53 Best colleges for Cognitive Science 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 Cognitive Science. A graph of 3.51M citations received by 62.8K academic papers made by 53 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. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh

For Cognitive Science

#7 in the United States

#8 in North America

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

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia

For Cognitive Science

#14 in the United States

#15 in North America

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

3. University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh

For Cognitive Science

#19 in the United States

#22 in North America

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

4. Pennsylvania State University

University Park

For Cognitive Science

#41 in the United States

#45 in North America

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

5. Temple University

Philadelphia

For Cognitive Science

#61 in the United States

#73 in North America

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

6. Drexel University

Philadelphia

For Cognitive Science

#104 in the United States

#121 in North America

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

7. California University of Pennsylvania

California

For Cognitive Science

#153 in the United States

#179 in North America

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

8. Lehigh University

Bethlehem

For Cognitive Science

#166 in the United States

#193 in North America

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

9. Villanova University

Villanova

For Cognitive Science

#187 in the United States

#219 in North America

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

10. Thomas Jefferson University

Philadelphia

For Cognitive Science

#223 in the United States

#256 in North America

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

11. Swarthmore College

Swarthmore

For Cognitive Science

#241 in the United States

#275 in North America

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

12. Franklin and Marshall College

Lancaster

For Cognitive Science

#247 in the United States

#281 in North America

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

13. Pennsylvania State University - College of Medicine

Hershey

For Cognitive Science

#267 in the United States

#303 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1967

14. Bucknell University

Lewisburg

For Cognitive Science

#272 in the United States

#308 in North America

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

15. Haverford College

Haverford

For Cognitive Science

#279 in the United States

#315 in North America

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

16. Duquesne University

Pittsburgh

For Cognitive Science

#285 in the United States

#321 in North America

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

17. Bryn Mawr College

Bryn Mawr

For Cognitive Science

#312 in the United States

#351 in North America

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

18. York College of Pennsylvania

York

For Cognitive Science

#321 in the United States

#360 in North America

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

19. Gettysburg College

Gettysburg

For Cognitive Science

#342 in the United States

#382 in North America

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

20. Lafayette College

Easton

For Cognitive Science

#350 in the United States

#392 in North America

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

21. Allegheny College

Meadville

For Cognitive Science

#373 in the United States

#415 in North America

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

22. La Roche College

Pittsburgh

For Cognitive Science

#393 in the United States

#438 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Average SAT: 1070
Average ACT: 19
Net Price: $24,108

23. Geneva College

Beaver Falls

For Cognitive Science

#413 in the United States

#458 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $23,528
Receiving Aid: 97%
Average Aid: $21,913

24. Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Indiana

For Cognitive Science

#457 in the United States

#507 in North America

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

25. King's College - Pennsylvania

Wilkes-Barre

For Cognitive Science

#458 in the United States

#508 in North America

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

26. University of the Sciences

Philadelphia

For Cognitive Science

#466 in the United States

#517 in North America

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

27. Elizabethtown College

Elizabethtown

For Cognitive Science

#484 in the United States

#535 in North America

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

28. West Chester University of Pennsylvania

West Chester

For Cognitive Science

#485 in the United States

#536 in North America

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

29. University of Scranton

Scranton

For Cognitive Science

#489 in the United States

#540 in North America

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

30. Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

Slippery Rock

For Cognitive Science

#491 in the United States

#542 in North America

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

31. La Salle University

Philadelphia

For Cognitive Science

#513 in the United States

#564 in North America

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

32. Widener University

Chester

For Cognitive Science

#533 in the United States

#584 in North America

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

33. Chestnut Hill College

Philadelphia

For Cognitive Science

#542 in the United States

#593 in North America

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

34. Mansfield University of Pennsylvania

Mansfield

For Cognitive Science

#550 in the United States

#604 in North America

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

35. Saint Joseph's University

Philadelphia

For Cognitive Science

#555 in the United States

#609 in North America

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

36. Washington & Jefferson College

Washington

For Cognitive Science

#603 in the United States

#661 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Net Price: $22,702
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $20,152

37. Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania

Bloomsburg

For Cognitive Science

#618 in the United States

#677 in North America

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

38. Susquehanna University

Selinsgrove

For Cognitive Science

#622 in the United States

#681 in North America

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

39. Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine

Philadelphia

For Cognitive Science

#632 in the United States

#693 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Enrollment: 2,901
Male:Female: 36:64

40. Wilkes University

Wilkes-Barre

For Cognitive Science

#655 in the United States

#716 in North America

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

41. Muhlenberg College

Allentown

For Cognitive Science

#659 in the United States

#720 in North America

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

42. Arcadia University

Glenside

For Cognitive Science

#664 in the United States

#725 in North America

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

43. Ursinus College

Collegeville

For Cognitive Science

#698 in the United States

#759 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 92%
Average SAT: 1293
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $32,158

44. Salus University

Elkins Park

For Cognitive Science

#707 in the United States

#768 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Enrollment: 1,106
Male:Female: 20:80
Founded: 1919

45. Millersville University of Pennsylvania

Millersville

For Cognitive Science

#708 in the United States

#769 in North America

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

46. Clarion University of Pennsylvania

Clarion

For Cognitive Science

#709 in the United States

#770 in North America

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

47. Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

Kutztown

For Cognitive Science

#717 in the United States

#779 in North America

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

48. Marywood University

Scranton

For Cognitive Science

#731 in the United States

#793 in North America

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

49. Dickinson College

Carlisle

For Cognitive Science

#733 in the United States

#795 in North America

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

50. Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania

Shippensburg

For Cognitive Science

#744 in the United States

#806 in North America

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

51. Harrisburg University of Science and Technology

Harrisburg

For Cognitive Science

#753 in the United States

#815 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Net Price: $15,984
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $19,706

52. Gannon University

Erie

For Cognitive Science

#756 in the United States

#818 in North America

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

53. Chatham University

Pittsburgh

For Cognitive Science

#777 in the United States

#839 in North America

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

Closest to Pennsylvania states to learn Cognitive Science

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Maryland	19	12
District of Columbia	8	74
New Jersey	19	17
New York	82	8
West Virginia	3	106
Connecticut	14	10
Virginia	21	49
Ohio	32	26
Massachusetts	45	2
Rhode Island	5	50
Vermont	3	130
New Hampshire	5	54
North Carolina	19	27
Indiana	16	35
Kentucky	9	71
Michigan	20	4
South Carolina	11	94
Maine	6	254
Tennessee	15	40
Illinois	30	9
Georgia	19	38
Wisconsin	17	23
Alabama	11	115
Iowa	7	34
Missouri	13	20
Mississippi	7	144
Minnesota	17	31
Arkansas	7	160
Florida	28	29
Louisiana	12	93
Kansas	8	66
South Dakota	4	331
Nebraska	6	109
Oklahoma	8	125
North Dakota	3	149
Texas	46	22
Colorado	12	53
New Mexico	4	97
Puerto Rico	6	377
Utah	7	58
Idaho	3	278
Arizona	4	44
Washington	13	11
Oregon	13	55
California	76	1

Psychology subfields in Pennsylvania

Child Psychology65

Clinical Psychology55

Education Majors76

Negotiation and Conflict Resolution10

Neuroscience75

Occupational Therapy15

Organizational / Business / IO Psychology9