Hidden Gem Colleges in Pennsylvania (2026)
Updated
This page lists 21 four-year institutions in Pennsylvania that qualify under Azimuth's score and admission rules. This list includes only colleges whose overall score is at or above the 50th percentile nationally and whose admission rate is above 50%; colleges without a reported admission rate are left out.
The colleges that qualify are ordered by overall score, highest first, as set out on Azimuth's methodology page. Temple University ranks 1st on this list, with median earnings of $67,232 for its graduates four years after completing. The group includes 11 public and 10 private nonprofit institutions in total.
Public institutions make up 52% of the schools on the list. Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus reports the highest six-year completion rate at 86%. Holy Family University posts the lowest average net price at $13,143.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Median earnings, 4 years after completion | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Temple University · Philadelphia, PA | $67,232 | $28,198 | $22,694 | 80.4% |
| Temple University ranks 1st on this list and holds an Azimuth composite rank of 125th among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 2 | Drexel University · Philadelphia, PA | $91,041 | $38,509 | $28,055 | 79.4% |
| Drexel University reports median earnings of $91,041 for its graduates four years after completing, alongside an admission rate of 79%. | |||||
| 3 | Thomas Jefferson University · Philadelphia, PA | $87,195 | $28,928 | $22,537 | 81.0% |
| With a six-year completion rate of 69%, Thomas Jefferson University admits 81% of applicants. | |||||
| 4 | Holy Family University · Philadelphia, PA | $82,892 | $13,143 | $9,721 | 71.0% |
| Holy Family University carries an average net price of $13,143, the lowest among the listed schools. | |||||
| 5 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus · University Park, PA | $76,659 | $32,875 | $19,845 | 60.6% |
| Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus posts a six-year completion rate of 86% and median earnings of $76,659 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 6 | Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania · Bloomsburg, PA | $58,676 | $15,699 | $11,374 | 93.1% |
| Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania admits 93% of applicants and reports an average net price of $15,699. | |||||
| 7 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania · West Chester, PA | $64,804 | $23,331 | $17,018 | 78.4% |
| West Chester University of Pennsylvania shows median earnings of $64,804 for its graduates four years after completing and a six-year completion rate of 71%. | |||||
| 8 | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania · East Stroudsburg, PA | $56,971 | $18,134 | $15,365 | 92.1% |
| East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania reports an average net price of $18,134 and an admission rate of 92%. | |||||
| 9 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus · Pittsburgh, PA | $73,701 | $30,434 | $14,709 | 58.1% |
| University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus admits 58% of applicants, the lowest admission rate on the list, and its graduates earn a median of $73,701 four years after completing. | |||||
| 10 | Widener University · Chester, PA | $80,946 | $25,759 | $21,200 | 70.9% |
| Widener University reports median earnings of $80,946 for its graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $25,759. | |||||
| 11 | Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania · Slippery Rock, PA | $57,301 | $19,608 | $12,555 | 71.5% |
| Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania shows a six-year completion rate of 66% and an admission rate of 71%. | |||||
| 12 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania · Indiana, PA | $57,450 | $16,804 | $12,364 | 90.8% |
| Indiana University of Pennsylvania admits 91% of applicants and reports median earnings of $57,450 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 13 | Gwynedd Mercy University · Gwynedd Valley, PA | $89,170 | $27,483 | $21,995 | 89.6% |
| Gwynedd Mercy University reports median earnings of $89,170 for its graduates four years after completing, alongside an admission rate of 90%. | |||||
| 14 | Pennsylvania Western University · California, PA | $54,553 | $18,256 | $13,944 | 94.3% |
| Pennsylvania Western University, a public university in California, carries an average net price of $18,256 and a six-year completion rate of 52%. | |||||
| 15 | La Salle University · Philadelphia, PA | $70,254 | $19,409 | $16,545 | 96.6% |
| La Salle University admits 97% of applicants and shows median earnings of $70,254 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 16 | Neumann University · Aston, PA | $72,633 | $27,804 | $24,467 | 81.3% |
| Neumann University ranks 16th on this list, with an average net price of $24,467 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 17 | Carlow University · Pittsburgh, PA | $67,381 | $20,786 | $17,901 | 87.0% |
| Carlow University graduates 60% within six years and reports median earnings of $67,381 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 18 | Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia · Philadelphia, PA | $84,010 | $29,689 | $22,570 | 88.8% |
| Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia posts a six-year completion rate of 79% and an average net price of $29,689. | |||||
| 19 | Kutztown University of Pennsylvania · Kutztown, PA | $55,608 | $21,331 | $15,957 | 90.8% |
| Kutztown University of Pennsylvania carries an average net price of $15,957 for families earning under $30,000 and an admission rate of 91%. | |||||
| 20 | University of Scranton · Scranton, PA | $79,409 | $32,568 | $23,896 | 81.2% |
| University of Scranton reports median earnings of $79,409 for its graduates four years after completing, with an admission rate of 81%. | |||||
| 21 | Lincoln University · Lincoln University, PA | $50,871 | $14,977 | $14,011 | 65.7% |
| Lincoln University ranks 21st on this list and shows an average net price of $14,977. | |||||
How this list is ordered
This list includes only colleges whose overall score is at or above the 50th percentile nationally and whose admission rate is above 50%; colleges without a reported admission rate are left out. The colleges that qualify are ordered by overall score, highest first, as set out on Azimuth's methodology page. The median earnings figure reflects federally aided completers at each institution, across all fields, who were working and not enrolled four years after completing. The list does not adjust for who enrolls at each college, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. Temple University ranks 1st on this list, and Drexel University ranks 2nd; the list is evenly split between 11 public and 10 private nonprofit institutions.