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.
| Rank | School Name | School Type | Early Career Pay | Mid-Career Pay | % High Meaning | % STEM Degrees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank:1 | School Name: University of Pennsylvania | School Type:Ivy League, Private School, Research University, For Sports Fans | Early Career Pay:$89,100 | Mid-Career Pay:$171,800 | % High Meaning:37% | % STEM Degrees:25% |
| Rank:2 | School Name: Lehigh University | School Type:Private School, Research University, For Sports Fans | Early Career Pay:$85,800 | Mid-Career Pay:$168,200 | % High Meaning:41% | % STEM Degrees:45% |
| Rank:3 | School Name:_50px.png) Carnegie Mellon University | School Type:Engineering, Private School, Research University | Early Career Pay:$96,700 | Mid-Career Pay:$162,100 | % High Meaning:41% | % STEM Degrees:68% |
| Rank:4 | School Name: Lafayette College | School Type:Liberal Arts School, Private School, Religious, For Sports Fans | Early Career Pay:$82,700 | Mid-Career Pay:$158,700 | % High Meaning:39% | % STEM Degrees:50% |
| Rank:5 | School Name: Bucknell University | School Type:Liberal Arts School, Party School, Private School, For Sports Fans | Early Career Pay:$82,400 | Mid-Career Pay:$155,500 | % High Meaning:43% | % STEM Degrees:35% |
| Rank:6 | School Name: Swarthmore College | School Type:Liberal Arts School, Private School | Early Career Pay:$79,700 | Mid-Career Pay:$154,900 | % High Meaning:44% | % STEM Degrees:41% |
| Rank:7 | School Name: Haverford College | School Type:Liberal Arts School, Private School | Early Career Pay:$73,200 | Mid-Career Pay:$146,900 | % High Meaning:51% | % STEM Degrees:41% |
| Rank:8 | School Name: Gettysburg College | School Type:Liberal Arts School, Private School | Early Career Pay:$72,000 | Mid-Career Pay:$145,200 | % High Meaning:47% | % STEM Degrees:25% |
| Rank:9 | School Name: Franklin and Marshall College | School Type:Liberal Arts School, Private School | Early Career Pay:$70,600 | Mid-Career Pay:$144,300 | % High Meaning:40% | % STEM Degrees:25% |
| Rank:10 | School Name:University of the Sciences | School Type:Private School | Early Career Pay:$72,300 | Mid-Career Pay:$143,100 | % High Meaning:76% | % STEM Degrees:21% |
| Rank:11 | School Name: Villanova University | School Type:Private School, Religious, Research University, For Sports Fans | Early Career Pay:$81,500 | Mid-Career Pay:$140,400 | % High Meaning:42% | % STEM Degrees:24% |
| Rank:12 | School Name: Drexel University | School Type:Private School, Research University, For Sports Fans | Early Career Pay:$76,100 | Mid-Career Pay:$132,600 | % High Meaning:48% | % STEM Degrees:27% |
| Rank:13 | School Name: Ursinus College | School Type:Engineering, Liberal Arts School, Private School | Early Career Pay:$64,900 | Mid-Career Pay:$131,400 | % High Meaning:62% | % STEM Degrees:52% |
| Rank:14 | School Name: Susquehanna University | School Type:Liberal Arts School, Private School, Religious | Early Career Pay:$62,400 | Mid-Career Pay:$130,600 | % High Meaning:38% | % STEM Degrees:22% |
| Rank:15 | School Name: Juniata College | School Type:Liberal Arts School, Private School | Early Career Pay:$61,100 | Mid-Career Pay:$128,300 | % High Meaning:47% | % STEM Degrees:36% |
| Rank:16 | School Name: - Philadelphia, PA_50px.png) Saint Joseph's University | School Type:Private School, Religious, For Sports Fans | Early Career Pay:$69,300 | Mid-Career Pay:$124,600 | % High Meaning:39% | % STEM Degrees:6% |
| Rank:17 | School Name:The Pennsylvania State University | School Type:Research University, State School | Early Career Pay:$71,700 | Mid-Career Pay:$123,500 | % High Meaning:47% | % STEM Degrees:32% |
| Rank:18 | School Name: Grove City College | School Type:Liberal Arts School, Private School, Religious, Sober School | Early Career Pay:$67,600 | Mid-Career Pay:$121,200 | % High Meaning:49% | % STEM Degrees:27% |
| Rank:18 | School Name: La Salle University | School Type:Private School, Religious, For Sports Fans | Early Career Pay:$65,600 | Mid-Career Pay:$121,200 | % High Meaning:46% | % STEM Degrees:6% |
| Rank:18 | School Name: University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | School Type:Research University, For Sports Fans, State School | Early Career Pay:$71,800 | Mid-Career Pay:$121,200 | % High Meaning:48% | % STEM Degrees:30% |
| Rank:21 | School Name: Muhlenberg College | School Type:Liberal Arts School, Private School, Religious | Early Career Pay:$65,400 | Mid-Career Pay:$120,900 | % High Meaning:49% | % STEM Degrees:18% |
| Rank:22 | School Name: Allegheny College | School Type:Liberal Arts School, Private School, Religious | Early Career Pay:$60,100 | Mid-Career Pay:$119,000 | % High Meaning:45% | % STEM Degrees:31% |
| Rank:23 | School Name:Bryn Mawr College | School Type:Liberal Arts School, Private School | Early Career Pay:$69,700 | Mid-Career Pay:$118,000 | % High Meaning:41% | % STEM Degrees:25% |
| Rank:24 | School Name:Washington & Jefferson College | School Type:Liberal Arts School, Private School | Early Career Pay:$60,900 | Mid-Career Pay:$117,500 | % High Meaning:40% | % STEM Degrees:30% |
| Rank:25 | School Name: University of Scranton | School Type:Private School, Religious | Early Career Pay:$65,700 | Mid-Career Pay:$117,300 | % High Meaning:42% | % STEM Degrees:13% |
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).