University Headquarters (HQ) is an industry-leading, independent educational organization that provides independent college rankings using a proprietary formula to create first class, unbiased rankings. The team at University HQ strives to provide accurate and trustworthy rankings that highlight the best programs for early childhood education in Pennsylvania.
What is Early Childhood Education?
Early childhood education in Pennsylvania ranks well among the states; it is in the top one-third in early childhood education rankings. The State of Pennsylvania has increased its emphasis and resources for Early Childhood Education in recent years. Modeling off the successes in neighboring states like New York and Connecticut, the Governor announced initiatives starting in 2017 that significantly increased resources and elevated the government’s commitment to early learners and teachers.
The laws of the state require teachers to complete a state-approved teacher preparation course. The anticipated growth rate is strong due to the emphasis on educational qualifications for teachers in public and private schools. Pennsylvania’s Department of Education oversees the standards for teacher education, testing, and licensure.
Teachers holding an initial teaching license must renew their certifications by completing continuing education and filing for renewal within five years. The state offers a Professional Educator Records Management System that teachers can access online. Teachers can track their status and progress towards completing required continuing education requirements. They can also use the PERM system to locate and identify available courses needed to maintain licensure and renewal. To renew their certification, teachers must complete one of the below-listed continuing education requirements during the active period of the license.
- Six credits from an accredited university
- 180 approved continuing education credits
- Six in-service credits approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
Top Ranked Campus & Online Early Childhood Education Programs in Pennsylvania
Bucknell University
Score: 85
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $64,772
- Out-of-State:$64,772
- Net Price: $39,965
- Acceptance Rate: 33%
- Retention Rate: 91%
- Graduation Rate: 87%
- Total Enrollment: 3,787
- Undergrad Students: 3,747
- Graduate Students: 40
- Grads Salary: $88,000
- Student-to-faculty: 9:1
Holy Family University
Score: 81.14
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $33,968
- Out-of-State:$33,968
- Net Price: $12,379
- Acceptance Rate: 77%
- Retention Rate: 79%
- Graduation Rate: 59%
- Total Enrollment: 2,912
- Undergrad Students: 2,155
- Graduate Students: 757
- Grads Salary: $84,000
- Student-to-faculty: 13:1
Saint Francis University
Score: 76.02
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $41,720
- Out-of-State:$41,720
- Net Price: $27,459
- Acceptance Rate: 73%
- Retention Rate: 85%
- Graduation Rate: 72%
- Total Enrollment: 2,857
- Undergrad Students: 2,461
- Graduate Students: 396
- Grads Salary: $79,000
- Student-to-faculty: 15:1
Saint Vincent College
Score: 74.74
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $41,100
- Out-of-State:$41,100
- Net Price: $23,121
- Acceptance Rate: 73%
- Retention Rate: 84%
- Graduation Rate: 76%
- Total Enrollment: 1,536
- Undergrad Students: 1,359
- Graduate Students: 177
- Grads Salary: $66,000
- Student-to-faculty: 11:1
DeSales University
Score: 74.73
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $44,800
- Out-of-State:$44,800
- Net Price: $29,104
- Acceptance Rate: 77%
- Retention Rate: 78%
- Graduation Rate: 68%
- Total Enrollment: 2,991
- Undergrad Students: 2,225
- Graduate Students: 766
- Grads Salary: $79,000
- Student-to-faculty: 11:1
Susquehanna University
Score: 74.46
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $57,400
- Out-of-State:$57,400
- Net Price: $28,605
- Acceptance Rate: 77%
- Retention Rate: 85%
- Graduation Rate: 76%
- Total Enrollment: 2,231
- Undergrad Students: 2,224
- Graduate Students: 7
- Grads Salary: $73,000
- Student-to-faculty: 13:1
Cedar Crest College
Score: 74.36
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $44,934
- Out-of-State:$44,934
- Net Price: $23,500
- Acceptance Rate: 84%
- Retention Rate: 73%
- Graduation Rate: 62%
- Total Enrollment: 1,324
- Undergrad Students: 953
- Graduate Students: 371
- Grads Salary: $77,000
- Student-to-faculty: 9:1
Marywood University
Score: 73.86
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $39,570
- Out-of-State:$39,570
- Net Price: $22,504
- Acceptance Rate: 81%
- Retention Rate: 83%
- Graduation Rate: 76%
- Total Enrollment: 2,729
- Undergrad Students: 1,857
- Graduate Students: 872
- Grads Salary: $65,000
- Student-to-faculty: 11:1
Elizabethtown College
Score: 73.64
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $36,842
- Out-of-State:$36,842
- Net Price: $26,723
- Acceptance Rate: 81%
- Retention Rate: 85%
- Graduation Rate: 76%
- Total Enrollment: 2,021
- Undergrad Students: 1,737
- Graduate Students: 284
- Grads Salary: $70,000
- Student-to-faculty: 13:1
Carlow University
Score: 73.21
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $34,502
- Out-of-State:$34,502
- Net Price: $17,437
- Acceptance Rate: 93%
- Retention Rate: 76%
- Graduation Rate: 56%
- Total Enrollment: 2,104
- Undergrad Students: 1,247
- Graduate Students: 857
- Grads Salary: $74,000
- Student-to-faculty: 10:1
Lebanon Valley College
Score: 72.45
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $50,320
- Out-of-State:$50,320
- Net Price: $26,743
- Acceptance Rate: 77%
- Retention Rate: 89%
- Graduation Rate: 68%
- Total Enrollment: 2,080
- Undergrad Students: 1,683
- Graduate Students: 397
- Grads Salary: $69,000
- Student-to-faculty: 11:1
Duquesne University
Score: 72.24
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $47,146
- Out-of-State:$47,146
- Net Price: $33,919
- Acceptance Rate: 87%
- Retention Rate: 84%
- Graduation Rate: 78%
- Total Enrollment: 8,107
- Undergrad Students: 5,095
- Graduate Students: 3,012
- Grads Salary: $73,000
- Student-to-faculty: 12:1
Misericordia University
Score: 71.92
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $38,370
- Out-of-State:$38,370
- Net Price: $27,033
- Acceptance Rate: 89%
- Retention Rate: 80%
- Graduation Rate: 75%
- Total Enrollment: 2,242
- Undergrad Students: 1,776
- Graduate Students: 466
- Grads Salary: $66,000
- Student-to-faculty: 9:1
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
Score: 70.12
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $10,507
- Out-of-State:$14,615
- Net Price: $17,873
- Acceptance Rate: 74%
- Retention Rate: 82%
- Graduation Rate: 66%
- Total Enrollment: 8,221
- Undergrad Students: 6,757
- Graduate Students: 1,464
- Grads Salary: $65,000
- Student-to-faculty: 19:1
Eastern University
Score: 69.44
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $37,420
- Out-of-State:$37,420
- Net Price: $26,669
- Acceptance Rate: 63%
- Retention Rate: 74%
- Graduation Rate: 59%
- Total Enrollment: 5,769
- Undergrad Students: 1,848
- Graduate Students: 3,921
- Grads Salary: $73,000
- Student-to-faculty: 15:1
Lock Haven University
Score: 68.93
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $10,878
- Out-of-State:$20,702
- Net Price: $15,947
- Acceptance Rate: 95%
- Retention Rate: 69%
- Graduation Rate: 54%
- Total Enrollment: 2,920
- Undergrad Students: 2,466
- Graduate Students: 454
- Grads Salary: $71,000
- Student-to-faculty: 15:1
Alvernia University
Score: 68.57
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $42,810
- Out-of-State:$42,810
- Net Price: $27,091
- Acceptance Rate: 59%
- Retention Rate: 68%
- Graduation Rate: 63%
- Total Enrollment: 2,484
- Undergrad Students: 2,018
- Graduate Students: 466
- Grads Salary: $67,000
- Student-to-faculty: 12:1
Wilkes University
Score: 68.44
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $42,286
- Out-of-State:$42,286
- Net Price: $27,918
- Acceptance Rate: 94%
- Retention Rate: 71%
- Graduation Rate: 59%
- Total Enrollment: 5,207
- Undergrad Students: 2,000
- Graduate Students: 3,207
- Grads Salary: $76,000
- Student-to-faculty: 13:1
Mercyhurst University
Score: 68.37
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $44,510
- Out-of-State:$44,510
- Net Price: $24,935
- Acceptance Rate: 81%
- Retention Rate: 80%
- Graduation Rate: 63%
- Total Enrollment: 2,801
- Undergrad Students: 2,446
- Graduate Students: 355
- Grads Salary: $67,000
- Student-to-faculty: 14:1
Albright College
Score: 68.34
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $28,794
- Out-of-State:$28,794
- Net Price: $21,496
- Acceptance Rate: 85%
- Retention Rate: 64%
- Graduation Rate: 48%
- Total Enrollment: 1,498
- Undergrad Students: 1,298
- Graduate Students: 200
- Grads Salary: $73,000
- Student-to-faculty: 9:1
West Chester University of Pennsylvania
Score: 68.12
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $10,687
- Out-of-State:$22,511
- Net Price: $22,973
- Acceptance Rate: 88%
- Retention Rate: 82%
- Graduation Rate: 72%
- Total Enrollment: 17,275
- Undergrad Students: 14,392
- Graduate Students: 2,883
- Grads Salary: $65,000
- Student-to-faculty: 20:1
University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown
Score: 67.11
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $14,646
- Out-of-State:$26,520
- Net Price: $17,545
- Acceptance Rate: 97%
- Retention Rate: 76%
- Graduation Rate: 48%
- Total Enrollment: 2,043
- Undergrad Students: 2,043
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $71,000
- Student-to-faculty: 15:1
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $12,262
- Out-of-State:$16,232
- Net Price: $21,076
- Acceptance Rate: 92%
- Retention Rate: 77%
- Graduation Rate: 57%
- Total Enrollment: 6,775
- Undergrad Students: 5,814
- Graduate Students: 961
- Grads Salary: $68,000
- Student-to-faculty: 18:1
Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania
Score: 65.02
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $13,544
- Out-of-State:$15,798
- Net Price: $21,462
- Acceptance Rate: 88%
- Retention Rate: 69%
- Graduation Rate: 50%
- Total Enrollment: 5,162
- Undergrad Students: 4,443
- Graduate Students: 719
- Grads Salary: $71,000
- Student-to-faculty: 17:1
Clarks Summit University
Score: 64.82
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $32,400
- Out-of-State:$32,400
- Net Price: $16,176
- Acceptance Rate: 65%
- Retention Rate: 66%
- Graduation Rate: 64%
- Total Enrollment: 552
- Undergrad Students: 376
- Graduate Students: 176
- Grads Salary: $48,000
- Student-to-faculty: 11:1
