Some Of PA's Best Colleges Are Also Ranked Top Party Schools: Niche Rankings

PENNSYLVANIA — The website Niche.com ranked dozens of Pennsylvania colleges and universities among the best places to get a college degree. But, their “best of” lists also include ones focused on student experiences and campus life, including the best “party schools” by state.

In fact, some schools in the Keystone State are ranked highly on both lists – indicating they are both good places to get a degree, and that students find plenty of ways to have fun outside of class.

A college’s student activities, campus atmosphere, and the availability of places to gather with friends are important for Pennsylvania students to consider when selecting a higher education institution.

Niche boasts more than 500,000 overall reviews from college and university students at campuses across the nation. To decide which schools have the best party scene, the site combined that honest feedback with statistics about access to bars and restaurants, as well as overall grades for athletics and Greek life on campus.

Five Pennsylvania colleges were ranked within the top 100 party schools nationally. Penn State University came in at No. 12, with the University of Pennsylvania at No. 36, Temple University at No. 54, Lehigh University at No. 56, and Indiana University of Pennsylvania at No. 90.

Here are Niche’s top 10 party schools located in the Keystone State.

1. Penn State, University Park (overall Niche grade: A)
2. University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia (overall Niche grade: A+ )
3. Temple University, Philadelphia (overall Niche grade: A-)
4. Lehigh University, Bethlehem (overall Niche grade: A+)
5. Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana (overall Niche grade: B-)
6. Bloomsburg University, Bloomsburg (overall Niche grade: B-)
7. Bucknell University, Lewisburg (overall Niche grade: A)
8. University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh (overall Niche grade: A)
9. Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, Lincoln University (overall Niche grade: C+)
10. Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, Kutztown (overall Niche grade: B-)

The University of Pennsylvania was also ranked the best college in the state in Niche's 2024 Best Colleges Rankings, released earlier this year. Lehigh University, the University of Pittsburgh, and Penn State were also in the top 10 colleges overall.

Nationally, the following five colleges were Niche's top-rated party schools: The University of California - Santa Barbara, Florida State University in Tallahassee, Tulane University in New Orleans, the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, and Syracuse University.