24 Best Public Policy / Administration schools in Pennsylvania

Updated: March 02, 2025

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 268K citations received by 10.7K 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

#7 in the United States

#8 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 6%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $26,017

2. Pennsylvania State University

University Park

For Public Policy / Administration

#20 in the United States

#21 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Average SAT: 1310
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 66%

3. University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh

For Public Policy / Administration

#31 in the United States

#33 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Average SAT: 1360
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 87%

4. Temple University

Philadelphia

For Public Policy / Administration

#72 in the United States

#85 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Receiving Aid: 94%
Average Aid: $11,891
Enrollment: 30,205

5. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh

For Public Policy / Administration

#101 in the United States

#118 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $32,964

6. California University of Pennsylvania

California

For Public Policy / Administration

#158 in the United States

#181 in North America

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

7. Drexel University

Philadelphia

For Public Policy / Administration

#164 in the United States

#188 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Average SAT: 1330
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $42,342

8. Villanova University

Villanova

For Public Policy / Administration

#168 in the United States

#193 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Average SAT: 1455
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $37,946

9. Lehigh University

Bethlehem

For Public Policy / Administration

#257 in the United States

#287 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 29%
Average SAT: 1420
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $33,289

10. Bucknell University

Lewisburg

For Public Policy / Administration

#262 in the United States

#292 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 32%
Average SAT: 1375
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $38,486

11. Widener University

Chester

For Public Policy / Administration

#272 in the United States

#304 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Average SAT: 1155
Net Price: $30,720
Receiving Aid: 100%

12. Lafayette College

Easton

For Public Policy / Administration

#308 in the United States

#344 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Average SAT: 1415
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $34,728

13. Duquesne University

Pittsburgh

For Public Policy / Administration

#321 in the United States

#358 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Average SAT: 1255
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $35,125

14. West Chester University of Pennsylvania

West Chester

For Public Policy / Administration

#323 in the United States

#360 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Average SAT: 1185
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 88%

15. Bryn Mawr College

Bryn Mawr

For Public Policy / Administration

#325 in the United States

#362 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Average SAT: 1385
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $39,383

16. Dickinson College

Carlisle

For Public Policy / Administration

#344 in the United States

#381 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 43%
Net Price: $40,242
Receiving Aid: 95%
Average Aid: $40,209

17. Swarthmore College

Swarthmore

For Public Policy / Administration

#352 in the United States

#389 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1510
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $17,930

18. Franklin and Marshall College

Lancaster

For Public Policy / Administration

#357 in the United States

#395 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 32%
Average SAT: 1379
Average ACT: 31
Net Price: $37,475

19. Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Indiana

For Public Policy / Administration

#358 in the United States

#396 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Average SAT: 1055
Average ACT: 21
Receiving Aid: 99%

20. University of Scranton

Scranton

For Public Policy / Administration

#365 in the United States

#404 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Average SAT: 1235
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $32,100

21. Gettysburg College

Gettysburg

For Public Policy / Administration

#390 in the United States

#430 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 48%
Average SAT: 1350
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $35,729

22. Thomas Jefferson University

Philadelphia

For Public Policy / Administration

#400 in the United States

#441 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Average SAT: 1250
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $29,097

23. Haverford College

Haverford

For Public Policy / Administration

#412 in the United States

#454 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Average SAT: 1485
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $22,828

24. Elizabethtown College

Elizabethtown

For Public Policy / Administration

#438 in the United States

#482 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Average SAT: 1185
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $27,019

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	22
New Jersey	10	23
New York	52	5
Connecticut	8	2
Virginia	15	32
Ohio	17	17
Massachusetts	26	3
Rhode Island	4	108
New Hampshire	3	80
North Carolina	15	8
Indiana	10	38
Kentucky	6	60
Michigan	9	4
South Carolina	8	10
Maine	6	203
Tennessee	11	45
Illinois	19	12
Georgia	13	47
Wisconsin	10	18
Alabama	8	131
Iowa	4	58
Missouri	6	16
Mississippi	5	177
Minnesota	10	28
Arkansas	6	118
Florida	15	33
Louisiana	6	99
Kansas	5	54
South Dakota	3	317
Nebraska	4	79
Oklahoma	4	77
North Dakota	2	236
Texas	27	42
Colorado	9	59
Utah	4	66
Idaho	3	169
Arizona	3	25
Washington	6	9
Oregon	7	111
California	47	1