The 10 Cheapest Colleges in Pennsylvania
What’s Covered:
- The 10 Cheapest Colleges in Pennsylvania
- Tips for Saving Money on College
- How Much Will You Pay for College?
There’s no shortage of great colleges and universities in Pennsylvania—the state is home to large, well-respected institutions such as the University of Pennsylvania and Carnegie Mellon, as well as well-regarded liberal arts colleges like Haverford and Swarthmore.
While prestige is at the top of the minds of many college-bound students, another key consideration for many students is cost.
The 10 Cheapest Colleges in Pennsylvania
1. Curtis Institute of Music
Tuition In-state/Out-of-state: $0/$0
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Acceptance Rate: 7%
Undergraduate Enrollment: 106
In addition to being the most affordable college in Pennsylvania—offering merit-based full-tuition scholarships to all students—the Curtis Institute of Music is widely regarded as the nation’s top music school. Admission to the Curtis Institute of Music is extremely selective. Only students with exceptional musical talent are admitted, hence the school’s staggeringly low 7% acceptance rate; for comparison, Harvard’s acceptance rate is 5%.
The school’s sterling reputation attracts the world’s most promising musicians—as much as half the student body comes from outside the U.S., with 20 nations represented on campus by students in a typical year.
Learn more about the Curtis Institute of Music and what it takes to get accepted.
2. Cheyney University of Pennsylvania
Tuition In-state/Out-of-state: $7,716/$15,432
Location: Cheyney, PA
Acceptance Rate: N/A
Undergraduate Enrollment: 724
Cheyney University of Pennsylvania has the distinction of being one of just two HBCUs in Pennsylvania, as well as the country’s first HBCU (it was established in 1837). Cheyney is also the only HBCU in the Pennsylvania state system and the oldest of the 14 member institutions.
Cheyney University is focused on providing a high-quality education at an affordable cost—more than three-quarters of students receive financial assistance. According to a 2017 New York Times study, Cheney University ranked 31st out of 369 selective colleges for social mobility (the likelihood that a student will move up two or more income quintiles).
Learn more about Cheyney University of Pennsylvania and what it takes to get accepted.
3. West Chester University | WCUPA
Tuition In-state/Out-of-state: $7,716/$19,290
Location: West Chester, PA
Acceptance Rate: 79%
Undergraduate Enrollment: 14,344
West Chester University is the largest school of the 10 universities in the Pennsylvania state system. WCUPA offers over 180 undergraduate programs through its six colleges and one school:
- College of Arts and Humanities
- College of Health Sciences
- College of Business and Public Management
- College of the Sciences and Mathematics
- College of Education and Social Work
- University College
- Wells School of Music
WCUPA has taught music since its founding in 1871 and is designated an “All-Steinway” school.
Learn more about West Chester University and what it takes to get accepted.
4. Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
Tuition In-state/Out-of-state: $7,994/$15,988
Location: Slippery Rock, PA
Acceptance Rate: 75%
Undergraduate Enrollment: 6,803
Just because Slippery Rock University is one of the cheapest colleges in Pennsylvania, don’t expect a low-budget college experience. The college is known for its comfortable residence halls and fully furnished apartments available to upperclassmen.
Freshmen are required to live in residence halls, all of which are equipped with high-speed internet, in-building laundry services, and study and recreational lounges. The university is also home to more than 160 on-campus clubs and organizations, as well as a vibrant Greek life.
In the classroom, students have a wide breadth of academic opportunities available—the school offers more than 150 undergraduate majors and minors.
Learn more about Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania and what it takes to get accepted.
5. East Stroudsburg University
Tuition In-state/Out-of-state: $7,994/$9,994
Location: East Stroudsburg, PA
Acceptance Rate: 92%
Undergraduate Enrollment: 4,697
East Stroudsburg Univeristy was founded in 1893 to train teachers; it didn’t become East Stroudsburg University until almost a century later, in 1983. Today, the university offers 49 undergraduate programs in fields ranging from accounting to theatre and has grown from 320 students to more than 5,000 undergraduate and graduate students—70% of whom receive financial aid.
Learn more about East Stroudsburg University and what it takes to get accepted.
6. Manor College
Tuition In-state/Out-of-state: $10,595
Location: Jenkintown, PA
Acceptance Rate: 96%
Undergraduate Enrollment: 599
Manor College is the best-priced private college in Pennsylvania—94% of its students receive financial aid, and the college awards nearly $600,000 in scholarships annually. Manor College is a Catholic institution located just outside Philadelphia with roots in the Ukrainian-American community; however, students of all faiths and backgrounds are welcome.
Just because the college is affordable doesn’t mean it doesn’t deliver for its students. It features a low 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio and 15 bachelor’s degree programs.
Learn more about Manor College and what it takes to get accepted.
7. Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
Tuition In-state/Out-of-state: $12,109/$16,895
Location: Kutztown, PA
Acceptance Rate: 95%
Undergraduate Enrollment: 6,420
Established in 1866, Kutztown University (KU) is another Pennsylvania college with a long history. KU is located in a beautiful rural Pennsylvania Dutch community, but provides easy access to cities like Reading and Allentown—both are less than 20 miles away—as well as major metropolises such as Philadelphia (70 miles away), New York (120 miles away), Baltimore (160 miles away), and Washington, D.C. (160 miles away).
KU helps students control college expenses in a number of ways. For example, all incoming freshmen are considered for four tiers of merit aid—ranging from $1,500 to $6,000—based on their academic performance in high school.
Learn more about Kutztown University of Pennsylvania and what it takes to get accepted.
8. Lincoln University
Tuition In-state/Out-of-state: $13,508/$20,586
Location: Lincoln University, PA
Acceptance Rate: 78%
Undergraduate Enrollment: 1,717
Lincoln University is the other HBCU in Pennsylvania and has the distinction of being the nation’s first degree-granting HBCU. Lincoln University offers 35 undergraduate programs, including its popular business and nursing programs.
Lincoln University has a long history (the school dates back to the 1860s) of making education available to students from all walks of life—95% of Lincoln University students receive financial assistance, and 40% receive some form of institutional scholarship or grant.
Learn more about Lincoln University and what it takes to get accepted.
9. Pennsylvania Institute of Technology
Tuition In-state/Out-of-state: $13,635
Location: Media, PA
Acceptance Rate: N/A
Undergraduate Enrollment: 662
Founded in 1950, the Pennsylvania Institute of Technology has been focused on preparing students for rewarding careers since its beginning. The college offers one bachelor’s degree program and 12 associate degree programs. It also provides support to students who want to transfer to four-year institutions and has articulation agreements with both Eastern University and Immaculata University.
At the Pennsylvania Institute of Technology, 96% of students receive some form of financial aid.
Learn more about Pennsylvania Institute of Technology and what it takes to get accepted.
10. Peirce College
Tuition In-state/Out-of-state: $14,730
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Acceptance Rate: N/A
Undergraduate Enrollment: 790
Pierce College offers another affordable option for students who want to attend a private institution in Pennsylvania. The college hasn’t increased tuition for eight consecutive years and allows students to earn credits at no cost through a partnership with Coursera, the online learning platform.
The college offers 14 bachelor’s degree programs along with a host of associate and certificate programs.
Learn more about Peirce College and what it takes to get accepted.
Tips for Saving Money on College
For students focused on controlling their college expenses, there are numerous proven strategies for keeping the cost of college down.
Apply to Generous Schools
When trying to reduce college costs, it’s tempting to apply to schools with low sticker prices. However, equally important as the published price of a school is how much financial aid it gives you, which makes the net price—the cost of a school minus grants and scholarships—a better metric for judging what college will actually cost.
The fact is, the schools awarding the most generous merit aid are rarely the least expensive schools. Consider that schools that award the most merit aid are private, and, on average, students receiving a scholarship or grant from a private 4-year college will get $18,670 more than a student at a public 4-year college.
Local Scholarships
Colleges offer substantially more scholarship dollars than outside organizations—$175 billion annually compared to $11 billion—and should be the priority; however, outside scholarships still represent an important avenue for students looking to earn money for college.
Local scholarships (like those offered by regional organizations, local businesses, nonprofits, and places of worship) are much less competitive than larger, more well-known awards and provide a great opportunity to chip away at college costs.
Earn Affordable College Credit
College is expensive and the more credits you can earn off campus, the better. AP exams are a great way to earn affordable credits in high school. Many colleges award credit to students who earn a 3 or better on their AP exams. This has the added bonus of giving a student’s college career a kick start—something that is more valuable than many students realize.
Less than half of college students graduate in four years, which adds expenses and delays entrance into the workforce.
How Much Will You Pay for College?
Net price—a calculation that uses factors like financial aid and scholarships—is the best metric for understanding what college will actually cost. While you can use each individual school’s net price calculator, our free Financial Aid Calculator lets you estimate the cost of hundreds of schools in just minutes.
