Best Colleges in Pennsylvania by Salary Potential

Investing in your education is smart. But make the smartest investment by first researching Pennsylvania’s best four-year colleges by earning potential.

Read more

Bachelor's Only
All Alumni
RankSchool NameSchool TypeEarly Career Pay
Mid-Career Pay
% High Meaning
% STEM Degrees
Rank:1School Name:University of PennsylvaniaSchool Type:Ivy League, Private School, Research University, For Sports FansEarly Career Pay:$89,100Mid-Career Pay:$171,800% High Meaning:37%% STEM Degrees:25%
Rank:2School Name:Lehigh UniversitySchool Type:Private School, Research University, For Sports FansEarly Career Pay:$85,800Mid-Career Pay:$168,200% High Meaning:41%% STEM Degrees:45%
Rank:3School Name:Carnegie Mellon UniversitySchool Type:Engineering, Private School, Research UniversityEarly Career Pay:$96,700Mid-Career Pay:$162,100% High Meaning:41%% STEM Degrees:68%
Rank:4School Name:Lafayette CollegeSchool Type:Liberal Arts School, Private School, Religious, For Sports FansEarly Career Pay:$82,700Mid-Career Pay:$158,700% High Meaning:39%% STEM Degrees:50%
Rank:5School Name:Bucknell UniversitySchool Type:Liberal Arts School, Party School, Private School, For Sports FansEarly Career Pay:$82,400Mid-Career Pay:$155,500% High Meaning:43%% STEM Degrees:35%
Rank:6School Name:Swarthmore CollegeSchool Type:Liberal Arts School, Private SchoolEarly Career Pay:$79,700Mid-Career Pay:$154,900% High Meaning:44%% STEM Degrees:41%
Rank:7School Name:Haverford CollegeSchool Type:Liberal Arts School, Private SchoolEarly Career Pay:$73,200Mid-Career Pay:$146,900% High Meaning:51%% STEM Degrees:41%
Rank:8School Name:Gettysburg CollegeSchool Type:Liberal Arts School, Private SchoolEarly Career Pay:$72,000Mid-Career Pay:$145,200% High Meaning:47%% STEM Degrees:25%
Rank:9School Name:Franklin and Marshall CollegeSchool Type:Liberal Arts School, Private SchoolEarly Career Pay:$70,600Mid-Career Pay:$144,300% High Meaning:40%% STEM Degrees:25%
Rank:10School Name:University of the SciencesSchool Type:Private SchoolEarly Career Pay:$72,300Mid-Career Pay:$143,100% High Meaning:76%% STEM Degrees:21%
Rank:11School Name:Villanova UniversitySchool Type:Private School, Religious, Research University, For Sports FansEarly Career Pay:$81,500Mid-Career Pay:$140,400% High Meaning:42%% STEM Degrees:24%
Rank:12School Name:Drexel UniversitySchool Type:Private School, Research University, For Sports FansEarly Career Pay:$76,100Mid-Career Pay:$132,600% High Meaning:48%% STEM Degrees:27%
Rank:13School Name:Ursinus CollegeSchool Type:Engineering, Liberal Arts School, Private SchoolEarly Career Pay:$64,900Mid-Career Pay:$131,400% High Meaning:62%% STEM Degrees:52%
Rank:14School Name:Susquehanna UniversitySchool Type:Liberal Arts School, Private School, ReligiousEarly Career Pay:$62,400Mid-Career Pay:$130,600% High Meaning:38%% STEM Degrees:22%
Rank:15School Name:Juniata CollegeSchool Type:Liberal Arts School, Private SchoolEarly Career Pay:$61,100Mid-Career Pay:$128,300% High Meaning:47%% STEM Degrees:36%
Rank:16School Name:Saint Joseph's UniversitySchool Type:Private School, Religious, For Sports FansEarly Career Pay:$69,300Mid-Career Pay:$124,600% High Meaning:39%% STEM Degrees:6%
Rank:17School Name:The Pennsylvania State UniversitySchool Type:Research University, State SchoolEarly Career Pay:$71,700Mid-Career Pay:$123,500% High Meaning:47%% STEM Degrees:32%
Rank:18School Name:Grove City CollegeSchool Type:Liberal Arts School, Private School, Religious, Sober SchoolEarly Career Pay:$67,600Mid-Career Pay:$121,200% High Meaning:49%% STEM Degrees:27%
Rank:18School Name:La Salle UniversitySchool Type:Private School, Religious, For Sports FansEarly Career Pay:$65,600Mid-Career Pay:$121,200% High Meaning:46%% STEM Degrees:6%
Rank:18School Name:University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh CampusSchool Type:Research University, For Sports Fans, State SchoolEarly Career Pay:$71,800Mid-Career Pay:$121,200% High Meaning:48%% STEM Degrees:30%
Rank:21School Name:Muhlenberg CollegeSchool Type:Liberal Arts School, Private School, ReligiousEarly Career Pay:$65,400Mid-Career Pay:$120,900% High Meaning:49%% STEM Degrees:18%
Rank:22School Name:Allegheny CollegeSchool Type:Liberal Arts School, Private School, ReligiousEarly Career Pay:$60,100Mid-Career Pay:$119,000% High Meaning:45%% STEM Degrees:31%
Rank:23School Name:Bryn Mawr CollegeSchool Type:Liberal Arts School, Private SchoolEarly Career Pay:$69,700Mid-Career Pay:$118,000% High Meaning:41%% STEM Degrees:25%
Rank:24School Name:Washington & Jefferson CollegeSchool Type:Liberal Arts School, Private SchoolEarly Career Pay:$60,900Mid-Career Pay:$117,500% High Meaning:40%% STEM Degrees:30%
Rank:25School Name:University of ScrantonSchool Type:Private School, ReligiousEarly Career Pay:$65,700Mid-Career Pay:$117,300% High Meaning:42%% STEM Degrees:13%

What are you worth?

Take our free salary survey to find out

Get your free report
College Student

PayScale gathered alumni salary data for dozens of colleges and universities in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania is home to over 100 colleges total, including a number universities where the typical alumni go on to earn over $100,000 per year.

The University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) is an Ivy League School with the most famous business school (Wharton) in the country, so it’s no surprise that UPenn graduates earn one of the highest mid-career median salaries, based on students for whom a bachelor’s degree is the highest degree obtained.

When it comes to early career salaries, Carnegie Melon produces the highest earners for recent grads using both bachelor’s only and all alumni salary data.

The Moore College of Art and Design has an undergrad enrollment of about 440 (making it the smallest college). Moore is also a female-only school.

The salaries of professional athletes are not included on this list, but numerous such alumni have attended (and graduated from) Pennsylvania colleges and universities. Mark DeRosa and Sean Estrada both attended University of Pennsylvania (Quakers), while Anthony Adams, Jay Alford, Levi Brown, Deon Butler, Kerry Collins, Dan Connor, Bobby Engram, Maurice Evans, John Gilmore, Robbie Gould, Bryant Johnson, Larry Johnson, Jeremy Kapinos all were Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) Lions.

Penn State’s Main Campus is also the largest school in Pennsylvania (with an enrollment of more than 40,000).