Pennsylvania Private Colleges Ranked by Highest ACT Score

Below is a list of the 47 private colleges in Pennsylvania with the highest ACT Score for incoming freshmen. University of Pennsylvania leads the list with an average ACT Score of 35. Alternatively, check out the SAT version of these rankings.

The ACT is a standardized test used by colleges to evaluate applicants. It is not a guarantee of success in college, but it is a strong indicator of academic potential.

List of Pennsylvania Private Colleges Ranked by Highest ACT Score
College	Average ACT Score
University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	35
Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania	34
Haverford College Haverford, Pennsylvania	34
Swarthmore College Swarthmore, Pennsylvania	34
Villanova University Villanova, Pennsylvania	33
Lafayette College Easton, Pennsylvania	32
Lehigh University Bethlehem, Pennsylvania	32
Bryn Mawr College Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania	31
Bucknell University Lewisburg, Pennsylvania	31
Dickinson College Carlisle, Pennsylvania	31
Franklin and Marshall College Lancaster, Pennsylvania	31
Muhlenberg College Allentown, Pennsylvania	31
Gettysburg College Gettysburg, Pennsylvania	30
Ursinus College Collegeville, Pennsylvania	30
Drexel University Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	29
Duquesne University Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania	29
Moore College of Art and Design Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	29
Saint Joseph's University Philadelphia Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	29

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This list is updated annually based on the latest data from the National Center for Education Statistics.
Last updated: August 2026

Data source: IPEDS 2025 survey for academic year 2024/2025 - National Center for Education Statistics.