# Best Master'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-masters-pennsylvania

## Methodology

Master's programs in Pennsylvania ranked by graduate outcomes

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

When considering graduate education in Pennsylvania, students have a wealth of options from reputable institutions. This list highlights 50 master's programs in the state, showcasing their graduate outcomes which can significantly influence career prospects. For instance, graduates from top programs can earn upwards of $114,000 annually.

What sets the strongest programs apart are their graduate earnings, completion rates, and manageable debt levels. The schools listed below offer not just education but also a pathway to a stable financial future, with average earnings of $70,576 across all programs. As you review the rankings, consider how each school's outcomes align with your personal and professional goals.

For example, the University of Pennsylvania leads with impressive earnings of $111,371 and a graduation rate of 97%. In contrast, Haverford College, while still a solid option, has a lower earning potential of $79,966 and a graduation rate of 90%. This difference highlights the trade-offs that come with different programs and emphasizes the importance of aligning your choice with your career aspirations.

## Key Findings

- University of Pennsylvania graduates earn $111,371 on average.
- Carnegie Mellon University has a 93% graduation rate.
- Haverford College's net price is $25,314, lower than many peers.
- The average debt for graduates from these programs is $16,000.

## 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 | [Manor College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/manor-college) | Jenkintown, PA | 25% | $46,825 | $13,078 | $19,000 | 0.41x |
| 46 | [Albright College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/albright-college) | Reading, PA | 47% | $58,700 | $20,024 | $27,000 | 0.46x |
| 47 | [Temple University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/temple-university) | Philadelphia, PA | 75% | $63,727 | $28,198 | $24,395 | 0.38x |
| 48 | [Lincoln University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/lincoln-university-pa) | Lincoln University, PA | 48% | $43,167 | $14,977 | $28,250 | 0.65x |
| 49 | [DeSales University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/desales-university) | Center Valley, PA | 72% | $61,295 | $31,643 | $25,788 | 0.42x |
| 50 | [Alvernia University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/alvernia-university) | Reading, PA | 57% | $55,055 | $28,138 | $27,000 | 0.49x |

## 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 Master's Programs in Pennsylvania." CollegeRanker.com, 2026-05-31. https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-masters-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/.