State rankings

Best colleges in Pennsylvania, ranked by ROI

Name: Pennsylvania colleges — cost, earnings and ROI rankings
Creator: Degree Dividend

By the Degree Dividend editorial data teamEvery figure verified against its federal source — methodologyData updated June 2026

We rank all 169 Pennsylvania institutions we profile by payback years — total net cost divided by earnings above the $48,360 high-school baseline. The state's median net price is $21,741/yr (above the $16,902 national median), and its graduates earn a median $55,246 ten years out (above the $43,549 national median). University of Pennsylvania leads, clearing its cost in 1.8 years. (Scorecard, 2026.)

$21,741

Median net price / yr

Scorecard, 2026

$55,246

Median earnings, 10 yrs

Scorecard, 2026

7 yrs

Median payback

Our math, 2026

169

Colleges ranked

degreedividend.com

Pennsylvania colleges by payback (best first)

#	College	Net price/yr	Earnings 10y	Payback
1	University of Pennsylvania	$28,699	$111,371	1.8 yrs
2	Carnegie Mellon University	$31,944	$114,862	1.9 yrs
3	Saint Joseph's University - Lancaster	$42,478	$86,881	2.2 yrs
4	Lehigh University	$36,931	$105,584	2.6 yrs
5	Swarthmore College	$23,149	$80,257	2.9 yrs
6	Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia	$29,689	$86,881	3.1 yrs
7	Haverford College	$25,314	$79,966	3.2 yrs
8	Lafayette College	$34,433	$91,410	3.2 yrs
9	Villanova University	$43,756	$100,423	3.4 yrs
10	Immaculata University	$24,258	$75,701	3.5 yrs
11	University of Pittsburgh-Bradford	$15,350	$66,125	3.5 yrs
12	Bucknell University	$40,766	$93,807	3.6 yrs
13	Holy Family University	$13,143	$62,235	3.8 yrs
14	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Fayette- Eberly	$14,596	$63,435	3.9 yrs
15	Thomas Jefferson University	$28,928	$77,449	4 yrs
16	University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg	$17,945	$66,125	4 yrs
17	La Salle University	$19,409	$67,416	4.1 yrs
18	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Greater Allegheny	$15,521	$63,435	4.1 yrs
19	University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown	$18,202	$66,125	4.1 yrs
20	UPMC Jameson School of Nursing	$22,889	$70,472	4.1 yrs
21	Drexel University	$38,509	$84,648	4.2 yrs
22	Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences	$28,415	$74,572	4.3 yrs
23	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Wilkes-Barre	$16,448	$63,435	4.4 yrs
24	Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology	$14,104	$54,681	4.5 yrs
25	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Beaver	$17,418	$63,435	4.6 yrs
26	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State DuBois	$17,428	$63,435	4.6 yrs
27	Widener University	$25,759	$70,920	4.6 yrs
28	Bryn Mawr College	$31,759	$75,217	4.7 yrs
29	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Hazleton	$17,597	$63,435	4.7 yrs
30	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington	$18,071	$63,435	4.8 yrs
31	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Lehigh Valley	$18,220	$63,435	4.8 yrs
32	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Scranton	$17,910	$63,435	4.8 yrs
33	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Shenango	$18,095	$63,435	4.8 yrs
34	Ursinus College	$30,536	$73,721	4.8 yrs
35	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State New Kensington	$18,305	$63,435	4.9 yrs
36	University of Scranton	$32,568	$74,652	5 yrs
37	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State York	$19,047	$63,435	5.1 yrs
38	Washington & Jefferson College	$25,002	$67,918	5.1 yrs
39	Franklin and Marshall College	$36,425	$76,124	5.2 yrs
40	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Mont Alto	$19,454	$63,435	5.2 yrs
41	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Schuylkill	$19,659	$63,435	5.2 yrs
42	Pennsylvania State University-World Campus	$19,550	$63,435	5.2 yrs
43	Gettysburg College	$31,490	$71,517	5.4 yrs
44	Muhlenberg College	$28,905	$69,107	5.6 yrs
45	PITC Institute	$28,276	$58,389	5.6 yrs
46	Duquesne University	$37,730	$74,742	5.7 yrs
47	UPMC Shadyside School of Nursing	$29,374	$68,801	5.7 yrs
48	Johnson College	$19,954	$55,194	5.8 yrs
49	Gwynedd Mercy University	$27,483	$67,145	5.9 yrs
50	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona	$22,213	$63,435	5.9 yrs
51	York College of Pennsylvania	$18,556	$61,012	5.9 yrs
52	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine	$22,585	$63,435	6 yrs
53	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg	$23,330	$63,435	6.2 yrs
54	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks	$24,356	$63,435	6.5 yrs
55	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College	$24,558	$63,435	6.5 yrs
56	UPMC Mercy School of Nursing	$33,159	$68,337	6.6 yrs
57	Allegheny College	$22,940	$62,069	6.7 yrs
58	Cedar Crest College	$18,659	$59,460	6.7 yrs
59	Robert Morris University	$23,003	$62,105	6.7 yrs
60	Saint Francis University	$23,526	$62,101	6.8 yrs
61	Dickinson College	$37,607	$70,204	6.9 yrs
62	University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus	$30,434	$66,125	6.9 yrs
63	Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics	$32,618	$66,642	7.1 yrs
64	Waynesburg University	$18,235	$58,537	7.2 yrs
65	West Chester University of Pennsylvania	$23,331	$61,258	7.2 yrs
66	Temple University	$28,198	$63,727	7.3 yrs
67	Wilkes University	$27,743	$63,454	7.4 yrs
68	Elizabethtown College	$26,598	$62,399	7.6 yrs
69	Lebanon Valley College	$26,979	$62,621	7.6 yrs
70	Albright College	$20,024	$58,700	7.7 yrs
71	Saint Vincent College	$23,510	$59,982	8.1 yrs
72	King's College	$23,093	$59,498	8.3 yrs
73	Gannon University	$22,553	$58,845	8.6 yrs
74	Susquehanna University	$28,819	$61,723	8.6 yrs
75	Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus	$32,875	$63,435	8.7 yrs
76	Moravian University	$30,670	$61,860	9.1 yrs
77	York County School of Technology-Adult & Continuing Education	$13,490	$54,322	9.1 yrs
78	East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania	$18,134	$56,148	9.3 yrs
79	Misericordia University	$37,485	$64,313	9.4 yrs
80	DeSales University	$31,643	$61,295	9.8 yrs
81	Lycoming College	$19,140	$56,210	9.8 yrs
82	Juniata College	$23,988	$56,918	11.2 yrs
83	Arcadia University	$29,466	$58,336	11.8 yrs
84	Neumann University	$27,804	$57,817	11.8 yrs
85	Pennsylvania College of Technology	$25,110	$52,567	11.9 yrs
86	Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania	$23,726	$56,351	11.9 yrs
87	Millersville University of Pennsylvania	$20,787	$55,246	12.1 yrs
88	Marywood University	$23,388	$55,817	12.5 yrs
89	Westminster College	$19,859	$53,861	14.4 yrs
90	Delaware Valley University	$28,278	$55,838	15.1 yrs
91	Harrisburg University of Science and Technology	$15,376	$52,374	15.3 yrs
92	Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania	$15,699	$52,416	15.5 yrs
93	Kutztown University of Pennsylvania	$21,331	$53,775	15.8 yrs
94	Alvernia University	$28,138	$55,055	16.8 yrs
95	Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania	$19,608	$53,032	16.8 yrs
96	Automotive Training Center-Exton	$12,578	$51,112	18.3 yrs
97	Messiah University	$26,502	$54,064	18.6 yrs
98	La Roche University	$20,794	$52,341	20.9 yrs
99	Peirce College	$12,148	$50,660	21.1 yrs
100	Indiana University of Pennsylvania	$16,804	$51,019	25.3 yrs
101	Seton Hill University	$22,204	$51,748	26.2 yrs
102	Automotive Training Center-Warminster	$18,088	$51,112	26.3 yrs
103	Chatham University	$29,954	$52,410	29.6 yrs
104	Chestnut Hill College	$27,970	$52,015	30.6 yrs
105	Carlow University	$20,786	$51,051	30.9 yrs
106	Eastern University	$26,662	$51,655	32.4 yrs
107	Universal Technical Institute of Pennsylvania Inc	$24,883	$51,222	34.8 yrs
108	Geneva College	$25,890	$50,004	63 yrs
109	Thiel College	$22,347	$49,714	66 yrs
110	Rosemont College	$20,150	$48,555	413.3 yrs
111	Bucks County Community College	$6,389	$47,324	no payback
112	Rosedale Technical College	$19,760	$47,880	no payback
113	Manor College	$13,078	$46,825	no payback
114	Montgomery County Community College	$11,124	$46,108	no payback
115	Delaware County Community College	$6,576	$45,391	no payback
116	Community College of Beaver County	$6,937	$45,090	no payback
117	Harcum College	$24,776	$46,827	no payback
118	New Castle School of Trades	$8,361	$44,814	no payback
119	Pennsylvania Western University	$18,256	$47,295	no payback
120	Mercyhurst University	$19,444	$47,452	no payback
121	Mount Aloysius College	$22,344	$46,165	no payback
122	Central Penn College	$18,953	$45,370	no payback
123	Lehigh Carbon Community College	$9,203	$42,436	no payback
124	Lancaster County Career and Technology Center	$17,505	$44,566	no payback
125	Point Park University	$25,942	$45,856	no payback
126	Keystone College	$22,051	$44,976	no payback
127	Harrisburg Area Community College	$14,471	$42,007	no payback
128	Northampton County Area Community College	$12,119	$41,566	no payback
129	Lincoln University	$14,977	$43,167	no payback
130	Community College of Philadelphia	$11,911	$40,852	no payback
131	Pennco Tech-Bristol	$19,197	$43,493	no payback
132	Luzerne County Community College	$9,433	$40,437	no payback
133	Lackawanna College	$19,951	$41,000	no payback
134	Lancaster Bible College	$25,480	$44,096	no payback
135	Wilson College	$21,741	$43,326	no payback
136	Cairn University-Langhorne	$27,642	$44,172	no payback
137	Butler County Community College	$6,233	$38,891	no payback
138	Reading Area Community College	$9,228	$39,082	no payback
139	Pennsylvania Highlands Community College	$6,200	$38,752	no payback
140	Community College of Allegheny County	$13,970	$39,449	no payback
141	YTI Career Institute-York	$14,637	$40,672	no payback
142	Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia	$25,437	$42,785	no payback
143	Westmoreland County Community College	$5,167	$37,439	no payback
144	Bryn Athyn College of the New Church	$20,586	$40,457	no payback
145	Erie Institute of Technology Inc	$30,164	$41,951	no payback
146	Greater Altoona Career & Technology Center	$12,419	$38,008	no payback
147	Cheyney University of Pennsylvania	$14,265	$37,837	no payback
148	All-State Career School	$18,205	$38,495	no payback
149	Orleans Technical College	$20,113	$38,668	no payback
150	South Hills School of Business & Technology	$19,673	$35,539	no payback
151	Lincoln Technical Institute-Levittown	$26,659	$38,683	no payback
152	University of Valley Forge	$32,265	$39,016	no payback
153	Pennsylvania Institute of Technology	$17,850	$35,703	no payback
154	Lincoln Technical Institute-Allentown	$36,348	$38,683	no payback
155	All-State Career School-Pittsburgh	$15,576	$33,193	no payback
156	Laurel Technical Institute	$7,825	$30,819	no payback
157	Moore College of Art and Design	$43,086	$37,839	no payback
158	Penn Commercial Business/Technical School	$18,350	$31,736	no payback
159	Lancaster School of Cosmetology & Therapeutic Bodywork	$11,971	$29,738	no payback
160	Pennsylvania College of Art and Design	$30,083	$33,301	no payback
161	Miller-Motte College-Berks Technical Institute	$19,518	$31,102	no payback
162	Miller-Motte College-Berks Technical Institute-Allentown	$21,747	$31,102	no payback
163	Prism Career Institute-Philadelphia	$29,960	$32,473	no payback
164	Fortis Institute-Scranton	$20,186	$30,224	no payback
165	CDE Career Institute	$24,554	$30,894	no payback
166	Great Lakes Institute of Technology	$17,540	$28,704	no payback
167	Jean Madeline Aveda Institute	$19,986	$26,029	no payback
168	Bella Capelli Academy	$20,459	$25,817	no payback
169	Empire Beauty School-Center City Philadelphia	$17,520	$22,377	no payback

College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · ranking and payback are our math. Payback uses institution-wide earnings; a specific major can rank very differently.

Colleges in Pennsylvania: frequently asked questions

Which college has the best ROI in Pennsylvania?

University of Pennsylvania. It charges $28,699/yr after aid and its graduates earn a median $111,371 ten years out, clearing the cost in about 1.8 years — the fastest payback of the 169 Pennsylvania colleges we track.

How much does college cost in Pennsylvania?

The median net price across Pennsylvania colleges is $21,741/yr after grants and scholarships — above the $16,902 national median. That is the actual price the typical aided student pays, not the published sticker.

What do Pennsylvania college graduates earn?

A median $55,246 ten years after entry (Scorecard), above the $43,549 national median. Earnings vary widely by school and major — see each college's profile for its own figure.

How many Pennsylvania colleges pay for themselves?

110 of the 169 Pennsylvania colleges we track clear their cost on institution-wide earnings above the high-school baseline. The rest need a high-ROI major to pay off — the school average alone does not.