Best small colleges in Pennsylvania
Colleges with fewer than 2,000 undergraduates, ranked by Compass Score.
Best small colleges in Pennsylvania69 schools
69 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.
- Fewer than 2,000 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
Curtis Institute of Music
Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofit#1 in Pennsylvania
- 106 undergraduates
- 96% graduate
- 2
Haverford College
Haverford, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- 1,424 undergraduates
- 90% graduate
- 3
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- 1,644 undergraduates
- 92% graduate
- 4
Franklin and Marshall College
Lancaster, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- 1,911 undergraduates
- 84% graduate
- 5
Bryn Mawr College
Bryn Mawr, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- 1,349 undergraduates
- 82% graduate
- 6
Muhlenberg College
Allentown, PA · Private nonprofitTop 9% for graduation
- 1,788 undergraduates
- 82% graduate
- 7
Allegheny College
Meadville, PA · Private nonprofitExcellent: Compass grade A-
- 1,231 undergraduates
- 73% graduate
- 8
Ursinus College
Collegeville, PA · Private nonprofitTop 12% for earnings
- 1,492 undergraduates
- 73% graduate
- 9
Saint Joseph's University - Lancaster
Lancaster, PA · Private nonprofitTop 5% for earnings
- 1,648 undergraduates
- 69% graduate
- 10
Immaculata University
Immaculata, PA · Private nonprofitTop 10% for earnings
- 1,529 undergraduates
- 71% graduate
- 11
Elizabethtown College
Elizabethtown, PA · Private nonprofitTop 13% for graduation
- 1,857 undergraduates
- 76% graduate
- 12
Central Penn College
Summerdale, PA · Private for-profitVery good: Compass grade B+
- 806 undergraduates
- 51% graduate
- 13
Juniata College
Huntingdon, PA · Private nonprofitTop 16% for graduation
- 1,212 undergraduates
- 74% graduate
- 14
Marywood University
Scranton, PA · Private nonprofitTop 18% for graduation
- 1,874 undergraduates
- 72% graduate
- 15
Lancaster Bible College
Lancaster, PA · Private nonprofitVery good: Compass grade B+
- 1,778 undergraduates
- 67% graduate
- 16
Saint Vincent College
Latrobe, PA · Private nonprofitTop 23% for graduation
- 1,280 undergraduates
- 69% graduate
- 17
Geneva College
Beaver Falls, PA · Private nonprofitVery good: Compass grade B+
- 1,149 undergraduates
- 61% graduate
- 18
Lebanon Valley College
Annville, PA · Private nonprofitTop 24% for earnings
- 1,710 undergraduates
- 65% graduate
- 19
Chatham University
Pittsburgh, PA · Private nonprofitVery good: Compass grade B+
- 1,507 undergraduates
- 63% graduate
- 20
Walnut Hill College
Philadelphia, PA · Private for-profitVery good: Compass grade B+
- 127 undergraduates
- 58% graduate
- 21
Washington & Jefferson College
Washington, PA · Private nonprofitTop 16% for earnings
- 1,162 undergraduates
- 70% graduate
- 22
Moore College of Art and Design
Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofitVery good: Compass grade B+
- 390 undergraduates
- 57% graduate
- 23
Misericordia University
Dallas, PA · Private nonprofitTop 18% for graduation
- 1,670 undergraduates
- 72% graduate
- 24
Arcadia University
Glenside, PA · Private nonprofitVery good: Compass grade B+
- 1,890 undergraduates
- 67% graduate
- 25
Seton Hill University
Greensburg, PA · Private nonprofitTop 25% for graduation
- 1,597 undergraduates
- 67% graduate
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Curtis Institute of Music | — | — | — | 96% |
| Haverford College | $25,314 | $13,621 | $79,966 | 90% |
| Swarthmore College | $23,149 | $17,500 | $80,257 | 92% |
| Franklin and Marshall College | $36,425 | $19,000 | $76,124 | 84% |
| Bryn Mawr College | $31,759 | $25,000 | $75,217 | 82% |
| Muhlenberg College | $28,905 | $25,455 | $69,107 | 82% |
| Allegheny College | $22,940 | $27,000 | $62,069 | 73% |
| Ursinus College | $30,536 | $27,000 | $73,721 | 73% |
| Saint Joseph's University - Lancaster | $42,478 | $25,500 | $86,881 | 69% |
| Immaculata University | $24,258 | $27,000 | $75,701 | 71% |
| Elizabethtown College | $26,598 | $27,000 | $62,399 | 76% |
| Central Penn College | $18,953 | $23,194 | $45,370 | 51% |
| Juniata College | $23,988 | $27,000 | $56,918 | 74% |
| Marywood University | $23,388 | $26,186 | $55,817 | 72% |
| Lancaster Bible College | $25,480 | $20,500 | $44,096 | 67% |
| Saint Vincent College | $23,510 | $27,000 | $59,982 | 69% |
| Geneva College | $25,890 | $25,198 | $50,004 | 61% |
| Lebanon Valley College | $26,979 | $27,000 | $62,621 | 65% |
| Chatham University | $29,954 | $23,250 | $52,410 | 63% |
| Walnut Hill College | $32,351 | $18,765 | $36,689 | 58% |
| Washington & Jefferson College | $25,002 | $27,000 | $67,918 | 70% |
| Moore College of Art and Design | $43,086 | $26,000 | $37,839 | 57% |
| Misericordia University | $37,485 | $26,973 | $64,313 | 72% |
| Arcadia University | $29,466 | $27,000 | $58,336 | 67% |
| Seton Hill University | $22,204 | $27,000 | $51,748 | 67% |
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 10
- Arizona 8
- Arkansas 13
- California 63
- Colorado 5
- Connecticut 10
- Florida 27
- Georgia 24
- Idaho 3
- Illinois 25
- Indiana 20
- Iowa 23
- Kansas 18
- Kentucky 18
- Louisiana 8
- Maine 11
- Maryland 13
- Massachusetts 31
- Michigan 23
- Minnesota 19
- Mississippi 8
- Missouri 31
- Montana 7
- Nebraska 12
- New Hampshire 7
- New Jersey 18
- New Mexico 7
- New York 55
- North Carolina 34
- North Dakota 4
- Ohio 58
- Oklahoma 11
- Oregon 11
- Puerto Rico 31
- South Carolina 19
- South Dakota 5
- Tennessee 24
- Texas 31
- Utah 7
- Vermont 4
- Virginia 30
- Washington 12
- West Virginia 12
- Wisconsin 15