Best Value Pennsylvania Colleges
Pennsylvania has 78 colleges ranked by value, part of our national best value ranking. We weigh academic quality against average net price so you find schools that deliver strong results without overpaying.
University of Pennsylvania offers the best value in Pennsylvania for 2027 with a 10 out of 10 academic rating and an average net price of $23,570. The top value public university is University of Pittsburgh Bradford. Also high value: Swarthmore College, Haverford College and Gettysburg College.
Compare net price, aid, and academic ratings across the colleges below. See how value scores are calculated on our methodology page. Sort by net price, acceptance rate, or academic rating to find the best deal for your budget.
DeSales University
- Private 4 Year
- Center Valley, PA
-
3.0 | 2 reviews
- 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.
- SAT Range 1090-1260
- Avg GPA 3.39
- Acceptance Rate 77%
- Net Price $31,732
Marywood University
- Private 4 Year
- Scranton, PA
-
| 0 reviews
Marywood is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate architecture, art and design, and social work. The residential campus sits in Scranton in northeastern Pennsylvania.
- SAT Range 1060-1250
- Avg GPA 3.58
- Acceptance Rate 61%
- Net Price $26,217
Messiah University
- Private 4 Year
- Mechanicsburg, PA
-
| 0 reviews
Messiah is a private Christian university known for undergraduate nursing, engineering, and music. Most undergrads live on the residential campus in the Harrisburg suburbs.
- SAT Range 1110-1350
- Avg GPA 3.8
- Acceptance Rate 79%
- Net Price $29,408
York College of Pennsylvania
- Private 4 Year
- York, PA
-
4.0 | 2 reviews
- 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.
- SAT Range 1020-1270
- Avg GPA 3.59
- Acceptance Rate 74%
- Net Price $20,096
Cedar Crest College
- Private 4 Year
- Allentown, PA
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
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.
- SAT Range 1000-1230
- Avg GPA 3.42
- Acceptance Rate 84%
- Net Price $23,691
University of Pittsburgh Johnstown
- Public 4 Year
- Johnstown, PA
-
| 0 reviews
Pitt-Johnstown is a public regional campus of the University of Pittsburgh known for undergraduate engineering and nursing. The residential campus sits on a wooded hillside in Pennsylvania's Laurel Highlands.
- SAT Range 985-1220
- Avg GPA 3.57
- Acceptance Rate 95%
- Net Price $18,452
Wilkes University
- Private 4 Year
- Wilkes-Barre, PA
-
| 0 reviews
Wilkes is a private university known for undergraduate nursing, engineering, and pharmacy. The urban campus is located in Wilkes-Barre in northeastern Pennsylvania.
- SAT Range 1020-1250
- Avg GPA 3.56
- Acceptance Rate 91%
- Net Price $28,511
Saint Francis University
- Private 4 Year
- Loretto, PA
-
| 0 reviews
Saint Francis is a private Franciscan university known for undergraduate physical therapy, physician assistant studies, and health sciences. The rural campus sits in the Allegheny Mountains town of Loretto.
- SAT Range 1050-1230
- Avg GPA 3.69
- Acceptance Rate 77%
- Net Price $28,326
Penn State Main Campus
- Public 4 Year
- University Park, PA
-
4.2 | 12 reviews
Penn State is a large public university known for undergraduate engineering, business, and communications. The University Park campus anchors the college town of State College in central Pennsylvania.
- SAT Range 1240-1420
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 61%
- Net Price $27,889
Arcadia University
- Private 4 Year
- Glenside, PA
-
| 0 reviews
Arcadia is a private university known for undergraduate study abroad and international education. The suburban Glenside campus is anchored by Grey Towers Castle, a National Historic Landmark.
- SAT Range 1065-1265
- Avg GPA 3.42
- Acceptance Rate 80%
- Net Price $30,037
Immaculata University
- Private 4 Year
- Immaculata, PA
-
3.0 | 4 reviews
Immaculata is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing and education. The suburban Chester County campus was a women's college for most of its history before becoming coeducational.
- SAT Range 1156-1323
- Avg GPA 3.5
- Acceptance Rate 86%
- Net Price $24,708
Penn State Erie Behrend College
- Public 4 Year
- Erie, PA
-
| 0 reviews
Penn State Behrend is a public college campus of Penn State known for undergraduate engineering, plastics engineering, and business. The wooded campus sits on a former estate outside downtown Erie.
- SAT Range 1120-1310
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.49
- Acceptance Rate 97%
- Net Price $23,764
Penn State Harrisburg
- Public 4 Year
- Middletown, PA
-
| 0 reviews
Penn State Harrisburg is a public university campus known for undergraduate business, engineering, and public affairs. The suburban Middletown campus sits near Pennsylvania's state capital.
- SAT Range 1120-1310
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.48
- Acceptance Rate 98%
- Net Price $23,788
West Chester University of Pennsylvania
- Public 4 Year
- West Chester, PA
-
| 0 reviews
West Chester is a public university known for undergraduate teacher education, music, and nursing. The campus sits in the historic borough of West Chester near Philadelphia.
- SAT Range 1100-1270
- Avg GPA 3.43
- Acceptance Rate 78%
- Net Price $22,546
Alvernia University
- Private 4 Year
- Reading, PA
-
4.0 | 1 reviews
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.
- SAT Range 1093-1286
- Avg GPA 3.41
- Acceptance Rate 58%
- Net Price $28,645
Carlow University
- Private 4 Year
- Pittsburgh, PA
-
3.0 | 3 reviews
Carlow is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and education. The compact urban campus sits in Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood.
- SAT Range 960-1168
- Avg GPA 3.6
- Acceptance Rate 87%
- Net Price $21,002
Chestnut Hill College
- Private 4 Year
- Philadelphia, PA
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
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.
- SAT Range 900-1090
- Avg GPA 3.12
- Acceptance Rate 74%
- Net Price $28,588
Delaware Valley University
- Private 4 Year
- Doylestown, PA
-
| 0 reviews
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.
- SAT Range 1090-1303
- Avg GPA 3.46
- Acceptance Rate 93%
- Net Price $28,975