by our College Data Analytics Team
With all of the college options in Pennsylvania, narrowing things down is no easy task. Our ranking highlights **76** schools by overall quality and student outcomes, using our 2026 methodology.
To arm you with the information you need, College Factual reviewed 76 colleges using more than 20 objective factors such as graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, and per-student spending, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard). Learn more about our ranking methodology.
Learn more about these excellent colleges below:
No school ranked higher than University Of Pennsylvania this year in Pennsylvania. Set in Philadelphia, PA, University Of Pennsylvania is a private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 96%. Students from in state pay about $68,686 in tuition and fees. Graduates go on to earn a median of $99,682 early in their careers. Typical student debt is $16,155.
The strong outcomes at Pennsylvania State University Main Campus earned it the #2 place in Pennsylvania. This public school is set in University Park, PA. Roughly 86% of students complete a degree within six years here. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $20,644, with out-of-state students paying around $41,790.
Carnegie Mellon University came in at #3 on this year's Best Colleges ranking in Pennsylvania. This private not-for-profit school is set in Pittsburgh, PA. Carnegie Mellon University graduates 94% of students within six years. In-state tuition and fees average $65,636. Early-career graduates earn a median of $89,327. Students borrow a median of $23,529 to complete a degree here.
A rank of #4 makes Lehigh University one of the top colleges in Pennsylvania. Set in Bethlehem, PA, Lehigh University is a private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 88%. In-state tuition and fees average $64,980. Early-career graduates earn a median of $70,321. Graduates carry a median of $23,008 in student loans.
Out of the 76 colleges in Pennsylvania in this year's ranking, Lafayette College landed the #5 spot. Set in Easton, PA, Lafayette College is a private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 88% of students complete a degree within six years here. In-state tuition and fees run about $64,648. Graduates go on to earn a median of $59,513 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $16,931 to complete a degree here.
Villanova University landed the #6 spot in Pennsylvania this year. Based in Villanova, PA, Villanova University is a private not-for-profit institution. Villanova University posts a six-year graduation rate of 92%. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $67,776. Villanova University graduates report median early-career earnings of $72,601. Typical student debt is $26,184.
Bucknell University came in at #7 in this year's ranking. Based in Lewisburg, PA, Bucknell University is a private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 86% of students complete a degree within six years here. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $67,812. Bucknell University graduates report median early-career earnings of $64,331. Typical student debt is $25,951.
University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus placed #8 among the best colleges in Pennsylvania. Located in Pittsburgh, PA, University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus is a public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 86%. Students from in state pay about $21,926 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $41,430. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $56,926. Typical student debt is $24,958.
Swarthmore College placed #9 among the best colleges in Pennsylvania. Set in Swarthmore, PA, Swarthmore College is a private not-for-profit institution. About 92% of students finish within six years. In-state tuition and fees average $65,494. Swarthmore College graduates report median early-career earnings of $66,971. The median student debt is $19,500.
Franklin And Marshall College landed the #10 spot in Pennsylvania this year. Set in Lancaster, PA, Franklin And Marshall College is a private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 84% of students complete a degree within six years here. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $70,794. Graduates go on to earn a median of $43,020 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $20,411 to complete a degree here.
Saint Josephs University came in at #11 in this year's ranking. Located in Philadelphia, PA, Saint Josephs University is a private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 79%. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $53,260. Graduates go on to earn a median of $65,421 early in their careers. Typical student debt is $26,426.
West Chester University Of Pennsylvania ranked #12 on our 2026 list of the best colleges. Located in West Chester, PA, West Chester University Of Pennsylvania is a public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 70%. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,775, while out-of-state students pay about $22,599.
Drexel University ranked #13 on our 2026 list of the best colleges. This private not-for-profit school is set in Philadelphia, PA. About 78% of students finish within six years. In-state tuition and fees average $62,412. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $67,556. Graduates carry a median of $28,838 in student loans.
Duquesne University landed the #14 spot in Pennsylvania this year. Duquesne University is a private not-for-profit school based in Pittsburgh, PA. The six-year graduation rate is 77%. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $48,986. Early-career graduates earn a median of $54,826. The median student debt is $26,297.
Dickinson College placed #15 among the best colleges in Pennsylvania. Set in Carlisle, PA, Dickinson College is a private not-for-profit institution. Dickinson College posts a six-year graduation rate of 80%. In-state tuition and fees average $65,650. Median early-career earnings reach $39,937. Graduates carry a median of $19,014 in student loans.
Thomas Jefferson University placed #16 among the best colleges in Pennsylvania. Thomas Jefferson University is a private not-for-profit school based in Philadelphia, PA. Roughly 69% of students complete a degree within six years here. Students from in state pay about $47,355 in tuition and fees. Graduates go on to earn a median of $64,243 early in their careers. Graduates carry a median of $32,256 in student loans.
Gettysburg College ranked #17 on our 2026 list of the best colleges. Gettysburg College is a private not-for-profit school based in Gettysburg, PA. Roughly 82% of students complete a degree within six years here. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $66,640. Median early-career earnings reach $43,376. Graduates carry a median of $26,309 in student loans.
Haverford College did well this year, earning the #18 position. Based in Haverford, PA, Haverford College is a private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 90% of students complete a degree within six years here. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $70,398.
University Of Scranton ranked #19 on our 2026 list of the best colleges. This private not-for-profit school is set in Scranton, PA. Roughly 80% of students complete a degree within six years here. Students from in state pay about $53,777 in tuition and fees. Early-career graduates earn a median of $56,861. Graduates carry a median of $26,500 in student loans.
Elizabethtown College came in at #20 in this year's ranking. Located in Elizabethtown, PA, Elizabethtown College is a private not-for-profit institution. Elizabethtown College graduates 76% of students within six years. Students from in state pay about $37,950 in tuition and fees. Early-career graduates earn a median of $57,397. Students borrow a median of $26,599 to complete a degree here.
Temple University placed #21 among the best colleges in Pennsylvania. Based in Philadelphia, PA, Temple University is a public institution. Temple University graduates 75% of students within six years. Students from in state pay about $23,005 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $38,805. Temple University graduates report median early-career earnings of $54,642. Temple University students take on a median of $26,259 in debt.
Commonwealth University Of Pennsylvania came in at #22 in this year's ranking. This public school is set in Bloomsburg, PA. The six-year graduation rate is 56%. In-state tuition and fees average $11,046, while out-of-state students pay about $22,870.
Pennsylvania State University World Campus landed the #23 spot in Pennsylvania this year. Pennsylvania State University World Campus is a public school based in University Park, PA. Roughly 34% of students complete a degree within six years here. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,356.
Lebanon Valley College placed #24 among the best colleges in Pennsylvania. Based in Annville, PA, Lebanon Valley College is a private not-for-profit institution. About 65% of students finish within six years. In-state tuition and fees run about $52,080. Lebanon Valley College graduates report median early-career earnings of $49,801. Lebanon Valley College students take on a median of $26,767 in debt.
Widener University Main Campus came in at #25 in this year's ranking. Set in Chester, PA, Widener University Main Campus is a private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 68%. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $55,730. Widener University Main Campus graduates report median early-career earnings of $60,864. Typical student debt is $26,561.
Not far behind, these colleges also landed in the top of this year’s ranking:
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Rankings consider a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and per-student spending drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
References
See our data sources and methodologies.