List of Private Universities & Colleges in Pennsylvania

Commonly known as the Quaker State or Keystone State, Pennsylvania is a Mid-Atlantic state home to over 12 million residents. It is the fifth largest state in the nation while being the 33^rd largest by land size. Given the density and size of the state, it is understandable the need for quality education. Pennsylvania has over 500 universities and colleges to its credit. Private colleges in the state are among some of the very best in the nation. With nearly five dozen private schools to research, you can find schools of all sizes throughout the state from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia. Locate your college match today with the most trusted online source for college-bound students. At MatchCollege, we have culled data for virtually every accredited college and university along with thousands of free educational resources to help you make the most of your college experience. Begin today by connecting with top ranked colleges and private colleges near you to help you reach your academic goals. Stay focused, get motivated, collect the right information, and be the best you can be.

Top Rated Private Universities in Pennsylvania

Top ranked private colleges in Pennsylvania include a robust list of higher education institutions that start with Carnegie Mellon University, Duquesne University, Robert Morris University, Lehigh University, Villanova University, U Penn, Drexel University, LaSalle University, Seton Hall University, and the Art Institute. Dozens of private universities dot the state and provide a vast array of academic opportunities for students.

Popular Degrees at Pennsylvania Private Colleges

Top-tier private colleges in Pennsylvania offer traditional degree pathways like engineering, teaching, math, business, and healthcare along with professional degrees in physical therapy, med school, nursing, law, pharmacy, and veterinary medicine. In addition to more traditional areas of study, you can engage in emerging departments such as industrial engineering, robotics, data modeling, gerontology, health informatics, immunology, homeland security, computer science, biotechnology, toxicology, and cytotechnology.

List of Large 4-Year Private Universities in Pennsylvania

There are 33 large private universities in our database for Pennsylvania. Follow the links below to get more details about each school.

Large Universities with Research Facilities or Faculty

The universities listed below offer many diverse academic programs, have a large student body, and usually have research facilities or faculty involved with research. These schools very often have graduate and professional programs as well.

Large Primarily Academic Universities

Each university listed below offers a diverse set of degrees and programs, unlike the research universities listed above, these schools contain little to no research activity on campus and are primarily academic.

• Alvernia University in Reading, PA
• Arcadia University (Beaver College) in Glenside, PA
• Cabrini University in Radnor, PA
• Carlow University in Pittsburgh, PA
• Chatham University (Chatham) in Pittsburgh, PA
• DeSales University in Center Valley, PA
• Eastern University in Saint Davids, PA
• Gannon University in Erie, PA
• Gwynedd Mercy College in Gwynedd Valley, PA
• Holy Family University (Holy Family) in Philadelphia, PA
• La Salle University in Philadelphia, PA
• Marywood University (Marywood) in Scranton, PA
• Mercyhurst College in Erie, PA
• Messiah College in Mechanicsburg, PA
• Misericordia University in Dallas, PA
• Neumann University (Neumann) in Aston, PA
• Philadelphia University (PhilaU) in Philadelphia, PA
• Point Park University in Pittsburgh, PA
• Saint Francis University in Loretto, PA
• Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia, PA
• Seton Hill University in Greensburg, PA
• Strayer University - Pennsylvania in Trevose, PA
• University of Scranton in Scranton, PA
• Wilkes University (Wilkes) in Wilkes-Barre, PA

Small to Medium Sized 4-Year Universities

The 4-year schools listed below have a small to medium sized student body and may offer a wide range of associate and bachelor's degrees. Get more information about each school by clicking the links below.

• (DeVry University-Philadelphia) in Fort Washington, PA
• in Philadelphia, PA
• Allegheny College in Meadville, PA
• Bryn Mawr College in Bryn Mawr, PA
• Cedar Crest College in Allentown, PA
• Central Penn College (Central Penn) in Summerdale, PA
• Chestnut Hill College (CHC) in Philadelphia, PA
• Elizabethtown College in Elizabethtown, PA
• Geneva College in Beaver Falls, PA
• Haverford College in Haverford, PA
• Juniata College in Huntingdon, PA
• Keystone College in La Plume, PA
• La Roche College (LRC) in Pittsburgh, PA
• Lebanon Valley College (LVC) in Annville, PA
• Lycoming College in Williamsport, PA
• Mount Aloysius College in Cresson, PA
• Peirce College in Philadelphia, PA
• Philadelphia Biblical University (Cairn) in Langhorne, PA
• Rosemont College in Rosemont, PA
• Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA
• Swarthmore College (Swat) in Swarthmore, PA
• Thiel College in Greenville, PA
• Ursinus College in Collegeville, PA
• Valley Forge Christian College (VFCC; UVF) in Phoenixville, PA
• Washington & Jefferson College (W&J) in Washington, PA
• Waynesburg University (Waynesburg College) in Waynesburg, PA
• Westminster College in New Wilmington, PA
• Wilson College in Chambersburg, PA

4-Year Colleges with a Special Focus on an Area of Study

The schools below are grouped by their special area of focus. To learn about admissions, tuition & fees, programs offered, and more click on the school names below.

Theological Seminaries, Bible Colleges, and Other Faith-Related Institutions

• Baptist Bible College and Seminary (BBC) in Clarks Summit, PA
• Lancaster Bible College in Lancaster, PA

Schools of Art, Music, and Design

• Moore College of Art and Design (Moore College) in Philadelphia, PA
• The Art Institute of Philadelphia in Philadelphia, PA
• The Art Institute of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, PA
• The University of the Arts (UArts) in Philadelphia, PA

Health Professions Schools

• Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences (PA College) in Lancaster, PA
• University of the Sciences (USciences) in Philadelphia, PA

Special-Focus Institutions

• The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College in Philadelphia, PA

Notes: Tuition & fee amounts are for both Pennsylvania in-state residents and out of state students, unless noted otherwise. The tuition information displayed is an estimate, which we calculated based on historical data and should be solely used for informational purposes only. Please contact the respective school for information about the current school year.

Source: IPEDS Survey 2012-2015: Data obtained from the US Dept. of Education's Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). Data may vary depending on school and academic year.