Best Value Engineering Colleges in Pennsylvania

Swarthmore College offers Pennsylvania engineering students an extraordinary financial advantage with the state's lowest net price at $18,686, despite charging $62,412 in sticker price. This means qualifying students save over $43,000 annually through generous aid packages at one of the nation's most selective programs with only 6.93% acceptance rate. At the other end of the spectrum, Geneva College provides accessible engineering education with 79.05% acceptance and a $21,043 net cost that leads to $52,789 median earnings. Pennsylvania's engineering job market benefits from major employers like UPMC's medical technology division, Comcast's telecommunications infrastructure, and pharmaceutical giants requiring varied engineering skills. The state's 15 programs show remarkable variety in both cost and selectivity, with graduation rates spanning from 43.5% at Thiel College to 94.1% at Swarthmore. Public options like University of Pittsburgh offer in-state students engineering degrees for $21,524, while the PA State Grant program helps reduce costs across all institutional types. Career outcomes reflect Pennsylvania's strong industrial base, with median earnings ranging from $48,041 to $72,403 depending on school choice.

Programs

$18,686 – $38,428

Net Price Range

$58,391

Avg. Program Earnings

71.2%

Avg. Graduation Rate

21 Engineering, General Programs

Program rankings
#	School	Net Price	Program Earnings	In-State Tuition	Graduation Rate	Acceptance Rate
1	Geneva College Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania	$21,043	$52,789	$33,610	61.5%	79.1%
2	Elizabethtown College Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania	$26,198	$62,508	$36,842	77.1%	81.1%
3	Lafayette College Easton, Pennsylvania	$32,496	$72,403	$62,574	88.1%	33.6%
4	Messiah University Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania	$27,686	$60,623	$40,640	78.5%	79.4%
5	Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania	$27,700	$53,984	$42,286	60.3%	94.1%
6	Robert Morris University Moon Township, Pennsylvania	$25,747	$48,041	$34,940	65.6%	93.8%
7	University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania	$30,074		$21,524	84.3%	49.1%
8	Widener University Chester, Pennsylvania	$30,470		$53,638	63.5%	87.7%
9	Ursinus College Collegeville, Pennsylvania	$30,485		$59,196	76.6%	82.2%
10	Thomas Jefferson University Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	$28,163		$45,683	68.2%	88.9%
11	Thiel College Greenville, Pennsylvania	$22,746		$36,864	43.5%	82.3%
12	Temple University Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	$29,219		$22,082	74.7%	79.7%
13	Swarthmore College Swarthmore, Pennsylvania	$18,686		$62,412	94.1%	6.9%
14	Saint Vincent College Latrobe, Pennsylvania	$23,331		$41,100	72.1%	73.4%
15	Saint Francis University Loretto, Pennsylvania	$19,173		$41,720	72.8%	73.1%
16	Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania	$31,671		$63,829	92.5%	11.3%
17	Neumann University Aston, Pennsylvania	$28,714		$37,300	46.1%	85.5%
18	Millersville University of Pennsylvania Millersville, Pennsylvania	$20,231		$12,262	54.4%	92.4%
19	Juniata College Huntingdon, Pennsylvania	$27,663		$56,402	68.9%	76.2%
20	Duquesne University Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania	$34,978		$47,146	75.5%	87.5%
21	Drexel University Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	$38,428		$60,663	77.1%	79.6%

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes Swarthmore College such an strong value for engineering students?

Swarthmore's need-based aid reduces the $62,412 sticker price to just $18,686 net cost for qualifying students. The program maintains a 94.1% graduation rate with only 6.93% acceptance rate. Students benefit from small class sizes and research opportunities that prepare them for Pennsylvania's competitive tech and healthcare sectors.

How do public engineering programs in Pennsylvania compare to private options?

University of Pittsburgh charges in-state students $21,524 compared to private schools averaging over $30,000 net cost. Temple University offers another public option at $22,082 in-state tuition with 74.7% graduation rates. However, private schools like Lafayette College produce higher median earnings of $72,403 versus typical public outcomes.

Is the high cost at Lafayette College justified by career outcomes?

Lafayette graduates earn $72,403 median salary, the highest among Pennsylvania engineering programs. The $32,496 net cost reflects generous aid that reduces the $62,574 sticker price significantly. With an 88.1% graduation rate and 33.63% acceptance rate, Lafayette provides excellent return on investment for students who gain admission.

Does graduation rate vary significantly among Pennsylvania engineering schools?

Graduation rates span a wide 50.6 percentage point range from Thiel College's 43.5% to Swarthmore's 94.1%. Schools with higher selectivity generally show better completion rates, like Lafayette at 88.1% and Elizabethtown at 77.1%. Even accessible programs like Geneva College achieve solid 61.5% graduation rates while accepting 79% of applicants.

Where do Pennsylvania engineering graduates typically find employment?

Pennsylvania's major employers actively recruit engineering talent, including UPMC for biomedical engineering roles, Comcast for telecommunications infrastructure, and pharmaceutical companies throughout the state. The median earnings range of $48,041 to $72,403 reflects opportunities in healthcare technology, manufacturing, and emerging tech sectors. Many graduates remain in-state due to competitive salaries and established industry connections.

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Net price reflects the average cost after grants and scholarships for first-time, full-time students. See our methodology for details.