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2023 Best Engineering Colleges for Veterans in Pennsylvania

18 Ranked Colleges
10,191 Degrees Awarded
$34,500 Avg Cost*
Most Veteran Friendly in Pennsylvania for Engineering

Veterans have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Most Veteran Friendly in Pennsylvania for Engineering” ranking - to help you make that decision.

With 198,468 degrees handed out in 2020-2021, engineering is the 7th most popular major in the United States. In 2019-2020, engineering graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $68,653 and had an average of $23,855 in loans still to pay off.

Across Pennsylvania, there were 10,191 engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $70,080 and $26,180 respectively.

For this year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in Pennsylvania for Engineering” ranking, we looked at 18 colleges that offer a degree in engineering. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great engineering programs and a strong support system for veterans and active service members.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the engineering program at the school, veteran affordability, and veteran satisfaction. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Engineering Schools

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Most Veteran Friendly in Pennsylvania for Engineering” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Most Veteran Friendly in Pennsylvania for Engineering

The colleges and universities below are the best for pennsylvania vets studying engineering.

Top 18 Best Engineering Colleges for Veterans in Pennsylvania

1
Carnegie Mellon crest
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Carnegie Mellon University. The school came in at #1 for the Most Veteran Friendly in Pennsylvania for Engineering. Located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 1,592 degrees to qualified ’s engineering students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania vets studying engineering list, Carnegie Mellon has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 117 of the 13,519 students enrolled at Carnegie Mellon University were GI Bill® students, of which 72 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $18,422. On top of their other funding sources, 36 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Carnegie Mellon University Veteran Student Life Report

2
Drexel crest
Drexel University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Drexel University. The school came in at #2 for the Most Veteran Friendly in Pennsylvania for Engineering. This large school is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 886 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Drexel, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 2 of the 23,589 students enrolled at Drexel University were GI Bill® students, of which 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read More…

3

Out of the 18 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in Pennsylvania for Engineering that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus landed the #3 spot on the list. University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus is a large public school situated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It awarded 1,025 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Pitt also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus supports 32,277 students, and 509 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 364 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $16,281. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus offers credit for military training for eligible students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

[Read full report on veteran student life at University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus]](/colleges/university-of-pittsburgh-pittsburgh-campus/student-life/veterans/)

4
UPenn crest
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Pennsylvania. The school came in at #4 for the Most Veteran Friendly in Pennsylvania for Engineering. University of Pennsylvania is a large school located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that handed out 610 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania vets studying engineering list, UPenn has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 324 of the 26,552 students enrolled at UPenn were GI Bill® students, of which 131 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $19,383. On top of their other funding sources, 78 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full UPenn Veteran Student Life Report

5
Wilkes crest
Wilkes University
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania

Out of the 18 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in Pennsylvania for Engineering that were part of this year’s ranking, Wilkes University landed the #5 spot on the list. Wilkes is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. It awarded 91 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Wilkes did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 4,781 students enrolled at Wilkes University, 81 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 42 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $17,000. During this same period, 20 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read More…

6
Villanova crest
Villanova University
Villanova, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #6, Villanova University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Pennsylvania for Engineering list. Villanova University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Villanova, Pennsylvania. It awarded 431 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania vets studying engineering list, Villanova has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, Villanova supports 11,032 students, and 997 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 824 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,584. On top of their other funding sources, 41 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Villanova]](/colleges/villanova-university/student-life/veterans/)

7
Messiah crest
Messiah University
Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania

Messiah University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in Pennsylvania for Engineering ranking. This small school is located in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 55 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Messiah did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, Messiah supports 3,370 students, and 72 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 45 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $15,642. During this same period, 20 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Messiah University Veteran Student Life Report

8

With a ranking of #8, York College of Pennsylvania did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Pennsylvania for Engineering list. This small school is located in York, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 87 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

YCP not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, York College of Pennsylvania supports 4,039 students, and 135 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 91 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $14,343. On top of their other funding sources, 5 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full YCP Veteran Student Life Report

9
Temple crest
Temple University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Temple University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Pennsylvania for Engineering ranking, coming in at #9. This large school is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 336 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Temple also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, Temple supports 37,236 students, and 830 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 510 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $13,479. On top of their other funding sources, 9 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Temple offers credit for military training for eligible students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Read More…

10
Geneva crest
Geneva College
Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #10, Geneva College did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Pennsylvania for Engineering list. Geneva is located in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 50 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

Geneva also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].According to our most recent data, Geneva supports 1,349 students, and 28 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 20 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $13,931. To help with additional expenses, 6 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Geneva Veteran Student Life Report

11

University of Pittsburgh - Johnstown came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in Pennsylvania for Engineering ranking. University of Pittsburgh - Johnstown is a public institution located in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 130 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Pitt Johnstown, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 54 of the 2,356 students enrolled at Pitt Johnstown were GI Bill® students, of which 25 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,575. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Pitt Johnstown]](/colleges/university-of-pittsburgh-johnstown/student-life/veterans/)

12
Gannon crest
Gannon University
Erie, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #12, Gannon University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Pennsylvania for Engineering list. This small school is located in Erie, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 83 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Gannon, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 4,251 students enrolled at Gannon University, 51 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 31 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $14,740. On top of their other funding sources, 11 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Gannon University Veteran Student Life Report

13
Etown crest
Elizabethtown College
Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania

Elizabethtown College ranked #13 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Pennsylvania for Engineering list. Located in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 43 degrees to qualified ’s engineering students in 2020-2021.

Etown also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, Etown supports 1,881 students, and 34 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 21 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $13,456. During this same period, 4 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Etown]](/colleges/elizabethtown-college/student-life/veterans/)

14
Lafayette crest
Lafayette College
Easton, Pennsylvania

Lafayette College landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Pennsylvania for Engineering ranking. Lafayette is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Easton, Pennsylvania. It awarded 162 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Lafayette did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 2,514 students enrolled at Lafayette, 14 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 6 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $21,418. On top of their other funding sources, 3 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Read More…

15
Lehigh crest
Lehigh University
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Lehigh University ranked #15 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Pennsylvania for Engineering list. This medium-sized school is located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 544 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Lehigh not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Of the 7,067 students enrolled at Lehigh, 34 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 16 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $15,051. In addition to receiving other benefits, 15 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Lehigh University]](/colleges/lehigh-university/student-life/veterans/)

16
Bucknell crest
Bucknell University
Lewisburg, Pennsylvania

Bucknell University ranked #16 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Pennsylvania for Engineering list. Lewisburg, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s engineering degrees to 174 students in 2020-2021.

Bucknell did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Our most recent data shows that 31 of the 3,726 students enrolled at Bucknell University were GI Bill® students, of which 4 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $23,865. On top of their other funding sources, 14 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%.

Full Bucknell Veteran Student Life Report

17
Widener crest
Widener University
Chester, Pennsylvania

Widener University ranked #17 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Pennsylvania for Engineering list. Chester, Pennsylvania is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s engineering degrees to 119 students in 2020-2021.

Widener not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Our most recent data shows that 111 of the 6,150 students enrolled at Widener University were GI Bill® students, of which 51 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $14,151. In addition to receiving other benefits, 9 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read More…

18

With a ranking of #18, Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Pennsylvania for Engineering list. Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology is located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 39 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 1,227 students enrolled at Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology, 36 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 18 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,604. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Read More…

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