HighSchoolOS Best Colleges in Pennsylvania
The strongest colleges and universities in Pennsylvania, ranked by graduation rate and selectivity, with verified acceptance rates, net price, and test scores for this admissions cycle.
Explore this ranking interactively| # | School | Location | Acceptance | SAT avg | Net price | Grad rate | Undergrads |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, PA | 5.4% | 1,553 | $28,699 | 97% | 10,650 |
| 2 | Carnegie Mellon University | Pittsburgh, PA | 11.7% | 1,546 | $31,944 | 94% | 7,304 |
| 3 | Swarthmore College | Swarthmore, PA | 7.5% | 1,534 | $23,149 | 92% | 1,613 |
| 4 | Lehigh University | Bethlehem, PA | 26% | 1,440 | $36,931 | 88% | 5,898 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | University Park, PA | 61% | 1,337 | $32,875 | 86% | 42,284 |
| 6 | Villanova University | Villanova, PA | 27% | 1,460 | $43,756 | 92% | 6,938 |
| 7 | Haverford College | Haverford, PA | 12.4% | 1,513 | $25,314 | 90% | 1,430 |
| 8 | Lafayette College | Easton, PA | 31% | 1,424 | $34,433 | 88% | 2,757 |
| 9 | Bucknell University | Lewisburg, PA | 29% | 1,410 | $40,766 | 86% | 3,876 |
| 10 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | Pittsburgh, PA | 58% | 1,370 | $30,434 | 86% | 20,370 |
| 11 | Franklin and Marshall College | Lancaster, PA | 28% | 1,392 | $36,425 | 84% | 1,799 |
| 12 | Gettysburg College | Gettysburg, PA | 39% | 1,379 | $31,490 | 83% | 2,099 |
| 13 | Muhlenberg College | Allentown, PA | 72% | 1,343 | $28,905 | 82% | 1,727 |
| 14 | Bryn Mawr College | Bryn Mawr, PA | 29% | 1,396 | $31,759 | 82% | 1,359 |
| 15 | Dickinson College | Carlisle, PA | 42% | 1,391 | $37,607 | 80% | 2,273 |
| 16 | University of Scranton | Scranton, PA | 81% | 1,237 | $32,568 | 80% | 3,554 |
| 17 | Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia | Philadelphia, PA | 89% | 1,258 | $29,689 | 79% | 4,948 |
| 18 | Drexel University | Philadelphia, PA | 79% | 1,345 | $38,509 | 78% | 13,233 |
| 19 | Duquesne University | Pittsburgh, PA | 84% | 1,276 | $37,730 | 77% | 5,350 |
| 20 | Elizabethtown College | Elizabethtown, PA | 78% | 1,204 | $26,598 | 76% | 1,868 |
| 21 | Temple University | Philadelphia, PA | 80% | n/a | $28,198 | 75% | 20,970 |
| 22 | Messiah University | Mechanicsburg, PA | 79% | 1,236 | $26,502 | 75% | 2,259 |
| 23 | Saint Francis University | Loretto, PA | 77% | 1,155 | $23,526 | 74% | 1,557 |
| 24 | Juniata College | Huntingdon, PA | 79% | 1,227 | $23,988 | 74% | 1,191 |
| 25 | Ursinus College | Collegeville, PA | 92% | 1,310 | $30,536 | 73% | 1,491 |
| 26 | Allegheny College | Meadville, PA | 55% | 1,275 | $22,940 | 73% | 1,156 |
| 27 | DeSales University | Center Valley, PA | 77% | 1,186 | $31,643 | 72% | 2,128 |
| 28 | Moravian University | Bethlehem, PA | 54% | 1,183 | $30,670 | 72% | 1,949 |
| 29 | Misericordia University | Dallas, PA | 71% | n/a | $37,485 | 72% | 1,672 |
| 30 | Marywood University | Scranton, PA | 61% | 1,162 | $23,388 | 72% | 1,784 |
| 31 | Immaculata University | Immaculata, PA | 86% | 1,260 | $24,258 | 71% | 1,320 |
| 32 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | West Chester, PA | 78% | 1,187 | $23,331 | 71% | 14,164 |
| 33 | Washington & Jefferson College | Washington, PA | 81% | n/a | $25,002 | 70% | 1,295 |
| 34 | Saint Vincent College | Latrobe, PA | 62% | 1,116 | $23,510 | 69% | 1,259 |
| 35 | Thomas Jefferson University | Philadelphia, PA | 81% | 1,243 | $28,928 | 69% | 3,755 |
| 36 | Pennsylvania College of Art and Design | Lancaster, PA | 99% | n/a | $30,083 | 69% | 400 |
| 37 | Widener University | Chester, PA | 71% | 1,180 | $25,759 | 68% | 2,951 |
| 38 | Bryn Athyn College of the New Church | Bryn Athyn, PA | 83% | n/a | $20,586 | 68% | 244 |
| 39 | Seton Hill University | Greensburg, PA | 80% | 1,117 | $22,204 | 67% | 1,492 |
| 40 | Arcadia University | Glenside, PA | 80% | 1,190 | $29,466 | 67% | 1,948 |
Acceptance rate, net price (average cost after aid), and graduation rate are from the most recent federal data; test ranges and deadlines are verified against each school for the 2025-2026 cycle. Click any school for its full profile, deadlines, and supplemental essay prompts.