Philadelphia Area Colleges and Universities

If you're looking for a college in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, you have a wide range of options. From an Ivy League university a small Christian College, the Philadelphia area offers an impressive breadth of options for higher education. Whether students choose to attend school in the city or in its suburbs, the rich cultural and historical attractions of the city are readily accessible through the area's public transportation system.

The 30 colleges and universities below are all within 20 miles of Center City Philadelphia.

Arcadia University

Location: Glenside, Pennsylvania
Distance from Center City Philadelphia: 10 miles
School Type: Private liberal arts university
Distinguishing Features: 12 to 1 student / faculty ratio; small classes; excellent study abroad program; Grey Towers Castle (a stunning National Historic Landmark)
Learn More: Arcadia University admissions profile

Bryn Mawr College

Location: Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania
Distance from Center City Philadelphia: 11 miles
School Type: private women's liberal arts college
Distinguishing Features: 9 to 1 student / faculty ratio; one of the top women's colleges and top Pennsylvania colleges; member of the Tri-College Consortium with Swarthmore and Haverford
Learn More: Bryn Mawr College admissions profile

Cabrini College

Location: Radnor, Pennsylvania
Distance from Center City Philadelphia: 15 miles
School Type: Roman Catholic liberal arts college
Distinguishing Features: attractive tree-lined campus; located on the Philadelphia Main Line; 13 to 1 student / faculty ratio; strong focus on community service; member of the NCAA Division III Colonial States Athletic Conference
Learn More: Cabrini College admissions profile

Cairn University

Location: Langhorne Manor, Pennsylvania
Distance from Center City Philadelphia: 20 miles
School Type: private Christian university
Distinguishing Features: Christian faith and biblical teachings an integral part of a Cairn education; 11 to 1 student / faculty ratio; average class size of 18; strong religious studies program; member of the NCAA Division III Colonial States Athletic Conference
Learn More: Cairn University admissions profile

Chestnut Hill College

Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Distance from Center City Philadelphia: 14 miles
School Type: Roman Catholic college
Distinguishing Features: 10 to 1 student / faculty ratio and a holistic approach to education; member of the NCAA Division II Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC); on of the top colleges for Harry Potter fans
Learn More: Chestnut Hill College admissions profile

Cheyney University of Pennsylvania

Cheyney University Library. Smallbones / Wikimedia Commons

Location: Cheyney, Pennsylvania
Distance from Center City Philadelphia: 20 miles
School Type: public historically Black university
Distinguishing Features: 12 to 1 student / faculty ratio; oldest historically Black college or university in the nation; member of the NCAA Division II Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference
Learn More: Cheyney University admissions profile

Curtis Institute of Music

Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Distance from Center City Philadelphia: 0 miles
School Type: music conservatory
Distinguishing Features: one of the best music conservatories in the country; one of the country's most selective schools; 2 to 1 student / faculty ratio; enviable location near the Avenue of the Arts
Learn More: Curtis Institute of Music Website

Drexel University

Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Distance from Center City Philadelphia: 1 mile
School Type: private university
Distinguishing Features: strong business, engineering and nursing programs; 11 to 1 student / faculty ratio; member of the NCAA Division I Colonial Athletic Association
Learn More: Drexel University admissions profile

Eastern University

Location: St. Davids, Pennsylvania
Distance from Center City Philadelphia: 15 miles
School Type: private university affiliated with the American Baptist Churches
Distinguishing Features: 10 to 1 student / faculty ratio; education grounded in Christian faith; popular education and nursing programs; located adjacent to Cabrini College; member of the NCAA Division III Middle Atlantic Conferences
Learn More: Eastern University admissions profile

Gwynedd Mercy University

Location: Gwynedd Valley, Pennsylvania
Distance from Center City Philadelphia: 20 miles
School Type: private Roman Catholic University
Distinguishing Features: 10 to 1 student / faculty ratio; average class size of 17; strengths in education, health and business; high graduation rate in relation to student profile; member of the NCAA Division III Colonial States Athletic Conference
Learn More: Gwynedd Mercy University admissions profile

Haverford College

Location: Haverford, Pennsylvania
Distance from Center City Philadelphia: 9 miles
School Type: private liberal arts college
Distinguishing Features: one of the country's top liberal arts colleges; 8 to 1 student / faculty ratio; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences; cross-registration opportunities at Bryn Mawr, Swarthmore, and the University of Pennsylvania; member of the NCAA Division III Centennial Conference
Learn More: Haverford College admissions profile

Holy Family University

The Philadelphia Skyline. Kevin Burkett / Flickr

Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Distance from Center City Philadelphia: 14 miles
School Type: private Catholic university
Distinguishing Features: individualized educational experience with a 12 to 1 student / faculty ratio and average class size of 14; member of the NCAA Division II Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference; popular programs in business, education, and nursing
Learn More: Holy Family University admissions profile

La Salle University

Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Distance from Center City Philadelphia: 7 miles
School Type: private Catholic university
Distinguishing Features: 12 to 1 student / faculty ratio; students from 45 states; popular business, communications and nursing programs; Honors Program for high achieving students; member of the NCAA Division I Atlantic 10 Conference
Learn More: La Salle University admissions profile

Moore College of Art and Design

Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Distance from Center City Philadelphia: 0 miles
School Type: private women's college of art and design
Distinguishing Features: enviable location in Philadelphia's Parkway Museums District; rich history dating to 1848; high level of job placement in students' fields of study; test-optional admissions
Learn More: Moore College of Art and Design admissions profile

Neumann University

Location: Aston, Pennsylvania
Distance from Center City Philadelphia: 20 miles
School Type: private Catholic university
Distinguishing Features: 14 to 1 student / faculty ratio and an emphasis on personal attention; new Living and Learning Centers for residential students; popular business, nursing and education programs; member of the NCAA Division III Colonial States Athletic Conference
Learn More: Neumann University admissions profile

Peirce College

Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Distance from Center City Philadelphia: 0 miles
School Type: career-focused college specializing in non-traditional students
Distinguishing Features: enviable location in Center City, Philadelphia; popular business, healthcare, and paralegal programs; many online offerings
Learn More: Peirce College admissions profile

Penn State Abington

Location: Abington, Pennsylvania
Distance from Center City Philadelphia: 15 miles
School Type: public university
Distinguishing Features: part of the Penn State network of campuses; commuter campus with most students coming from nearby counties; popular business and social psychology programs; member of the NCAA Division III North Eastern Athletic Conference
Learn More: Penn State Abington admissions profile

Penn State Brandywine

Location: Media, Pennsylvania
Distance from Center City Philadelphia: 20 miles
School Type: public university
Distinguishing Features: part of the Penn State network of campuses; commuter campus with easy access to public transportation; popular business, communications and human development/family studies programs; member of the Penn State University Athletic Conference
Learn More: Penn State Brandywine admissions profile

Thomas Jefferson University

Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Distance from Center City Philadelphia: 7 miles (medical campus in Center City)
School Type: private university
Distinguishing Features: popular architecture, fashion merchandising, and graphic design communication programs; over 80 student clubs and organizations; 12 to 1 student / faculty ratio; member of the NCAA Division II Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference
Learn More: Thomas Jefferson University admissions profile

Rosemont College

Location: Rosemont, Pennsylvania
Distance from Center City Philadelphia: 11 miles
School Type: private Catholic liberal arts college
Distinguishing Features: located on the Philadelphia Main Line; 11 to 1 student / faculty ratio; average class size of 12; popular accounting, biology and psychology programs; member of the NCAA Division III Colonial States Athletic Conference
Learn More: Rosemont College admissions profile

Rowan University

Location: Glassboro, New Jersey
Distance from Center City Philadelphia: 20 miles
School Type: public university
Distinguishing Features: 87 undergraduate majors offered through eight colleges; popular music education and business administration programs; 17 to 1 student / faculty ratio; member of the NCAA Division III New Jersey Athletic Conference
Learn More: Rowan University admissions profile

Rutgers University Camden

Location: Camden, New Jersey
Distance from Center City Philadelphia: 2 miles
School Type: public university
Distinguishing Features: one of the regional campuses of Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey; 15 to 1 student / faculty ratio; average class size of 22; member of the NCAA Division III New Jersey Athletic Conference
Learn More: Rutgers University Camden admissions profile

Saint Joseph's University

Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Distance from Center City Philadelphia: 5 miles
School Type: private Catholic university
Distinguishing Features: chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences; rich history dating to 1851; 75 academic programs; popular business programs; member of the NCAA Division I Atlantic 10 Conference
Learn More: Saint Joseph's University admissions profile

Swarthmore College

Location: Swarthmore, Pennsylvania
Distance from Center City Philadelphia: 11 miles
School Type: private liberal arts college
Distinguishing Features: one of the country's top liberal arts colleges; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong programs in the liberal arts and sciences; 8 to 1 student / faculty ratio; opportunity to register for classes at Bryn Mawr, Haverford, and the University of Pennsylvania; attractive campus is a registered national arboretum
Learn More: Swarthmore College admissions profile

Temple University

Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Distance from Center City Philadelphia: 2 miles
School Type: public university
Distinguishing Features: 125 undergraduate degree options, popular programs in business, education and media; over 170 student clubs and organizations; active Greek system; member of the NCAA Division I American Athletic Conference
Learn More: Temple University admissions profile

University of the Arts

Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Distance from Center City Philadelphia: 0 miles
School Type: private school for visual and performing arts
Distinguishing Features: located on the Avenue of the Arts; 8 to 1 student / faculty ratio; 12 gallery spaces and 7 professional performance venues
Learn More: The University of the Arts admissions profile

University of Pennsylvania

Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Distance from Center City Philadelphia: 1 mile
School Type: private research university
Distinguishing Features: one of the eight Ivy League schools; one of the country's most selective colleges; membership in the Association of American Universities for strong research programs; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences; rich history (founded by Benjamin Franklin)
Learn More: University of Pennsylvania admissions profile

University of the Sciences

Philadelphia Skyline. Kevin Burkett / Flickr

Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Distance from Center City Philadelphia: 3 miles
School Type: private pharmacy and health science university
Distinguishing Features: founded in 1821; popular programs in health science, biology, occupational therapy and pharmacy; 80 student clubs and organizations; member of the NCAA Division II Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference
Learn More: University of the Sciences admissions profile

Villanova University

Location: Villanova, Pennsylvania
Distance from Center City Philadelphia: 12 miles
School Type: private Catholic university
Distinguishing Features: oldest and largest Catholic university in Pennsylvania; one of the country's top Catholic universities; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences; member of the NCAA Division I Big East Conference
Learn More: Villanova University admissions profile

Widener University

Location: Chester, Pennsylvania
Distance from Center City Philadelphia: 15 miles
School Type: private university
Distinguishing Features: 13 to 1 student / faculty ratio; emphasis with hands-on learning; three-quarters of students participate in internships or service opportunities; over 80 student clubs and organizations; member of the NCAA Division III MAC Commonwealth Conference
Learn More: Widener University admissions profile

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Grove, Allen. "Philadelphia Area Colleges and Universities." ThoughtCo, Jan. 5, 2021, thoughtco.com/philadelphia-area-colleges-and-universities-786985. Grove, Allen. (2021, January 5). Philadelphia Area Colleges and Universities. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/philadelphia-area-colleges-and-universities-786985 Grove, Allen. "Philadelphia Area Colleges and Universities." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/philadelphia-area-colleges-and-universities-786985 (accessed February 28, 2021).