24 Best Public Policy / Administration schools 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 Public Policy / Administration. A graph of 283K citations received by 11K academic papers made by 24 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. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia

For Public Policy / Administration

#8 in the United States

#9 in North America

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

2. Pennsylvania State University

University Park

For Public Policy / Administration

#21 in the United States

#22 in North America

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

3. University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh

For Public Policy / Administration

#33 in the United States

#35 in North America

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

4. Temple University

Philadelphia

For Public Policy / Administration

#73 in the United States

#86 in North America

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

5. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh

For Public Policy / Administration

#107 in the United States

#124 in North America

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

6. Drexel University

Philadelphia

For Public Policy / Administration

#156 in the United States

#179 in North America

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

7. California University of Pennsylvania

California

For Public Policy / Administration

#159 in the United States

#182 in North America

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

8. Villanova University

Villanova

For Public Policy / Administration

#167 in the United States

#191 in North America

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

9. Lehigh University

Bethlehem

For Public Policy / Administration

#258 in the United States

#288 in North America

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

10. Bucknell University

Lewisburg

For Public Policy / Administration

#260 in the United States

#290 in North America

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

11. Widener University

Chester

For Public Policy / Administration

#274 in the United States

#306 in North America

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

12. Lafayette College

Easton

For Public Policy / Administration

#309 in the United States

#345 in North America

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

13. West Chester University of Pennsylvania

West Chester

For Public Policy / Administration

#322 in the United States

#359 in North America

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

14. Duquesne University

Pittsburgh

For Public Policy / Administration

#323 in the United States

#360 in North America

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

15. Bryn Mawr College

Bryn Mawr

For Public Policy / Administration

#325 in the United States

#362 in North America

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

16. Dickinson College

Carlisle

For Public Policy / Administration

#342 in the United States

#379 in North America

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

17. Franklin and Marshall College

Lancaster

For Public Policy / Administration

#352 in the United States

#390 in North America

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

18. University of Scranton

Scranton

For Public Policy / Administration

#355 in the United States

#393 in North America

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

19. Swarthmore College

Swarthmore

For Public Policy / Administration

#358 in the United States

#396 in North America

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

20. Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Indiana

For Public Policy / Administration

#360 in the United States

#399 in North America

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

21. Gettysburg College

Gettysburg

For Public Policy / Administration

#390 in the United States

#430 in North America

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

22. Thomas Jefferson University

Philadelphia

For Public Policy / Administration

#395 in the United States

#436 in North America

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

23. Haverford College

Haverford

For Public Policy / Administration

#416 in the United States

#458 in North America

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

24. Elizabethtown College

Elizabethtown

For Public Policy / Administration

#439 in the United States

#485 in North America

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

Closest to Pennsylvania states to learn Public Policy / Administration

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Maryland	11	11
District of Columbia	6	23
New Jersey	11	24
New York	52	6
Connecticut	9	2
Virginia	15	31
Ohio	17	18
Massachusetts	26	3
Rhode Island	4	108
New Hampshire	3	80
North Carolina	15	9
Indiana	10	38
Kentucky	6	60
Michigan	9	4
South Carolina	8	10
Maine	6	203
Tennessee	11	45
Illinois	20	12
Georgia	13	47
Wisconsin	10	17
Alabama	8	130
Iowa	5	59
Missouri	6	16
Mississippi	5	179
Minnesota	10	28
Arkansas	6	118
Florida	15	32
Louisiana	6	98
Kansas	5	56
South Dakota	3	318
Nebraska	4	79
Oklahoma	4	76
North Dakota	2	229
Texas	28	41
Colorado	9	58
Utah	4	66
Idaho	3	163
Arizona	3	20
Washington	6	7
Oregon	7	102
California	48	1