2026 Best Public Universities in Pennsylvania

Name: 2026 Best Public Universities in Pennsylvania (Kollegio college rankings)
Creator: Kollegio
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

28 Pennsylvania schools ranked in Kollegio's 2026 Best Public Universities ranking, based on U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard data.

Showing 1–25 of 28 colleges · How we rank colleges

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Cost of attendance after aid

ⓘ

$77,180

Institution type

2 Year4 Year5 Year

Field of study

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Campus Detail

Institution setting

AllCitySuburbanRural

Undergraduate enrollment

ⓘ

268763

Financial

Alumni starting salary

Tuition cost

ⓘ

$67,000

In-state tuition

ⓘ

Proportion of need based aid received

ⓘ

100%Clear Filter

International students received aid

ⓘ

100%

Average aid package

ⓘ

$82,308

Application fee

ⓘ

$150

Academics

Mean GPA

ⓘ

Mean SAT

ⓘ

1200

Mean ACT

ⓘ

#1 Best Public Universities

University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh

Acceptance rate

49.7%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$19,092

Avg. Cost after Aid

$23,000

#2 Best Public Universities

Penn State University Park

University Park

Acceptance rate

54.2%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$18,368

Avg. Cost after Aid

$32,638

#3 Best Public Universities

West Chester University of Pennsylvania

West Chester

Acceptance rate

79.2%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$7,716

Avg. Cost after Aid

$14,000

#4 Best Public Universities

Temple University

Philadelphia

Acceptance rate

82.9%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$16,488

Avg. Cost after Aid

$23,000

#5 Best Public Universities

University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown

Johnstown

Acceptance rate

95.9%

Institution type

4YEAR

Total Tuition Cost

$13,394

Avg. Cost after Aid

$18,000

#6 Best Public Universities

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

Slippery Rock

Acceptance rate

74.6%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$7,716

Avg. Cost after Aid

$12,000

#7 Best Public Universities

Penn State Lehigh Valley

Center Valley

Acceptance rate

94.2%

Institution type

COMP

Total Tuition Cost

$14,338

Avg. Cost after Aid

$19,324

#8 Best Public Universities

Penn State Abington

Abington

Acceptance rate

92.0%

Institution type

COMP

Total Tuition Cost

$14,532

Avg. Cost after Aid

$17,818

#9 Best Public Universities

Penn State Erie, The Behrend College

Erie

Acceptance rate

95.7%

Institution type

COMP

Total Tuition Cost

$15,586

Avg. Cost after Aid

$20,964

#10 Best Public Universities

University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg

Greensburg

Acceptance rate

97.9%

Institution type

4YEAR

Total Tuition Cost

$13,394

Avg. Cost after Aid

$18,000

#11 Best Public Universities

University of Pittsburgh at Bradford

Bradford

Acceptance rate

89.0%

Institution type

4YEAR

Total Tuition Cost

$13,394

Avg. Cost after Aid

$17,000

#12 Best Public Universities

Penn State York

York

Acceptance rate

92.2%

Institution type

COMP

Total Tuition Cost

$14,338

Avg. Cost after Aid

$18,922

#13 Best Public Universities

Penn State Worthington Scranton

Dunmore

Acceptance rate

94.9%

Institution type

COMP

Total Tuition Cost

$14,338

Avg. Cost after Aid

$17,536

#14 Best Public Universities

Millersville University of Pennsylvania

Millersville

Acceptance rate

89.4%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$9,570

Avg. Cost after Aid

$18,000

#15 Best Public Universities

Penn State Schuylkill

Schuylkill Haven

Acceptance rate

91.0%

Institution type

COMP

Total Tuition Cost

$14,338

Avg. Cost after Aid

$21,228

#16 Best Public Universities

East Stroudsburg University

East Stroudsburg

Acceptance rate

86.0%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$8,288

Avg. Cost after Aid

$17,000

#17 Best Public Universities

Penn State Harrisburg

Middletown

Acceptance rate

96.4%

Institution type

COMP

Total Tuition Cost

$15,086

Avg. Cost after Aid

$23,478

#18 Best Public Universities

Penn State Mont Alto

Mont Alto

Acceptance rate

90.3%

Institution type

COMP

Total Tuition Cost

$13,552

Avg. Cost after Aid

$19,993

#19 Best Public Universities

Penn State Hazleton

Hazleton

Acceptance rate

91.0%

Institution type

COMP

Total Tuition Cost

$14,338

Avg. Cost after Aid

$20,062

#20 Best Public Universities

Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

Kutztown

Acceptance rate

94.8%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$7,716

Avg. Cost after Aid

$22,000

#21 Best Public Universities

Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania

Shippensburg

Acceptance rate

85.5%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$9,570

Avg. Cost after Aid

$21,000

#22 Best Public Universities

Lincoln University, Pennsylvania

Lincoln University

Acceptance rate

78.4%

Institution type

COMP

Total Tuition Cost

$8,228

Avg. Cost after Aid

$14,977

#23 Best Public Universities

Penn State Berks

Reading

Acceptance rate

97.1%

Institution type

COMP

Total Tuition Cost

$15,086

Avg. Cost after Aid

$24,581

#24 Best Public Universities

Pennsylvania State University

University Park

Acceptance rate

100.0%

Institution type

COMP

Total Tuition Cost

$15,204

Avg. Cost after Aid

$23,478

#25 Best Public Universities

Penn State Altoona

Altoona

Acceptance rate

97.3%

Institution type

COMP

Total Tuition Cost

$15,086

Avg. Cost after Aid

$24,704

2026 Best Public Universities in Pennsylvania

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