Best Pennsylvania Colleges

There are 163 colleges and universities in Pennsylvania enrolling 586,714 students. Explore the list of top colleges in Pennsylvania below to begin your college search. The CollegeSimply rankings are objective and data-driven in order to help you find good matches for you. Learn how the Best Colleges rankings are calculated on our ranking methodology page. Whether you're searching for a good public, private or community college, this guide to universities in Pennsylvania offers a comprehensive view to the state's higher education options.

 Pennsylvania is home to nationally ranked institutions like University of Pennsylvania, Swarthmore College, Haverford College and Carnegie Mellon University. The highest ranked college in Pennsylvania is University of Pennsylvania and the top rated public state college is University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus.

Local college options can be explored in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh or other cities.

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Pennsylvania Public Private For-Profit 4 Year 2 Year

List of the Best Pennsylvania Colleges

  • Public 4 Year
  • East Stroudsburg, PA
  • 4.0 | 2 reviews
  • Apr 1 application deadline

East Stroudsburg is a public university known for undergraduate education, athletic training, and exercise science. The campus sits in the Pocono Mountains near the Delaware Water Gap.

#73 Best Colleges in Pennsylvania 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1000-1180
  • Avg GPA 3.24
  • Acceptance Rate 92%
  • Net Price $18,610
Eastern University Campus
 

  • Private 4 Year
  • Saint Davids, PA
  • | 0 reviews

Eastern is a private Christian university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and social work. The suburban Main Line campus sits in Saint Davids near Philadelphia.

#74 Best Colleges in Pennsylvania 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1010-1190
  • Avg GPA 3.58
  • Acceptance Rate 91%
  • Net Price $27,422

  • Public 4 Year
  • Indiana, PA
  • | 0 reviews

IUP is a public university known for undergraduate criminology, education, and safety sciences. Students live on a residential campus in the small college town of Indiana in western Pennsylvania.

#75 Best Colleges in Pennsylvania 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 970-1180
  • Avg GPA 3.39
  • Acceptance Rate 91%
  • Net Price $17,626
Mount Aloysius College Campus
 

  • Private 4 Year
  • Cresson, PA
  • | 0 reviews

Mount Aloysius is a small private Catholic college known for undergraduate nursing and health sciences. The campus sits in the mountain town of Cresson in western Pennsylvania.

#76 Best Colleges in Pennsylvania 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 918-1168
  • Avg GPA 3.4
  • Acceptance Rate 82%
  • Net Price $22,216
Wilson College Campus
 

  • Private 4 Year
  • Chambersburg, PA
  • | 0 reviews

Wilson is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate equestrian studies. The Chambersburg campus includes on-site stables and riding facilities.

#77 Best Colleges in Pennsylvania 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 930-1180
  • Avg GPA 3.45
  • Acceptance Rate 92%
  • Net Price $21,748

  • Public 4 Year
  • Lincoln University, PA
  • | 0 reviews
  • May 1 application deadline

Lincoln University is a public HBCU known for undergraduate programs in education, business, and the sciences. The rural campus is set in Chester County in southern Pennsylvania.

#78 Best Colleges in Pennsylvania 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 820-960
  • Avg GPA 3.06
  • Acceptance Rate 66%
  • Net Price $14,473
Bryn Athyn College of the New Church Campus
 

  • Private 4 Year
  • Bryn Athyn, PA
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • Feb 1 application deadline

Bryn Athyn is a small private liberal arts college affiliated with the Swedenborgian New Church. The suburban campus outside Philadelphia sits beside the Bryn Athyn Cathedral and the New Church community.

6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1060-1298
  • Avg GPA 2.87
  • Acceptance Rate 83%
  • Net Price $20,728
Albright College Campus
 

  • Private 4 Year
  • Reading, PA
  • | 0 reviews

Albright is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate fashion, biology, and business. The residential campus sits in the midsize city of Reading in southeastern Pennsylvania.

0/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA 3.05
  • Acceptance Rate 76%
  • Net Price $20,587

  • Public 2 Year
  • Pittsburgh, PA
  • | 0 reviews

CCAC is a public community college offering associate degrees and certificates in nursing, allied health, and business. Students attend classes across multiple campuses throughout the Pittsburgh area.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $13,196
American College of Financial Services Campus
 

  • Private 4 Year
  • King of Prussia, Pennsylvania
  • | 0 reviews

American College of Financial Services is a private college known for undergraduate programs in financial planning and financial services. The suburban campus is in King of Prussia outside Philadelphia.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price -
Community College of Beaver County Campus
 

  • Public 2 Year
  • Monaca, PA
  • | 0 reviews

Community College of Beaver County is a public community college known for undergraduate aviation sciences and technical career programs. The main campus sits in Monaca in western Pennsylvania near Pittsburgh.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $5,594
Bucks County Community College Campus
 

  • Public 2 Year
  • Newtown, PA
  • | 0 reviews

Bucks County Community College is a public community college known for associate degrees and transfer programs. The suburban main campus is located in Newtown in Bucks County.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $5,176
Butler County Community College Campus
 

  • Public 2 Year
  • Butler, PA
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • Aug 15 application deadline

Butler County Community College is a community college with undergraduate programs in nursing and business. The main campus is in Butler, a small city in western Pennsylvania.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $5,792

  • Public 4 Year
  • Cheyney, PA
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • Mar 31 application deadline

Cheyney is a small public university and the nation's oldest HBCU, with undergraduate programs rooted in teacher education and the liberal arts. The suburban campus sits in Chester County west of Philadelphia.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA 2.37
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $14,207
Curtis Institute of Music Campus
 

  • Private 4 Year
  • Philadelphia, PA
  • | 0 reviews
  • Dec 18 application deadline

Curtis is a highly selective private music conservatory known for classical performance and orchestral training. All admitted students receive full-tuition scholarships on its compact Center City Philadelphia campus.

0/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 5%
  • Net Price $23,686

  • Public 2 Year
  • Media, PA
  • | 0 reviews

A public community college known for associate programs in nursing, health sciences, and business. Campuses serve commuting students across Delaware County in the Philadelphia suburbs.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $6,737
Douglas Education Center Campus
 

  • Private 2 Year
  • Monessen, PA
  • | 0 reviews
  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $25,167
Erie Institute of Technology Inc Campus
 

  • Private 2 Year
  • Erie, PA
  • 3.0 | 2 reviews
  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $29,018