61 Best colleges for Literature 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 Literature. A graph of 625K citations received by 36.6K academic papers made by 61 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 Literature

#14 in the United States

#15 in North America

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

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia

For Literature

#19 in the United States

#22 in North America

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

3. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh

For Literature

#32 in the United States

#36 in North America

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

4. University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh

For Literature

#35 in the United States

#39 in North America

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

5. Temple University

Philadelphia

For Literature

#66 in the United States

#77 in North America

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

6. California University of Pennsylvania

California

For Literature

#81 in the United States

#95 in North America

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

7. Drexel University

Philadelphia

For Literature

#122 in the United States

#143 in North America

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

8. Lehigh University

Bethlehem

For Literature

#163 in the United States

#189 in North America

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

9. Villanova University

Villanova

For Literature

#171 in the United States

#198 in North America

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

10. Swarthmore College

Swarthmore

For Literature

#187 in the United States

#216 in North America

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

11. Duquesne University

Pittsburgh

For Literature

#239 in the United States

#271 in North America

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

12. Bucknell University

Lewisburg

For Literature

#250 in the United States

#284 in North America

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

13. Bryn Mawr College

Bryn Mawr

For Literature

#257 in the United States

#292 in North America

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

14. Haverford College

Haverford

For Literature

#274 in the United States

#310 in North America

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

15. Franklin and Marshall College

Lancaster

For Literature

#317 in the United States

#354 in North America

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

16. Thomas Jefferson University

Philadelphia

For Literature

#322 in the United States

#359 in North America

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

17. Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Indiana

For Literature

#328 in the United States

#365 in North America

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

18. West Chester University of Pennsylvania

West Chester

For Literature

#345 in the United States

#383 in North America

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

19. Lafayette College

Easton

For Literature

#349 in the United States

#388 in North America

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

20. University of Scranton

Scranton

For Literature

#376 in the United States

#416 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Average SAT: 1235
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $35,526

21. Saint Joseph's University

Philadelphia

For Literature

#379 in the United States

#420 in North America

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

22. Pennsylvania State University - College of Medicine

Hershey

For Literature

#392 in the United States

#434 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1967

23. Dickinson College

Carlisle

For Literature

#406 in the United States

#450 in North America

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

24. Gettysburg College

Gettysburg

For Literature

#408 in the United States

#452 in North America

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

25. Thiel College

Greenville

For Literature

#426 in the United States

#472 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Net Price: $22,732
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $27,563

26. Allegheny College

Meadville

For Literature

#435 in the United States

#481 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Average SAT: 1243
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $26,719

27. Muhlenberg College

Allentown

For Literature

#457 in the United States

#505 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Average SAT: 1300
Average ACT: 31
Net Price: $32,926

28. Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania

Bloomsburg

For Literature

#473 in the United States

#523 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Receiving Aid: 89%
Average Aid: $6,347
Enrollment: 7,500

29. Mansfield University of Pennsylvania

Mansfield

For Literature

#477 in the United States

#527 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $8,863
Enrollment: 1,784

30. Biblical Theological Seminary

Hatfield

For Literature

#485 in the United States

#535 in North America

Enrollment: 160
Male:Female: 50:50

31. Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

Kutztown

For Literature

#530 in the United States

#582 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Average SAT: 1150
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $7,563

32. Widener University

Chester

For Literature

#531 in the United States

#583 in North America

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

33. King's College - Pennsylvania

Wilkes-Barre

For Literature

#563 in the United States

#618 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Average SAT: 1165
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $25,869

34. York College of Pennsylvania

York

For Literature

#572 in the United States

#628 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Average SAT: 1125
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $20,916

35. La Salle University

Philadelphia

For Literature

#585 in the United States

#641 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Average SAT: 1159
Net Price: $17,552
Receiving Aid: 100%

36. Ursinus College

Collegeville

For Literature

#621 in the United States

#679 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Average SAT: 1280
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $33,546

37. Arcadia University

Glenside

For Literature

#626 in the United States

#684 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Average SAT: 1204
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $29,692

38. Millersville University of Pennsylvania

Millersville

For Literature

#646 in the United States

#705 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 92%
Average SAT: 1155
Receiving Aid: 91%
Average Aid: $5,902

39. Gannon University

Erie

For Literature

#658 in the United States

#717 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Net Price: $22,200
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $26,172

40. Elizabethtown College

Elizabethtown

For Literature

#680 in the United States

#740 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Average SAT: 1175
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $26,723

41. Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

Slippery Rock

For Literature

#684 in the United States

#744 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Average SAT: 1060
Average ACT: 22
Receiving Aid: 98%

42. Moravian College

Bethlehem

For Literature

#730 in the United States

#793 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Average SAT: 1157
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $31,168

43. Chestnut Hill College

Philadelphia

For Literature

#742 in the United States

#806 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 98%
Net Price: $25,357
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $29,288

44. Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania

Shippensburg

For Literature

#757 in the United States

#821 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Average SAT: 1095
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $7,593

45. Pittsburgh Theological Seminary

Pittsburgh

For Literature

#762 in the United States

#827 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Enrollment: 223
Male:Female: 54:46

46. University of the Arts in Pennsylvania

Philadelphia

For Literature

#764 in the United States

#829 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Net Price: $42,467
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $25,460

47. Albright College

Reading

For Literature

#767 in the United States

#832 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 85%
Net Price: $21,496
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $21,420

48. Eastern University

Saint Davids

For Literature

#770 in the United States

#835 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Net Price: $26,669
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $25,542

49. Westminster College

New Wilmington

For Literature

#774 in the United States

#839 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Net Price: $22,645
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $30,252

50. Washington & Jefferson College

Washington

For Literature

#777 in the United States

#842 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Average SAT: 1130
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $25,636

51. East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania

East Stroudsburg

For Literature

#791 in the United States

#856 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Average SAT: 1050
Average ACT: 22
Receiving Aid: 95%

52. Robert Morris University

Moon Township

For Literature

#825 in the United States

#891 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Net Price: $23,572
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $24,512

53. Lycoming College

Williamsport

For Literature

#829 in the United States

#895 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Average SAT: 1146
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $19,697

54. Susquehanna University

Selinsgrove

For Literature

#832 in the United States

#898 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Average SAT: 1184
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $28,605

55. Messiah College

Mechanicsburg

For Literature

#844 in the United States

#911 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Average SAT: 1215
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $24,120

56. University of the Sciences

Philadelphia

For Literature

#867 in the United States

#936 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Net Price: $29,948
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $14,493

57. Lock Haven University

Lock Haven

For Literature

#873 in the United States

#942 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $4,862
Founded: 1870

58. Wilkes University

Wilkes-Barre

For Literature

#875 in the United States

#944 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Average SAT: 1160
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $27,918

59. Chatham University

Pittsburgh

For Literature

#907 in the United States

#976 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Average SAT: 1165
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $28,322

60. Lincoln University

Lincoln University

For Literature

#916 in the United States

#985 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Average SAT: 940
Average ACT: 18
Receiving Aid: 99%

61. Clarion University of Pennsylvania

Clarion

For Literature

#922 in the United States

#991 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $8,127
Enrollment: 3,070

Closest to Pennsylvania states to learn Literature

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Maryland	20	20
District of Columbia	9	60
New Jersey	20	18
New York	94	2
Connecticut	15	9
Virginia	32	23
Ohio	37	11
Massachusetts	48	5
Rhode Island	7	71
Vermont	5	149
New Hampshire	8	98
North Carolina	28	27
Indiana	22	42
Kentucky	14	75
Michigan	24	4
South Carolina	13	68
Maine	7	179
Tennessee	18	46
Illinois	45	10
Georgia	26	38
Wisconsin	19	13
Alabama	14	97
Iowa	11	37
Missouri	18	48
Mississippi	7	178
Minnesota	21	21
Arkansas	9	116
Florida	29	34
Louisiana	15	52
Kansas	8	61
South Dakota	5	359
Nebraska	6	79
Oklahoma	6	94
North Dakota	3	220
Texas	54	7
Colorado	15	47
New Mexico	4	103
Puerto Rico	2	525
Utah	6	56
Idaho	3	248
Arizona	5	24
Washington	17	12
Oregon	12	41
California	83	1
Hawaii	4	133

Closest to Pennsylvania states to learn Literature

Art & Design subfields in Pennsylvania