Public colleges and universities account for almost 75 percent of all undergraduate students in the U.S. The best public colleges in Pennsylvania provide broad access to reputable degree programs, affordable tuition, and sprawling educational communities.
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.
Public and private colleges and universities operate under different business models. Public colleges and universities are owned by the state and receive both state and federal funding to operate. Private colleges and universities are private companies with private funding. If you’re looking at the pros and cons of private vs. public colleges, consider that many public colleges provide diverse course offerings, influential professors, and an excellent return on your investment.
Public colleges are schools that receive most of their funding from tax revenues. As a result, the cost of a bachelor’s degree at a public university is often lower than the equivalent cost at a private college — especially for students attending a public school in their home state. Attending a college in-state is usually the cheapest option. Private universities and colleges can be very competitive with their funding opportunities, so do not simply believe that private colleges are always going to be more expensive. According to National Center for Educational Statistics, the average annual cost (tuition, fees, room and board for full-time students) at a public university was slightly over $20,000. In contrast, private universities cost, on average, nearly $43,000 annually. But in the end, the cost of college comes down to each student’s academic and financial situation.
This list is composed entirely of public colleges and universities that offer bachelor’s degrees. We’ve identified 21 public universities in Pennsylvania. To be included in our list of the best PA state colleges, schools must receive direct funding from the state, be fully accredited, and offer a broad range of bachelor’s degrees.
Tuition + fees
$20K
Acceptance
64%
Graduation
84%
Student body
27K
Median SAT/ACT
1350/30
University of Pittsburgh’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$17K
Acceptance
71%
Graduation
75%
Student body
33K
Temple University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$13K
Acceptance
93%
Graduation
54%
Student body
9K
Median SAT/ACT
1015/19
Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$11K
Acceptance
90%
Graduation
45%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
940/17
Lincoln University, Pennsylvania’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$10K
Acceptance
86%
Graduation
75%
Student body
16K
Median SAT/ACT
1120/23
West Chester University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$10K
Acceptance
74%
Graduation
69%
Student body
9K
Median SAT/ACT
1085/21
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$11K
Acceptance
94%
Graduation
51%
Student body
6K
Median SAT/ACT
1005/20
PennWest California’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$14K
Acceptance
79%
Graduation
43%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1065/21
University of Pittsburgh at Bradford’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$13K
Acceptance
94%
Graduation
51%
Student body
5K
Median SAT/ACT
1040/19
Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$11K
Acceptance
89%
Graduation
58%
Student body
8K
Median SAT/ACT
1050/20
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$14K
Acceptance
87%
Graduation
55%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1120/21
University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$11K
Acceptance
85%
Graduation
43%
Student body
4K
Median SAT/ACT
1065/20
PennWest Edinboro’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$11K
Acceptance
93%
Graduation
52%
Student body
7K
Median SAT/ACT
1055/21
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
85%
Graduation
56%
Student body
7K
Millersville University of Pennsylvania’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$11K
Graduation
27%
Student body
<1K
Cheyney University of Pennsylvania’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$18K
Graduation
47%
Student body
4K
Pennsylvania College of Technology’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$11K
Acceptance
91%
Graduation
50%
Student body
6K
Median SAT/ACT
1005/19
East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$11K
Acceptance
94%
Graduation
53%
Student body
4K
Median SAT/ACT
1035/20
PennWest Clarion’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$11K
Acceptance
93%
Graduation
50%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1025/19
Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$14K
Acceptance
90%
Graduation
36%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1100/22
University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$11K
Acceptance
96%
Graduation
51%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1020/19
Mansfield University of Pennsylvania’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Many of our 2022 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2021. That’s because we took a fundamentally different apporach. For 2021 we utiulized 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.
