College Costs in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Colleges, Cost and Affordability for 2027

How much does it cost to attend college in Pennsylvania?   The average annual in-state college tuition in Pennsylvania was $28,521 for the 2024-2025 academic year. This is $10,711 higher than the U.S. average and ranks Pennsylvania amongst the costliest as the 6th most expensive state or district to attend college. This is a change of $3,338 from the 2022-2023 average of $25,183 and represents a 13.25% annual increase in tuition costs. The list of Pennsylvania colleges below provides school specific cost and value rating.

This analysis surveyed tuition data from the 163 colleges and universities in Pennsylvania, the most popular being Penn State Main Campus with 49,151 full time students and an in-state tuition list price of $20,644. Franklin and Marshall College is the most expensive in Pennsylvania with an in-state tuition of $70,794.

All price data are reprinted from the U.S. Department of Education's IPEDS 2025 survey and reflect reported costs for academic year 2024/2025.

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Pennsylvania Public Private For-Profit 4 Year 2 Year

  • Private 4 Year
  • Center Valley, PA
  • 3.0 | 2 reviews
  • $46,800 tuition
  • Aug 1 application deadline

DeSales is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate theatre, nursing, and business. The suburban campus is in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley.

#25 Best Private Colleges in Pennsylvania 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1090-1260
  • Avg GPA 3.39
  • Acceptance Rate 77%
  • Net Price $31,732

  • Private 4 Year
  • Selinsgrove, PA
  • | 0 reviews
  • $59,850 tuition

Susquehanna is a private liberal arts university known for undergraduate business and communications. The campus sits along the Susquehanna River in the small town of Selinsgrove.

#32 Best Private Colleges in Pennsylvania 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1100-1300
  • Avg GPA 3.67
  • Acceptance Rate 81%
  • Net Price $26,444

  • Private 4 Year
  • Collegeville, PA
  • | 0 reviews
  • $61,210 tuition
  • May 1 application deadline

Ursinus is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate biology, neuroscience, and a required first-year common curriculum. The residential campus sits in suburban Collegeville northwest of Philadelphia.

#20 Best Private Colleges in Pennsylvania 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1200-1385
  • Avg GPA 3.53
  • Acceptance Rate 92%
  • Net Price $32,158

  • Private 4 Year
  • Doylestown, PA
  • | 0 reviews
  • $44,850 tuition

Delaware Valley is a private university known for undergraduate agriculture, animal science, and equine studies. The suburban Doylestown campus includes extensive working farmland used in hands-on programs.

#46 Best Private Colleges in Pennsylvania 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1090-1303
  • Avg GPA 3.46
  • Acceptance Rate 93%
  • Net Price $28,975

  • Private 4 Year
  • Reading, PA
  • 4.0 | 1 reviews
  • $45,000 tuition

Alvernia is a private Franciscan university known for undergraduate nursing, criminal justice, and business. Students live and study on a campus in Reading in eastern Pennsylvania.

#47 Best Private Colleges in Pennsylvania 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1093-1286
  • Avg GPA 3.41
  • Acceptance Rate 58%
  • Net Price $28,645

  • Public 2 Year
  • Philadelphia, PA
  • 5.0 | 2 reviews
  • $8,688 tuition

Community College of Philadelphia is a public community college known for associate programs in nursing, allied health, and transfer studies. The urban campus is based in Center City Philadelphia.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $11,148
Penn State Altoona Campus
 

  • Public 4 Year
  • Altoona, PA
  • | 0 reviews
  • $15,972 tuition

Penn State Altoona is a public campus of Penn State known for undergraduate rail transportation engineering, nursing, and business. The residential campus sits in the city of Altoona in central Pennsylvania.

#8 Best Public Universities in Pennsylvania 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1070-1290
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.4
  • Acceptance Rate 98%
  • Net Price $21,618

  • Public 4 Year
  • Williamsport, PA
  • | 0 reviews
  • $18,240 tuition

Penn College is a public college known for undergraduate engineering technology, construction, and applied technical programs. The campus is located in Williamsport in north-central Pennsylvania.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA 3.05
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $23,675

  • Private 4 Year
  • York, PA
  • 4.0 | 2 reviews
  • $25,588 tuition
  • Aug 23 application deadline

York College of Pennsylvania is a private college known for undergraduate nursing, business, and engineering. The campus is in the city of York in south-central Pennsylvania.

#34 Best Private Colleges in Pennsylvania 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1020-1270
  • Avg GPA 3.59
  • Acceptance Rate 74%
  • Net Price $20,096

  • Private 4 Year
  • Allentown, PA
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • $46,314 tuition

Cedar Crest is a private women's college known for undergraduate nursing and forensic science. The suburban campus sits in Allentown in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley.

#42 Best Private Colleges in Pennsylvania 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1000-1230
  • Avg GPA 3.42
  • Acceptance Rate 84%
  • Net Price $23,691

  • Private 4 Year
  • Erie, PA
  • 4.0 | 2 reviews
  • $40,656 tuition

Gannon is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate engineering, nursing, and the health sciences. The urban campus sits in downtown Erie near Lake Erie.

#31 Best Private Colleges in Pennsylvania 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 990-1250
  • Avg GPA 3.59
  • Acceptance Rate 74%
  • Net Price $23,123

  • Public 2 Year
  • Media, PA
  • | 0 reviews
  • $11,250 tuition

A public community college known for associate programs in nursing, health sciences, and business. Campuses serve commuting students across Delaware County in the Philadelphia suburbs.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $6,737

  • Private 4 Year
  • Philadelphia, PA
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • $39,870 tuition

Chestnut Hill is a private Catholic liberal arts college known for undergraduate education, psychology, and business. The wooded campus is set in Philadelphia's historic Chestnut Hill neighborhood.

#55 Best Private Colleges in Pennsylvania 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 900-1090
  • Avg GPA 3.12
  • Acceptance Rate 74%
  • Net Price $28,588

  • Private 4 Year
  • Mechanicsburg, PA
  • | 0 reviews
  • $42,240 tuition

Messiah is a private Christian university known for undergraduate nursing, engineering, and music. Most undergrads live on the residential campus in the Harrisburg suburbs.

#29 Best Private Colleges in Pennsylvania 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1110-1350
  • Avg GPA 3.8
  • Acceptance Rate 79%
  • Net Price $29,408

  • Private 4 Year
  • New Wilmington, PA
  • | 0 reviews
  • $40,290 tuition

Westminster is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate education, business, and the sciences. The residential campus sits in the small college town of New Wilmington.

#43 Best Private Colleges in Pennsylvania 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1040-1258
  • Avg GPA 3.57
  • Acceptance Rate 93%
  • Net Price $20,394

  • Private 4 Year
  • Wilkes-Barre, PA
  • | 0 reviews
  • $43,496 tuition

Wilkes is a private university known for undergraduate nursing, engineering, and pharmacy. The urban campus is located in Wilkes-Barre in northeastern Pennsylvania.

#33 Best Private Colleges in Pennsylvania 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1020-1250
  • Avg GPA 3.56
  • Acceptance Rate 91%
  • Net Price $28,511

  • Private 4 Year
  • Chester, PA
  • | 0 reviews
  • $55,730 tuition

Widener is a private university known for undergraduate engineering, nursing, and business. The Chester campus sits just south of Philadelphia.

#27 Best Private Colleges in Pennsylvania 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1080-1290
  • Avg GPA 3.46
  • Acceptance Rate 71%
  • Net Price $26,778
Neumann University Campus
 

  • Private 4 Year
  • Aston, PA
  • | 0 reviews
  • $39,100 tuition
  • Aug 15 application deadline

Neumann is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and education. The suburban Aston campus follows a Franciscan tradition just outside Philadelphia.

#54 Best Private Colleges in Pennsylvania 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 905-1085
  • Avg GPA 3.23
  • Acceptance Rate 81%
  • Net Price $28,469