by our College Data Analytics Team
With all of the graduate school options in Pennsylvania, choosing the right one can feel overwhelming. We have ranked **55** schools by overall quality and student outcomes, using our 2027 methodology.
So you can compare your options, College Factual evaluated 55 graduate schools across over 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.
This is how starting salaries are distributed among the top-ranked graduate schools:
Learn more about these excellent graduate schools below:
University Of Pennsylvania tops our 2027 ranking of the best graduate schools in Pennsylvania. University Of Pennsylvania is a private not-for-profit school based in Philadelphia, PA. The six-year graduation rate is 96%. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $68,686. Early-career graduates earn a median of $99,682. University Of Pennsylvania students take on a median of $16,155 in debt.
Carnegie Mellon University came in at #2 on this year's Best Graduate Schools ranking in Pennsylvania. This private not-for-profit school is set in Pittsburgh, PA. About 94% of students finish within six years. In-state tuition and fees run about $65,636. Graduates go on to earn a median of $89,327 early in their careers. Carnegie Mellon University students take on a median of $23,529 in debt.
The strong outcomes at Villanova University earned it the #3 place in Pennsylvania. Villanova University is a private not-for-profit school based in Villanova, PA. Villanova University graduates 92% of students within six years. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $67,776. Graduates go on to earn a median of $72,601 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $26,184 to complete a degree here.
The strong outcomes at Lehigh University earned it the #4 place in Pennsylvania. Located in Bethlehem, PA, Lehigh University is a private not-for-profit institution. Lehigh University posts a six-year graduation rate of 88%. In-state tuition and fees run about $64,980. Median early-career earnings reach $70,321. The median student debt is $23,008.
Out of the 55 graduate schools in Pennsylvania in this year's ranking, Pennsylvania State University Main Campus landed the #5 spot. Located in University Park, PA, Pennsylvania State University Main Campus is a public institution. Pennsylvania State University Main Campus graduates 86% of students within six years. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $20,644, compared with $41,790 for out-of-state students. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $60,523. Pennsylvania State University Main Campus students take on a median of $25,266 in debt.
University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus came in at #6 in this year's ranking. University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus is a public school based in Pittsburgh, PA. University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus graduates 86% of students within six years. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $21,926, while out-of-state students pay about $41,430. University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus graduates report median early-career earnings of $56,926. Students borrow a median of $24,958 to complete a degree here.
Drexel University placed #7 among the best graduate schools in Pennsylvania. Set in Philadelphia, PA, Drexel University is a private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 78%. In-state tuition and fees average $62,412. Early-career graduates earn a median of $67,556. Typical student debt is $28,838.
Saint Josephs University came in at #8 in this year's ranking. Based in Philadelphia, PA, Saint Josephs University is a private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 79% of students complete a degree within six years here. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $53,260. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $65,421. Students borrow a median of $26,426 to complete a degree here.
Lebanon Valley College placed #9 among the best graduate schools in Pennsylvania. Located in Annville, PA, Lebanon Valley College is a private not-for-profit institution. About 65% of students finish within six years. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $52,080. Early-career graduates earn a median of $49,801. Students borrow a median of $26,767 to complete a degree here.
University Of Scranton ranked #10 on our 2027 list of the best graduate schools. Set in Scranton, PA, University Of Scranton is a private not-for-profit institution. University Of Scranton posts a six-year graduation rate of 80%. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $53,777. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $56,861. The median student debt is $26,476.
Temple University ranked #11 on our 2027 list of the best graduate schools. Located in Philadelphia, PA, Temple University is a public institution. Roughly 75% of students complete a degree within six years here. Students from in state pay about $23,005 in tuition and fees, compared with $38,805 for out-of-state students. Early-career graduates earn a median of $54,642. Temple University students take on a median of $26,259 in debt.
Duquesne University placed #12 among the best graduate schools in Pennsylvania. This private not-for-profit school is set in Pittsburgh, PA. About 77% of students finish within six years. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $48,986. Duquesne University graduates report median early-career earnings of $54,826. Students borrow a median of $26,297 to complete a degree here.
Widener University Main Campus landed the #13 spot in Pennsylvania this year. This private not-for-profit school is set in Chester, PA. Widener University Main Campus graduates 68% of students within six years. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $55,730. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $60,864. Students borrow a median of $26,561 to complete a degree here.
Thomas Jefferson University did well this year, earning the #14 position. Located in Philadelphia, PA, Thomas Jefferson University is a private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 69% of students complete a degree within six years here. Students from in state pay about $47,355 in tuition and fees. Early-career graduates earn a median of $64,243. The median student debt is $32,256.
West Chester University Of Pennsylvania ranked #15 on our 2027 list of the best graduate schools. Based in West Chester, PA, West Chester University Of Pennsylvania is a public institution. West Chester University Of Pennsylvania posts a six-year graduation rate of 70%. In-state tuition and fees run about $10,775, with out-of-state students paying around $22,599.
Messiah College did well this year, earning the #16 position. Based in Mechanicsburg, PA, Messiah College is a private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 75% of students complete a degree within six years here. Students from in state pay about $42,240 in tuition and fees. Messiah College graduates report median early-career earnings of $48,957. The median student debt is $26,195.
Moravian College And Moravian Theological Seminary ranked #17 on our 2027 list of the best graduate schools. Set in Bethlehem, PA, Moravian College And Moravian Theological Seminary is a private not-for-profit institution. About 72% of students finish within six years. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $53,500. Graduates go on to earn a median of $48,472 early in their careers. The median student debt is $26,857.
Philadelphia College Of Osteopathic Medicine did well this year, earning the #18 position. Located in Philadelphia, PA, Philadelphia College Of Osteopathic Medicine is a private not-for-profit institution. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $70,065.
Gannon University did well this year, earning the #19 position. Set in Erie, PA, Gannon University is a private not-for-profit institution. Gannon University posts a six-year graduation rate of 67%. In-state tuition and fees run about $40,656. Graduates go on to earn a median of $73,658 early in their careers. The median student debt is $26,934.
The Commonwealth Medical College landed the #20 spot in Pennsylvania this year. Based in Scranton, PA, The Commonwealth Medical College is a private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,751. Median early-career earnings reach $44,758.
Chatham University placed #21 among the best graduate schools in Pennsylvania. Set in Pittsburgh, PA, Chatham University is a private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 63%. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $45,001. Graduates go on to earn a median of $61,339 early in their careers. The median student debt is $24,261.
Lake Erie College Of Osteopathic Medicine came in at #22 in this year's ranking. Lake Erie College Of Osteopathic Medicine is a private not-for-profit school based in Erie, PA. Students from in state pay about $14,790 in tuition and fees. Lake Erie College Of Osteopathic Medicine graduates report median early-career earnings of $76,633.
Wilkes University landed the #23 spot in Pennsylvania this year. Set in Wilkes-Barre, PA, Wilkes University is a private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 63% of students complete a degree within six years here. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $43,496. Early-career graduates earn a median of $64,004. Students borrow a median of $26,601 to complete a degree here.
Arcadia University came in at #24 in this year's ranking. This private not-for-profit school is set in Glenside, PA. Roughly 67% of students complete a degree within six years here. In-state tuition and fees run about $49,610. Graduates go on to earn a median of $46,764 early in their careers. The median student debt is $26,921.
Saint Vincent College came in at #25 in this year's ranking. Located in Latrobe, PA, Saint Vincent College is a private not-for-profit institution. Saint Vincent College graduates 69% of students within six years. Students from in state pay about $42,396 in tuition and fees. Graduates go on to earn a median of $54,916 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $26,986 to complete a degree here.
These graduate schools also placed among the very best this year:
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked graduate schools only.
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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
More about our data sources and methodologies.