Best Colleges in Pennsylvania of 2023

First chartered in 1755, the University of Pennsylvania is the oldest school on our list. UPenn is known for its focus on research, spending roughly $1 billion per year across a range of disciplines from medicine to business. Undergraduates participating in research at UPenn work alongside faculty to uncover knowledge and share it through one of several departmental research publications. The university's low admission rate of 9% means only 9 out of 100 applicants can expect to receive an acceptance letter. Although a smart choice for anyone wanting to get into the best college in Pennsylvania, it may prove difficult to land a spot on the student roster with such a selective admission process. There are advantages to this, however, one of which is that it allows for an impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 6:1 and the highest graduation rate among other schools on our list.

Carnegie Mellon University is another Pennsylvania school known for its love of research. The university conducts research in arts, humanities, science, and communication to name a few. What makes this university stand out, however, is the collaboration it fosters between its schools and colleges, which offer over 40 interdisciplinary programs. Although CMU requires more credits to graduate than most of the schools on our list, the interdisciplinary nature of its degrees gives students a potentially greater value. Graduates complete their programs with a wider knowledge of their field spanning multiple disciplines. For example, students are able to participate in programs that combine computer sciences and fine arts or music and electrical engineering.

Located roughly 300 miles east of Pittsburgh in the city of Bethlehem is Lehigh University. This 157-year-old school was founded by Asa Packer in 1865 and has grown from 39 scholarly men to a diverse student body of over 7,000. Although thousands of students attend Lehigh, it's the college with the fewest enrolled students on our list. For Lehigh University, a relatively small number of students means a lower student-to-faculty ratio of 9:1 and an average class size of no greater than 26. The smaller class sizes at Lehigh allow for a close-knit academic community, making it easier for students to receive the support they need from faculty and to connect with their peers. With over 200 clubs and organizations available to students on campus, there are plenty of ways to continue that connection outside the classroom.

Villanova University is a Catholic school located just outside Philadelphia in Villanova. Founded in 1842 by the Order of Saint Augustine, the university is nearly 200 years old and has grown to be a well-rounded school with over 20 sports teams, millions of dollars in scholarships, over 300 student organizations, and an impressive research budget of $17.5 million. Villanova is a great choice for those who want to attend a faith-based school that integrates religious principles and holds services such as mass, liturgy, and sacrament on campus. Students can get involved with campus missions and ministries by joining one of the many groups focused on spirituality, advocacy, service, community building, or multifaith worship. The school is not exclusive to individuals practicing Catholicism, and the faculty make a point to call out their commitment to inclusion.

The University of Pittsburgh is located in western Pennsylvania across five campuses. This school was founded in 1787 and is home to roughly 34,000 students and over 5,000 faculty. With an offering of over 600 degree and certificate programs, Pitt is the school that provides the greatest number of curriculum options among all the schools on our list. The admission rate is rather low for a public university yet it holds the highest graduation rate among public schools on our list. Pitt is a member of the Association of American Universities, a prestigious group of America's top research institutes. Members of the association receive a large majority of federal research funding surrounding public health and work toward shaping policy for higher education.

The Pennsylvania State University is awarded $1 billion on average for its annual research budget. As a public institute, most all funding for anything happening within the school is granted by the government. Such funding is given to public universities through the distribution of grants. Penn State is one of only two institutions in the entire country to receive all four Land, Sea, Space, and Sun grants. Schools receiving any one of these grants are conducting research and running public service programs for their local communities surrounding these topics. For Penn State that means research and education on agricultural and biological engineering (Land), marine and coastal development (Sea), aerospace science and technology (Space), as well as renewable energy and biofuel production (Sun).

Although Drexel University is about a quarter of the size of Penn State and has a fraction of their research budget, it has still been granted the designation of an R1 institute. A smaller school means smaller classrooms, and the 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio provides a chance to work in a more collaborative research and learning environment. Drexel's goal is to "generate new knowledge and impactful solutions" via their intensive research. The university's commitment to research starts early through offerings such as the Students Tackling Advanced Research (STAR) program, which gives freshmen the chance to jump right into faculty-mentored research after completing their first year. Students can keep up with the latest university findings and have the opportunity to be published through the online magazine EXEL, Drexel University Research Magazine.

Recognized as a Carnegie Classified R1 Institute of Higher Education, Temple University is another top school with a focus on research. With over 500 academic programs, students are offered a wide-ranging curriculum at one of the largest schools in the state. These programs are run through the university's 17 schools and colleges, which cover disciplines of art, business, dentistry, education, and many more. Outside of the academic opportunity found at Temple, the school has proclaimed its commitment to excellence in educational equity and inclusivity. The university recently received the 2022 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) award, a national honor given by INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine to colleges and universities that display an "outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion." Temple's Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as well as its Office of Ethics and compliance work toward making the school a place where all feel valued.

In 1878, the members of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (also known as the Spiritans) founded the Pittsburgh Catholic College, which is now known as Duquesne University. Duquesne is the only Spiritan institution in the United States. The school finds its identity in the Spiritan tradition with a focus on excellence, spiritual reflection, unity, and acts of service. There are 85 undergraduate majors and 90 graduate programs between the university's nine schools for students to choose from. Degrees and programs are available across multiple disciplines, such as education, business, music, and nursing to name a few. Outside of academics, the university has an impressive amount of service opportunities for student volunteers on campus, in local communities, and abroad regardless of religious affiliation.

Thomas Jefferson University is one of the oldest medical colleges in the country, founded nearly 200 hundred years ago in 1824 as Jefferson Medical College. In 2015, the university held the title of largest free-standing health sciences university in the state of Pennsylvania. Well-known for its medical colleges, the school has awarded over 30,000 medical degrees to alumni both nationally and internationally. In the heart of the Thomas Jefferson campus is the state-of-the-art Dr. Robert and Dorothy Rector Clinical Skills and Simulation Center, a teaching facility that provides hands-on learning in an interdisciplinary environment. Students enrolled in any Thomas Jefferson medical program are given access to the center. One of the health professional colleges at the university is the Sidney Kimmel Medical College.