There are roughly 200 options for higher education in PA, give or take. High school graduates have no shortage of options at their disposal. I previously covered public college & university options for PA residents. Paying for the school of their dreams? Well, that’s another issue entirely. Assuming you have the funds to afford college (or plan to finance it), there are important factors to consider. One of the biggest is the net price of the schools you’re applying to. Notice I didn’t say sticker price, but rather the net price. Thankfully, some colleges in PA will drastically lower their sticker price to meet your financial need. There are even 9 PA colleges & universities meeting full need!
Your family’s financial situation is truly unique, and as a result, your college financial aid package will likely be as well. In PA, we have a few schools that will match any “need” a family demonstrates. Let’s unpack that here and discover the PA colleges & universities meeting full need.
Bryn Mawr College
Location: Bryn Mawr, PA (Delware County)
School Type: Private (Women-only College)
Admission Rate: 39%
Campus Size: 1425 Undergrad
Cost of Attendance: $79,940
In-State PA Cost of Attendance: $79,940
Average % of Need Met: 100%
Required Forms: FAFSA & CSS Profile
Carnegie Mellon University
Location: Pittsburgh, PA (Allegheny County)
School Type: Private
Admission Rate: 14%
Campus Size: 7400 Undergrad
Cost of Attendance: $80,480
In-State PA Cost of Attendance: $80,480
Average % of Need Met: 100%
Required Forms: FAFSA & CSS Profile
Dickinson College
Location: Carlisle, PA (Cumberland County)
School Type: Private
Admission Rate %: 48%
Campus Size: 2200 Undergrad
Cost of Attendance: $80,541
In-State PA Cost of Attendance: $80,541
Average % of Need Met: 100%
Required Forms: FAFSA & CSS Profile
Haverford College
Location: Haverford, PA (Delaware County)
School Type: Private
Admission Rate %: 18%
Campus Size: 1400 Undergrad
Cost of Attendance: $80,832
In-State PA Cost of Attendance: $80,832
Average % of Need Met: 100%
Required Forms: FAFSA & CSS Profile
Franklin & Marshall College
Location: Lancaster, PA (Lancaster County)
School Type: Private
Admission Rate %: 38%
Campus Size: 1400 Undergrad
Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 9 to 1
Cost of Attendance: $84,881
In-State PA Cost of Attendance: $84,881
Average % of Need Met: 100%
Required Forms: FAFSA & CSS Profile
Lafayette College
Location: Easton, PA (Northampton County)
School Type: Private
Admission Rate: 41%
Campus Size: 2800 Undergrad
Cost of Attendance: $79,362
In-State PA Cost of Attendance: $79,362
Average % of Need Met: 100%
Required Forms: FAFSA & CSS Profile
Lehigh University
Location: Bethlehem, PA (Northampton County)
School Type: Private
Admission Rate: 50%
Campus Size: 5200 Undergrad
Cost of Attendance: $77,885
In-State PA Cost of Attendance: $77,885
Average % of Need Met: 97%
Required Forms: FAFSA & CSS Profile
Swarthmore College
Location: Swarthmore, PA
School Type: Private
Admission Rate %: 8%
Campus Size: 1650 Undergrad
Cost of Attendance: $79,579
In-State PA Cost of Attendance: $79,579
Average % of Need Met: 100%
Required Forms: FAFSA & CSS Profile
University of Pennsylvania
Location: Philadelphia, PA
School Type: Private
Admission Rate %: 6%
Campus Size: 9950 Undergrad
Cost of Attendance: $85,738
In-State PA Cost of Attendance: $85,738
Average % of Need Met: 100%
Required Forms: FAFSA & CSS Profile
