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Drexel is $76,378 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Drexel University
With a ranking of #11, Temple University did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in Pennsylvania list. Temple is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 10,225 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Temple go into careers with an average salary of $56,800 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Temple University
Saint Joseph’s University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Pennsylvania ranking. This medium-sized private not-for-profit school is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 2,392 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $73,428 during the early years of their career..
Full Saint Joseph’s University Report
Haverford College landed the #13 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Pennsylvania ranking. Located in Haverford, Pennsylvania, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 365 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a student-to-faculty rate of 8 to 1, those pursuing a bachelor’s degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Haverford is $69,192 during the early years of their career.
Full Haverford College Report
Duquesne University landed the #14 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Pennsylvania ranking. Duquesne University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that handed out 2,751 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 2.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Duquesne go into careers with an average salary of $66,207 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Duquesne University
West Chester University of Pennsylvania came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Pennsylvania ranking. West Chester University of Pennsylvania is a fairly large public school located in West Chester, Pennsylvania that handed out 4,936 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 3.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from WCUPA is $53,418 during the early years of their career.
Full West Chester University of Pennsylvania Report
University of Scranton landed the #16 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Pennsylvania ranking. Located in Scranton, Pennsylvania, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 1,496 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Bachelor’s degree students at the school tend to finish their degree on-time. The 4-year graduation rate is 79%, which is impressive compared to the national rate of 33%. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from University of Scranton go into careers with an average salary of $69,236 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on University of Scranton
With a ranking of #17, Widener University did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in Pennsylvania list. Located in Chester, Pennsylvania, the medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 1,731 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 2.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $62,030 during the early years of their career..
Full Widener University Report
Gettysburg College landed the #18 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Pennsylvania ranking. Gettysburg is located in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 717 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Gettysburg make an average of $65,926 per year during the early years of their career.
Full Gettysburg College Report
Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Pennsylvania ranking. Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology is located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 452 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $49,663 during the early years of their career..
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Arcadia University landed the #20 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Pennsylvania ranking. Arcadia is a private not-for-profit institution located in Glenside, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 1,119 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% During the early years of their career, graduates from Arcadia make an average of $52,008 a year.
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Muhlenberg College landed the #21 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Pennsylvania ranking. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 662 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Muhlenberg make an average of $68,629 per year during the early years of their career.
Full Muhlenberg College Report
Dickinson College came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Pennsylvania ranking. Dickinson College is a small private not-for-profit school located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania that handed out 627 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The student-to-faculty rate of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $69,562 during the early years of their career..
Full Dickinson College Report
Lancaster Bible College ranked #23 on this year’s Best Colleges in Pennsylvania list. Lancaster Bible College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. It awarded 515 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Lancaster Bible College make an average of $39,435 per year during the early years of their career.
Full Lancaster Bible College Report
Bryn Mawr College landed the #24 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Pennsylvania ranking. Located in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 475 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 1.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Bryn Mawr is $65,774 during the early years of their career.
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Ursinus College did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in Pennsylvania ranking, coming in at #25. Ursinus College is a small private not-for-profit school located in Collegeville, Pennsylvania that handed out 385 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school boasts an average 4-year graduation rate of 77%, which is excellent when compared to the national rate of 33%. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Ursinus go into careers with an average salary of $66,257 during the early years of their career.
Full Ursinus College Report