Here Are The Best PA Colleges, According To New Rankings

PENNSYLVANIA — The University of Pennsylvania is the best college in the state, according to rankings released Monday by Niche, a college ranking and review platform. In all, dozens of colleges and universities in the Keystone State were ranked among the best places to get a degree.

Niche said its 2024 Best Colleges Rankings reflect the declining importance of SAT and ACT scores and the increasing importance prospective students and their families place on value and economic mobility — that is, the ability of students to improve their economic status after graduation.

The platform evaluated 4,048 public and private four-year colleges nationwide and developed separate lists for the best academics value, food, dorms and college life.

The top five colleges in Pennsylvania are:

1. University of Pennsylvania
Overall Niche grade: A+
Acceptance rate: 6 percent
Net price: $14,578
SAT range: 1480 to 1570

2. Carnegie Mellon University
Overall Niche grade: A+
Acceptance rate: 14 percent
Net price: $37,450
SAT range: 1480 to 1560

3. Swarthmore College
Overall Niche grade: A+
Acceptance rate: 8 percent
Net price: $19,733
SAT range: 1430 to 1560

4. Villanova University
Overall Niche grade: A+
Acceptance rate: 25 percent
Net price: $33,123
SAT range: 1350 to 1490

5. Haverford College
Overall Niche grade: A+
Acceptance rate: 18 percent
Net price: $24,462
SAT range: 1420 to 1540

Other Pennsylvania schools ranked by Niche are found on the website.

To rank the schools, Niche analyzed data from the U.S. Department of Education along with reviews and ratings from current students, alumni and parents. The new economic mobility index takes into account the percentage of students receiving Pell Grants, the net tuition price for students from low-income households and the median earnings of those students six years after they get their first post-graduation jobs.

The top schools nationwide are, respectively: Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut; Stanford University, Stanford, California; Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge; Harvard University, Cambridge; and Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey.

The best value colleges are, respectively, Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, California; Stanford University; Massachusetts Institute of Technology; California Institute of Technology, Pasadena; and Clarmont-McKenna College.

Schools in the Keystone State ranked among the 25 best value colleges are: The University of Pennsylvania (No. 7), and Carnegie Mellon University (No. 15).