54 Best colleges for Communications and Public Relations 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 Communications and Public Relations. A graph of 1.05M citations received by 29K academic papers made by 54 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.

1. Pennsylvania State University

University Park

For Communications and Public Relations

#2 in the United States

#3 in North America

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

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia

For Communications and Public Relations

#7 in the United States

#8 in North America

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

3. University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh

For Communications and Public Relations

#33 in the United States

#38 in North America

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

4. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh

For Communications and Public Relations

#57 in the United States

#67 in North America

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

5. Temple University

Philadelphia

For Communications and Public Relations

#60 in the United States

#70 in North America

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

6. Drexel University

Philadelphia

For Communications and Public Relations

#107 in the United States

#125 in North America

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

7. California University of Pennsylvania

California

For Communications and Public Relations

#149 in the United States

#175 in North America

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

8. Villanova University

Villanova

For Communications and Public Relations

#171 in the United States

#199 in North America

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

9. Duquesne University

Pittsburgh

For Communications and Public Relations

#198 in the United States

#227 in North America

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

10. Pennsylvania State University - Penn State Harrisburg

Middletown

For Communications and Public Relations

#205 in the United States

#234 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 98%
Average SAT: 1215
Average ACT: 27
Receiving Aid: 72%

11. Lehigh University

Bethlehem

For Communications and Public Relations

#227 in the United States

#260 in North America

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

12. Saint Joseph's University

Philadelphia

For Communications and Public Relations

#294 in the United States

#330 in North America

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

13. Thomas Jefferson University

Philadelphia

For Communications and Public Relations

#299 in the United States

#335 in North America

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

14. Bucknell University

Lewisburg

For Communications and Public Relations

#317 in the United States

#355 in North America

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

15. Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Indiana

For Communications and Public Relations

#320 in the United States

#358 in North America

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

16. West Chester University of Pennsylvania

West Chester

For Communications and Public Relations

#327 in the United States

#365 in North America

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

17. Widener University

Chester

For Communications and Public Relations

#364 in the United States

#405 in North America

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

18. Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania

Bloomsburg

For Communications and Public Relations

#379 in the United States

#422 in North America

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

19. Pennsylvania State University - College of Medicine

Hershey

For Communications and Public Relations

#387 in the United States

#432 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1967

20. Bryn Mawr College

Bryn Mawr

For Communications and Public Relations

#390 in the United States

#435 in North America

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

21. Gettysburg College

Gettysburg

For Communications and Public Relations

#402 in the United States

#448 in North America

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

22. Robert Morris University

Moon Township

For Communications and Public Relations

#416 in the United States

#464 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Net Price: $23,933
Receiving Aid: 92%
Average Aid: $27,629

23. University of Scranton

Scranton

For Communications and Public Relations

#417 in the United States

#465 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Average SAT: 1239
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $34,234

24. La Salle University

Philadelphia

For Communications and Public Relations

#425 in the United States

#474 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 97%
Net Price: $18,069
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $30,880

25. Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania

Shippensburg

For Communications and Public Relations

#457 in the United States

#506 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average ACT: 22
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $6,756

26. Franklin and Marshall College

Lancaster

For Communications and Public Relations

#483 in the United States

#532 in North America

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

27. Swarthmore College

Swarthmore

For Communications and Public Relations

#494 in the United States

#543 in North America

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

28. Eastern University

Saint Davids

For Communications and Public Relations

#550 in the United States

#603 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Net Price: $27,422
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $26,838

29. Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

Slippery Rock

For Communications and Public Relations

#575 in the United States

#629 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Average SAT: 1085
Average ACT: 22
Receiving Aid: 96%

30. Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

Kutztown

For Communications and Public Relations

#583 in the United States

#638 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Average SAT: 1215
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $7,420

31. Lafayette College

Easton

For Communications and Public Relations

#587 in the United States

#642 in North America

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

32. Muhlenberg College

Allentown

For Communications and Public Relations

#603 in the United States

#659 in North America

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

33. Haverford College

Haverford

For Communications and Public Relations

#621 in the United States

#678 in North America

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

34. Dickinson College

Carlisle

For Communications and Public Relations

#624 in the United States

#681 in North America

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

35. King's College - Pennsylvania

Wilkes-Barre

For Communications and Public Relations

#630 in the United States

#689 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Average SAT: 1170
Net Price: $23,689
Receiving Aid: 100%

36. American College of Financial Services

Bryn Mawr

For Communications and Public Relations

#658 in the United States

#720 in North America

Enrollment: 5,514
Male:Female: 72:28
Founded: 1927

37. Allegheny College

Meadville

For Communications and Public Relations

#672 in the United States

#734 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Average SAT: 1266
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $26,420

38. Chestnut Hill College

Philadelphia

For Communications and Public Relations

#675 in the United States

#737 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Net Price: $28,588
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $29,590

39. East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania

East Stroudsburg

For Communications and Public Relations

#685 in the United States

#747 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 92%
Average SAT: 1090
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 97%

40. Lincoln University

Lincoln University

For Communications and Public Relations

#698 in the United States

#760 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Average SAT: 890
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $13,750

41. Clarion University of Pennsylvania

Clarion

For Communications and Public Relations

#704 in the United States

#767 in North America

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

42. Wilkes University

Wilkes-Barre

For Communications and Public Relations

#705 in the United States

#768 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Average SAT: 1135
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $28,511

43. Millersville University of Pennsylvania

Millersville

For Communications and Public Relations

#719 in the United States

#783 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Average SAT: 1115
Receiving Aid: 93%
Average Aid: $6,143

44. Elizabethtown College

Elizabethtown

For Communications and Public Relations

#726 in the United States

#790 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Average SAT: 1208
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $27,760

45. Mansfield University of Pennsylvania

Mansfield

For Communications and Public Relations

#743 in the United States

#807 in North America

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

46. University of the Sciences

Philadelphia

For Communications and Public Relations

#745 in the United States

#809 in North America

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

47. York College of Pennsylvania

York

For Communications and Public Relations

#751 in the United States

#815 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Average SAT: 1145
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $20,096

48. Arcadia University

Glenside

For Communications and Public Relations

#752 in the United States

#816 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Average SAT: 1165
Net Price: $30,037
Receiving Aid: 99%

49. Chatham University

Pittsburgh

For Communications and Public Relations

#754 in the United States

#818 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 62%
Average SAT: 1183
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $31,280

50. Edinboro University of Pennsylvania

Edinboro

For Communications and Public Relations

#762 in the United States

#826 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Receiving Aid: 96%
Average Aid: $5,524
Enrollment: 4,319

51. Susquehanna University

Selinsgrove

For Communications and Public Relations

#767 in the United States

#831 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Average SAT: 1200
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $26,444

52. Gannon University

Erie

For Communications and Public Relations

#771 in the United States

#835 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Net Price: $23,123
Receiving Aid: 85%
Average Aid: $29,799

53. Marywood University

Scranton

For Communications and Public Relations

#803 in the United States

#870 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 61%
Average SAT: 1155
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $26,217

54. Cabrini University

Radnor

For Communications and Public Relations

#833 in the United States

#901 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Net Price: $24,733
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $24,025

Closest to Pennsylvania states to learn Communications and Public Relations

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Maryland	16	12
District of Columbia	8	30
New Jersey	17	17
New York	82	11
West Virginia	4	97
Connecticut	16	28
Virginia	23	23
Ohio	30	16
Massachusetts	41	4
Rhode Island	7	166
Vermont	4	137
New Hampshire	6	95
North Carolina	21	20
Indiana	17	27
Kentucky	11	51
Michigan	18	1
South Carolina	12	43
Maine	6	218
Tennessee	21	49
Illinois	30	19
Georgia	26	26
Wisconsin	14	14
Alabama	12	81
Iowa	7	46
Missouri	17	52
Mississippi	7	142
Minnesota	20	9
Arkansas	7	124
Florida	29	21
Louisiana	17	93
Kansas	8	65
South Dakota	3	301
Nebraska	7	54
Oklahoma	8	59
North Dakota	2	210
Texas	53	22
Colorado	14	68
Puerto Rico	4	792
Utah	7	71
Idaho	3	196
Arizona	6	5
Washington	16	3
Oregon	12	91
California	78	6
Hawaii	4	129