Best mid-size colleges in Pennsylvania
Colleges with 2,000 to 10,000 undergraduates, ranked by Compass Score.
Best mid-size colleges in Pennsylvania43 schools
43 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.
- 2,000 to 10,000 undergraduate students (federal enrollment).
- 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
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 1% for earnings
- 7,289 undergraduates
- 94% graduate
- 2
Lehigh University
Bethlehem, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 1% for earnings
- 5,811 undergraduates
- 88% graduate
- 3
Villanova University
Villanova, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 2% for earnings
- 7,063 undergraduates
- 92% graduate
- 4
Lafayette College
Easton, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 4% for earnings
- 2,764 undergraduates
- 88% graduate
- 5
Bucknell University
Lewisburg, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 3% for earnings
- 3,846 undergraduates
- 86% graduate
- 6
Gettysburg College
Gettysburg, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- 2,216 undergraduates
- 83% graduate
- 7
Dickinson College
Carlisle, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- 2,204 undergraduates
- 80% graduate
- 8
Grove City College
Grove City, PA · Private nonprofitTop 9% for graduation
- 2,365 undergraduates
- 83% graduate
- 9
Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofitTop 5% for earnings
- 4,828 undergraduates
- 79% graduate
- 10
Susquehanna University
Selinsgrove, PA · Private nonprofitTop 10% for graduation
- 2,241 undergraduates
- 82% graduate
- 11
University of Scranton
Scranton, PA · Private nonprofitTop 11% for graduation
- 3,666 undergraduates
- 80% graduate
- 12
Duquesne University
Pittsburgh, PA · Private nonprofitTop 11% for earnings
- 5,226 undergraduates
- 77% graduate
- 13
Messiah University
Mechanicsburg, PA · Private nonprofitTop 15% for graduation
- 2,586 undergraduates
- 75% graduate
- 14
Thomas Jefferson University
Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofitTop 9% for earnings
- 3,731 undergraduates
- 69% graduate
- 15
Moravian University
Bethlehem, PA · Private nonprofitTop 18% for graduation
- 2,006 undergraduates
- 72% graduate
- 16
DeSales University
Center Valley, PA · Private nonprofitTop 18% for graduation
- 2,149 undergraduates
- 72% graduate
- 17
Saint Francis University
Loretto, PA · Private nonprofitTop 15% for graduation
- 2,429 undergraduates
- 74% graduate
- 18
Widener University
Chester, PA · Private nonprofitTop 14% for earnings
- 2,811 undergraduates
- 68% graduate
- 19
Pennsylvania College of Technology
Williamsport, PA · PublicVery good: Compass grade B+
- 4,287 undergraduates
- 53% graduate
- 20
York College of Pennsylvania
York, PA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- 3,308 undergraduates
- 64% graduate
- 21
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
Slippery Rock, PA · PublicGood: Compass grade B
- 6,803 undergraduates
- 66% graduate
- 22
Robert Morris University
Moon Township, PA · Private nonprofitTop 24% for earnings
- 3,769 undergraduates
- 66% graduate
- 23
- 24
Holy Family University
Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofitTop 24% for earnings
- 2,446 undergraduates
- 61% graduate
- 25
Alvernia University
Reading, PA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- 2,050 undergraduates
- 56% graduate
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| Gettysburg College | $31,490 | $26,999 | $71,517 | 83% |
| Dickinson College | $37,607 | $19,000 | $70,204 | 80% |
| Grove City College | — | — | — | 83% |
| Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia | $29,689 | $25,500 | $86,881 | 79% |
| Susquehanna University | $28,819 | $27,000 | $61,723 | 82% |
| University of Scranton | $32,568 | $27,000 | $74,652 | 80% |
| Duquesne University | $37,730 | $26,244 | $74,742 | 77% |
| Messiah University | $26,502 | $25,621 | $54,064 | 75% |
| Thomas Jefferson University | $28,928 | $14,744 | $77,449 | 69% |
| Moravian University | $30,670 | $26,793 | $61,860 | 72% |
| DeSales University | $31,643 | $25,788 | $61,295 | 72% |
| Saint Francis University | $23,526 | $27,000 | $62,101 | 74% |
| Widener University | $25,759 | $27,000 | $70,920 | 68% |
| Pennsylvania College of Technology | $25,110 | $23,961 | $52,567 | 53% |
| York College of Pennsylvania | $18,556 | $26,000 | $61,012 | 64% |
| Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania | $19,608 | $25,000 | $53,032 | 66% |
| Robert Morris University | $23,003 | $26,950 | $62,105 | 66% |
| Gannon University | $22,553 | $27,000 | $58,845 | 66% |
| Holy Family University | $13,143 | $25,125 | $62,235 | 61% |
| Alvernia University | $28,138 | $27,000 | $55,055 | 56% |
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 11
- Arkansas 9
- California 36
- Colorado 15
- Connecticut 14
- District of Columbia 4
- Florida 21
- Georgia 28
- Hawaii 4
- Idaho 3
- Illinois 24
- Indiana 19
- Iowa 5
- Kansas 5
- Kentucky 7
- Louisiana 12
- Maine 8
- Maryland 9
- Massachusetts 30
- Michigan 13
- Minnesota 18
- Mississippi 5
- Missouri 16
- Nebraska 4
- New Hampshire 4
- New Jersey 14
- New York 61
- North Carolina 12
- North Dakota 4
- Ohio 32
- Oklahoma 9
- Oregon 7
- Puerto Rico 20
- Rhode Island 8
- South Carolina 12
- South Dakota 5
- Tennessee 15
- Texas 35
- Vermont 4
- Virginia 13
- Washington 9
- West Virginia 5
- Wisconsin 18
- Wyoming 3