Explore Pennsylvania Colleges
Colleges in Pennsylvania
Explore 131 colleges and universities in Pennsylvania, including 38 public institutions and 93 private schools. Compare tuition costs, acceptance rates, and find your perfect fit.
131
Total Colleges
38
Public
93
Private
Pennsylvania at a Glance
Avg Acceptance Rate
6813%
Average acceptance rate for Pennsylvania colleges
Avg Net Price
$24,266.776
After financial aid
Avg In-State Tuition
$29,816.585
For public universities
Pennsylvania College Systems
Pennsylvania has a major public university system that serve students across the state. Understanding these systems can help you find the right fit.
Explore Pennsylvania by Region
Pennsylvania is a diverse state with distinct college regions. Explore schools by area to find the campus environment that fits your lifestyle.
See how Pennsylvania colleges compare head-to-head on acceptance rates, costs, and outcomes.
Pennsylvania Colleges Directory
Browse 131 colleges in Pennsylvania, sorted by ranking and selectivity.

Philadelphia, PA•Private
5%
Acceptance Rate$75,386/yr
1510-1570
96%
"Ben Franklin's urban powerhouse where pre-professional hustlers chase Wharton deals, biotech breakthroughs, and Ivy ambition amid Philly's historic grit."

Swarthmore, PA•Private
7%
Acceptance Rate$79,236/yr
1490-1560
94%
"Swarthmore: the fiercely intellectual Quaker enclave where you'll wrestle big ideas alongside hyper-driven peers in a leafy Philly suburb."

Pittsburgh, PA•Private
12%
Acceptance Rate$78,030/yr
1500-1570
89%
"At Carnegie Mellon, you'll hack code by day and improvise drama by night in Pittsburgh's reinvented steel-town grit."

Villanova, PA•Private
27%
Acceptance Rate$78,462/yr
1395-1510
89%
"Philly suburb's spirited Augustinian hub where hoops frenzy meets service-driven ambition on a polished Main Line campus."

Haverford, PA•Private
12%
Acceptance Rate$82,020/yr
1460-1550
90%
"Quaker-forged liberal arts college where an ironclad Honor Code lets you self-schedule exams and run your own dorms in a trust-soaked bubble near Philly."

Pittsburgh, PA•Public
58%
Acceptance Rate$33,380/yr
1280-1460
84%
"Pitt delivers gritty urban ambition in the City of Bridges, where you'll tackle world-class research amid Pittsburgh's steel-forged revival."

University Park, PA•Public
61%
Acceptance Rate$34,330/yr
1240-1420
86%
"At Penn State University Park, you'll dive into the thunderous heartbeat of a massive land-grant powerhouse where Nittany Lion pride fuels everything from football frenzies to world-changing research."

Bethlehem, PA•Private
26%
Acceptance Rate$76,190/yr
1370-1500
88%
"Nestled on a Pennsylvania mountain overlooking a reinvented steel town, Lehigh turns ambitious tinkerers into industry leaders through hands-on engineering and spirited traditions."

Philadelphia, PA•Private
79%
Acceptance Rate$74,691/yr
1240-1440
73%
"Drexel turns college into a launchpad with the nation's largest mandatory co-op program, blending classes and full-time jobs from day one."

Lewisburg, PA•Private
29%
Acceptance Rate$78,332/yr
1310-1470
88%
"Bucknell delivers intimate liberal arts depth fused with powerhouse engineering on a postcard-perfect campus where you'll cheer for the Bison amid Pennsylvania's rolling hills."

Bryn Mawr, PA•Private
29%
Acceptance Rate$77,400/yr
1280-1510
87%
"Bryn Mawr College: A historic women's bastion where intellectual women forge unbreakable bonds amid Philadelphia's leafy suburbs."

Lincoln University, PA•Public
66%
Acceptance Rate$20,092/yr
820-960
59%
"Lincoln University is located in Lincoln University, PA."

Easton, PA•Private
31%
Acceptance Rate$77,976/yr
1350-1500
88%
"Lafayette College fuses small liberal arts intimacy with hands-on engineering grit in historic Easton, where you'll ring the Victory Bell after crushing Lehigh."

Pittsburgh, PA•Private
84%
Acceptance Rate$61,750/yr
1180-1340
81%
"Spiritan Catholic university on Pittsburgh's bluff, excelling in pharmacy, jazz studies, and hands-on health sciences."

Lancaster, PA•Private
28%
Acceptance Rate$81,840/yr
1310-1463
82%
"Franklin & Marshall wraps ambitious liberal arts rigor in a collaborative small-college package amid Pennsylvania's Amish heartland."

Gettysburg, PA•Private
39%
Acceptance Rate$77,870/yr
1270-1460
82%
"Step onto a campus scarred by Civil War bullets, where history majors debate amid actual battlefield echoes."

Philadelphia, PA•Public
80%
Acceptance Rate$34,917/yr
1080-1290
78%
"Philadelphia's gritty urban university where working-class roots meet big-city ambition and practical career training."

Allentown, PA•Private
72%
Acceptance Rate$71,818/yr
1250-1410
80%
"Nestled in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley, Muhlenberg College blends rigorous liberal arts with standout theater and pre-med programs, fostering tight-knit ambition in a surprisingly artsy midsize city."

Collegeville, PA•Private
92%
Acceptance Rate$75,044/yr
1200-1385
72%
"Ursinus College wraps you in a cozy liberal arts cocoon where professors double as mentors and Philly's energy waits just down the tracks."

Meadville, PA•Private
55%
Acceptance Rate$67,890/yr
1173-1358
74%
"Tucked in rural Pennsylvania, Allegheny College crafts close-knit scholars who chase big ideas in neuroscience and ecology amid gator lore and snowy trails."

Philadelphia, PA•Private
81%
Acceptance Rate$58,934/yr
1160-1330
80%
"Historic Philadelphia medical school turned health-and-design powerhouse through a bold 2017 merger."

Philadelphia, PA•Private
89%
Acceptance Rate$65,650/yr
1170-1350
79%
"Saint Joseph's University is located in Philadelphia, PA."

Huntingdon, PA•Private
79%
Acceptance Rate$67,356/yr
1130-1320
76%
"Craft your own major at Juniata College, where self-directed students shape their education amid Pennsylvania's serene rivers and hills."

Washington, PA•Private
81%
Acceptance Rate$64,322/yr
1070-1290
78%
"Pennsylvania's 11th-oldest college, where small classes meet historic red-brick quads and a gold ring for every freshman."

Latrobe, PA•Private
62%
Acceptance Rate$52,986/yr
1020-1230
77%
"Benedictine liberal arts college anchored by America's first monastery, blending faith, tradition, and small-town focus in Pennsylvania's Laurel Highlands."

New Wilmington, PA•Private
93%
Acceptance Rate$50,880/yr
1050-1270
77%
"Quiet Pennsylvania liberal arts college forever linked to Winston Churchill's Iron Curtain speech."

Selinsgrove, PA•Private
81%
Acceptance Rate$70,540/yr
1100-1300
75%
"Small liberal arts university along Pennsylvania's Susquehanna River that launches communications grads into broadcast careers."

Scranton, PA•Private
81%
Acceptance Rate$67,292/yr
1160-1318
79%
"University of Scranton is located in Scranton, PA."

Williamsport, PA•Private
74%
Acceptance Rate$59,156/yr
1080-1300
69%
"Small liberal arts college overlooking Pennsylvania's Susquehanna River, where professors mentor small classes amid Little League World Series energy."

Bryn Athyn, PA•Private
83%
Acceptance Rate$39,546/yr
1060-1298
54%
"Tiny faith-based liberal arts college centered on Swedenborgian theology in a Gothic cathedral-dotted suburb north of Philadelphia."

West Chester, PA•Public
78%
Acceptance Rate$18,834/yr
1100-1270
74%
"Pennsylvania's pioneering teacher college evolved into a sprawling public university amid a historic borough's brick-lined streets."

Greensburg, PA•Public
95%
Acceptance Rate$26,780/yr
1055-1253
36%
"Pitt-Greensburg blends University of Pittsburgh credentials with small-campus intimacy in a historic Pennsylvania town."

Cheyney, PA•Public
89%
Acceptance Rate$19,232/yr
850-1010
38%
"Nation's oldest HBCU, founded by a Quaker in 1837, blends historic legacy with focused undergraduate programs on a wooded Pennsylvania campus."

Indiana, PA•Public
91%
Acceptance Rate$20,286/yr
970-1180
62%
"A historic public university in small-town Pennsylvania with a knack for blending affordability and personal attention."

New Kensington, PA•Public
95%
Acceptance Rate$13,824/yr
1110-1265
37%
"Pennsylvania State University-Penn State New Kensington is located in New Kensington, PA."

Abington, PA•Public
97%
Acceptance Rate$26,820/yr
1070-1265
37%
"Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington is located in Abington, PA."

Grove City, PA•Private
72%
Acceptance Rate$32,220/yr
1141-1388
86%
"Grove City College is located in Grove City, PA."

Dallas, PA•Public
97%
Acceptance Rate$13,824/yr
1090-1330
26%
"Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Wilkes-Barre is located in Dallas, PA."

Media, PA•Public
98%
Acceptance Rate$29,160/yr
1080-1310
27%
"Penn State's compact suburban outpost delivers a Nittany Lion degree starter-pack amid Philadelphia's backyard woods."

Bethlehem, PA•Private
54%
Acceptance Rate$64,941/yr
1070-1285
71%
"Moravian University is located in Bethlehem, PA."

Pittsburgh, PA•Private
62%
Acceptance Rate$54,225/yr
1070-1295
69%
"Pittsburgh private with women's college roots, pioneering sustainability on the world's first LEED Platinum campus."

York, PA•Private
74%
Acceptance Rate$35,960/yr
1020-1270
67%
"York College of Pennsylvania is located in York, PA."

Wilkes-Barre, PA•Private
93%
Acceptance Rate$54,922/yr
1070-1270
65%
"King's College is located in Wilkes-Barre, PA."

Chester, PA•Private
71%
Acceptance Rate$67,154/yr
1080-1290
69%
"Widener University blends hands-on learning with a tight-knit community in the heart of Chester, Pennsylvania."

Erie, PA•Private
74%
Acceptance Rate$51,580/yr
1070-1250
68%
"Erie's Catholic hub for hands-on training in nursing, occupational therapy, and mechanical engineering."

Center Valley, PA•Private
77%
Acceptance Rate$54,900/yr
1090-1260
64%
"Catholic university blending Salesian spirituality with standout theater and TV production training on a pastoral Pennsylvania campus."

Wilkes-Barre, PA•Private
91%
Acceptance Rate$55,300/yr
1020-1250
66%
"Wilkes University blends small-school warmth with hands-on learning in the heart of historic Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania."

Greenville, PA•Private
72%
Acceptance Rate$48,920/yr
910-1110
52%
"Thiel College is located in Greenville, PA."

Dallas, PA•Private
71%
Acceptance Rate$50,458/yr
1050-1240
57%
"Catholic university in rural Pennsylvania specializing in hands-on training for nurses, physical therapists, and occupational therapists."

Moon Township, PA•Private
90%
Acceptance Rate$45,490/yr
1040-1220
64%
"Practical private university outside Pittsburgh, blending business smarts with Division I hockey intensity."
Showing top 50 of 131 colleges in Pennsylvania
Frequently Asked Questions About Pennsylvania Colleges
University of Pennsylvania is the highest-ranked university in Pennsylvania, ranked #10 nationally. The state is home to several prestigious institutions offering world-class education across various fields.
The average tuition at Pennsylvania colleges varies by institution type. For public universities, the average in-state tuition is $29,817 per year. Out-of-state students pay an average of $32,474. After financial aid, the average net price is $24,267.
The average acceptance rate for colleges in Pennsylvania is 68%. However, acceptance rates vary significantly by institution, with some highly selective universities accepting less than 10% of applicants while others maintain open enrollment policies.
Pennsylvania has a major public university system: Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE). Together, these systems include 10 campuses serving hundreds of thousands of students. PASSHE provides affordable public higher education through 10 universities across Pennsylvania.
To qualify for in-state tuition at Pennsylvania public universities, you typically need to establish residency for at least 12 months before enrolling. Requirements usually include living in the state, having a Pennsylvania driver's license, registering to vote in the state, and demonstrating intent to remain. Specific requirements vary by institution, so check with your chosen school's admissions office.
Pennsylvania is located in the Northeast region of the United States. Home to the Ivy League and some of America's oldest universities, the Northeast offers a rich academic tradition with diverse urban and rural campuses.
Pennsylvania offers a range of affordable college options. The average net price after financial aid is $24,267. Public universities in Pennsylvania provide particularly strong value for in-state residents, with lower tuition rates and access to state financial aid programs.