Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in Pennsylvania
Colleges ranked by how many years of extra earnings, above a high school graduate’s, cover four years of net price.
Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in Pennsylvania54 schools
54 schools qualify, ranked by payback years. 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 median earnings ten years after enrolling and a net price from federal data (College Scorecard), and those earnings are above a high school graduate’s ($48,360 a year: median weekly earnings of $930 for full-time workers with a high school diploma, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024).
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Payback years = four years of net price ÷ (earnings − a high school graduate’s earnings). Ordered by payback years, fewest first. A simple estimate: it leaves out interest, taxes and earnings growth.
Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor RollTop 1% for earnings
- Pays back in about 1.8 years
- Earnings $111,371 ten years out
- 2
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 1% for earnings
- Pays back in about 1.9 years
- Earnings $114,862 ten years out
- 3
Lehigh University
Bethlehem, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 1% for earnings
- Pays back in about 2.6 years
- Earnings $105,584 ten years out
- 4
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Pays back in about 2.9 years
- Earnings $80,257 ten years out
- 5
Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofitTop 5% for earnings
- Pays back in about 3.1 years
- Earnings $86,881 ten years out
- 6Tie
Lafayette College
Easton, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 4% for earnings
- Pays back in about 3.2 years
- Earnings $91,410 ten years out
- 6Tie
Haverford College
Haverford, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Pays back in about 3.2 years
- Earnings $79,966 ten years out
- 8
Villanova University
Villanova, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 2% for earnings
- Pays back in about 3.4 years
- Earnings $100,423 ten years out
- 9
Immaculata University
Immaculata, PA · Private nonprofitTop 10% for earnings
- Pays back in about 3.5 years
- Earnings $75,701 ten years out
- 10
Bucknell University
Lewisburg, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 3% for earnings
- Pays back in about 3.6 years
- Earnings $93,807 ten years out
- 11
Thomas Jefferson University
Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofitTop 9% for earnings
- Pays back in about 4.0 years
- Earnings $77,449 ten years out
- 12
Drexel University
Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofitTop 6% for earnings
- Pays back in about 4.2 years
- Earnings $84,648 ten years out
- 13
Saint Joseph's University - Lancaster
Lancaster, PA · Private nonprofitTop 5% for earnings
- Pays back in about 4.4 years
- Earnings $86,881 ten years out
- 14
Widener University
Chester, PA · Private nonprofitTop 14% for earnings
- Pays back in about 4.6 years
- Earnings $70,920 ten years out
- 15
Bryn Mawr College
Bryn Mawr, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Pays back in about 4.7 years
- Earnings $75,217 ten years out
- 16
Ursinus College
Collegeville, PA · Private nonprofitTop 12% for earnings
- Pays back in about 4.8 years
- Earnings $73,721 ten years out
- 17
University of Scranton
Scranton, PA · Private nonprofitTop 11% for graduation
- Pays back in about 5.0 years
- Earnings $74,652 ten years out
- 18
Washington & Jefferson College
Washington, PA · Private nonprofitTop 16% for earnings
- Pays back in about 5.1 years
- Earnings $67,918 ten years out
- 19
Franklin and Marshall College
Lancaster, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Pays back in about 5.2 years
- Earnings $76,124 ten years out
- 20
Gettysburg College
Gettysburg, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Pays back in about 5.4 years
- Earnings $71,517 ten years out
- 21
Muhlenberg College
Allentown, PA · Private nonprofitTop 9% for graduation
- Pays back in about 5.6 years
- Earnings $69,107 ten years out
- 22
Duquesne University
Pittsburgh, PA · Private nonprofitTop 11% for earnings
- Pays back in about 5.7 years
- Earnings $74,742 ten years out
- 23
York College of Pennsylvania
York, PA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- Pays back in about 5.9 years
- Earnings $61,012 ten years out
- 24Tie
Allegheny College
Meadville, PA · Private nonprofitExcellent: Compass grade A-
- Pays back in about 6.7 years
- Earnings $62,069 ten years out
- 24Tie
Robert Morris University
Moon Township, PA · Private nonprofitTop 24% for earnings
- Pays back in about 6.7 years
- Earnings $62,105 ten years out
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Pennsylvania | $28,699 | $15,715 | $111,371 | 97% |
| Carnegie Mellon University | $31,944 | $21,750 | $114,862 | 94% |
| Lehigh University | $36,931 | $21,960 | $105,584 | 88% |
| Swarthmore College | $23,149 | $17,500 | $80,257 | 92% |
| Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia | $29,689 | $25,500 | $86,881 | 79% |
| Lafayette College | $34,433 | $16,000 | $91,410 | 88% |
| Haverford College | $25,314 | $13,621 | $79,966 | 90% |
| Villanova University | $43,756 | $25,874 | $100,423 | 92% |
| Immaculata University | $24,258 | $27,000 | $75,701 | 71% |
| Bucknell University | $40,766 | $27,000 | $93,807 | 86% |
| Thomas Jefferson University | $28,928 | $14,744 | $77,449 | 69% |
| Drexel University | $38,509 | $25,325 | $84,648 | 78% |
| Saint Joseph's University - Lancaster | $42,478 | $25,500 | $86,881 | 69% |
| Widener University | $25,759 | $27,000 | $70,920 | 68% |
| Bryn Mawr College | $31,759 | $25,000 | $75,217 | 82% |
| Ursinus College | $30,536 | $27,000 | $73,721 | 73% |
| University of Scranton | $32,568 | $27,000 | $74,652 | 80% |
| Washington & Jefferson College | $25,002 | $27,000 | $67,918 | 70% |
| Franklin and Marshall College | $36,425 | $19,000 | $76,124 | 84% |
| Gettysburg College | $31,490 | $26,999 | $71,517 | 83% |
| Muhlenberg College | $28,905 | $25,455 | $69,107 | 82% |
| Duquesne University | $37,730 | $26,244 | $74,742 | 77% |
| York College of Pennsylvania | $18,556 | $26,000 | $61,012 | 64% |
| Allegheny College | $22,940 | $27,000 | $62,069 | 73% |
| Robert Morris University | $23,003 | $26,950 | $62,105 | 66% |
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 3
- Arkansas 5
- California 54
- Colorado 6
- Connecticut 13
- District of Columbia 5
- Florida 15
- Georgia 9
- Illinois 19
- Indiana 19
- Iowa 15
- Kansas 3
- Kentucky 5
- Louisiana 3
- Maine 7
- Maryland 14
- Massachusetts 38
- Michigan 19
- Minnesota 17
- Missouri 13
- Nebraska 8
- New Hampshire 4
- New Jersey 16
- New York 67
- North Carolina 15
- Ohio 28
- Oklahoma 4
- Oregon 9
- Rhode Island 8
- South Carolina 6
- Tennessee 7
- Texas 17
- Utah 4
- Vermont 5
- Virginia 19
- Washington 13
- Wisconsin 13