2026 Best Best Schools in Pennsylvania

Best degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. The schools below stand out for the quality of their best programs.

College Factual analyzed 10 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best best schools.

What’s on this page:

• Best Best Schools in Pennsylvania

Best Schools for Best in Pennsylvania

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall best education in Pennsylvania.

Top Schools in Best

1

Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

20 Best Degrees Awarded

$89,327 Median Starting Salary

No school ranked higher than Carnegie Mellon University this year for best. Carnegie Mellon University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Pittsburgh. Roughly 94% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 20 best students who graduated with this degree at Carnegie Mellon University in the most recent data year. Graduates of the best program make about $89,327 in their early career. Carnegie Mellon University graduates carry a median of $23,529 in student loans. See the full best program report for Carnegie Mellon University

2

Dickinson College
Carlisle, PA

Associate's Degree Highest Degree Type

12 Best Degrees Awarded

$39,937 Median Starting Salary

A rank of #2 makes Dickinson College one of the top schools for best. Set in the city of Carlisle, Dickinson College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. About 80% of students finish within six years. Dickinson College awarded about 12 best degrees in the most recent data year. Best graduates of Dickinson College earn a median of $39,937 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $19,014 to complete this degree. Get the full best details for Dickinson College

Notes and References

The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 10 schools evaluated.

• The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
• Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).

More about our data sources and methodologies.