8 PA Colleges Among Top 100 In Nation: US News Rankings
PENNSYLVANIA — Eight Pennsylvania colleges were ranked among the top 100 in the country, according to new 2025 Best Colleges rankings released Tuesday by U.S. News & World Report.
The rankings evaluated 1,500 colleges and universities using more than a dozen measures of academic quality, the digital media company said in a news release. This year in its rankings, U.S. News prioritized social mobility — that is, a school's record in enrolling and graduating students from all backgrounds with manageable debt — and post-graduate success, including earnings.
Here are the top rankings for Pennsylvania schools:
All eight of these universities were also in the top 100 of last year's list, and you can compare the rankings here .
For regional universities, Saint Joseph's University in Philly was also ranked No. 5 in the North region, and the University of Scranton tied for No. 6.
Included in the 2025 report are specialized rankings such as the best value schools, most innovative colleges, top performers on social mobility and historically Black colleges and universities, as well as universities with the greatest commitment to undergraduate teaching.
Other specialty rankings include programs that enhance student experiences, including first-year experiences, service learning, studying abroad and undergraduate research and creative projects.
Allegheny College in Meadville was ranked No. 11 among colleges that offer programs to help make sure freshmen students feel connected to their peers and professors, and Bucknell University was ranked No. 17 on that list.
And, Arcadia University in Glenside was at No. 16 for study abroad programs, where schools were ranked on both the academic experience students will gain, and how involved the program is with the culture of the county students study abroad in.
Below are the overall top colleges, and you can view all rankings here .
The top national universities are:
- Princeton University in New Jersey
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Harvard University in Massachusetts
- Stanford University in California
- Yale University in Connecticut
The top national liberal arts colleges are:
- Williams College in Massachusetts
- Amherst College in Massachusetts
- Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania
- United States Naval Academy in Maryland
- Bowdoin College in Maine and Pomona College in California (tie)
