by our College Data Analytics TeamWith all of the options you have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take when you want to pursue a grad degree. At College Factual, we're committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our Best Master's Degree Colleges in Pennsylvania ranking.
What's on This Page: * Our Methodology
We analyzed 64 grad schools across Pennsylvania to determine which have the best master's degree programs. Our ranking methodology focuses on different objective factors to make this determination of the best grad schools. In the next few paragraphs, we'll talk a little about what we use in our analysis and why.
One measure we use to determine the quality of a school is to look at the average salary of master's graduates during the early years of their career. While master's degree recipients from schools in Pennsylvania earn an average starting salary of $64,136, those from the top 24 school on this list made an average of $67,364.
Graduate students may also take on a lot of debt while working on their master's so we factor that into our rankings as well. The average debt load at a particular school may not be bad, but it's an important thing to consider in conjunction with post-graduation earnings.
In addition to average post-graduation earnings and average student debt loads, we also look at a host of other factors to determining our Best Master's 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.
Find out more about our graduate school ranking methodology
If you plan to take your education even further, you may want to visit our Best Doctorate Degree Schools ranking.
Learn more about these excellent grad schools below:
University of Pennsylvania tops this year’s ranking as the best grad school for master’s degrees in Pennsylvania for overall quality. UPenn is a private not-for-profit institution located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The school has a large population, and it awarded 4,816 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a master’s degree from UPenn make an average of $90,142 per year during the early years of their career.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Carnegie Mellon University. The school came in at #2 in Pennsylvania on this year’s best master’s degree schools ranking. This fairly large private not-for-profit school is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 3,045 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, master’s degree graduates from Carnegie Mellon make an average of $79,946 a year.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Villanova University. The school came in at #3 in Pennsylvania on this year’s best master’s degree schools ranking. This fairly large private not-for-profit school is located in Villanova, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 1,363 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a master’s degree from Villanova go into careers with an average salary of $74,591 during the early years of their career.
Out of the 64 master’s degree schools in Pennsylvania that were part of this year’s ranking, Thomas Jefferson University landed the #4 spot on the list. This medium-sized private not-for-profit school is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 954 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a master’s degree from Thomas Jefferson University make an average of $64,610 per year during the early years of their career.
A rank of #5 on our Best Master’s Degree in Pennsylvania list means University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus is a great place for students working on their degree. Pitt is a large public school situated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It awarded 1,869 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, master’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $75,980 during the early years of their career.
Learn More About University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus
With a ranking of #6, University of Scranton did quite well on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania list. Located in Scranton, Pennsylvania, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 538 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a master’s degree from University of Scranton make an average of $64,952 per year during the early years of their career.
Saint Joseph’s University landed the #7 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania ranking. St. Joe’s is a private not-for-profit institution located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 997 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a master’s degree from St. Joe’s go into careers with an average salary of $75,235 during the early years of their career.
Drexel University did quite well in the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania ranking, coming in at #8. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the large private not-for-profit school awarded 2,223 diplomas to qualifed master’s degree students in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a master’s degree from Drexel make an average of $67,357 per year during the early years of their career.
Lehigh University did quite well in the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania ranking, coming in at #9. Lehigh is a private not-for-profit institution located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 539 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, master’s degree graduates from Lehigh make an average of $67,884 a year.
Temple University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Master’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania list. Temple is a large public school situated in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It awarded 1,958 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, master’s degree graduates from Temple make an average of $59,834 a year.
Widener University did quite well in the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania ranking, coming in at #11. Widener University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in Chester, Pennsylvania that handed out 577 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, master’s degree graduates from Widener make an average of $69,133 a year.
Duquesne University did quite well in the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania ranking, coming in at #12. This medium-sized private not-for-profit school is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 679 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a master’s degree from Duquesne make an average of $53,695 per year during the early years of their career.
Elizabethtown College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Master’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania list. Elizabethtown College is a small private not-for-profit school located in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania that handed out 83 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a master’s degree from Etown make an average of $75,194 per year during the early years of their career.
West Chester University of Pennsylvania landed the #14 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania ranking. WCUPA is a public institution located in West Chester, Pennsylvania. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 989 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, master’s degree graduates from WCUPA make an average of $53,297 a year.
DeSales University landed the #15 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania ranking. DeSales is located in Center Valley, Pennsylvania and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 320 master’s degrees to qualified graduate students.
During the early years of their career, master’s degree graduates from DeSales make an average of $94,860 a year.
Messiah University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Master’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania list. Messiah is a private not-for-profit institution located in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 218 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, master’s degree graduates from Messiah make an average of $46,617 a year.
With a ranking of #17, Bryn Mawr College did quite well on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania list. Located in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 74 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a master’s degree from Bryn Mawr is $45,043 during the early years of their career.
Gannon University did quite well in the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania ranking, coming in at #18. Gannon is a private not-for-profit institution located in Erie, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 318 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, master’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $77,953 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #19, Lancaster Bible College did quite well on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania list. Lancaster Bible College is located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 124 master’s degrees to qualified graduate students.
Arcadia University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Master’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania ranking. Arcadia is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Glenside, Pennsylvania. It awarded 295 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a master’s degree from Arcadia make an average of $64,268 per year during the early years of their career.
Saint Francis University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Master’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania ranking. Saint Francis is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Loretto, Pennsylvania. It awarded 329 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a master’s degree from Saint Francis is $63,815 during the early years of their career.
Wilkes University landed the #22 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania ranking. Wilkes is a private not-for-profit institution located in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 634 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a master’s degree from Wilkes make an average of $62,991 per year during the early years of their career.
La Salle University ranked #23 on this year’s Best Master’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania list. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out master’s degrees to 483 students in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a master’s degree from La Salle go into careers with an average salary of $62,319 during the early years of their career.
King’s College landed the #24 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania ranking. Located in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 134 diplomas to qualifed master’s degree students in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a master’s degree from King’s College PA make an average of $79,655 per year during the early years of their career.
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania did quite well in the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania ranking, coming in at #25. Located in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, the medium-sized public school handed out 438 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a master’s degree from SRU go into careers with an average salary of $47,367 during the early years of their career.
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More about our data sources and methodologies.