Graduate school may be a critical step in your higher education, whether you are interested in expanding your knowledge, learning a specialization, or earning advanced credentials required by your profession. The best graduate schools in Pennsylvania offer advanced degrees, such as master’s and doctoral degrees, as well as opportunities for independent research, mentorships, and professional networking.
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.
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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.
There are 34 doctorate-granting graduate schools in Pennsylvania. Our ranking of the best graduate schools in the Pennsylvania is composed of both private and public schools. To be included, schools must be fully accredited non-profit institutions, and must offer doctoral degrees and a broad array of graduate degrees.
Tuition + fees
$62K
Acceptance
6%
Graduation
96%
Student body
28K
Median SAT/ACT
1515/34
University of Pennsylvania’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$59K
Acceptance
14%
Graduation
93%
Student body
16K
Median SAT/ACT
1510/34
Carnegie Mellon University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$20K
Acceptance
67%
Graduation
84%
Student body
26K
Median SAT/ACT
1331/30
University of Pittsburgh’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$17K
Acceptance
72%
Graduation
75%
Student body
31K
Temple University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$57K
Acceptance
46%
Graduation
87%
Student body
7K
Median SAT/ACT
1346/31
Lehigh University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$57K
Acceptance
83%
Graduation
78%
Student body
22K
Median SAT/ACT
1280/28
Drexel University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$59K
Acceptance
25%
Graduation
91%
Student body
10K
Median SAT/ACT
1390/31
Villanova University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$56K
Acceptance
39%
Graduation
87%
Student body
1K
Bryn Mawr College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$44K
Acceptance
84%
Graduation
78%
Student body
7K
Median SAT/ACT
1195/25
Duquesne University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$43K
Acceptance
78%
Graduation
71%
Student body
7K
Median SAT/ACT
1180/23
Thomas Jefferson University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$35K
Acceptance
84%
Graduation
64%
Student body
4K
Median SAT/ACT
1100/23
Gannon University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$13K
Acceptance
94%
Graduation
56%
Student body
9K
Median SAT/ACT
1030/21
Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$50K
Acceptance
85%
Graduation
68%
Student body
4K
Median SAT/ACT
1122/23
Widener University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$48K
Acceptance
83%
Graduation
83%
Student body
6K
Median SAT/ACT
1195/26
Saint Joseph's University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$48K
Acceptance
80%
Graduation
79%
Student body
5K
Median SAT/ACT
1190/25
University of Scranton’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$10K
Acceptance
89%
Graduation
73%
Student body
17K
Median SAT/ACT
1095/23
West Chester University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$36K
Acceptance
69%
Graduation
60%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1100/22
Eastern University ’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Slippery Rock University, Pennsylvania’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$46K
Acceptance
82%
Graduation
62%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1130/24
Arcadia University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$33K
Acceptance
94%
Graduation
65%
Student body
4K
Median SAT/ACT
1135/26
Robert Morris University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$40K
Acceptance
95%
Graduation
61%
Student body
4K
Median SAT/ACT
1135/23
Wilkes University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$28K
Acceptance
80%
Graduation
69%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1080/20
Immaculata University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$34K
Acceptance
84%
Graduation
49%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
990/18
Neumann University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$32K
Acceptance
77%
Graduation
56%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
975/19
Holy Family University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$36K
Acceptance
82%
Graduation
61%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1066/22
Point Park University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Whether you’re just getting started on your college search, you’re looking for survival tips on your way to a bachelor’s degree, or you’re preparing for the transition into grad school, we’ve got guides, how to’s and tons of other valuable resources to keep you moving forward in your educational journey.
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.