26 Best colleges for Creative Writing in Pennsylvania

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Pennsylvania ranked based on their research performance in Creative Writing. A graph of 155K citations received by 8.79K academic papers made by 26 universities in Pennsylvania was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

Please note that our approach to subject rankings is based on scientific outputs and heavily biased on art-related topics towards institutions with computer science research profiles.

1. Pennsylvania State University

University Park

For Creative Writing

#8 in the United States

#11 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 61%
Average SAT: 1330
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 67%

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia

For Creative Writing

#10 in the United States

#13 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 5%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $23,570

3. University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh

For Creative Writing

#38 in the United States

#45 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 58%
Average SAT: 1370
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 74%

4. Temple University

Philadelphia

For Creative Writing

#41 in the United States

#49 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Receiving Aid: 93%
Average Aid: $14,837
Enrollment: 29,640

5. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh

For Creative Writing

#50 in the United States

#58 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $35,552

6. California University of Pennsylvania

California

For Creative Writing

#91 in the United States

#107 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Receiving Aid: 95%
Average Aid: $6,250
Enrollment: 6,885

7. Drexel University

Philadelphia

For Creative Writing

#115 in the United States

#137 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Average SAT: 1340
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $42,801

8. Swarthmore College

Swarthmore

For Creative Writing

#159 in the United States

#187 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1525
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $22,469

9. Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Indiana

For Creative Writing

#182 in the United States

#211 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Average SAT: 1075
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 100%

10. Duquesne University

Pittsburgh

For Creative Writing

#197 in the United States

#228 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Average SAT: 1260
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $37,917

11. Lehigh University

Bethlehem

For Creative Writing

#201 in the United States

#232 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 26%
Average SAT: 1435
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $34,154

12. Villanova University

Villanova

For Creative Writing

#216 in the United States

#248 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 27%
Average SAT: 1453
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $37,201

13. Dickinson College

Carlisle

For Creative Writing

#227 in the United States

#261 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 42%
Average SAT: 1385
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $38,483

14. Haverford College

Haverford

For Creative Writing

#229 in the United States

#263 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Average SAT: 1505
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $26,535

15. Bryn Mawr College

Bryn Mawr

For Creative Writing

#235 in the United States

#269 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 29%
Average SAT: 1395
Average ACT: 31
Net Price: $33,221

16. West Chester University of Pennsylvania

West Chester

For Creative Writing

#272 in the United States

#310 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Average SAT: 1185
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 88%

17. Bucknell University

Lewisburg

For Creative Writing

#274 in the United States

#312 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 29%
Average SAT: 1390
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $39,003

18. Thomas Jefferson University

Philadelphia

For Creative Writing

#292 in the United States

#331 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Average SAT: 1245
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $29,325

19. Lafayette College

Easton

For Creative Writing

#296 in the United States

#336 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Average SAT: 1425
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $38,442

20. Franklin and Marshall College

Lancaster

For Creative Writing

#297 in the United States

#337 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 28%
Average SAT: 1387
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $43,987

21. Saint Joseph's University

Philadelphia

For Creative Writing

#340 in the United States

#384 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Average SAT: 1260
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $31,205

22. Gettysburg College

Gettysburg

For Creative Writing

#376 in the United States

#423 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Average SAT: 1365
Average ACT: 31
Net Price: $32,769

23. Muhlenberg College

Allentown

For Creative Writing

#383 in the United States

#430 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Average SAT: 1330
Average ACT: 31
Net Price: $34,739

24. Pennsylvania State University - College of Medicine

Hershey

For Creative Writing

#405 in the United States

#452 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1967

25. Widener University

Chester

For Creative Writing

#416 in the United States

#463 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Average SAT: 1185
Net Price: $26,778
Receiving Aid: 100%

26. Biblical Theological Seminary

Hatfield

For Creative Writing

#448 in the United States

#497 in North America

Enrollment: 20
Male:Female: 65:35

Closest to Pennsylvania states to learn Creative Writing

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Maryland	12	23
District of Columbia	5	33
New Jersey	14	27
New York	50	1
Connecticut	10	4
Virginia	14	21
Ohio	18	7
Massachusetts	28	14
Rhode Island	4	95
New Hampshire	4	111
North Carolina	16	22
Indiana	11	30
Kentucky	4	75
Michigan	12	5
South Carolina	6	104
Maine	6	172
Tennessee	7	48
Illinois	18	9
Georgia	11	20
Wisconsin	9	15
Alabama	4	70
Iowa	5	42
Missouri	6	51
Mississippi	3	167
Minnesota	10	36
Arkansas	5	136
Florida	13	32
Louisiana	5	99
Kansas	3	53
South Dakota	2	387
Nebraska	3	73
Oklahoma	3	76
North Dakota	2	262
Texas	28	3
Colorado	9	54
Utah	3	45
Idaho	3	188
Arizona	3	18
Washington	10	19
Oregon	7	100
California	45	2

Closest to Pennsylvania states to learn Creative Writing

Art & Design subfields in Pennsylvania