Best colleges for Business Administration in Pennsylvania
Ranked by graduate earnings
Carnegie Mellon University, University of Pennsylvania and Lehigh University are the top bachelor's Business Administration programs in Pennsylvania by graduate earnings. Carnegie Mellon University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $95,891, College Scorecard. Eastern University, West Chester University of Pennsylvania and Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania award the most Business Administration degrees in Pennsylvania: 837, 441 and 379 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 111 Pennsylvania colleges offer Business Administration and award 9,936 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Business Administration program, officially titled Business Administration, Management and Operations, equips students with essential skills for managing and leading organizations. This program is ideal for individuals seeking to…
Top 10 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $95,891 | 201 | 94% | $23,803 | $23,250 |
| 2 | University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $91,443 | 306 | 97% | $22,055 | $20,348 |
| 3 | Lehigh University Bethlehem Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $69,289 | 53 | 88% | $26,912 | $20,500 |
| 4 | Franklin and Marshall College Lancaster Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $64,664 | 61 | 84% | $27,178 | $19,500 |
| 5 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh Public · Bachelor's degree | $62,675 | 348 | 85% | — | $21,000 |
| 6 | Drexel University Philadelphia Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $61,478 | 197 | 78% | $36,004 | $27,000 |
| 7 | Villanova University Villanova Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $61,307 | 234 | 92% | $33,774 | $27,000 |
| 8 | Duquesne University Pittsburgh Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $58,781 | 83 | 77% | $32,060 | $27,000 |
| 9 | Elizabethtown College Elizabethtown Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $58,707 | 77 | 76% | $22,907 | $27,000 |
| 10 | Temple University Philadelphia Public · Bachelor's degree | $58,307 | 338 | 75% | — | $20,500 |
Top 8 certificate and associate programs
Shorter credentials, ranked separately so they are not compared with four-year degrees. Ranked by median earnings one year after completion (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reading Area Community College Reading Public · Associate degree | $44,544 | 70 | 34% | — | $14,650 |
| 2 | Lackawanna College Scranton Private not-for-profit · Associate degree | $32,815 | 85 | 37% | $25,320 | $17,500 |
| 3 | Bucks County Community College Newtown Public · Associate degree | $32,358 | 153 | 32% | — | $11,000 |
| 4 | Harrisburg Area Community College Harrisburg Public · Associate degree | $37,584 | 118 | 21% | — | $16,700 |
| 5 | Community College of Allegheny County Pittsburgh Public · Associate degree | $34,330 | 158 | 24% | — | $12,671 |
| 6 | Northampton County Area Community College Bethlehem Public · Associate degree | $33,977 | 27 | 24% | — | $21,132 |
| 7 | Delaware County Community College Media Public · Associate degree | $27,229 | 111 | 24% | — | $10,684 |
| 8 | Miller-Motte College - Berks Technical Institute Wyomissing Private for-profit · Associate degree Small program | $23,907 | 7 | 76% | — | $30,649 |
Colleges awarding the most Business Administration degrees in Pennsylvania
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eastern University Saint Davids Private not-for-profit | 837 | $52,763 |
| 2 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania West Chester Public | 441 | Not reported |
| 3 | Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania Bloomsburg Public | 379 | $45,093 |
| 4 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh Public | 348 | $62,675 |
| 5 | Temple University Philadelphia Public | 338 | $58,307 |
| 6 | Kutztown University of Pennsylvania Kutztown Public | 306 | $45,703 |
| 7 | University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia Private not-for-profit | 306 | $91,443 |
| 8 | Robert Morris University Moon Township Private not-for-profit | 282 | $46,589 |
| 9 | Villanova University Villanova Private not-for-profit | 234 | $61,307 |
| 10 | Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh Private not-for-profit | 201 | $95,891 |
ShowHide the other 101 Pennsylvania colleges offering Business Administration
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania State University - World Campus (Online) | University Park | Public | 534 |
| Drexel University | Philadelphia | Private not-for-profit | 197 |
| Pennsylvania Western University | California | Public | 182 |
| Indiana University of Pennsylvania | Indiana | Public | 169 |
| Community College of Allegheny County | Pittsburgh | Public | 158 |
| Bucks County Community College | Newtown | Public | 153 |
| Marywood University | Scranton | Private not-for-profit | 151 |
| Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania | Shippensburg | Public | 137 |
| Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania | Slippery Rock | Public | 120 |
| Harrisburg Area Community College | Harrisburg | Public | 118 |
| Delaware County Community College | Media | Public | 111 |
| Peirce College (Online) | Philadelphia | Private not-for-profit | 111 |
| Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia | Philadelphia | Private not-for-profit | 108 |
| Wilkes University | Wilkes-Barre | Private not-for-profit | 107 |
| Point Park University | Pittsburgh | Private not-for-profit | 106 |
| DeSales University | Center Valley | Private not-for-profit | 97 |
| Lebanon Valley College | Annville | Private not-for-profit | 95 |
| University of Scranton | Scranton | Private not-for-profit | 95 |
| Seton Hill University | Greensburg | Private not-for-profit | 89 |
| Saint Francis University | Loretto | Private not-for-profit | 88 |
| East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | East Stroudsburg | Public | 86 |
| American College of Financial Services (Graduate only) | King of Prussia | Private not-for-profit | 85 |
| Lackawanna College | Scranton | Private not-for-profit | 85 |
| Widener University | Chester | Private not-for-profit | 85 |
| Delaware Valley University | Doylestown | Private not-for-profit | 83 |
| Duquesne University | Pittsburgh | Private not-for-profit | 83 |
| York College of Pennsylvania | York | Private not-for-profit | 82 |
| Moravian University | Bethlehem | Private not-for-profit | 79 |
| Elizabethtown College | Elizabethtown | Private not-for-profit | 77 |
| Gettysburg College | Gettysburg | Private not-for-profit | 77 |
| Albright College | Reading | Private not-for-profit | 76 |
| Millersville University of Pennsylvania | Millersville | Public | 76 |
| Alvernia University | Reading | Private not-for-profit | 71 |
| Misericordia University | Dallas | Private not-for-profit | 71 |
| Reading Area Community College | Reading | Public | 70 |
| Thomas Jefferson University | Philadelphia | Private not-for-profit | 69 |
| Pennsylvania College of Technology | Williamsport | Public | 69 |
| Lehigh Carbon Community College | Schnecksville | Public | 68 |
| Muhlenberg College | Allentown | Private not-for-profit | 67 |
| Thiel College | Greenville | Private not-for-profit | 67 |
| Carlow University | Pittsburgh | Private not-for-profit | 65 |
| Franklin and Marshall College | Lancaster | Private not-for-profit | 61 |
| Lancaster Bible College | Lancaster | Private not-for-profit | 61 |
| Gwynedd Mercy University | Gwynedd Valley | Private not-for-profit | 60 |
| La Salle University | Philadelphia | Private not-for-profit | 59 |
| Gannon University | Erie | Private not-for-profit | 56 |
| Holy Family University | Philadelphia | Private not-for-profit | 55 |
| Lehigh University | Bethlehem | Private not-for-profit | 53 |
| Messiah University | Mechanicsburg | Private not-for-profit | 53 |
| Butler County Community College | Butler | Public | 52 |
| Mercyhurst University | Erie | Private not-for-profit | 51 |
| King's College | Wilkes-Barre | Private not-for-profit | 50 |
| Waynesburg University | Waynesburg | Private not-for-profit | 48 |
| Pennsylvania State University - Penn State Erie-Behrend College | Erie | Public | 46 |
| Westminster College | New Wilmington | Private not-for-profit | 46 |
| Chestnut Hill College | Philadelphia | Private not-for-profit | 45 |
| Rosemont College | Rosemont | Private not-for-profit | 44 |
| Grove City College | Grove City | Private not-for-profit | 43 |
| Susquehanna University | Selinsgrove | Private not-for-profit | 43 |
| Lycoming College | Williamsport | Private not-for-profit | 41 |
| Cairn University - Langhorne | Langhorne | Private not-for-profit | 41 |
| Keystone College | La Plume | Private not-for-profit | 39 |
| Pennsylvania State University - Penn State Great Valley (Graduate only) | Malvern | Public | 39 |
| Central Penn College | Summerdale | Private for-profit | 38 |
| Mount Aloysius College | Cresson | Private not-for-profit | 38 |
| Geneva College | Beaver Falls | Private not-for-profit | 37 |
| Neumann University | Aston | Private not-for-profit | 33 |
| Juniata College | Huntingdon | Private not-for-profit | 32 |
| Saint Vincent College | Latrobe | Private not-for-profit | 32 |
| Chatham University | Pittsburgh | Private not-for-profit | 31 |
| Immaculata University | Immaculata | Private not-for-profit | 31 |
| Pennsylvania State University | University Park | Public | 31 |
| Northampton County Area Community College | Bethlehem | Public | 27 |
| University of Valley Forge | Phoenixville | Private not-for-profit | 27 |
| Lincoln University | Lincoln University | Public | 26 |
| Cedar Crest College | Allentown | Private not-for-profit | 23 |
| Pennsylvania State University - Penn State Harrisburg | Middletown | Public | 23 |
| Arcadia University | Glenside | Private not-for-profit | 21 |
| Strayer University - Pennsylvania (Online) | Philadelphia | Private for-profit | 21 |
| Community College of Philadelphia | Philadelphia | Public | 20 |
| Montgomery County Community College | Blue Bell | Public | 19 |
| Harcum College | Bryn Mawr | Private not-for-profit | 15 |
| Bryn Athyn College of the New Church | Bryn Athyn | Private not-for-profit | 14 |
| Cheyney University of Pennsylvania | Cheyney | Public | 14 |
| Luzerne County Community College | Nanticoke | Public | 14 |
| Wilson College | Chambersburg | Private not-for-profit | 13 |
| Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology | Lancaster | Public | 10 |
| Manor College | Jenkintown | Private not-for-profit | 9 |
| Institute of Medical Careers (Online) | Pittsburgh | Private for-profit | 9 |
| Community College of Beaver County | Monaca | Public | 8 |
| Valley Forge Military College | Wayne | Private not-for-profit | 8 |
| Gratz College | Jenkintown | Private not-for-profit | 7 |
| Miller-Motte College - Berks Technical Institute | Wyomissing | Private for-profit | 7 |
| La Roche University | Pittsburgh | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| South Hills School of Business & Technology | State College | Private for-profit | 4 |
| Harrisburg University of Science and Technology | Harrisburg | Private not-for-profit | 4 |
| Pennsylvania State University - Penn State Schuylkill | Schuylkill Haven | Public | 3 |
| Northern Pennsylvania Regional College | Warren | Public | 3 |
| Pennsylvania State University - Penn State Shenango | Sharon | Public | 1 |
| Pennsylvania State University - Penn State Abington | Abington | Public | 1 |
| Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (Graduate only) | Philadelphia | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: General and Operations Managers (SOC 11-1021).
Top skills
What General and Operations Managers earn in Pennsylvania
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Business Administration programs in Pennsylvania.
Which Pennsylvania colleges award the most Business Administration degrees?+
Eastern University (837 graduates a year), West Chester University of Pennsylvania (441 graduates a year) and Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania (379 graduates a year) award the most Business Administration degrees in Pennsylvania, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 111 Pennsylvania colleges offer Business Administration.
What is the best college for Business Administration in Pennsylvania?+
By graduate earnings, Carnegie Mellon University leads among bachelor's Business Administration programs in Pennsylvania, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $95,891, College Scorecard. University of Pennsylvania and Lehigh University follow. By degrees awarded, Eastern University is the largest, with 837 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Business Administration program in Pennsylvania has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Carnegie Mellon University tops the list at $95,891. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do General and Operations Managers earn in Pennsylvania?+
The average annual wage for General and Operations Managers in Pennsylvania is $126,200 (median $103,130), across about 172,010 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Business Administration program?+
The Business Administration program, officially titled Business Administration, Management and Operations, equips students with essential skills for managing and leading organizations. This program is ideal for individuals seeking to…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop reading comprehension, active listening, speaking, monitoring, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for General and Operations Managers?+
The national job outlook is about +4.4% growth with around 308,700 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Explore every U.S. college in one conversation
Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.
Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card