The state of Pennsylvania is well-known for its industrial and agricultural sectors, as a famous producer of steel, coal, and railroads, as well as agricultural produce like mushrooms.
Pennsylvania also boasts some of the best universities not only in the country but in the world, including the University of Pennsylvania and Carnegie Mellon University, making this a great place to earn your doctorate.
Best PhD Programs in Pennsylvania
- The University of Pennsylvania
- Carnegie Mellon University
- Villanova University
- Lehigh University
- The University of Pittsburgh
- Bryn Mawr College
- The Pennsylvania State University
- Thomas Jefferson University
- Chatham University
- Gratz College
Featured Programs
|
University |
Program |
Acceptance Rate |
| The University of Pennsylvania | PhD Cancer Biology | 6% |
| Carnegie Mellon University | PhD in Computer Science | 14% |
| Villanova University | PhD in Nursing | 25% |
| Lehigh University | PhD in Business and Economics | 46% |
| The University of Pittsburgh | PhD: Critical & Cultural Studies | 67% |
The University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a world-renowned private research university that is home to a number of medical and health science schools, including the Perelman School of Medicine, the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, and the Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute. This PhD in PA aims to equip students with the hypothesis-based research skills necessary to define and investigate the causes and hallmarks of cancer.
- Courses include: Concepts in cancer biology, the tumor microenvironment, the cell cycle, and genome integrity, and cancer.
- Duration: 4+ years
- Tuition: $39,838
- Financial aid: Grants, scholarships, work-study, and loans.
- Delivery: On-campus
- Acceptance rate: 6%
- Location: Philadelphia, PA
Carnegie Mellon University, School of Computer Science
Carnegie Mellon University is one of the world’s most famous private institutions. Its eminent faculty conduct specialist research in various fields of computer science, such as Artificial Intelligence, programming languages, security, and systems. This is one of the rare PhD programs in PA with a dual PhD option: you can choose to study in collaboration with the Information and Communication Technologies Institute in Portugal.
- Courses include: Advanced algorithms, probabilistic combinatorics, and advanced integer programming.
- Credits: 72 units
- Duration: 5 years
- Tuition: Full funding for all admitted students
- Financial aid: Fellowships
- Delivery: On-campus
- Acceptance rate: 14%
- Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Villanova University, M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing
Villanova University is a private institution that follows the Augustinian intellectual tradition and works collaboratively with a range of educational institutions as well as global organizations. This nursing doctoral program in Pennsylvania follows a teacher-scholar model to mold competent nurse scientists and educators.
- Courses include: Advocacy, policy & ethics in healthcare, curriculum design in nursing education, and psychometrics & measurement.
- Credits: 46
- Tuition: $1,450 per credit
- Financial aid: Scholarships, grants, veteran benefits, and loans.
- Delivery: Distance learning plus on-campus summer sessions
- Acceptance rate: 25%
- Location: Villanova, PA
Lehigh University, College of Business
Lehigh University’s College of Business is a world-renowned private college that offers business education with an emphasis on advanced concepts of disruptive technologies and data analytics. This PA doctoral program gives you the option to specialize in one of a range of diverse fields, such as health economics, empirical macroeconomics, applied econometrics, and labor economics.
- Courses include: Advanced microeconomic analysis, econometrics, and labor economics.
- Duration: 4-5 years
- Tuition: $1,235 per credit hour
- Financial aid: Fellowships, teaching assistantships, research assistantships, and loans.
- Delivery: On-campus
- Acceptance rate: 46%
- Location: Bethlehem, PA
The University of Pittsburgh, Dietrich School of Arts & Sciences
PhD Critical & Cultural Studies
The University of Pittsburgh’s Department of English offers a highly creative atmosphere for research and teaching, with award-winning faculty engaged in collaborative research across the globe. This interdisciplinary program is offered by the department of English Studies, and students can choose between concentrations in literature, composition, and film.
- Courses include: Medieval and renaissance studies, children’s literature and childhood studies, and media and material practices.
- Duration: 5-6 years
- Tuition: Full funding to all students subject to performance
- Financial aid: Fellowships, teaching assistantships, and grants.
- Delivery: On-campus
- Acceptance rate: 67%
- Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Bryn Mawr College, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
PhD Program in Classical and Near Eastern Archaeology
Bryn Mawr College’s Department of Classical and Near Eastern Archaeology is home to the award-winning Rhys Carpenter art and archeology library, with excellent research opportunities around Mediterranean and Near-Eastern culture and history. This PA PhD program prepares students for careers in research, academia, and publishing, as well as to work with institutions such as museums and foundations.
- Courses include: History and memory, Greek tragedy in performance, and war and peace in the ancient world.
- Duration: 4 years
- Tuition: $50,730
- Financial aid: Scholarships, assistantships, fellowships, and loans.
- Delivery: On-campus
- Acceptance rate: 39.3%
- Location: Bryn Mawr, PA
The Pennsylvania State University
Agricultural and Environmental Plant Science
Penn State is a globally-recognized public university that spends $1 billion annually on research and has 740,000 alumni around the world. This PhD program focuses on modern environmental and plant science issues, such as the production of agronomic and horticultural crops, the soil-plant-animal complex, and food quality.
- Courses include: Current issues in agricultural innovation, effective scientific communications, and professional development for plant sciences.
- Credits: 17
- Tuition: Refer to tuition page
- Financial aid: Assistantships, fellowships, scholarships, traineeship, employment, and loans.
- Delivery: On-campus
- Acceptance rate: 51%
- Location: University Park, PA
Thomas Jefferson University, College of Health Professions
Doctor of Health Science (DHSc)
Thomas Jefferson University is a distinguished private university that has an experiential and collaborative approach to education to create professionals capable of meeting the current and future demands of the industry. This is one of the many online PhD programs Pennsylvania offers to professionals aspiring to become leaders in healthcare practice, policy, and education.
- Courses include: Health systems science, healthcare law and ethics, and introduction to health policy.
- Credits: 43
- Duration: 3-4 years
- Tuition: $1,010 per credit
- Financial aid: Grants, scholarships, and loans.
- Delivery: Online
- Acceptance rate: 63.9%
- Location: Philadelphia, PA
Chatham University, School of Health Sciences
Doctorate in Occupational Therapy, Post-Professional (PPOTD)
Chatham University is a private institution based in Pittsburgh and is a leader in sustainability and environmental education. This online PhD program requires zero campus attendance and aims to train occupational therapy professionals to become leaders in healthcare, advocacy, and academia.
- Courses include: Advanced practice concepts and skills, occupational therapist as entrepreneur, and leadership and professionalism.
- Credits: 30
- Duration: 16 months
- Tuition: $1,081 per credit
- Financial aid: Scholarships, grants, graduate assistantships, fellowships, tuition discounts, employment opportunities, military & veteran benefits, and loans.
- Delivery: Online
- Acceptance rate: 73%
- Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Gratz College
Doctorate of Education in Leadership
Founded as a Jewish institution, this private, non-profit college offers leadership education to both Jewish and secular students. This online doctorate aims to generate professionals who can apply their knowledge to solve real-world challenges in a range of educational settings.
- Courses include: Critical contexts in educational leadership, leading an educational organization, and school law and policy.
- Credits: 48
- Tuition: $914 per credit
- Financial aid: Grants, work-study, and loans.
- Delivery: Online with two two-and-a-half-day summer residencies
- Acceptance rate: 54%
- Location: Melrose Park
Popular PhD Majors in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania’s many higher education institutions offer doctorates in a range of topics, with some of the most popular majors being:
- Business Studies
- Computer Science
- Education Leadership
- Nursing
- Health Sciences
- Earth and Environmental Studies
How to Earn a Doctorate Degree in Pennsylvania
The exact prerequisites to be admitted into a PhD program in Pennsylvania vary depending on the school. However, generally, you’ll need to have:
- A master’s degree
- GRE scores
- Letters of recommendation
- Academic resume
- Personal statement and/or research proposal
Once accepted into a PhD program in or near Pennsylvania, you’ll need to meet certain targets in order to earn your doctorate. Most programs involve a combination of coursework and a dissertation or research project, though not all PhDs require a dissertation.
PhD Programs in Pennsylvania with the Lowest Tuition
PhD tuition at Pennsylvania’s universities can vary significantly depending on the school. The colleges with the cheapest rates of tuition are:
- Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus ($516 for PA residents; $774 for non-residents)
- The Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania ($516 for PA residents; $774 for non-residents
- West Chester University ($516 for PA residents; $774 for non-residents)
- PennWest California ($516 for PA residents; $774 for non-residents)
- Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania ($671 for PA residents; $1,006 for non-residents)
- Temple University ($731 for both PA residents and non-residents)
Many of these universities also have more affordable fees compared to other schools – check each college’s website for more information.
PhD Programs in PA with the Highest Graduation Rates
When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to consider graduation rates, as this is often an indication of the program’s quality, as well as other critical factors such as support offered to students.
These are the Pennsylvania universities that offer PhDs and boast the highest graduation rates:
- University of Pennsylvania (96%)
- Lafayette College (90%)
- Villanova University (90%)
- Carnegie Mellon University (89%)
- Lehigh University (88%)
Key Takeaways
The PhD programs Pennsylvania offers include a number of high-quality doctorates across a wide range of disciplines, so it’s not hard to find an option that suits your needs, whether you’re interested in pursuing a doctorate in finance, law, or nursing.
With some of the world’s best-regarded universities, Pennsylvania is a great place to pursue your doctorate. You’ll also find online PhD programs if on-campus study isn’t an option.
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Lisa is a full-time writer specializing in career advice, further education, and personal development. She works from all over the world, and when not writing you'll find her hiking, practicing yoga, or enjoying a glass of Malbec.
