Best colleges in Pennsylvania
Every accredited four-year college ranked by the Compass Score: outcomes, entering students, cost and teaching, from federal data.
Best colleges in Pennsylvania118 schools
118 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.
- 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
- 2
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor RollTop 1% for earnings
- Value grade B+ · Top 27%
- 97% graduate
- 3
Haverford College
Haverford, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Value grade A- · Top 13%
- 90% graduate
- 4
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Value grade A- · Top 15%
- 92% graduate
- 5
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 1% for earnings
- Value grade B
- 94% graduate
- 6
Lehigh University
Bethlehem, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 1% for earnings
- Value grade B-
- 88% graduate
- 7
Villanova University
Villanova, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 2% for earnings
- Value grade C+
- 92% graduate
- 8
Lafayette College
Easton, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 4% for earnings
- Value grade B · Top 47%
- 88% graduate
- 9
Bucknell University
Lewisburg, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 3% for earnings
- Value grade C+
- 86% graduate
- 10
Franklin and Marshall College
Lancaster, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Value grade B-
- 84% graduate
- 11
Bryn Mawr College
Bryn Mawr, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Value grade B-
- 82% graduate
- 12
Gettysburg College
Gettysburg, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Value grade B-
- 83% graduate
- 13
Dickinson College
Carlisle, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Value grade B-
- 80% graduate
- 14
University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus
Pittsburgh, PA · PublicHonor RollTop 7% for graduation
- Value grade B-
- 86% graduate
- 15
Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA · PublicHonor RollTop 7% for graduation
- Value grade C+
- 86% graduate
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofitTop 5% for earnings
- Value grade B
- 79% graduate
- 20
Allegheny College
Meadville, PA · Private nonprofitExcellent: Compass grade A-
- Value grade B
- 73% graduate
- 21
Susquehanna University
Selinsgrove, PA · Private nonprofitTop 10% for graduation
- Value grade C+
- 82% graduate
- 22
- 23
University of Scranton
Scranton, PA · Private nonprofitTop 11% for graduation
- Value grade B-
- 80% graduate
- 24
- 25
Saint Joseph's University - Lancaster
Lancaster, PA · Private nonprofitTop 5% for earnings
- Value grade C+
- 69% graduate
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Curtis Institute of Music | — | — | — | 96% |
| University of Pennsylvania | $28,699 | $15,715 | $111,371 | 97% |
| Haverford College | $25,314 | $13,621 | $79,966 | 90% |
| Swarthmore College | $23,149 | $17,500 | $80,257 | 92% |
| Carnegie Mellon University | $31,944 | $21,750 | $114,862 | 94% |
| Lehigh University | $36,931 | $21,960 | $105,584 | 88% |
| Villanova University | $43,756 | $25,874 | $100,423 | 92% |
| Lafayette College | $34,433 | $16,000 | $91,410 | 88% |
| Bucknell University | $40,766 | $27,000 | $93,807 | 86% |
| Franklin and Marshall College | $36,425 | $19,000 | $76,124 | 84% |
| Bryn Mawr College | $31,759 | $25,000 | $75,217 | 82% |
| Gettysburg College | $31,490 | $26,999 | $71,517 | 83% |
| Dickinson College | $37,607 | $19,000 | $70,204 | 80% |
| University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | $30,434 | $24,250 | $66,125 | 86% |
| Pennsylvania State University | $32,875 | $25,000 | $63,435 | 86% |
| Muhlenberg College | $28,905 | $25,455 | $69,107 | 82% |
| Grove City College | — | — | — | 83% |
| Drexel University | $38,509 | $25,325 | $84,648 | 78% |
| Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia | $29,689 | $25,500 | $86,881 | 79% |
| Allegheny College | $22,940 | $27,000 | $62,069 | 73% |
| Susquehanna University | $28,819 | $27,000 | $61,723 | 82% |
| Ursinus College | $30,536 | $27,000 | $73,721 | 73% |
| University of Scranton | $32,568 | $27,000 | $74,652 | 80% |
| Duquesne University | $37,730 | $26,244 | $74,742 | 77% |
| Saint Joseph's University - Lancaster | $42,478 | $25,500 | $86,881 | 69% |
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 26
- Alaska 5
- Arizona 16
- Arkansas 23
- California 128
- Colorado 26
- Connecticut 26
- Delaware 4
- District of Columbia 9
- Florida 61
- Georgia 60
- Hawaii 6
- Idaho 9
- Illinois 57
- Indiana 45
- Iowa 30
- Kansas 27
- Kentucky 29
- Louisiana 24
- Maine 19
- Maryland 26
- Massachusetts 67
- Michigan 44
- Minnesota 40
- Mississippi 16
- Missouri 53
- Montana 10
- Nebraska 19
- Nevada 6
- New Hampshire 13
- New Jersey 36
- New Mexico 11
- New York 135
- North Carolina 55
- North Dakota 9
- Ohio 99
- Oklahoma 23
- Oregon 21
- Puerto Rico 52
- Rhode Island 11
- South Carolina 35
- South Dakota 11
- Tennessee 43
- Texas 85
- Utah 16
- Vermont 9
- Virginia 51
- Washington 24
- West Virginia 19
- Wisconsin 36
- Wyoming 3