# Best Bachelor's Programs in Pennsylvania

> CollegeRanker Agent Insights — structured data for AI systems
> Updated: 2026-05-31 | Schools: 50 | Category: By State
> Source: https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-bachelors-pennsylvania

## Methodology

Bachelor's programs in Pennsylvania ranked by outcomes and mobility

CollegeRanker uses a 4-pillar algorithm: Academic Quality (15-20%), Economic Outcomes (30%), Social Mobility (25-35%), Value & Affordability (20-25%). Social mobility data from Raj Chetty's Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (30M+ anonymized tax records). No subjective surveys.

## Summary

Choosing a bachelor's program in Pennsylvania can feel overwhelming, especially with so many options available. Each of these programs shares a commitment to strong academic outcomes and student success, making them worth considering for anyone looking to further their education.

What sets these schools apart are their outcomes related to earnings, graduation rates, debt levels, and mobility. Students at the top institutions not only graduate at high rates but also enter the workforce with impressive earnings. The list below highlights schools that excel in these areas, giving you a clear view of where you might find the best return on your investment.

For instance, the University of Pennsylvania stands out with average earnings of $111,371, significantly higher than the state average of $70,576. In contrast, Haverford College, while prestigious, offers lower earnings at $79,966, but has a lower net price and debt. These differences illustrate how financial decisions can impact future earning potential and overall college experience.

## Key Findings

- The University of Pennsylvania offers average earnings of $111,371, the highest in this list.
- Haverford College has a lower net price of $25,314 compared to Lafayette College's $34,433.
- Carnegie Mellon University graduates earn $114,862 but incur an average debt of $21,750.
- The average graduation rate across these programs is 63%, highlighting the disparity in student outcomes.

## Rankings

| Rank | School | Location | Graduation | Earnings (10yr) | Net Price | Median Debt | Debt/Earnings |
|------|--------|----------|------------|-----------------|-----------|-------------|---------------|
| 1 | [University of Pennsylvania](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-pennsylvania) | Philadelphia, PA | 97% | $111,371 | $28,699 | $15,715 | 0.14x |
| 2 | [Carnegie Mellon University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/carnegie-mellon-university) | Pittsburgh, PA | 93% | $114,862 | $31,944 | $21,750 | 0.19x |
| 3 | [Swarthmore College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/swarthmore-college) | Swarthmore, PA | 93% | $80,257 | $23,149 | $17,500 | 0.22x |
| 4 | [Haverford College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/haverford-college) | Haverford, PA | 90% | $79,966 | $25,314 | $13,621 | 0.17x |
| 5 | [Lafayette College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/lafayette-college) | Easton, PA | 88% | $91,410 | $34,433 | $16,000 | 0.18x |
| 6 | [Lehigh University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/lehigh-university) | Bethlehem, PA | 89% | $105,584 | $36,931 | $21,960 | 0.21x |
| 7 | [Franklin and Marshall College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/franklin-and-marshall-college) | Lancaster, PA | 85% | $76,124 | $36,425 | $19,000 | 0.25x |
| 8 | [Bryn Mawr College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/bryn-mawr-college) | Bryn Mawr, PA | 84% | $75,217 | $31,759 | $25,000 | 0.33x |
| 9 | [Villanova University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/villanova-university) | Villanova, PA | 92% | $100,423 | $43,756 | $25,874 | 0.26x |
| 10 | [Bucknell University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/bucknell-university) | Lewisburg, PA | 86% | $93,807 | $40,766 | $27,000 | 0.29x |
| 11 | [Gettysburg College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/gettysburg-college) | Gettysburg, PA | 83% | $71,517 | $31,490 | $26,999 | 0.38x |
| 12 | [Muhlenberg College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/muhlenberg-college) | Allentown, PA | 81% | $69,107 | $28,905 | $25,455 | 0.37x |
| 13 | [Immaculata University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/immaculata-university) | Immaculata, PA | 68% | $75,701 | $24,258 | $27,000 | 0.36x |
| 14 | [West Chester University of Pennsylvania](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/west-chester-university-of-pennsylvania) | West Chester, PA | 70% | $61,258 | $23,331 | $23,500 | 0.38x |
| 15 | [Washington & Jefferson College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/washington-jefferson-college) | Washington, PA | 70% | $67,918 | $25,002 | $27,000 | 0.4x |
| 16 | [Dickinson College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/dickinson-college) | Carlisle, PA | 82% | $70,204 | $37,607 | $19,000 | 0.27x |
| 17 | [Holy Family University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/holy-family-university) | Philadelphia, PA | 61% | $62,235 | $13,143 | $25,125 | 0.4x |
| 18 | [Allegheny College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/allegheny-college) | Meadville, PA | 70% | $62,069 | $22,940 | $27,000 | 0.43x |
| 19 | [Lycoming College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/lycoming-college) | Williamsport, PA | 60% | $56,210 | $19,140 | $27,000 | 0.48x |
| 20 | [Millersville University of Pennsylvania](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/millersville-university-of-pennsylvania) | Millersville, PA | 56% | $55,246 | $20,787 | $23,507 | 0.43x |
| 21 | [Ursinus College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/ursinus-college) | Collegeville, PA | 75% | $73,721 | $30,536 | $27,000 | 0.37x |
| 22 | [East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/east-stroudsburg-university-of-pennsylvania) | East Stroudsburg, PA | 44% | $56,148 | $18,134 | $24,218 | 0.43x |
| 23 | [La Salle University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/la-salle-university) | Philadelphia, PA | 58% | $67,416 | $19,409 | $25,000 | 0.37x |
| 24 | [Seton Hill University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/seton-hill-university) | Greensburg, PA | 69% | $51,748 | $22,204 | $27,000 | 0.52x |
| 25 | [University of Scranton](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-scranton) | Scranton, PA | 80% | $74,652 | $32,568 | $27,000 | 0.36x |
| 26 | [Robert Morris University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/robert-morris-university) | Moon Township, PA | 66% | $62,105 | $23,003 | $26,950 | 0.43x |
| 27 | [Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/indiana-university-of-pennsylvania-main-campus) | Indiana, PA | 54% | $51,019 | $16,804 | $26,798 | 0.53x |
| 28 | [Carlow University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/carlow-university) | Pittsburgh, PA | 58% | $51,051 | $20,786 | $25,500 | 0.5x |
| 29 | [Juniata College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/juniata-college) | Huntingdon, PA | 71% | $56,918 | $23,988 | $27,000 | 0.47x |
| 30 | [Kutztown University of Pennsylvania](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/kutztown-university-of-pennsylvania) | Kutztown, PA | 54% | $53,775 | $21,331 | $26,000 | 0.48x |
| 31 | [Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/shippensburg-university-of-pennsylvania) | Shippensburg, PA | 54% | $56,351 | $23,726 | $25,000 | 0.44x |
| 32 | [Susquehanna University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/susquehanna-university) | Selinsgrove, PA | 78% | $61,723 | $28,819 | $27,000 | 0.44x |
| 33 | [Moravian University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/moravian-university) | Bethlehem, PA | 71% | $61,860 | $30,670 | $26,793 | 0.43x |
| 34 | [Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/saint-josephs-university-philadelphia) | Philadelphia, PA | 79% | $86,881 | $29,689 | $25,500 | 0.29x |
| 35 | [Elizabethtown College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/elizabethtown-college) | Elizabethtown, PA | 77% | $62,399 | $26,598 | $27,000 | 0.43x |
| 36 | [Widener University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/widener-university) | Chester, PA | 66% | $70,920 | $25,759 | $27,000 | 0.38x |
| 37 | [Messiah University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/messiah-university) | Mechanicsburg, PA | 77% | $54,064 | $26,502 | $25,621 | 0.47x |
| 38 | [La Roche University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/la-roche-university) | Pittsburgh, PA | 57% | $52,341 | $20,794 | $25,000 | 0.48x |
| 39 | [Chatham University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/chatham-university) | Pittsburgh, PA | 65% | $52,410 | $29,954 | $23,250 | 0.44x |
| 40 | [Waynesburg University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/waynesburg-university) | Waynesburg, PA | 63% | $58,537 | $18,235 | $27,000 | 0.46x |
| 41 | [Gannon University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/gannon-university) | Erie, PA | 68% | $58,845 | $22,553 | $27,000 | 0.46x |
| 42 | [King's College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/kings-college) | Wilkes-Barre, PA | 60% | $59,498 | $23,093 | $27,000 | 0.45x |
| 43 | [Gwynedd Mercy University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/gwynedd-mercy-university) | Gwynedd Valley, PA | 58% | $67,145 | $27,483 | $25,000 | 0.37x |
| 44 | [Lebanon Valley College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/lebanon-valley-college) | Annville, PA | 69% | $62,621 | $26,979 | $27,000 | 0.43x |
| 45 | [Albright College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/albright-college) | Reading, PA | 47% | $58,700 | $20,024 | $27,000 | 0.46x |
| 46 | [Temple University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/temple-university) | Philadelphia, PA | 75% | $63,727 | $28,198 | $24,395 | 0.38x |
| 47 | [Lincoln University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/lincoln-university-pa) | Lincoln University, PA | 48% | $43,167 | $14,977 | $28,250 | 0.65x |
| 48 | [DeSales University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/desales-university) | Center Valley, PA | 72% | $61,295 | $31,643 | $25,788 | 0.42x |
| 49 | [Alvernia University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/alvernia-university) | Reading, PA | 57% | $55,055 | $28,138 | $27,000 | 0.49x |
| 50 | [Thomas Jefferson University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/thomas-jefferson-university) | Philadelphia, PA | 68% | $77,449 | $28,928 | $14,744 | 0.19x |

## Data Sources

- U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov)
- Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (https://opportunityinsights.org/data)
- Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
- Times Higher Education World University Rankings
- NCES IPEDS

## Citation

CollegeRanker. "Best Bachelor's Programs in Pennsylvania." CollegeRanker.com, 2026-05-31. https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-bachelors-pennsylvania

## License

This data summary is provided for informational purposes. Underlying data from federal sources (College Scorecard, IPEDS) is public domain. Opportunity Insights data is available under their data use agreement at https://opportunityinsights.org/data/.