2023 Best Value Graduate Certificate Schools in Pennsylvania
Highlighting Quality Schools With More Affordable Prices
It's not easy to decide which program to enroll in when you have so many options available. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent. Or you may find the programs at a trade school or bootcamp to be a better alternative for you.
Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Course Advisor has created the Best Value Graduate Certificate Schools in Pennsylvania to help you in your search for the best school for you. Our analysis looked at 40 schools in Pennsylvania to see which graduate certificate programs offered the best value experiences for students with the aim of identifying those quality schools that are more affordable than some of their counterparts.
Our ranking of value is based on the quality of a program as defined in our per sticker price dollar. Specifically, our score for quality is discounted by the published tuition and fees charged by the given college. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The more quality your dollar buys, the better the value.
In our regional and nationwide rankings, out-of-state tution and fees are used in our calculations. For statewide rankings, we use average in-state tuition and fees.
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Top Value Graduate Certificate Schools in Pennsylvania
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2023 rankings named La Salle University the best value school in Pennsylvania for students working on their graduate certificate. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 9 diplomas to qualifed graduate certificate students in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at La Salle are $1,455 per year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online graduate classes at La Salle. In fact, around 83% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
A rank of #2 on this year’s list means University of Scranton is a great place for students working on their graduate certificate who want the most bang for their educational buck. University of Scranton is located in Scranton, Pennsylvania and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 17 graduate certificates to qualified students.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at University of Scranton are $11,630 per year.
One thing to take note of is that University of Scranton does offer online graduate classes in some areas. In fact, around 93% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, University of Scranton also did well on our Best Graduate Certificate Schools in Pennsylvania list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
A rank of #3 on this year’s list means York College of Pennsylvania is a great place for students working on their graduate certificate who want the most bang for their educational buck. YCP is a small private not-for-profit school situated in York, Pennsylvania. It awarded 9 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
YCP graduate students pay an average of $11,646 in tuition and fees each year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since YCP does offer online graduate classes for certain majors. During the 2019-2020 year, about 25% of the graduate students at the school took at least one online course.
Out of the 40 schools in Pennsylvania that were part of this year’s value ranking, Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania landed the # 4 spot on the list. Bloomsburg is located in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 21 graduate certificates to qualified students.
Bloomsburg graduate students pay an average of $16,731 in tuition and fees each year.
Bloomsburg does offer online graduate classes for certain degree levels. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 91% of graduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
A rank of #5 on this year’s list means West Chester University of Pennsylvania is a great place for students working on their graduate certificate who want the most bang for their educational buck. WCUPA is a public institution located in West Chester, Pennsylvania. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 212 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at WCUPA are $16,758 a year.
You may have the opportunity to take online graduate classes at WCUPA. In fact, around 98% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
With a ranking of #6, Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania did quite well on this year’s best value schools for students working on their graduate certificate. Located in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, the medium-sized public school awarded 10 diplomas to qualifed graduate certificate students in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at SRU are $18,216 per year.
One thing to take note of is that SRU does offer online graduate classes in some areas. In 2019-2020 about 94% of the graduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Read full report on Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
With a ranking of #7, Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania did quite well on this year’s best value schools for students working on their graduate certificate. Ship is a public institution located in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 7 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Ship are $16,830 per year.
Some students may be able to take online graduate classes at Ship. Of all the graduate students enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 90% took at least some of their classes online.
Marywood University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for students to get a graduate certificate. It came in at #8 on the list. Located in Scranton, Pennsylvania, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 13 diplomas to qualifed graduate certificate students in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at Marywood are $11,438 a year.
Some students may be able to take online graduate classes at Marywood. In fact, around 33% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Cedar Crest College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Graduate Certificate Schools in Pennsylvania ranking. Cedar Crest is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Allentown, Pennsylvania. It awarded 53 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Cedar Crest are $14,719 per year.
Some students may be able to take online graduate classes at Cedar Crest. In 2019-2020 about 79% of the graduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
With a ranking of #10, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania did quite well on this year’s best value schools for students working on their graduate certificate. This small public school is located in Edinboro, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 28 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at Edinboro are $17,835 a year.
One thing to take note of is that Edinboro does offer online graduate classes in some areas. In 2019-2020 about 94% of the graduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Messiah University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for students to get a graduate certificate. It came in at #11 on the list. Messiah is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. It awarded 51 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at Messiah are $13,050 a year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Messiah does offer online graduate classes for certain majors. During the 2019-2020 year, about 90% of the graduate students at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #12, Saint Joseph’s University did quite well on this year’s best value schools for students working on their graduate certificate. St. Joe’s is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It awarded 27 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at St. Joe’s are $18,144 a year. On average, graduate certificate students take out $37,827 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Online graduate courses are available at St. Joe’s, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 94% of graduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
St. Joe’s also made our Best Graduate Certificate Schools in Pennsylvania list, coming in at #5.
California University of Pennsylvania did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for students to get a graduate certificate. It came in at #13 on the list. Cal U is located in California, Pennsylvania and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 180 graduate certificates to qualified students.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at Cal U are $18,508 a year.
Cal U does have options available for those who want to take online graduate classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. In 2019-2020 about 90% of the graduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Millersville University of Pennsylvania landed the #14 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value graduate certificate programs. This medium-sized public school is located in Millersville, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 8 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Millersville are $16,794 per year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Millersville does offer online graduate classes for certain majors. During the 2019-2020 year, about 97% of the graduate students at the school took at least one online course.
Clarion University of Pennsylvania ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Graduate Certificate Schools in Pennsylvania list. This small public school is located in Clarion, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 21 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Clarion University graduate students pay an average of $13,862 in tuition and fees each year.
Clarion University does offer online graduate classes for certain degree levels. In 2019-2020 about 84% of the graduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Villanova University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Graduate Certificate Schools in Pennsylvania list. Located in Villanova, Pennsylvania, the fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 266 diplomas to qualifed graduate certificate students in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at Villanova are $21,199 a year.
You may have the opportunity to take online graduate classes at Villanova. Of all the graduate students enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 89% took at least some of their classes online.
Villanova did well in our overall quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our Best Graduate Certificate Schools in Pennsylvania list.
Indiana University of Pennsylvania - Main Campus ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Graduate Certificate Schools in Pennsylvania list. IUP is located in Indiana, Pennsylvania and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 63 graduate certificates to qualified students.
IUP graduate students pay an average of $18,207 in tuition and fees each year.
One thing to take note of is that IUP does offer online graduate classes in some areas. In fact, around 35% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Full Indiana University of Pennsylvania - Main Campus Report
Thomas Jefferson University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Graduate Certificate Schools in Pennsylvania list. Thomas Jefferson University is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 94 graduate certificates to qualified students.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at Thomas Jefferson University are $22,644 a year. By the time they get their graduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $34,734 in student loans.
Some students may be able to take online graduate classes at Thomas Jefferson University. Of all the graduate students enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 65% took at least some of their classes online.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, Thomas Jefferson University also did well on our Best Graduate Certificate Schools in Pennsylvania list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
With a ranking of #19, DeSales University did quite well on this year’s best value schools for students working on their graduate certificate. DeSales is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Center Valley, Pennsylvania. It awarded 19 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
DeSales graduate students pay an average of $21,120 in tuition and fees each year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since DeSales does offer online graduate classes for certain majors. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 57% of graduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Gannon University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Graduate Certificate Schools in Pennsylvania list. Gannon is located in Erie, Pennsylvania and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 47 graduate certificates to qualified students.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at Gannon are $20,660 a year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Gannon does offer online graduate classes for certain majors. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 55% of graduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Point Park University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for students to get a graduate certificate. It came in at #21 on the list. Point Park is a private not-for-profit institution located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 84 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Point Park graduate students pay an average of $17,838 in tuition and fees each year.
Point Park does offer online graduate classes for certain degree levels. Of all the graduate students enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 85% took at least some of their classes online.
Temple University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for students to get a graduate certificate. It came in at #22 on the list. Temple is a large public school situated in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It awarded 221 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Temple are $24,812 per year.
One thing to take note of is that Temple does offer online graduate classes in some areas. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 72% of graduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
DeVry University - Pennsylvania ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Graduate Certificate Schools in Pennsylvania list. Ft. Washington, Pennsylvania is the setting for this very small institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out graduate certificates to 4 students in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at DeVry University - Pennsylvania are $17,552 per year.
DeVry University - Pennsylvania is one of the schools on our list that is primarily online. Each graduate student at the school took at least one class online.
With a ranking of #24, Eastern University did quite well on this year’s best value schools for students working on their graduate certificate. Saint Davids, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out graduate certificates to 47 students in 2020-2021.
EU graduate students pay an average of $13,976 in tuition and fees each year.
EU does offer online graduate classes for certain degree levels. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 97% of graduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Moravian College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for students to get a graduate certificate. It came in at #25 on the list. Located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 15 graduate certificate awards in 2020-2021.
Moravian graduate students pay an average of $17,964 in tuition and fees each year.
Some students may be able to take online graduate classes at Moravian. During the 2019-2020 year, about 94% of the graduate students at the school took at least one online course.
Best Value Graduate Certificate Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region
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Notes and References
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
References
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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