Top Ranked Colleges: Universities | Public Universities | Liberal Arts Colleges | Engineering | Business | Women's | Most Selective
Pennsylvania has some of the best colleges in the country. Students will find top-ranked liberal arts colleges, public universities, and private universities. The 19 top colleges listed below vary so much in size and type of school that I have simply listed them alphabetically rather than force them into any sort of artificial ranking.
Compare Top Pennsylvania Colleges: SAT Scores | ACT Scores
Allegheny College
Joshtys / Wikimedia Commons
- Location: Meadville, Pennsylvania
- Enrollment: 2,125 (all undergraduate)
- Type of Institution: private liberal arts college
- Distinctions: 14 to 1 student / faculty ratio; average class size of 22; featured in Loren Pope's well-regarded Colleges That Change Lives; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences
- For more information and admissions data, visit the Allegheny College profile
- GPA, SAT and ACT graph for Alleghany
Bryn Mawr College
thatpicturetaker / Flickr
- Location: Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania
- Enrollment: 1,745 (1,287 undergraduates)
- Type of Institution: private women's liberal arts college
- Distinctions: 9 to 1 student / faculty ratio; one of the original "seven sister" colleges; one of the top women's colleges in the U.S.; member of the Tri-College Consortium with Swarthmore and Haverford; many rich traditions
- For more information and admissions data, visit the Bryn Mawr profile
- GPA, SAT and ACT graph for Bryn Mawr
Bucknell University
aurimasliutikas / Flickr
- Location: Lewisburg, Pennsylvania
- Enrollment: 3,677 (3,520 undergraduates)
- Type of Institution: small comprehensive university
- Distinctions: 10 to 1 student / faculty ratio; feel of a small liberal arts college with academic offerings of a comprehensive university; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences; participation in the NCAA Division I Patriot League
- For more information and admissions data, visit the Bucknell profile
- GPA, SAT and ACT graph for Bucknell
Carnegie Mellon University
Jimmy Lin / Flickr
- Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Enrollment: 10,326 (5,682 undergraduates)
- Type of Institution: comprehensive research university
- Distinctions: 11 to 1 student / faculty ratio; top-ranked science and engineering programs; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences; membership in the American Association of Universities for strengths in research
- For more information and admissions data, visit the Carnegie Mellon profile
- GPA, SAT and ACT graph for CMU
Dickinson College
ravedelay / Flickr
- Location: Carlisle, Pennsylvania
- Enrollment: 2,381 (all undergraduate)
- Type of Institution: private liberal arts college
- Distinctions: 10 to 1 student / faculty ratio and an average class size of 17; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences; chartered in 1783 and named after a signer of the Constitution; member of the NCAA Division III Centennial Conference
- For more information and admissions data, visit the Dickinson College profile
- GPA, SAT and ACT graph for Dickinson
Franklin and Marshall College
The Pocket / Flickr
- Location: Lancaster, Pennsylvania
- Enrollment: 2,104 (all undergraduate)
- Type of Institution: private liberal arts college
- Distinctions: test-optional admissions; 10 to 1 student / faculty ratio; hands-on approach to education (two-thirds of students engage in research under faculty guidance); chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences
- For more information and admissions data, visit the Franklin and Marshall profile
- GPA, SAT and ACT graph for F&M
Gettysburg College
fauxto digit / Flickr
- Location: Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
- Enrollment: 2,503 (all undergraduate)
- Type of Institution: private liberal arts college
- Distinctions: 11 to 1 student / faculty ratio and average class size of 18; historic location; ; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences; new athletic center; music conservatory and professional performing arts center
- For more information and admissions data, visit the Gettysburg College profile
- GPA, SAT and ACT graph for Gettysburg
Grove City College
nyello8 / Flickr
- Location: Grove City, Pennsylvania
- Enrollment: 2,499 (all undergraduate)
- Type of Institution: private Christian liberal arts college
- Distinctions: one of the country's top conservative colleges; excellent value; impressive retention and graduation rates; chapel requirement for all students
- For more information and admissions data, visit the Grove City College profile
- GPA, SAT and ACT graph for GCC
Haverford College
edwinmalet / flickr
- Location: Haverford, Pennsylvania
- Enrollment: 1,169 (all undergraduate)
- Type of Institution: private liberal arts college
- Distinctions: 8 to 1 student / faculty ratio; one of the country's top liberal arts colleges; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences; opportunities to take classes at Bryn Mawr, Swarthmore, and the University of Pennsylvania
- For more information and admissions data, visit the Haverford profile
- GPA, SAT and ACT graph for Haverford
Juniata College
mjk4219 / Flickr
- Location: Huntingdon, Pennsylvania
- Enrollment: 1,526 (all undergraduate)
- Type of Institution: private liberal arts college
- Distinctions: 13 to 1 student / faculty ratio and an average class size of 14; no traditional majors but "programs of emphasis"; 30% of students design their own majors; main campus is complemented by a large nature preserve and environmental studies field station
- For more information and admissions data, visit the Juniata College profile
- GPA, SAT and ACT graph for Juniata
