Best value colleges in Pennsylvania
Every Pennsylvania college we have data for, ranked by 10-year return on investment.
317
Colleges
$21,003
Avg net price as of 2024
$51,672
Median earnings as of 2024
$18,532
Median debt as of 2024
Top colleges in Pennsylvania
Showing the top 150 of 317 by ROI — sort the table, or use the finder to filter all Pennsylvania colleges by cost, earnings and major.
| # | College | Type | 5-yr earnings | Net price | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | DR Rating | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Westmoreland County Community College Youngwood, PA | Public | $75,315 | $5,167 | $11,000 | +2,014% | Strong return | |
| 2 | University of Pittsburgh-Titusville Titusville, PA | Public | $76,839 | $11,150 | $24,250 | +923% | Strong return | |
| 3 | York County School of Technology-Adult & Continuing Education York, PA | Public | $59,011 | $13,490 | $9,500 | +727% | Strong return | |
| 4 | DLP Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center Johnstown, PA | For-profit | $73,639 | $19,089 | $12,000 | +573% | Strong return | |
| 5 | Swarthmore College Swarthmore, PA | Private | $107,113 | $23,149 | $17,500 | +528% | Strong return | |
| 6 | Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine Scranton, PA | Private | $98,647 | $23,384 | — | +474% | Strong return | |
| 7 | University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA | Private | $113,510 | $28,699 | $15,715 | +468% | Strong return | |
| 8 | UPMC Jameson School of Nursing New Castle, PA | Private | $72,813 | $22,889 | $12,000 | +455% | Strong return | |
| 9 | Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA | Private | $111,544 | $31,944 | $21,750 | +390% | Strong return | |
| 10 | UPMC Mercy School of Nursing Pittsburgh, PA | Private | $75,380 | $33,159 | $14,750 | +324% | Strong return | |
| 11 | UPMC St. Margaret School of Nursing Pittsburgh, PA | Private | $70,468 | $27,327 | $15,667 | +322% | Strong return | |
| 12 | UPMC Shadyside School of Nursing Pittsburgh, PA | Private | $72,079 | $29,374 | $19,666 | +311% | Strong return | |
| 13 | Community College of Beaver County Monaca, PA | Public | $52,828 | $6,937 | $14,923 | +305% | Strong return | |
| 14 | Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences Reading, PA | Private | $70,881 | $28,415 | $20,885 | +302% | Strong return | |
| 15 | Western Pennsylvania Hospital School of Nursing Pittsburgh, PA | Private | $66,532 | $25,163 | $13,838 | +289% | Strong return | |
| 16 | Chester County Intermediate Unit Downingtown, PA | Public | $53,084 | $14,441 | $18,075 | +284% | Strong return | |
| 17 | Citizens School of Nursing Tarentum, PA | Private | $68,665 | $28,480 | $15,250 | +279% | Strong return | |
| 18 | Johnson College Scranton, PA | Private | $60,866 | $19,954 | $12,000 | +258% | Strong return | |
| 19 | Lehigh University Bethlehem, PA | Private | $99,040 | $36,931 | $21,960 | +247% | Strong return | |
| 20 | Holy Family University Philadelphia, PA | Private | $65,760 | $13,143 | $25,125 | +236% | Strong return | |
| 21 | Pennsylvania State University-World Campus University Park, PA | Public | $73,837 | $19,550 | $25,000 | +230% | Strong return | |
| 22 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg Middletown, PA | Public | $78,653 | $23,330 | $25,000 | +229% | Strong return | |
| 23 | Bucks County Community College Newtown, PA | Public | $50,544 | $6,389 | $12,000 | +223% | Strong return | |
| 24 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Beaver Monaca, PA | Public | $70,075 | $17,418 | $25,000 | +218% | Strong return | |
| 25 | La Salle University Philadelphia, PA | Private | $71,807 | $19,409 | $25,000 | +209% | Strong return | |
| 26 | Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics West Mifflin, PA | Private | $66,341 | $32,618 | $12,230 | +206% | Strong return | |
| 27 | Eastern Center for Arts and Technology Willow Grove, PA | Public | $53,814 | $25,158 | $11,200 | +201% | Strong return | |
| 28 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Greater Allegheny McKeesport, PA | Public | $66,263 | $15,521 | $25,000 | +199% | Strong return | |
| 29 | Villanova University Villanova, PA | Private | $99,683 | $43,756 | $25,874 | +197% | Strong return | |
| 30 | PITC Institute Wyncote, PA | For-profit | $63,176 | $28,276 | $16,722 | +190% | Strong return | |
| 31 | Muhlenberg College Allentown, PA | Private | $80,998 | $28,905 | $25,455 | +188% | Strong return | |
| 32 | Lafayette College Easton, PA | Private | $86,228 | $34,433 | $16,000 | +187% | Strong return | |
| 33 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Lehigh Valley Center Valley, PA | Public | $68,398 | $18,220 | $25,000 | +185% | Strong return | |
| 34 | Drexel University Philadelphia, PA | Private | $89,639 | $38,509 | $25,325 | +173% | Strong return | |
| 35 | Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA | For-profit | $61,906 | $25,437 | $32,397 | +170% | Strong return | |
| 36 | Robert Morris University Moon Township, PA | Private | $72,409 | $23,003 | $26,950 | +169% | Strong return | |
| 37 | Rosemont College Rosemont, PA | Private | $69,300 | $20,150 | $27,000 | +169% | Strong return | |
| 38 | Widener University Chester, PA | Private | $75,276 | $25,759 | $27,000 | +168% | Strong return | |
| 39 | Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA | Private | $79,238 | $29,689 | $25,500 | +167% | Strong return | |
| 40 | Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology Lancaster, PA | Public | $53,411 | $14,104 | $9,990 | +164% | Strong return | |
| 41 | Valley Forge Military College Wayne, PA | Private | $49,176 | $6,398 | $9,500 | +157% | Strong return | |
| 42 | Greene County Career and Technology Center Waynesburg, PA | Public | $48,781 | $14,909 | — | +154% | Strong return | |
| 43 | Peirce College Philadelphia, PA | Private | $59,641 | $12,148 | $31,250 | +144% | Strong return | |
| 44 | Bucknell University Lewisburg, PA | Private | $87,169 | $40,766 | $27,000 | +144% | Strong return | |
| 45 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College Erie, PA | Public | $71,078 | $24,558 | $25,000 | +143% | Strong return | |
| 46 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State York York, PA | Public | $65,704 | $19,047 | $25,000 | +143% | Strong return | |
| 47 | Neumann University Aston, PA | Private | $72,781 | $27,804 | $27,000 | +130% | Strong return | |
| 48 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine Media, PA | Public | $67,706 | $22,585 | $25,000 | +128% | Strong return | |
| 49 | University of Pittsburgh-Bradford Bradford, PA | Public | $61,028 | $15,350 | $24,250 | +128% | Strong return | |
| 50 | University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown Johnstown, PA | Public | $63,129 | $18,202 | $24,250 | +122% | Strong return | |
| 51 | University of Scranton Scranton, PA | Private | $75,489 | $32,568 | $27,000 | +118% | Strong return | |
| 52 | Gannon University Erie, PA | Private | $66,251 | $22,553 | $27,000 | +112% | Strong return | |
| 53 | Chatham University Pittsburgh, PA | Private | $72,132 | $29,954 | $23,250 | +112% | Strong return | |
| 54 | Dickinson College Carlisle, PA | Private | $77,021 | $37,607 | $19,000 | +104% | Strong return | |
| 55 | Franklin and Marshall College Lancaster, PA | Private | $75,967 | $36,425 | $19,000 | +103% | Strong return | |
| 56 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus University Park, PA | Public | $73,401 | $32,875 | $25,000 | +102% | Strong return | |
| 57 | Pennsylvania College of Technology Williamsport, PA | Public | $66,975 | $25,110 | $23,961 | +101% | Strong return | |
| 58 | Gwynedd Mercy University Gwynedd Valley, PA | Private | $68,743 | $27,483 | $25,000 | +100% | Strong return | |
| 59 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh, PA | Public | $70,612 | $30,434 | $24,250 | +96% | Strong return | |
| 60 | Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA | Private | $68,277 | $27,743 | $26,000 | +93% | Strong return | |
| 61 | Immaculata University Immaculata, PA | Private | $65,590 | $24,258 | $27,000 | +93% | Strong return | |
| 62 | DeSales University Center Valley, PA | Private | $71,074 | $31,643 | $25,788 | +92% | Strong return | |
| 63 | Saint Joseph's University - Lancaster Lancaster, PA | Private | $79,238 | $42,478 | $25,500 | +91% | Strong return | |
| 64 | Thomas Jefferson University Philadelphia, PA | Private | $67,895 | $28,928 | $14,744 | +89% | Strong return | |
| 65 | University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg Greensburg, PA | Public | $60,001 | $17,945 | $24,250 | +86% | Strong return | |
| 66 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Scranton Dunmore, PA | Public | $59,703 | $17,910 | $25,000 | +82% | Strong return | |
| 67 | Automotive Training Center-Exton Exton, PA | For-profit | $50,592 | $12,578 | $15,665 | +81% | Strong return | |
| 68 | King's College Wilkes-Barre, PA | Private | $63,514 | $23,093 | $27,000 | +81% | Strong return | |
| 69 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington Abington, PA | Public | $59,703 | $18,071 | $25,000 | +81% | Strong return | |
| 70 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania West Chester, PA | Public | $63,380 | $23,331 | $23,500 | +80% | Strong return | |
| 71 | Saint Vincent College Latrobe, PA | Private | $62,796 | $23,510 | $27,000 | +71% | Strong return | |
| 72 | La Roche University Pittsburgh, PA | Private | $60,696 | $20,794 | $25,000 | +70% | Strong return | |
| 73 | Career Technology Center of Lackawanna County Scranton, PA | Public | $49,846 | $22,521 | $17,200 | +68% | Strong return | |
| 74 | Lebanon Valley College Annville, PA | Private | $64,683 | $26,979 | $27,000 | +67% | Strong return | |
| 75 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Schuylkill Schuylkill Haven, PA | Public | $59,644 | $19,659 | $25,000 | +67% | Strong return | |
| 76 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks Reading, PA | Public | $62,236 | $24,356 | $25,000 | +62% | Break-even | |
| 77 | Gettysburg College Gettysburg, PA | Private | $66,453 | $31,490 | $26,999 | +58% | Break-even | |
| 78 | Duquesne University Pittsburgh, PA | Private | $70,302 | $37,730 | $26,244 | +58% | Break-even | |
| 79 | Temple University Philadelphia, PA | Public | $64,021 | $28,198 | $24,395 | +56% | Break-even | |
| 80 | York College of Pennsylvania York, PA | Private | $57,821 | $18,556 | $26,000 | +53% | Break-even | |
| 81 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Fayette- Eberly Lemont Furnace, PA | Public | $55,232 | $14,596 | $25,000 | +52% | Break-even | |
| 82 | Universal Technical Institute of Pennsylvania Inc Exton, PA | For-profit | $53,251 | $24,883 | $14,267 | +50% | Break-even | |
| 83 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona Altoona, PA | Public | $59,689 | $22,213 | $25,000 | +50% | Break-even | |
| 84 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Hazleton Hazleton, PA | Public | $56,837 | $17,597 | $25,000 | +49% | Break-even | |
| 85 | Carlow University Pittsburgh, PA | Private | $58,647 | $20,786 | $25,500 | +48% | Break-even | |
| 86 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Wilkes-Barre Dallas, PA | Public | $56,035 | $16,448 | $25,000 | +47% | Break-even | |
| 87 | Moravian University Bethlehem, PA | Private | $63,947 | $30,670 | $26,793 | +43% | Break-even | |
| 88 | Waynesburg University Waynesburg, PA | Private | $56,692 | $18,235 | $27,000 | +41% | Break-even | |
| 89 | Arcadia University Glenside, PA | Private | $63,018 | $29,466 | $27,000 | +41% | Break-even | |
| 90 | Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania Bloomsburg, PA | Public | $55,190 | $15,699 | $26,000 | +41% | Break-even | |
| 91 | Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania Shippensburg, PA | Public | $59,669 | $23,726 | $25,000 | +41% | Break-even | |
| 92 | Seton Hill University Greensburg, PA | Private | $58,901 | $22,204 | $27,000 | +41% | Break-even | |
| 93 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State New Kensington New Kensington, PA | Public | $56,302 | $18,305 | $25,000 | +37% | Break-even | |
| 94 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Shenango Sharon, PA | Public | $56,035 | $18,095 | $25,000 | +35% | Break-even | |
| 95 | Albright College Reading, PA | Private | $57,087 | $20,024 | $27,000 | +34% | Break-even | |
| 96 | Automotive Training Center-Warminster Warminster, PA | For-profit | $50,592 | $18,088 | $15,665 | +34% | Break-even | |
| 97 | Franklin County Career and Technology Center Chambersburg, PA | Public | $48,458 | $20,846 | $14,760 | +32% | Break-even | |
| 98 | Marywood University Scranton, PA | Private | $58,550 | $23,388 | $26,186 | +31% | Break-even | |
| 99 | Saint Francis University Loretto, PA | Private | $58,479 | $23,526 | $27,000 | +30% | Break-even | |
| 100 | Misericordia University Dallas, PA | Private | $65,713 | $37,485 | $26,973 | +30% | Break-even | |
| 101 | Eastern University Saint Davids, PA | Private | $59,811 | $26,662 | $25,000 | +28% | Break-even | |
| 102 | Lincoln University Lincoln University, PA | Public | $53,423 | $14,977 | $28,250 | +20% | Break-even | |
| 103 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania Indiana, PA | Public | $54,129 | $16,804 | $26,798 | +19% | Break-even | |
| 104 | Allegheny College Meadville, PA | Private | $57,042 | $22,940 | $27,000 | +19% | Break-even | |
| 105 | Millersville University of Pennsylvania Millersville, PA | Public | $55,524 | $20,787 | $23,507 | +15% | Break-even | |
| 106 | Ursinus College Collegeville, PA | Private | $59,899 | $30,536 | $27,000 | +13% | Break-even | |
| 107 | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania East Stroudsburg, PA | Public | $54,180 | $18,134 | $24,218 | +13% | Break-even | |
| 108 | Rosedale Technical College Pittsburgh, PA | Private | $49,907 | $19,760 | $12,000 | +12% | Break-even | |
| 109 | Washington & Jefferson College Washington, PA | Private | $57,255 | $25,002 | $27,000 | +12% | Break-even | |
| 110 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State DuBois DuBois, PA | Public | $53,721 | $17,428 | $25,000 | +11% | Break-even | |
| 111 | Cedar Crest College Allentown, PA | Private | $54,330 | $18,659 | $27,000 | +10% | Break-even | |
| 112 | Lancaster County Career and Technology Center Willow Street, PA | Public | $49,393 | $17,505 | $15,250 | +8% | Break-even | |
| 113 | Chestnut Hill College Philadelphia, PA | Private | $57,839 | $27,970 | $26,389 | +6% | Break-even | |
| 114 | Harrisburg University of Science and Technology Harrisburg, PA | Private | $52,327 | $15,376 | $27,000 | +3% | Break-even | |
| 115 | Greater Johnstown Career and Technology Center Johnstown, PA | Public | $46,741 | $14,111 | $8,455 | +1% | Break-even | |
| 116 | Fortis Institute-Forty Fort Forty Fort, PA | For-profit | $47,644 | $23,291 | $9,500 | -1% | Poor return | |
| 117 | Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Slippery Rock, PA | Public | $53,166 | $19,608 | $25,000 | -7% | Poor return | |
| 118 | Westminster College New Wilmington, PA | Private | $53,252 | $19,859 | $26,060 | -7% | Poor return | |
| 119 | Kutztown University of Pennsylvania Kutztown, PA | Public | $53,200 | $21,331 | $26,000 | -14% | Poor return | |
| 120 | Elizabethtown College Elizabethtown, PA | Private | $55,004 | $26,598 | $27,000 | -14% | Poor return | |
| 121 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Mont Alto Mont Alto, PA | Public | $52,432 | $19,454 | $25,000 | -15% | Poor return | |
| 122 | Alvernia University Reading, PA | Private | $55,338 | $28,138 | $27,000 | -16% | Poor return | |
| 123 | Susquehanna University Selinsgrove, PA | Private | $55,441 | $28,819 | $27,000 | -17% | Poor return | |
| 124 | Montgomery County Community College Blue Bell, PA | Public | $47,180 | $11,124 | $12,349 | -19% | Poor return | |
| 125 | Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit LPN Career Milton, PA | Public | $46,714 | $16,779 | $12,034 | -19% | Poor return | |
| 126 | Manor College Jenkintown, PA | Private | $49,569 | $13,078 | $19,000 | -23% | Poor return | |
| 127 | Mercyhurst University Erie, PA | Private | $51,630 | $19,444 | $25,305 | -24% | Poor return | |
| 128 | Pennsylvania Western University California, PA | Public | $51,076 | $18,256 | $23,725 | -26% | Poor return | |
| 129 | Delaware Valley University Doylestown, PA | Private | $53,001 | $28,278 | $25,000 | -35% | Poor return | |
| 130 | Central Penn College Summerdale, PA | For-profit | $50,333 | $18,953 | $23,194 | -37% | Poor return | |
| 131 | Point Park University Pittsburgh, PA | Private | $51,947 | $25,942 | $27,000 | -39% | Poor return | |
| 132 | Thiel College Greenville, PA | Private | $50,822 | $22,347 | $27,000 | -41% | Poor return | |
| 133 | Delaware County Community College Media, PA | Public | $45,978 | $6,576 | $13,250 | -46% | Poor return | |
| 134 | Mount Aloysius College Cresson, PA | Private | $50,008 | $22,344 | $24,287 | -49% | Poor return | |
| 135 | Schuylkill Technology Center Frackville, PA | Public | $45,601 | $6,797 | $15,275 | -51% | Poor return | |
| 136 | Bryn Mawr College Bryn Mawr, PA | Private | $50,847 | $31,759 | $25,000 | -57% | Poor return | |
| 137 | Messiah University Mechanicsburg, PA | Private | $49,309 | $26,502 | $25,621 | -63% | Poor return | |
| 138 | Lycoming College Williamsport, PA | Private | $48,233 | $19,140 | $27,000 | -63% | Poor return | |
| 139 | Geneva College Beaver Falls, PA | Private | $48,969 | $25,890 | $25,198 | -65% | Poor return | |
| 140 | Lehigh Carbon Community College Schnecksville, PA | Public | $45,747 | $9,203 | $11,000 | -67% | Poor return | |
| 141 | Wilkes-Barre Area Career and Technical Center Practical Nursing Wilkes Barre, PA | Public | $45,675 | $19,937 | $17,678 | -74% | Poor return | |
| 142 | Indiana County Technology Center Indiana, PA | Public | $45,527 | $18,822 | $10,901 | -77% | Poor return | |
| 143 | Cheyney University of Pennsylvania Cheyney, PA | Public | $46,490 | $14,265 | $21,785 | -77% | Poor return | |
| 144 | Erie Institute of Technology Inc Erie, PA | For-profit | $45,464 | $30,164 | $10,738 | -93% | Poor return | |
| 145 | Community College of Allegheny County Pittsburgh, PA | Public | $45,050 | $13,970 | $12,680 | -99% | Poor return | |
| 146 | Juniata College Huntingdon, PA | Private | $44,891 | $23,988 | $27,000 | -101% | Poor return | |
| 147 | Lincoln Technical Institute-Levittown Levittown, PA | For-profit | $44,933 | $26,659 | $11,250 | -101% | Poor return | |
| 148 | Cairn University-Langhorne Langhorne, PA | Private | $44,677 | $27,642 | $26,926 | -103% | Poor return | |
| 149 | Northampton County Area Community College Bethlehem, PA | Public | $44,860 | $12,119 | $15,495 | -105% | Poor return | |
| 150 | Community College of Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA | Public | $44,802 | $11,911 | $10,750 | -107% | Poor return |
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Pennsylvania college statistics
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.