Best Community Colleges in Pennsylvania 2023
The best community colleges provide an effective springboard into higher education, offering students high-quality two-year degree programs in a wide range of disciplines. The top-rated community colleges in Pennsylvania offer a broad selection of associate’s degrees, affordable tuition rates, and strong partnerships with public four-year schools so that students can easily transfer their credits into accredited bachelor’s degree programs.
10 Best Community Colleges in Pennsylvania
- New Castle School of Trades 18 to 1
- Harcum College $26,600
- New Castle School of Trades $20,736
- Johnson College $20,025
- Manor College $18,880
- Triangle Tech $18,443
- Manor College $9,780
- Harcum College 8 to 1
- Triangle Tech 8 to 1
- Johnson College 12 to 1
- Manor College 14 to 1
- Manor College $9,780
Colleges and Universities in Pennsylvania
Prospective students hoping to earn an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree have over 100 higher learning institutions to choose from. The largest public university is Pennsylvania State University, or Penn State, with a tuition of $18,000, and a student population of over 95,000 across its campuses. As a private institution, the University of Pennsylvania, or simply Penn, is known for its medical, nursing, social work, and business fields. Tuition is $56,000, and the school boasts a 95% graduation rate.
Find college admissions consultants in your state.
Students can also attend one of the more than 60 religiously affiliated schools, such as Villanova University or Lafayette College, each with a tuition of about $53,000. Some of the most affordable colleges in the state include the Curtis Institute of Music and the Talmudical Yeshiva of Philadelphia, with tuitions set at $3,000 and $9,000, respectively. Though the average tuition for college in Pennsylvania comes in above the national average, those who practice medicine in underserved areas may qualify for up to $100,000 in loan forgiveness through the Pennsylvania Primary Care Loan Repayment Program.
As the nation’s second state, Pennsylvania’s history runs deep. It’s here where Betsy Ross made the first American flag and where the Declaration of Independence was signed. The Keystone State is also home to some culinary delights, including whoopie pies, soft pretzels, and the famous Philly cheesesteak. Students looking to earn their degree in Pennsylvania will undoubtedly enjoy what the state has to offer.
Check out the state’s top programs and learn more about earning your degree in Pennsylvania.
What are Pennsylvania’s Colleges & Universities?
- 15 Research Universities
- 80 Liberal Arts Colleges & Universities
- 34 Graduate Schools
- 21 Public Colleges & Universities
- 76 Private Colleges & Universities
- 44 Christian Colleges & Universities
- 78 Small Colleges & Universities (fewer than 5,000 students)
- 27 Affordable Colleges (below $20,000/year)
- 20 Community Colleges
- Best Online Colleges
Pennsylvania’s Best Overall
We’ve identified 20 community colleges in Pennsylvania. The following list shows the best community colleges and primarily associate degree granting colleges in Pennsylvania.
Best Community Colleges in Pennsylvania
Tuition + fees
$19K
Acceptance
95%
Graduation
38%
Student body
<1K
What is Manor College known for?
Manor College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$8K
Graduation
17%
Student body
9K
What is Community College of Allegheny County known for?
Community College of Allegheny County’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni
Tuition + fees
$9K
Graduation
26%
Student body
5K
What is Bucks County Community College known for?
Bucks County Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Criminal Justice
- Medical
- Computer Science
- Sociology
- Literature
- Social Work
- Communications
- Business
- Mathematics
- Nursing
Most Influential Alumni
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
47%
Graduation
23%
Student body
<1K
What is University of Pittsburgh at Titusville known for?
University of Pittsburgh at Titusville’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$9K
Graduation
18%
Student body
11K
What is Community College of Philadelphia known for?
Community College of Philadelphia’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Social Work
- Criminal Justice
- Biology
- Engineering
- Computer Science
- Business
- Education
- Literature
- Medical
- Chemistry
Most Influential Alumni
Tuition + fees
$10K
Graduation
21%
Student body
6K
What is Montgomery County Community College known for?
Montgomery County Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$10K
Graduation
21%
Student body
6K
What is Northampton Community College known for?
Northampton Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Communications
- Criminal Justice
- Computer Science
- Nursing
- Medical
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Psychology
- Business
- Literature
Most Influential Alumni
Tuition + fees
$27K
Graduation
39%
Student body
<1K
What is Harcum College known for?
Harcum College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni
Tuition + fees
$10K
Graduation
22%
Student body
3K
What is Westmoreland County Community College known for?
Westmoreland County Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni
Tuition + fees
$13K
Graduation
26%
Student body
1K
What is Community College of Beaver County known for?
Community College of Beaver County’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni
Tuition + fees
$10K
Graduation
20%
Student body
3K
What is Luzerne County Community College known for?
Luzerne County Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- History
- Criminal Justice
- Business
- Computer Science
- Education
- Communications
- Chemistry
- Engineering
- Psychology
- Nursing
Most Influential Alumni
Tuition + fees
$10K
Graduation
23%
Student body
6K
What is Delaware County Community College known for?
Delaware County Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Communications
- Anthropology
- Sociology
- Education
- Psychology
- Business
- Political Science
- Medical
- Nursing
- Criminal Justice
Most Influential Alumni
Tuition + fees
$8K
Graduation
25%
Student body
4K
What is Lehigh Carbon Community College known for?
Lehigh Carbon Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$9K
Graduation
38%
Student body
1K
What is Pennsylvania Highlands Community College known for?
Pennsylvania Highlands Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$8K
Acceptance
89%
Graduation
60%
Student body
1K
What is Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology known for?
Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$8K
Graduation
25%
Student body
2K
What is Butler County Community College known for?
Butler County Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni
Tuition + fees
$18K
Graduation
62%
Student body
<1K
What is Triangle Tech known for?
Tuition + fees
$20K
Acceptance
97%
Graduation
68%
Student body
<1K
What is Johnson College known for?
Johnson College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$21K
Acceptance
100%
Graduation
78%
Student body
<1K
What is New Castle School of Trades known for?
Tuition + fees
$10K
Graduation
24%
Student body
2K
What is Reading Area Community College known for?
Reading Area Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
2021 Ranking Archive
Many of our 2022 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2021. That’s because we took a fundamentally different apporach. For 2021 we utilized our Concentrated Influence algorithm, designed to take away the size advantage larger schools have when we rank their faculty and alumni’s academic influence. Concentrated influence highlights smaller schools that are proportionally as successful as larger universities at cultivating influential alumni and faculty.
- University of Pittsburgh at Titusville
- Community College of Beaver County
- Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology
- Bucks County Community College
- Pennsylvania Highlands Community College
- Lehigh Carbon Community College
- Westmoreland County Community College
- Community College of Philadelphia
- Community College of Allegheny County
- Luzerne County Community College
- Delaware County Community College
- Northampton Community College
- Montgomery County Community College
- Butler County Community College
- Reading Area Community College
