2022 Best Colleges in Pennsylvania

In addition to the main location in the heart of Pittsburgh, the University of Pittsburgh operates four regional campuses throughout Pennsylvania. To increase access among students who need to balance their learning with personal or professional responsibilities, the university also hosts fully online programs in education, engineering, and nursing.

On-campus programs of study include actuarial mathematics, ecology and evolution, health information management, and materials science and engineering. To supplement their classroom learning, students may also elect to enroll in the university's Outside the Classroom Curriculum, which is a series of workshops, seminars, and experiential learning opportunities that help learners hone and demonstrate professional skills.

Applying to Pitt requires a high school diploma or GED certificate and ACT or SAT scores. While not required, admissions officers strongly recommend that all prospective students respond to a set of short-answer questions in lieu of a personal essay. For example, students may detail a book or piece of music that has had an impact on their lives.

With an average class size of just 17 students, Gettysburg College offers personal attention from faculty and a strong sense of community among learners. While the college enrolls only about 2,600 students each year, Gettysburg offers many of the same resources as larger institutions. These include extensive student research opportunities and more than 1,000 service and leadership development experiences.

The college exclusively serves undergraduate students, offering bachelor's degrees in disciplines such as Africana studies, health sciences, mathematical economics, and the theater arts. Regardless of their major, all students complete a series of core courses requiring them to engage in multiple forms of scholarly inquiry, think in an interdisciplinary fashion, communicate what they have learned, and become engaged citizens.

Applicants must submit high school transcripts and letters of recommendation, but the college does not require ACT or SAT scores. Gettysburg typically awards more than $60 million in merit and need-based financial aid each year, benefitting approximately 65% of the student body.

The largest state university in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, West Chester University of Pennsylvania serves just over 17,5000 students each year through more than 200 undergraduate and graduate programs. In addition, a slate of online master's and doctoral programs gives learners the chance to continue their education at any time and from any location.

Online students can choose to pursue degrees in business and public administration, special and early childhood education, and nutrition. The university's on-campus offerings explore topics such as applied statistics, exercise and sport science, and public health. Additionally, the honors program at WCU creates opportunities for students to learn across disciplines and earn a minor in civic and professional leadership.

Applicants need a high school diploma or GED certificate. They must also submit ACT or SAT scores. Although WCU recommends that applicants maintain at least a 3.0 high school GPA, the average admitted freshman holds a 3.43 GPA.

Muhlenberg College forges partnerships with academic institutions across the country, helping provide even more educational opportunities to students. For example, the college partners with medical, dental, and optometry schools to create guaranteed pathways to graduate medical education for learners.

Muhlenberg also holds preferred-admission agreements with business and engineering schools, and a partnership with Villanova University enables students to earn a bachelor's degree and a juris doctorate in just six years of full-time study.

Undergraduate students at the college can choose from more than 50 majors, including creative writing, innovation and entrepreneurship, political economy, and sustainability studies. Online courses available during the summer months cover topics like marketing and copyright law.

You must possess a high school diploma or GED certificate to apply to Muhlenberg. While the college generally does not require ACT or SAT scores, prospective students may need to take one of these exams if they hope to enter the honors program or apply for certain academic scholarships.

Penn State is a leader in online education. The university offers more than 150 fully online degrees and certificates to meet the needs of working professionals, military personnel, and students with family responsibilities. Penn State World Campus delivers online classes with entirely asynchronous formats, meaning students can complete coursework and interact with classmates and instructors entirely on their own schedule.

In addition to distance education programs, Penn State operates 24 campuses across the state. Whether they elect to study online or in person, students at the university can prepare for careers in fields like aerospace engineering, community development, digital journalism and media, and immunology and infectious diseases.

Upon graduation, Penn State students benefit from the connections and expertise of a network of 692,000 alumni.

You must hold a high school diploma or GED certificate to enroll in an associate or bachelor's program at Penn State, but the university does not require standardized test scores. Each year, Penn State awards roughly $90 million in scholarships on the basis of need and academic achievement.

Dickinson College strives to create a community of globally engaged citizens. The college has twice received the prestigious Simon Award for Comprehensive Internationalization, with more than two-thirds of students participating in study abroad fellowships and programs.

In addition, all students at Dickinson, regardless of their major, engage with a liberal arts curriculum that promotes diverse ideas and perspectives and builds intercultural skills.

The college offers bachelor's degrees in Arabic, international business and management, military science, and social innovation and entrepreneurship. Upon enrollment, all first-year students meet with a faculty advisor who provides personalized guidance and leads a seminar on writing, research, and critical analysis. Freshmen also can choose to live in learning communities organized by academic interest.

While the college provides some orientation modules online, Dickinson does not currently administer distance education programs.

Applicants must submit high school transcripts and at least one letter of recommendation. However, Dickinson does not require prospective students who attended a secondary school in the United States to take the ACT or SAT.

Although founded in 1846 by Benedictine monks, Saint Vincent welcomes students from all faiths and backgrounds. In addition to 50 undergraduate majors in fields like art history and philosophy, the school offers master's degrees in education, business, health science, and criminology.

Students at the college can also enroll in one of several special undergraduate programs. For example, the Benedictine Leadership Studies program features seminars on leadership, internship opportunities, and a three-credit capstone trip to Rome. Participating students also receive a $2,000 annual fellowship award. The Fred Rogers Scholars program provides similar classroom and extracurricular learning experiences to learners who hope to work in early childhood education.

Undergraduate admission requires a high school diploma and ACT or SAT scores. Students may also submit letters of recommendation and a personal essay. On top of need-based aid, learners can apply for up to $27,000 per year in academic scholarships.

Originally founded as a night school, Temple University is now the largest university in Philadelphia. Temple educates roughly 40,000 students each year through undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs.

In addition to offering a fully online bachelor's degree in business administration, Temple allows learners to earn 15 master's and doctoral degrees on their own schedule from the comfort of their homes.

The university also offers a diverse selection of accelerated programs, helping students save money and more quickly advance in their careers. Business, education, and engineering students, for instance, can earn both their bachelor's and master's degrees in just five years. Through a 3+4 program, students can also earn a bachelor's and doctorate in medicine, dentistry, or pharmacy in only seven years.

First-year applicants must have a high school diploma, and prospective students under the age of 22 must also take either the ACT or SAT. All admitted students receive automatic consideration for more than $100 million in annual scholarships.

A Christian institution in Harrisburg, Messiah College offers more than 150 undergraduate majors in areas like applied health science, cybersecurity, graphic design, and nutrition and dietetics. Students may also pursue one of the college's 35 master's degrees with most graduate coursework available online.

Messiah offers several ways for students to earn their bachelor's in just three years. To begin, incoming students can receive credit for prior learning and relevant professional experience. The college also allows students on an accelerated track to take extra courses each semester without paying more in tuition. Additionally, undergraduate students can take a series of online courses in the summer to earn additional credits and pay a reduced tuition rate.

To apply to Messiah, you must have a high school diploma or GED certificate. The college also requires all applicants to submit ACT or SAT results. In addition, prospective students must write a personal essay describing why they want to attend a faith-based college.

Penn State Great Valley exclusively offers master's degrees and graduate certificates, giving students in the greater Philadelphia area the opportunity to develop critical professional skills. Alongside formal programs in data analytics, engineering, finance, and healthcare, the university hosts noncredit professional development programs in project management, leadership development, and agile business analysis.

The university designs academic offerings to meet the needs of working professionals. All classes run for seven weeks with six start dates throughout the year, meaning students can schedule their learning around busy periods in their lives. While many courses require two face-to-face meetings per week, blended classes with an online component allow learners to commute to campus less frequently.

To enter a degree program at Penn State Great Valley, you must hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. Depending on the program, you may also need to submit a resume, GMAT or GRE scores, and a personal statement.

A member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania awards bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in disciplines such as athletic training, environmental geosciences, music therapy, and counseling psychology. The university's 660-acre campus hosts a variety of arts, cultural, and social activities, along with comprehensive health, academic support, and counseling services.

SRU also delivers strong online programs. Students with previous college-level coursework can enroll in one of the university's online degree-completion programs, earning a bachelor's in management, nursing, or the liberal arts. In addition, fully online master's and doctoral programs provide distance learners with the freedom to prepare for specialized and supervisory roles without leaving their current job.

First-year applicants must hold a high school diploma or GED certificate and submit scores from the ACT or SAT. Generally, SRU looks for candidates with a 3.0 high school GPA or higher, an ACT score of at least 20, or an SAT score of 1030 and above.

The "Nexus Learning" approach at Thomas Jefferson University combines a traditional liberal arts education with experiential learning opportunities, professional skill development, and interdisciplinary inquiry. As evidence of the success of this model, the university points to the fact that 95% of students find a job or enroll in a graduate program within one year of earning their bachelor's degree.

Programs of study at Jefferson include applied health economics, cardiac sonography, human resources management, and occupational therapy. In addition to the university's extensive on-campus bachelor's and master's programs, Jefferson hosts more than 30 fully online degrees in subjects like law enforcement leadership and nurse midwifery.

Undergraduate applicants must possess a high school diploma or GED certificate, but the university does not require ACT or SAT scores. Graduate applicants typically must hold a bachelor's degree and submit a professional resume and letters of recommendation. Roughly 96% of undergraduates and 36% of graduate students receive some form of financial aid.

Consistently ranked as one of the "greenest" schools in the country, the Pittsburgh campus of Chatham University in Pittsburgh serves as home to a 39-acre arboretum and LEED-certified academic halls and residences. Students interested in environmental studies can choose from majors in areas like botany, ecology, and sustainable business administration.

The university also offers bachelor's and master's degrees in subjects such as communication, interior architecture, and physician assistant studies. A variety of online and evening programs serve students who need to balance their education with a job or family responsibilities. Additionally, integrated degree programs give learners the option to earn both a bachelor's and master's in less time and for less money.

Undergraduate admission requires high school transcripts, an essay or writing sample, and at least one letter of recommendation from a guidance counselor or teacher. Chatham is a test-optional institution, but students who elect not to share ACT or SAT scores must instead submit a resume and graded writing sample and participate in an on-campus interview.

Close to 95% of undergraduate learners at Juniata College graduate in just four years, a rate significantly higher than both the state and national averages. The college also strongly encourages students to engage in service-learning activities, with 80% participating in an internship and 60% completing volunteer work.

Instead of majors, programs of emphasis at Juniata give students the chance to critically examine topics like conflict resolution, data science, fisheries and aquatic science, and international politics. Nearly one-third of all undergraduate students at the college design their own program, choosing a customized slate of courses in close collaboration with an academic advisor.

Your application package to Juniata must include high school transcripts, one letter of recommendation, and an essay. Applicants can decide not to submit ACT or SAT scores if they feel their results do not reflect their strengths as a student.

Juniata awards roughly $40 million in grants each year, and students can also apply to special scholarship programs. The Eagles Abroad program, for example, provides up to $3,000 to learners who plan to study in another country.

Penn State Wilkes-Barre caters to students who want a more rural and intimate learning environment. The university enrolls only about 500 students each year, operating its campus on a park-like estate roughly 13 miles west of Wilkes-Barre. The average class size is just 18 students.

Along with associate degrees in surveying technology and business administration, Penn State Wilkes-Barre offers bachelor's degrees in the administration of justice, corporate communication, and project and supply chain management. Many students choose to begin their undergraduate education at the university before transferring to another Penn State campus in their junior year.

To apply, you must have a high school diploma or GED certificate and satisfactory scores on the ACT or SAT. The university generally accepts students with an ACT score of 21 or above or a combined SAT score of 1470 or higher.

As part of the admissions process, students can also apply for more than 60 scholarship funds. In total, Penn State Wilkes-Barre awards approximately $572,00 in scholarships each year.