Best Colleges in Pennsylvania for Associate, Bachelor’s & Master’s

Pennsylvania College Guide – What You Need to Know

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The East Coast is full of great schools, and Pennsylvania is no exception. Some of the best colleges and universities in Pennsylvania are also at the top of most national lists. University of Pennsylvania, for instance, is home to a top business school and tops most national lists. The state is packed with great public schools, as well.

Penn State is home to eighteen different colleges that offer a comprehensive list of graduate and undergraduate degrees. You can study Agricultural Sciences, Nursing, Technology, or Law, among many others. While Penn State's home campus in University Park educates a running population of about 40,000 students, other schools in the Penn State University system are a bit smaller. Slippery Rock University, for example, has a campus population of around 8,000 and still manages to offer a comprehensive slate of degree programs. SRU offers students a foundation in Arts, Communications, Business programs, and Wellness/Fitness, among many more.

pennsylvani_map_university

What are the most popular bachelor's degrees offered in Pennsylvania?

If you are a student seeking one of the bachelor's degrees offered in Pennsylvania, you will have a lot to choose from. You can study pretty much any topic you choose without leaving the state. While there are many obscure fields you could pursue and thrive in, there are naturally a few select bachelor's degrees that are more popular. Pennsylvanians tend to be involved in many of the same majors that are popular nationwide, such as Business Administration, Health Sciences, and Psychology, to name three. The Liberal Arts seem more popular in Pennsylvania than other states, and Information Science is less commonly found in a state's top five most popular majors.

Regardless of what the most popular majors are, you should seek out the major that speaks most to you. Whether that happens to be Business, Philosophy, or Nursing, if you seek personal success and achievement over what you think others expect then you will graduate with an education that you can be proud of.

The top degrees in Pennsylvania include:

Education Level & National Average Median Compensation

NO FORMAL EDUCATION HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA ASSOCIATE DEGREE BACHELOR’S DEGREE MASTER’S DEGREE DOCTORAL DEGREE
$30,784* $38,792* $46,124* $64,896* $77,844* $96,772*
*National Average Earnings by Degree Level
arizona-National-Average-earning-by-educational-attainment

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Most Popular Degrees and Careers in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania has one of the nation's oldest and strongest economies. From the steel mills in Western PA, to the urban innovation of Philadelphia, your graduation will be an entry point to an environment bustling with energy.

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Top Business Administration and Management Careers and Salaries

CAREER NAME CURRENTLY EMPLOYED AVERAGE ANNUAL WAGE
Cost Estimators 8,720 $69,740
Sales Managers 9,180 $150,210
Industrial and Production Managers 6,880 $109,690
Logistician 7,400 $75,920
Construction Managers 11,050 $106,270
  • Cost Estimators:
    This profession is primarily concerned with forecasting expenses for construction projects. You will be well-served by your accounting classes, as this job can get very detailed. After a few years writing estimates and bringing in projects on-target with your numbers, you might see yourself moving into a construction manager position.
  • Sales Managers:
    To be a leader in the sales world, you must not only know your product backwards and forwards, but you should also know people. After a few years selling products you might move up into management where you can mentor new salespeople, help land large deals, and otherwise ensure that your team brings in the revenue your firm expects.
  • Industrial Production Managers:
    You'll need strong management skills to thrive in an Industrial Production, but you might also benefit from engineering coursework. In fact, there are some MBA programs that offer an engineering component. Regardless, in this field you can join a long, proud tradition of manufacturing in Pennsylvania.
  • Logistician:
    These days Pennsylvania imports and exports so much material that it can be dizzying. This nationwide trend is fueled by a global, interconnected economy. Your job will be to ensure that your firm's goods are shipped out along the most advantageous, efficient routes and transportation modes.
  • Construction Managers:
    Every major construction project is headed up by a manager whose job it is to coordinate all the various work crews, material shipments, budgets, and payrolls. It's a huge job, but after a few years you will soon start erecting skyscrapers, huge apartment complexes, and more. To prepare, study management and accounting during the school year, but spend your summer break on a construction site in skilled trades or learning alongside management.
  • Accountants:
    A business's financial records are kept up to date and accurate by accountants. The job of an accountant involves maintaining records of a company's daily transactions and assembling those records into financial statements, such as the balance sheet, income statement, and statement of cash flow.
  • Business Administrators
  • Business Managers
  • Business Professionals
  • Entrepreneurs
  • Marketing Managers

Best Pennsylvania Schools for Business Administration and Management

  • University of Pennsylvania
  • Penn State
  • Bucknell University
  • Temple University
  • Carnegie Mellon University

Top Health Sciences- Registered Nursing Careers and Salaries

CAREER NAME CURRENTLY EMPLOYED AVERAGE ANNUAL WAGE
Occupational Therapist 7,680 $83,120
Physical Therapist 11,800 $88,450
Radiology Technician 10,150 $53,860
Registered Nurse 148,040 $71,410
Nurse Practitioner 7,820 $101,950
  • Occupational Therapist:
    OTs enjoy careers that are exactly as diverse as they want them to be. You can spend years working with the elderly, for instance, and then transition to stroke victims, mentally ill teens, or any sort of population that is struggling to lead their best life.
  • Physical Therapist:
    This area of rehabilitation is chiefly concerned with getting people moving again. You could work with patients struggling with an artificial limb, accident victims recovering from physical trauma, or newly-incapacitated people who need training to best utilize their wheelchairs. Then again, on some days you might work with people who suffer tendinitis.
  • Radiology Technician:
    Doctors can't always diagnose diseases, or approach injuries without accumulating more data. Sometimes this means sending samples to the lab, other times they need a Radiology Technician to provide internal images of their patients. You'll create MRIs, PT scans, and ordinary X-rays that will help the doctor diagnose and hopefully prevent disease.
  • Registered Nurse:
    One of the most ubiquitous positions in healthcare is the RN. When you graduate with a degree in Nursing and attain your RN credentials, you can specialize in surgical procedures, psychiatry, or the maternity ward. The choice is yours, and you can always take on a new specialty later if you wish to do so.
  • Nurse Practitioner:
    These days, a doctor is able to expand their practice without bringing another Doctor in. Nurse Practitioners can perform many of the same tasks as a doctor but must remain under their doctor's license. As a NP, you will be able to write prescriptions, diagnose illness, and order lab work. Your pay might not equal a doctor's, but your legal and financial responsibility will also be lower.
  • Healthcare Administrator:
    The healthcare field is a rapidly growing industry and there is a high demand for professional administrators. The healthcare administration field includes an array of job duties such as strategic planning, budgeting, regulatory compliance, and organizational development.

Best Pennsylvania Schools for Health Sciences - Registered Nursing

  • University of Pennsylvania
  • Villanova University
  • Lehigh University
  • Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences
  • Pennsylvania State University

Top Information Science Careers and Salaries

CAREER NAME CURRENTLY EMPLOYED AVERAGE ANNUAL WAGE
Computer Network Architects 7,180 $111,450
Software Developer 28,260 $96,370
Computer Programmer 7,800 $87,920
Database Manager 6,010 $83,690
Network Administrator 11,760 $80,250
  • Computer Network Architects:
    Wherever there are multiple computers or terminals accessing a network, a Computer Network Architect has been at work. In this profession you will create networks for homes, small offices, or even corporations with intranets spread across the globe.
  • Software Developer:
    With a solid background in computer programming you can begin developing software for consumer or corporate use. You might develop back-end applications for servers, or you might create GUI-driven applications that help consumers organize their time. This field is ever-growing.
  • Computer Programmer:
    You might specialize in one coding language or be a master of several. Depending on your skill level or area of expertise, your week could involve creating the latest hot app or writing custom scripts to help customize existing software packages.
  • Database Manager:
    Every business needs to maintain a database that tracks inventory, client contacts, or marketing data. The healthcare industry needs an even more comprehensive database structure that helps doctors manage patient medical records.
  • Network Administrator:
    Your task will be to manage and maintain a network for your employer. You could offer services on a consultation basis to small businesses or you might be an integral part of a global network that spans multiple continents and a few cloud servers, too.
  • Computer Scientist
  • Database Administrator
  • Cyber Security Analyst

Best Pennsylvania Schools for Information Science

  • Penn State
  • University of Pennsylvania
  • Slippery Rock University
  • Carnegie Mellon University

Top Liberal Arts and Sciences Careers and Salaries

CAREER NAME CURRENTLY EMPLOYED AVERAGE ANNUAL WAGE
Postsecondary Teachers 5,110 $72,160
Social Worker 1,660 $58,180
Marketing 26,750 $68,630
Event Planner 3,840 $48,670
Paralegal 12,620 $55,490
  • Postsecondary Teachers:
    In this profession, you will find so much satisfaction opening young minds to the wisdom you have to impart. College instructors must work hard, however. It's not easy to teach a few sections of a course and then work on one's next publish-worthy paper or book-length manuscript.
  • Social Worker:
    Few professions are as varied as that of the Social Worker. In this profession, you might work with families in need of public housing, children in trouble, or as a psychotherapist in private practice. Though the work is hard, it is richly rewarding.
  • Marketing:
    In this occupation, you will collect and analyze various data points about your product or industry and then apply your analysis to marketing/advertising campaigns. You might work in an office crunching numbers much of the time, or you could work with focus groups, survey creators, or other parts of the information-gathering chain.
  • Event Planner:
    This occupational category spans those who put together small-scale weddings all the way to organizing major conventions. Your success will depend on your ability to assess vendors, delegate authority, and think on your feet when a last-minute cancellation threatens the whole weekend. As your career builds, you will find a specialty coordinating corporate events, conventions, or even large sporting events such as bicycle races or marathons.
  • Paralegal:
    Your liberal arts background will serve you well as a paralegal. You'll need strong reading and writing skills, on top of the ability to organize unwieldy case files. Your job will be well-appreciated by the attorneys you work with, as they need a strong worker who can help with all aspects of a case.
  • Preschool Teachers

Best Pennsylvania Schools for Liberal Arts and Sciences

  • Swarthmore College
  • Haverford College
  • University of Pennsylvania
  • Bucknell University

Top Psychology Careers and Salaries

CAREER NAME CURRENTLY EMPLOYED AVERAGE ANNUAL WAGE
Psychiatrist 1,180 $208,550
Psychologist 460 $90,320
School Counselor 8,010 $63,680
Counselor 940 $57,190
Psychology Teacher 21,000 $44,300
  • Psychiatrist:
    This profession has undergone many transformations over the years. Currently, you will need an extensive knowledge of the psychiatric pharmacopeia and also be skilled at diagnosing disorders and devising a comprehensive treatment plan.
  • Psychologist:
    This profession is chiefly concerned with providing psychotherapy to patients who are struggling with a variety of problems. Your caseload might include sexual trauma, grieving widowers, and people suffering chronic depression for a variety of reasons. You could work in an inpatient facility or you could have a private practice – and some Psychologists do both.
  • School Counselor:
    Schools often need to provide students with more than academic support. Children are often carrying large burdens from home that include abuse, poverty, and the loss of a loved one. In the high-school years, you might work with students who need help deciding on their next step, whether that be towards college or a career.
  • Counselors:
    With a bachelors or master's degree you can work as a counselor. Some are licensed and others are not. You might even be a member of the clergy. Your practice as a counselor might take the form of any one of a number of specialties. You could counsel people through grief, vocational issues, drug rehabilitation, or family crisis.
  • Psychology Teacher:
    This position is mostly found at the college level, so you'll need a minimum of a master's degree to teach. However, there are some high schools that offer psychology courses to third and fourth-year students.
  • Addiction Counselors

Best Pennsylvania Schools for Psychology

  • University of Pennsylvania
  • Temple University
  • Penn State
  • Swarthmore College

Additional Careers in Pennsylvania

Want to See All the Pennsylvania Occupational Wage Averages

The top occupations with the highest forecasted growth rate in Pennsylvania

Occupation Projected Growth
Healthcare Support Occupations 4%
Nursing, Psychiatric, and Home Health Aides 4%
Occupational and Physical Therapists 5%
Advertising, Public Relations, and Sales Managers 2%
Real Estate Appraisers 3%
Computer and Information Research Scientists 3%
Actuaries 5%
Software Developers 5%
Statisticians 6%
Marine Engineers and Naval Architects 14%

Best Associate Degrees in Pennsylvania

Best Associate Degrees in Pennsylvania
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You can get your foot in the door for an entry-level position with just a two-year degree or you can use this to improve your transcripts or experience to earn a place at a more exclusive college or university. Pennsylvania has numerous associate degree programs available including culinary arts, cyber security, histotechnology, marketing management, network administration, paramedic training, and more. Take a look at some of these top-rated colleges below.

Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology
College Type
2-year, Public		 Campus Housing
Yes		 Student Population
1,227		 Graduation Rate
55%		 Net Price
$6,884 		Grads Salary
$49,700
Pennsylvania College of Technology
College Type
4-year, primarily associate's, Public		 Campus Housing
Yes		 Student Population
4,972		 Graduation Rate
47%		 Net Price
$22,973 		Grads Salary
$48,500
University of Pittsburgh-Titusville
College Type
2-year, Public		 Campus Housing
Yes		 Student Population
225		 Graduation Rate
31%		 Net Price
$15,312 		Grads Salary
$44,300
Bucks County Community College
College Type
2-year, Public		 Campus Housing
No		 Student Population
7,480		 Graduation Rate
25%		 Net Price
$7,312 		Grads Salary
$44,900
Harcum College
College Type
2-year, Private not-for-profit		 Campus Housing
Yes		 Student Population
1,150		 Graduation Rate
34%		 Net Price
$22,565 		Grads Salary
$42,200
Montgomery County Community College
College Type
2-year, Public		 Campus Housing
Yes		 Student Population
10,309		 Graduation Rate
25%		 Net Price
$7,810 		Grads Salary
$41,000
Pittsburgh Technical College
College Type
4-year, primarily associate's, Private not-for-profit		 Campus Housing
Yes		 Student Population
1,559		 Graduation Rate
59%		 Net Price
$25,399 		Grads Salary
$37,300
Butler County Community College
College Type
2-year, Public		 Campus Housing
No		 Student Population
2,984		 Graduation Rate
29%		 Net Price
$5,430 		Grads Salary
$31,100
Delaware County Community College
College Type
2-year, Public		 Campus Housing
No		 Student Population
9,989		 Graduation Rate
21%		 Net Price
$9,647 		Grads Salary
$41,100
Community College of Beaver County
College Type
2-year, Public		 Campus Housing
No		 Student Population
1,713		 Graduation Rate
20%		 Net Price
$7,317 		Grads Salary
$34,700
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Best Bachelor's Degrees in Pennsylvania

Best Bachelor's Degrees in Pennsylvania
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Attaining your bachelor's degree can help set you up for future career success. Some of the best programs available in Pennsylvania are computer science, physical therapy, medical assisting, mathematics and statistics, nursing, and accounting. No matter what field you are interested in, there is likely an option within the state that can get you started in your career with a bachelor’s degree. Take a look at our list of excellent colleges and universities to find the degree program for you.

University of Pennsylvania
College Type
4-year, Private not-for-profit		 Campus Housing
Yes		 Student Population
26,675		 Graduation Rate
96%		 Net Price
$24,167 		Grads Salary
$85,400
Swarthmore College
College Type
4-year, Private not-for-profit		 Campus Housing
Yes		 Student Population
1,437		 Graduation Rate
97%		 Net Price
$20,360 		Grads Salary
$78,300
Carnegie Mellon University
College Type
4-year, Private not-for-profit		 Campus Housing
Yes		 Student Population
13,519		 Graduation Rate
93%		 Net Price
$36,983 		Grads Salary
$100,700
Lehigh University
College Type
4-year, Private not-for-profit		 Campus Housing
Yes		 Student Population
7,067		 Graduation Rate
88%		 Net Price
$29,098 		Grads Salary
$84,600
University of the Sciences
College Type
4-year, Private not-for-profit		 Campus Housing
Yes		 Student Population
2,375		 Graduation Rate
81%		 Net Price
$31,497 		Grads Salary
$91,000
Haverford College
College Type
4-year, Private not-for-profit		 Campus Housing
Yes		 Student Population
1,307		 Graduation Rate
93%		 Net Price
$25,215 		Grads Salary
$72,700
University of Pittsburgh
College Type
4-year, Public		 Campus Housing
Yes		 Student Population
32,277		 Graduation Rate
84%		 Net Price
$22,346 		Grads Salary
$74,000
Lafayette College
College Type
4-year, Private not-for-profit		 Campus Housing
Yes		 Student Population
2,514		 Graduation Rate
90%		 Net Price
$28,735 		Grads Salary
$78,000
Grove City College
College Type
4-year, Private not-for-profit		 Campus Housing
Yes		 Student Population
2,277		 Graduation Rate
83%		 Net Price
$22,371 		Grads Salary
$69,800
Holy Family University
College Type
4-year, Private not-for-profit		 Campus Housing
Yes		 Student Population
3,087		 Graduation Rate
57%		 Net Price
$15,234 		Grads Salary
$76,600
Full Ranking Report

Best Master's Degrees in Pennsylvania

Best Master's Degrees in Pennsylvania
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By earning an advanced degree, you can much more easily edge out your competition in the Pennsylvania job market. You might be considering furthering your education with a degree in speech-language pathology, theology, vision rehabilitation, professional studies in data analytics, or any number of other fields. If you are looking to acquire a master's or doctorate in the state of Pennsylvania, consider the following colleges, which offer excellent master’s and doctorate programs throughout the state.

University of Pennsylvania
College Type
4-year, Private not-for-profit		 Campus Housing
Yes		 Student Population
26,675		 Graduation Rate
96%		 Net Price
$24,167 		Grads Salary
$85,400
Carnegie Mellon University
College Type
4-year, Private not-for-profit		 Campus Housing
Yes		 Student Population
13,519		 Graduation Rate
93%		 Net Price
$36,983 		Grads Salary
$100,700
Lehigh University
College Type
4-year, Private not-for-profit		 Campus Housing
Yes		 Student Population
7,067		 Graduation Rate
88%		 Net Price
$29,098 		Grads Salary
$84,600
University of the Sciences
College Type
4-year, Private not-for-profit		 Campus Housing
Yes		 Student Population
2,375		 Graduation Rate
81%		 Net Price
$31,497 		Grads Salary
$91,000
University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh
College Type
4-year, Public		 Campus Housing
Yes		 Student Population
32,277		 Graduation Rate
84%		 Net Price
$22,346 		Grads Salary
$74,000
Holy Family University
College Type
4-year, Private not-for-profit		 Campus Housing
Yes		 Student Population
3,087		 Graduation Rate
57%		 Net Price
$15,234 		Grads Salary
$76,600
Villanova University
College Type
4-year, Private not-for-profit		 Campus Housing
Yes		 Student Population
10,848		 Graduation Rate
92%		 Net Price
$38,303 		Grads Salary
$83,100
Thomas Jefferson University
College Type
4-year, Private not-for-profit		 Campus Housing
Yes		 Student Population
8,026		 Graduation Rate
70%		 Net Price
$29,255 		Grads Salary
$83,200
Pennsylvania State University
College Type
4-year, Public		 Campus Housing
Yes		 Student Population
91,427		 Graduation Rate
73%		 Net Price
$25,548 		Grads Salary
$75,000
Bucknell University
College Type
4-year, Private not-for-profit		 Campus Housing
Yes		 Student Population
3,726		 Graduation Rate
88%		 Net Price
$39,359 		Grads Salary
$82,600
Full Ranking Report
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