This article provides details of each of the five largest universities in Pennsylvania. Read more to learn about their student demographics, tuition costs and enrollment size.
Top 5 Public and Not-For-Profit Colleges and Universities in Pennsylvania by Student Population
Students in Pennsylvania have many options when choosing where to pursue their education. There are a 413 college campuses in the state. Nearly half, a total of 182, offer an associate's degree. At 135 schools you can earn a bachelor's degree, and 108 offer advanced degrees. Pennsylvania has a mix of public and private universities. The Pennsylvania State system has 24 campuses alone. The University of Pennsylvania is an Ivy League school and Carnegie Mellon, Swarthmore and Villanova are also popular private schools.
1. Pennsylvania State University
Pennsylvania State University was founded in 1855 as the Pennsylvania State Agricultural College. Since then it has grown to the largest college in Pennsylvania and has over 40,000 students. Penn State has eleven different colleges with more than 200 programs. The Penn State Nittany Lions are a member of the Big 10 athletic conference and the school has many competitive Division I NCAA teams.
Pennsylvania State University Student Demographics and Tuition
| Student Population | Number of Students |
|---|
| Total enrollment: | 40,709 |
| Undergraduate enrollment: | 34,637 |
| Undergraduate Enrollment Statistics | Percentage of Population |
|---|
| by gender | |
| Men: | 54.50% |
| Women: | 45.50% |
| by race/ethnicity | |
| Non-resident alien: | 2.40% |
| Black non-Hispanic: | 4.10% |
| American Indian or Alaskan Native: | 0.10% |
| Asian or Pacific Islander: | 5.80% |
| Hispanic: | 3.20% |
| White non-Hispanic: | 84.40% |
| Tuition and Fees | 2006-2007 | 2005-2006 | 2004-2005 |
|---|
| In-state | $12,164 | $11,508 | $10,856 |
| Out-of-state | $22,712 | $21,744 | $20,784 |
2. Temple University
Temple University is another one of the top Pennsylvania colleges and universities. It is based in Philadelphia and has more than 33,000 students. It is the 26th largest university in the United States and the 6th largest provider of professional degrees. Temple University offers 125 undergraduate degrees, 108 master degrees, 52 doctoral degrees and 8 professional degrees. The 17 schools and colleges within Temple University include Fox School of Business & Management, College of Liberal Arts, Beasley School of Law, College of Science & Technology and the College of Engineering.
Temple University Student Demographics and Tuition
| Student Population | Number of Students |
|---|
| Total enrollment: | 33,695 |
| Undergraduate enrollment: | 24,194 |
| Undergraduate Enrollment Statistics | Percentage of Population |
|---|
| by gender | |
| Men: | 43.40% |
| Women: | 56.60% |
| by race/ethnicity | |
| Non-resident alien: | 3.0% |
| Black non-Hispanic: | 18.90% |
| American Indian or Alaskan Native: | 0.20% |
| Asian or Pacific Islander: | 8.80% |
| Hispanic: | 3.50% |
| White non-Hispanic: | 57.30% |
| Race-ethnicity unknown: | 8.30% |
| Tuition and Fees | 2006-2007 | 2005-2006 | 2004-2005 |
|---|
| In-state | $10,180 | $9,640 | $9,102 |
| Out-of-state | $18,224 | $17,236 | $16,268 |
City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Demographics
| Total Population | 1,517,550 |
|---|
| Population Statistics | Percentage of Population |
|---|
| Male | 46.50% |
| Female | 53.3% |
| Under 18 | 25.30% |
| 18+ | 74.70% |
| 65+ | 14.10% |
| Ethnicity Statistics | Percentage of Population |
|---|
| White | 45.00% |
| African-American | 43.20% |
| Asian | 4.50% |
| American Indian & Alaskan | 0.30% |
| Other | 2.20% |
| Mixed Race | 2.20% |
| Hispanic (included in categories above) | 8.50% |
3. University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh was founded in 1787 in a log cabin in the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, making it one of the oldest institutes for higher learning in the country. Students attend the University of Pittsburgh because it is one of the top colleges and universities in Pennsylvania. The school is considered a pioneer in research and a leader in education. There are 16 different undergraduate and graduate schools within the university, including Katz School of Business, School of Engineering and the School of Education.
University of Pittsburgh Student Demographics and Tuition
| Student Population | Number of Students |
|---|
| Total enrollment: | 26,559 |
| Undergraduate enrollment: | 17,024 |
| Undergraduate Enrollment Statistics | Percentage of Population |
|---|
| by gender | |
| Men: | 48.2% |
| Women: | 51.80% |
| by race/ethnicity | |
| Non-resident alien: | 0.70% |
| Black non-Hispanic: | 9.10% |
| American Indian or Alaskan Native: | 0.20% |
| Asian or Pacific Islander: | 4.00% |
| Hispanic: | 1.10% |
| White non-Hispanic: | 80.70% |
| Race-ethnicity unknown: | 4.20% |
| Tuition and Fees | 2006-2007 | 2005-2006 | 2004-2005 |
|---|
| In-state | $12,138 | $11,436 | $10,830 |
| Out-of-state | $21,456 | $20,784 | $20,200 |
City of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Demographics
| Population Statistics | Percentage of Population |
|---|
| Male | 47.60% |
| Female | 52.4% |
| Under 18 | 19.90% |
| 18+ | 80.10% |
| 65+ | 16.4% |
| Ethnicity Statistics | Percentage of Population |
|---|
| White | 67.60% |
| African-American | 27.10% |
| Asian | 2.70% |
| American Indian & Alaskan | 0.20% |
| Other | 0.70% |
| Mixed Race | 1.60% |
| Hispanic (included in categories above) | 1.30% |
4. University of Pennsylvania
Another one of Pennsylvania's top colleges and universities is the University of Pennsylvania. Originally founded by Benjamin Franklin, it is a prestigious Ivy League school located in historic Philadelphia. The entire school is consistently ranked as one of the top ten universities in the U.S., and several of the individual schools also have distinguished rankings. The Wharton School of Business and the School of Nursing are in the top three for the field, and six other schools are in the top ten. Despite their tough admission requirements, the University of Pennsylvania has over 20,000 students in 120 degree programs.
University of Pennsylvania Student Demographics and Tuition
| Student Population | Number of Students |
|---|
| Total enrollment: | 23,704 |
| Undergraduate enrollment: | 12,092 |
| Undergraduate Enrollment Statistics | Percentage of Population |
|---|
| by gender | |
| Men: | 48.0% |
| Women: | 52.0% |
| by race/ethnicity | |
| Non-resident alien: | 9.70% |
| Black non-Hispanic: | 6.80% |
| American Indian or Alaskan Native: | 0.30% |
| Asian or Pacific Islander: | 16.20% |
| Hispanic: | 5.10% |
| White non-Hispanic: | 49.10% |
| Race-ethnicity unknown: | 12.80% |
| Tuition and Fees | 2006-2007 | 2005-2006 | 2004-2005 |
|---|
| | $34,156 | $32,364 | $30,716 |
City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Demographics
| Total Population | 1,517,550 |
|---|
| Population Statistics | Percentage of Population |
|---|
| Male | 46.50% |
| Female | 53.3% |
| Under 18 | 25.30% |
| 18+ | 74.70% |
| 65+ | 14.10% |
| Ethnicity Statistics | Percentage of Population |
|---|
| White | 45.00% |
| African-American | 43.20% |
| Asian | 4.50% |
| American Indian & Alaskan | 0.30% |
| Other | 2.20% |
| Mixed Race | 2.20% |
| Hispanic (included in categories above) | 8.50% |
5. Drexel University
Drexel University is another one of Pennsylvania's top colleges and universities. It was founded in 1891 by its namesake, philanthropist Anthony Drexel, and is located in downtown Philadelphia. The school has 70 undergraduate programs, 77 master's programs and 21 doctoral programs. Drexel united with Hahnemann University in 2002 to create the technology leader in healthcare education for Philadelphia. Top degree choices for Drexel include business, engineering, pre-med, and pre-law.
Drexel University Student Demographics and Tuition
| Student Population | Number of Students |
|---|
| Total enrollment: | 18,466 |
| Undergraduate enrollment: | 12,357 |
| Undergraduate Enrollment Statistics | Percentage of Population |
|---|
| by gender | |
| Men: | 58.80% |
| Women: | 41.20% |
| by race/ethnicity | |
| Non-resident alien: | 6.30% |
| Black non-Hispanic: | 9.30% |
| American Indian or Alaskan Native: | 0.20% |
| Asian or Pacific Islander: | 11.30% |
| Hispanic: | 2.90% |
| White non-Hispanic: | 62.70% |
| Race-ethnicity unknown: | 7.30% |
| Tuition and Fees | 2006-2007 | 2005-2006 | 2004-2005 |
|---|
| | $25,500 | $24,280 | $23,105 |
City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Demographics
| Total Population | 1,517,550 |
|---|
| Population Statistics | Percentage of Population |
|---|
| Male | 46.50% |
| Female | 53.3% |
| Under 18 | 25.30% |
| 18+ | 74.70% |
| 65+ | 14.10% |
| Ethnicity Statistics | Percentage of Population |
|---|
| White | 45.00% |
| African-American | 43.20% |
| Asian | 4.50% |
| American Indian & Alaskan | 0.30% |
| Other | 2.20% |
| Mixed Race | 2.20% |
| Hispanic (included in categories above) | 8.50% |
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