23 Best colleges for Creative Writing in Pennsylvania

Updated: February 29, 2024

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 92.4K citations received by 7.54K academic papers made by 23 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

#7 in the United States

#10 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Average SAT: 1300
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 68%

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia

For Creative Writing

#18 in the United States

#22 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $26,123

3. University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh

For Creative Writing

#35 in the United States

#41 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 49%
Average SAT: 1375
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 87%

4. Temple University

Philadelphia

For Creative Writing

#38 in the United States

#45 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Receiving Aid: 93%
Average Aid: $11,575
Enrollment: 33,196

5. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh

For Creative Writing

#43 in the United States

#50 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Average SAT: 1530
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $33,499

6. California University of Pennsylvania

California

For Creative Writing

#57 in the United States

#67 in North America

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

7. Drexel University

Philadelphia

For Creative Writing

#114 in the United States

#135 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Average SAT: 1330
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $39,267

8. Swarthmore College

Swarthmore

For Creative Writing

#161 in the United States

#187 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1500
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $20,715

9. Duquesne University

Pittsburgh

For Creative Writing

#189 in the United States

#218 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average SAT: 1245
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $33,919

10. Lehigh University

Bethlehem

For Creative Writing

#192 in the United States

#222 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 37%
Average SAT: 1415
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $30,453

11. Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Indiana

For Creative Writing

#199 in the United States

#230 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 92%
Average SAT: 1045
Average ACT: 21
Receiving Aid: 100%

12. Villanova University

Villanova

For Creative Writing

#211 in the United States

#243 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 23%
Average SAT: 1439
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $34,837

13. Bryn Mawr College

Bryn Mawr

For Creative Writing

#226 in the United States

#260 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Average SAT: 1388
Average ACT: 31
Net Price: $39,072

14. Haverford College

Haverford

For Creative Writing

#250 in the United States

#284 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Average SAT: 1485
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $23,476

15. West Chester University of Pennsylvania

West Chester

For Creative Writing

#263 in the United States

#300 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Average SAT: 1170
Average ACT: 27
Receiving Aid: 86%

16. Bucknell University

Lewisburg

For Creative Writing

#264 in the United States

#301 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Average SAT: 1390
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $39,965

17. Franklin and Marshall College

Lancaster

For Creative Writing

#271 in the United States

#308 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 36%
Average SAT: 1375
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $31,135

18. Lafayette College

Easton

For Creative Writing

#295 in the United States

#333 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Average SAT: 1405
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $37,186

19. Dickinson College

Carlisle

For Creative Writing

#307 in the United States

#345 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Net Price: $37,610
Receiving Aid: 94%
Average Aid: $39,554

20. Saint Joseph's University

Philadelphia

For Creative Writing

#351 in the United States

#391 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Average SAT: 1240
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $33,777

21. Thomas Jefferson University

Philadelphia

For Creative Writing

#366 in the United States

#408 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Average SAT: 1240
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $28,110

22. Gettysburg College

Gettysburg

For Creative Writing

#396 in the United States

#443 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 56%
Average SAT: 1395
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $33,882

23. Widener University

Chester

For Creative Writing

#404 in the United States

#451 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Average SAT: 1198
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $32,185

Closest to Pennsylvania states to learn Creative Writing

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Maryland	11	23
District of Columbia	5	44
New Jersey	12	25
New York	47	1
Connecticut	10	6
Virginia	12	20
Ohio	15	8
Massachusetts	25	17
Rhode Island	4	97
New Hampshire	4	118
North Carolina	15	22
Indiana	10	37
Kentucky	4	72
Michigan	11	2
South Carolina	4	107
Maine	6	155
Tennessee	7	42
Illinois	14	11
Georgia	10	21
Wisconsin	7	12
Alabama	4	82
Iowa	4	49
Missouri	6	52
Mississippi	3	177
Minnesota	9	34
Arkansas	4	115
Florida	11	27
Louisiana	5	91
Kansas	3	51
South Dakota	3	324
Nebraska	3	53
Oklahoma	3	76
North Dakota	2	243
Texas	26	3
Colorado	7	62
Utah	3	47
Idaho	3	178
Arizona	3	15
Washington	7	19
Oregon	7	96
California	41	4

Closest to Pennsylvania states to learn Creative Writing

Art & Design subfields in Pennsylvania