Best Christian Colleges in Pennsylvania 2024

Badge for BEST IN PENNSYLVANIA CHRISTIAN COLLEGES

Published: Mar 23, 2021
Updated: Oct 26, 2023

For prospective college students looking for schools that align with their Christian faith and demonstrate academic excellence, here are the best Christian colleges and universities in Pennsylvania.

10 Best Christian Colleges in Pennsylvania

Villanova University
Duquesne University
Lafayette College
Gannon University
La Salle University
Saint Joseph's University
University of Scranton
Grove City College
Eastern University
Chestnut Hill College

Villanova University
Duquesne University
Lafayette College
Allegheny College
Saint Joseph's University
Grove City College
Muhlenberg College
La Salle University
University of Scranton
Chestnut Hill College

Chestnut Hill College 98%
La Salle University 94%
Carlow University 93%
Saint Joseph's University 89%
Duquesne University 87%
Albright College 85%
Neumann University 85%
University of Scranton 84%
Gannon University 81%
Arcadia University 78%

Saint Francis University 15 to 1
Eastern University 15 to 1
Rosemont College 13 to 1
Gannon University 13 to 1
Grove City College 13 to 1
Neumann University 13 to 1
Holy Family University 13 to 1
Susquehanna University 13 to 1
University of Scranton 12 to 1
Duquesne University 12 to 1

Villanova University $61,618
Lafayette College $59,368
Muhlenberg College $58,205
Susquehanna University $55,160
Allegheny College $53,610
University of Scranton $50,312
Saint Joseph's University $49,610
Lebanon Valley College $48,620
Arcadia University $47,130
Lycoming College $45,499

Susquehanna University $54,440
Lebanon Valley College $31,875
Arcadia University $27,457
La Salle University $26,400
Duquesne University $25,578
Saint Francis University $21,290
Villanova University $21,207
DeSales University $21,120
Carlow University $21,054
Gannon University $20,610

Rosemont College
Lebanon Valley College
Saint Francis University
Saint Vincent College
Susquehanna University
Holy Family University
Neumann University
Immaculata University
Carlow University
Albright College

Neumann University
Lebanon Valley College
Lycoming College
Rosemont College
Susquehanna University
Saint Francis University
Albright College
Holy Family University
Immaculata University
Gannon University

Villanova University 23%
Lafayette College 34%
Eastern University 63%
Muhlenberg College 66%
Immaculata University 70%
Allegheny College 70%
Grove City College 71%
Saint Vincent College 73%
Saint Francis University 73%
Lycoming College 75%

Muhlenberg College 8 to 1
Allegheny College 8 to 1
Albright College 9 to 1
Carlow University 10 to 1
Immaculata University 10 to 1
Villanova University 10 to 1
Chestnut Hill College 10 to 1
Saint Joseph's University 10 to 1
Lafayette College 10 to 1
Lycoming College 11 to 1

Grove City College $19,990
Rosemont College $21,175
Immaculata University $27,750
Albright College $28,230
Holy Family University $32,558
Carlow University $33,500
La Salle University $33,890
Neumann University $35,700
Eastern University $36,464
Gannon University $36,706

Albright College $1,480
Grove City College $8,550
Neumann University $10,260
University of Scranton $11,580
Holy Family University $11,811
Rosemont College $12,150
Immaculata University $12,780
Eastern University $14,058
Saint Vincent College $14,526
Chestnut Hill College $17,040

Key Takeaways

Christian colleges are the top choices among Christian students. But these schools also allow non-Christian enrollees to apply for admission.
It’s very rare for schools to place restrictions on their applicants, as far as faith is concerned. Most of the time, faith-eccentric colleges welcome college applicants of a different faith who are interested in attending a school that designs a student life within the context of Christianity.
From conservative to liberal, nondenominational to Presbyterian, there is a school for any college Christian students who want to earn their college degree while keeping the focus on their faith in God.

Table of Contents

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?

Pennsylvania’s Best Overall

The following list of the best Christian schools consists entirely of colleges and universities that offer four-year undergraduate degrees. We’ve identified the best Christian colleges in Pennsylvania. In order to be included in this ranking list of best Christian colleges and universities, a school must self-identify as Christian, be fully accredited, and offer a broad range of bachelor degree programs.

How do we determine Pennsylvania's best Christian colleges and universities?

Methodology

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great! If you are serious about finding the best colleges and universities for a bachelor’s degree, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching and whether their graduates are themselves advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence in their fields of study.

Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Concentrated Influence provides a ranking that is freer from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

To rank the influence of schools, we first determine the influence of scholars and professionals based on the number of citations and publications they have had over the past 10 years. In addition to publications and citations, we consider the web links to and from these sources, and the page views of those sources. We then match the influential people to their alma maters and institutions of employment, so that their influence is attributed to those schools. Our machine-learning Influence Ranking algorithm produces a numerical score of academic achievements, merits, and citations across Wikipedia, wikidata, Crossref, Semantic Scholar and an ever-growing body of data. If you are interested in exploring how and why we rank by influence, explore our methodology in more depth.

Exploring Pennsylvania’s Christian Education Institutions

Religious colleges and universities are located all over the US. Although many colleges are only religious in their founding, others merge their religious beliefs into everyday life in schools. If you have a solid faith and you want to surround yourself with students who share the same faith, a Christian college might be a good option.

Why Enroll in a Christian College

College is a whole new place that allows you to explore and recognize how and where you want to live your life. In a Christian college, you will find out more about your God-given purpose and passions. Here are other compelling reasons why enrolling in a Christian college is a wise choice.

Great Education: While some Christian colleges may not be household names, these schools can offer a great education. They have outstanding academic programs for undergraduate students and graduate students alike.

Christian colleges must comply with the same requirements as other big colleges and universities to gain accreditation. Plus, most faculty members of Christian colleges hold terminal or doctorate degrees in their respective fields. Others have published works or serve as experts in their disciplines.

Faith-Based Development: Most Christian colleges and universities offer, and some even require, courses on church history, the Bible, Greek language, faith, and more.

Most Christian colleges also have church services or a chapel on campus for their students. It’s also not uncommon to find things like prayer in the classroom, missionary opportunities, or Bible studies taking place in residence halls. Almost all facets of the college experience are intertwined with faith in a Christian college.

Smaller Size: Since many Christian schools are relatively smaller in size, this gives you a chance to get to know the school’s faculty members and staff. Personnel in Christian colleges always go out of their way to guarantee that college freshmen are not lost in the crowd. They provide programs designed to help students easily transition from home life to college life.

Active Student Body: Like any traditional university, Christian colleges also have so many other ways to get students involved outside of class. Student organizations, student newspapers, college athletics, and theatrical productions are just some of the many extra-curricular activities you can find in a Christian school. While the social environment will still be similar to that of most universities, Christian schools add a commitment to fellowship and faith.

Education and Faith Integration: Unlike in most universities where faith is only covered in courses on religion, Christian colleges discuss this in most of their subjects.

These discussions often revolve around how a specific subject can integrate with the student’s worldview as it relates to their personal beliefs. Students often have the chance to talk in their classes about controversial issues, and get to hear other’s beliefs.

Strong Campus Community: Because Christian colleges encourage student connections via faith services, activities, student organizations, and other projects, coupled with the fact that students share the same values and beliefs, everybody can easily find friendship and support on campus.

Best Christian Colleges in Pennsylvania 2023

Find Pennsylvania’s best Christian colleges in your subject of interest

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.

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Best Christian Colleges in Pennsylvania 2024

10 Best Christian Colleges in Pennsylvania

Key Takeaways

Colleges and Universities in Pennsylvania

What are Pennsylvania’s Colleges & Universities?

Exploring Pennsylvania’s Christian Education Institutions

Why Enroll in a Christian College

Best Christian Colleges in Pennsylvania 2023

Career Outlook for degree at Villanova University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Duquesne University

Most Influential Alumni

Duquesne University’s Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Lafayette College

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Gannon University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at La Salle University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Saint Joseph's University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at University of Scranton

Most Influential Alumni

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Eastern University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Chestnut Hill College

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Muhlenberg College

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Allegheny College

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Arcadia University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at DeSales University

Career Outlook for degree at Lycoming College

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Albright College

Most Influential Alumni

Albright College’s Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Carlow University

Career Outlook for degree at Immaculata University

Most Influential Alumni

Immaculata University’s Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Neumann University

Career Outlook for degree at Holy Family University

Holy Family University’s Online Degrees

Degree Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at Susquehanna University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Saint Vincent College

Most Influential Alumni

Saint Vincent College’s Online Degrees

Degree Concentrations

Degree Concentrations

Degree Concentrations

Degree Concentrations

Degree Concentrations

Degree Concentrations

Degree Concentrations

Degree Concentrations

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Career Outlook for degree at Saint Francis University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Lebanon Valley College

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Rosemont College

Most Influential Alumni

Find Pennsylvania’s best Christian colleges in your subject of interest