Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in Pennsylvania
Colleges whose average price after grants is furthest below their published sticker price.
Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in Pennsylvania60 schools
60 schools qualify, ranked by discount off the sticker price. The top 25 are shown.
How this list is made
- Schools in Pennsylvania.
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- Academic Excellence grade B+ or better (the top 35% of rated colleges).
- Has a sticker price (cost of attendance) and a net price (average yearly cost after grants) from federal data (College Scorecard).
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Ordered by the discount, sticker price minus net price, largest first.
Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1
Haverford College
Haverford, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- $65,068 off the sticker price
- Net price $25,314 a year
- 2
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- $60,954 off the sticker price
- Net price $23,149 a year
- 3
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor RollTop 1% for earnings
- $60,329 off the sticker price
- Net price $28,699 a year
- 4
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 1% for earnings
- $51,710 off the sticker price
- Net price $31,944 a year
- 5
Bryn Mawr College
Bryn Mawr, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- $51,491 off the sticker price
- Net price $31,759 a year
- 6
Gettysburg College
Gettysburg, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- $50,470 off the sticker price
- Net price $31,490 a year
- 7
Franklin and Marshall College
Lancaster, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- $49,351 off the sticker price
- Net price $36,425 a year
- 8
Lafayette College
Easton, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 4% for earnings
- $48,700 off the sticker price
- Net price $34,433 a year
- 9
Allegheny College
Meadville, PA · Private nonprofitExcellent: Compass grade A-
- $48,408 off the sticker price
- Net price $22,940 a year
- 10
Muhlenberg College
Allentown, PA · Private nonprofitTop 9% for graduation
- $48,365 off the sticker price
- Net price $28,905 a year
- 11
Juniata College
Huntingdon, PA · Private nonprofitTop 16% for graduation
- $47,862 off the sticker price
- Net price $23,988 a year
- 12
Susquehanna University
Selinsgrove, PA · Private nonprofitTop 10% for graduation
- $46,591 off the sticker price
- Net price $28,819 a year
- 13
Ursinus College
Collegeville, PA · Private nonprofitTop 12% for earnings
- $46,279 off the sticker price
- Net price $30,536 a year
- 14
Dickinson College
Carlisle, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- $45,295 off the sticker price
- Net price $37,607 a year
- 15
Lycoming College
Williamsport, PA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- $44,965 off the sticker price
- Net price $19,140 a year
- 16
Widener University
Chester, PA · Private nonprofitTop 14% for earnings
- $44,862 off the sticker price
- Net price $25,759 a year
- 17
Lehigh University
Bethlehem, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 1% for earnings
- $43,925 off the sticker price
- Net price $36,931 a year
- 18
Bucknell University
Lewisburg, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 3% for earnings
- $42,990 off the sticker price
- Net price $40,766 a year
- 19
Villanova University
Villanova, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 2% for earnings
- $41,037 off the sticker price
- Net price $43,756 a year
- 20
Mercyhurst University
Erie, PA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- $40,113 off the sticker price
- Net price $19,444 a year
- 21
Lebanon Valley College
Annville, PA · Private nonprofitTop 24% for earnings
- $39,518 off the sticker price
- Net price $26,979 a year
- 22
Cedar Crest College
Allentown, PA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- $38,547 off the sticker price
- Net price $18,659 a year
- 23
Drexel University
Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofitTop 6% for earnings
- $38,326 off the sticker price
- Net price $38,509 a year
- 24
Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofitTop 5% for earnings
- $38,265 off the sticker price
- Net price $29,689 a year
- 25
University of Scranton
Scranton, PA · Private nonprofitTop 11% for graduation
- $36,984 off the sticker price
- Net price $32,568 a year
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haverford College | $25,314 | $13,621 | $79,966 | 90% |
| Swarthmore College | $23,149 | $17,500 | $80,257 | 92% |
| University of Pennsylvania | $28,699 | $15,715 | $111,371 | 97% |
| Carnegie Mellon University | $31,944 | $21,750 | $114,862 | 94% |
| Bryn Mawr College | $31,759 | $25,000 | $75,217 | 82% |
| Gettysburg College | $31,490 | $26,999 | $71,517 | 83% |
| Franklin and Marshall College | $36,425 | $19,000 | $76,124 | 84% |
| Lafayette College | $34,433 | $16,000 | $91,410 | 88% |
| Allegheny College | $22,940 | $27,000 | $62,069 | 73% |
| Muhlenberg College | $28,905 | $25,455 | $69,107 | 82% |
| Juniata College | $23,988 | $27,000 | $56,918 | 74% |
| Susquehanna University | $28,819 | $27,000 | $61,723 | 82% |
| Ursinus College | $30,536 | $27,000 | $73,721 | 73% |
| Dickinson College | $37,607 | $19,000 | $70,204 | 80% |
| Lycoming College | $19,140 | $27,000 | $56,210 | 60% |
| Widener University | $25,759 | $27,000 | $70,920 | 68% |
| Lehigh University | $36,931 | $21,960 | $105,584 | 88% |
| Bucknell University | $40,766 | $27,000 | $93,807 | 86% |
| Villanova University | $43,756 | $25,874 | $100,423 | 92% |
| Mercyhurst University | $19,444 | $25,305 | $47,452 | 60% |
| Lebanon Valley College | $26,979 | $27,000 | $62,621 | 65% |
| Cedar Crest College | $18,659 | $27,000 | $59,460 | 60% |
| Drexel University | $38,509 | $25,325 | $84,648 | 78% |
| Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia | $29,689 | $25,500 | $86,881 | 79% |
| University of Scranton | $32,568 | $27,000 | $74,652 | 80% |
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 5
- Arizona 4
- Arkansas 5
- California 63
- Colorado 6
- Connecticut 13
- District of Columbia 5
- Florida 21
- Georgia 9
- Illinois 21
- Indiana 21
- Iowa 16
- Kansas 4
- Kentucky 7
- Louisiana 3
- Maine 9
- Maryland 15
- Massachusetts 47
- Michigan 20
- Minnesota 19
- Missouri 18
- Nebraska 8
- New Hampshire 5
- New Jersey 17
- New York 79
- North Carolina 17
- Ohio 33
- Oklahoma 4
- Oregon 11
- Rhode Island 9
- South Carolina 10
- Tennessee 10
- Texas 20
- Utah 4
- Vermont 6
- Virginia 20
- Washington 13
- Wisconsin 15