Pennsylvania Private Colleges Ranked by Lowest Acceptance Rate
Below is a ranking of the 82 private colleges in Pennsylvania with the lowest acceptance rate for freshman undergraduate applications. Curtis Institute of Music leads the list by accepting 5% of high school students that applied.
Acceptance rate is a measure of the competitiveness of a school. Lower acceptance rates are more competitive and may require a higher GPA, SAT/ACT score, and other factors to be considered for admission.
| College | Acceptance Rate |
|---|---|
|
Alvernia University
Reading, Pennsylvania |
58% |
|
Marywood University
Scranton, Pennsylvania |
61% |
|
University of Valley Forge
Phoenixville, Pennsylvania |
61% |
|
Chatham University
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
62% |
|
Saint Vincent College
Latrobe, Pennsylvania |
62% |
|
Holy Family University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
71% |
|
Misericordia University
Dallas, Pennsylvania |
71% |
|
Widener University
Chester, Pennsylvania |
71% |
|
Grove City College
Grove City, Pennsylvania |
72% |
|
Muhlenberg College
Allentown, Pennsylvania |
72% |
|
Thiel College
Greenville, Pennsylvania |
72% |
|
Chestnut Hill College
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
74% |
|
Gannon University
Erie, Pennsylvania |
74% |
|
Lycoming College
Williamsport, Pennsylvania |
74% |
|
York College of Pennsylvania
York, Pennsylvania |
74% |
|
Albright College
Reading, Pennsylvania |
76% |
|
La Roche University
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
76% |
|
Rosemont College
Rosemont, Pennsylvania |
76% |
This list is updated annually based on the latest data from the National Center for Education Statistics.
Last updated: August 2026
Data source: IPEDS 2025 survey for academic year 2024/2025 - National Center for Education Statistics.