Best colleges for social work in Pennsylvania
Colleges that offer a bachelor’s in social work, ranked by Compass Score.
Best colleges for social work in Pennsylvania34 schools
34 schools qualify, ranked by the Compass Score. The top 25 are shown.
How this list is made
- Schools in Pennsylvania.
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- Offers a bachelor’s program in social work, from the College Scorecard field-of-study data (credential level 3).
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Ordered by Compass Score, highest first. Schools with the same score share a rank.
Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1
University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus
Pittsburgh, PA · PublicHonor RollTop 7% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade B-
- 2
Grove City College
Grove City, PA · Private nonprofitTop 9% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- 3
Messiah University
Mechanicsburg, PA · Private nonprofitTop 15% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade C+
- 4
Immaculata University
Immaculata, PA · Private nonprofitTop 10% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade B · Top 41%
- 5
Elizabethtown College
Elizabethtown, PA · Private nonprofitTop 13% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade B-
- 6
Juniata College
Huntingdon, PA · Private nonprofitTop 16% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade B-
- 7
Marywood University
Scranton, PA · Private nonprofitTop 18% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade B-
- 8
Temple University
Philadelphia, PA · PublicTop 14% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade B-
- 9
Saint Francis University
Loretto, PA · Private nonprofitTop 15% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade B-
- 10
Lancaster Bible College
Lancaster, PA · Private nonprofitVery good: Compass grade B+
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade C+
- 11
West Chester University of Pennsylvania
West Chester, PA · PublicTop 20% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade B · Top 48%
- 12
Widener University
Chester, PA · Private nonprofitTop 14% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade B
- 13
Chatham University
Pittsburgh, PA · Private nonprofitVery good: Compass grade B+
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade C+
- 14
Misericordia University
Dallas, PA · Private nonprofitTop 18% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade C+
- 15
Seton Hill University
Greensburg, PA · Private nonprofitTop 25% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade B-
- 16
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
Slippery Rock, PA · PublicGood: Compass grade B
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade B
- 17
Gannon University
Erie, PA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade B-
- 18
Carlow University
Pittsburgh, PA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade B-
- 19
Alvernia University
Reading, PA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade C+
- 20
Mercyhurst University
Erie, PA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade B-
- 21
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
Kutztown, PA · PublicGood: Compass grade B
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade B-
- 22
Cedar Crest College
Allentown, PA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade B · Top 44%
- 23
Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA · Private nonprofitTop 17% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade B-
- 24
Millersville University of Pennsylvania
Millersville, PA · PublicGood: Compass grade B
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade B · Top 50%
- 25
Cairn University-Langhorne
Langhorne, PA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade C+
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | About $30,000 | $24,250 | $66,125 | 86% |
| Grove City College | — | — | — | 83% |
| Messiah University | About $27,000 | $25,621 | $54,064 | 75% |
| Immaculata University | About $24,000 | $27,000 | $75,701 | 71% |
| Elizabethtown College | About $27,000 | $27,000 | $62,399 | 76% |
| Juniata College | About $24,000 | $27,000 | $56,918 | 74% |
| Marywood University | About $23,000 | $26,186 | $55,817 | 72% |
| Temple University | About $28,000 | $24,395 | $63,727 | 75% |
| Saint Francis University | About $24,000 | $27,000 | $62,101 | 74% |
| Lancaster Bible College | About $25,000 | $20,500 | $44,096 | 67% |
| West Chester University of Pennsylvania | About $23,000 | $23,500 | $61,258 | 71% |
| Widener University | About $26,000 | $27,000 | $70,920 | 68% |
| Chatham University | About $30,000 | $23,250 | $52,410 | 63% |
| Misericordia University | About $37,000 | $26,973 | $64,313 | 72% |
| Seton Hill University | About $22,000 | $27,000 | $51,748 | 67% |
| Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania | About $20,000 | $25,000 | $53,032 | 66% |
| Gannon University | About $23,000 | $27,000 | $58,845 | 66% |
| Carlow University | About $21,000 | $25,500 | $51,051 | 60% |
| Alvernia University | About $28,000 | $27,000 | $55,055 | 56% |
| Mercyhurst University | About $19,000 | $25,305 | $47,452 | 60% |
| Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | About $21,000 | $26,000 | $53,775 | 54% |
| Cedar Crest College | About $19,000 | $27,000 | $59,460 | 60% |
| Gwynedd Mercy University | About $27,000 | $25,000 | $67,145 | 57% |
| Millersville University of Pennsylvania | About $21,000 | $23,507 | $55,246 | 58% |
| Cairn University-Langhorne | About $28,000 | $26,926 | $44,172 | 60% |
Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.
This list in other states
- Alabama 16
- Arizona 4
- Arkansas 10
- California 26
- Colorado 5
- Connecticut 13
- District of Columbia 3
- Florida 14
- Georgia 12
- Hawaii 3
- Idaho 5
- Illinois 21
- Indiana 21
- Iowa 14
- Kansas 10
- Kentucky 14
- Louisiana 9
- Maine 5
- Maryland 10
- Massachusetts 12
- Michigan 22
- Minnesota 16
- Mississippi 11
- Missouri 18
- Nebraska 6
- New Hampshire 4
- New Jersey 13
- New York 29
- North Carolina 24
- North Dakota 3
- Ohio 42
- Oklahoma 6
- Oregon 5
- Puerto Rico 17
- Rhode Island 3
- South Carolina 6
- Tennessee 19
- Texas 34
- Utah 4
- Vermont 3
- Virginia 15
- Washington 8
- West Virginia 7
- Wisconsin 16