Top 50 Best Doctoral Degree Programs in Pennsylvania by ROI

Every Doctoral Degree program in Pennsylvania ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment across all majors. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Programs in Pennsylvania

Colleges with salary data

Average 20-Yr Net ROI

+$530,585

Across all Pennsylvania programs

Average Annual Cost

$56,394

Cost of attendance

#	College	Major	20-Yr Net ROI	Median Salary	Annual Cost	Avg Debt
1	Chatham University Grad rate: 67.0%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$1,580,996	$132,446	$56,981	N/A	Full ROI →
2	Wilkes University Grad rate: 59.8%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$1,430,716	$124,927	$56,956	N/A	Full ROI →
3	Thomas Jefferson University Grad rate: 67.9%	Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration.	+$1,417,180	$125,281	$62,110	N/A	Full ROI →
4	Temple University Grad rate: 76.3%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$1,315,104	$115,715	$39,799	N/A	Full ROI →
5	University of Pennsylvania Grad rate: 96.5%	Dentistry.	+$1,302,748	$124,285	$85,738	N/A	Full ROI →
6	University of Pennsylvania Grad rate: 96.5%	Educational Administration and Supervision.	+$1,284,848	$123,390	$85,738	N/A	Full ROI →
7	Robert Morris University Grad rate: 65.1%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$1,147,560	$109,593	$51,075	N/A	Full ROI →
8	Duquesne University Grad rate: 76.6%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$843,972	$96,807	$63,042	N/A	Full ROI →
9	Drexel University Grad rate: 77.6%	Educational Administration and Supervision.	+$766,672	$95,367	$75,167	N/A	Full ROI →
10	Drexel University Grad rate: 77.6%	Engineering-Related Fields.	+$735,912	$93,829	$75,167	N/A	Full ROI →
11	Immaculata University Grad rate: 62.7%	Educational Administration and Supervision.	+$706,076	$86,387	$45,416	N/A	Full ROI →
12	Salus University	Communication Disorders Sciences and Services.	+$698,740	$76,937	N/A	N/A	Full ROI →
13	Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine	Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology.	+$693,920	$76,696	N/A	N/A	Full ROI →
14	University of Pennsylvania Grad rate: 96.5%	Biomedical/Medical Engineering.	+$653,208	$91,808	$85,738	N/A	Full ROI →
15	La Salle University Grad rate: 59.8%	Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology.	+$574,656	$79,742	$45,046	N/A	Full ROI →
16	University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Grad rate: 84.0%	Educational Administration and Supervision.	+$552,832	$76,983	$36,707	N/A	Full ROI →
17	Temple University Grad rate: 76.3%	Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions.	+$548,344	$77,377	$39,799	N/A	Full ROI →
18	Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus Grad rate: 52.2%	Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology.	+$509,440	$72,753	$26,405	N/A	Full ROI →
19	Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine	Medicine.	+$508,100	$67,405	N/A	N/A	Full ROI →
20	Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Grad rate: 66.2%	Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions.	+$486,416	$71,277	$24,781	N/A	Full ROI →
21	Immaculata University Grad rate: 62.7%	Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology.	+$467,536	$74,460	$45,416	N/A	Full ROI →
22	Misericordia University Grad rate: 72.0%	Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions.	+$462,468	$75,328	$51,023	N/A	Full ROI →
23	University of Scranton Grad rate: 80.3%	Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions.	+$457,280	$78,423	$67,795	N/A	Full ROI →
24	Widener University Grad rate: 65.6%	Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions.	+$441,080	$77,715	$68,305	N/A	Full ROI →
25	Chatham University Grad rate: 67.0%	Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions.	+$439,496	$75,371	$56,981	N/A	Full ROI →
26	Arcadia University Grad rate: 63.8%	Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions.	+$434,480	$75,972	$61,240	N/A	Full ROI →
27	Neumann University Grad rate: 50.2%	Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions.	+$422,580	$74,463	$56,670	N/A	Full ROI →
28	Duquesne University Grad rate: 76.6%	Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions.	+$420,532	$75,635	$63,042	N/A	Full ROI →
29	Drexel University Grad rate: 77.6%	Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions.	+$416,012	$77,834	$75,167	N/A	Full ROI →
30	Temple University Grad rate: 76.3%	Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology.	+$415,824	$70,751	$39,799	N/A	Full ROI →
31	Gannon University Grad rate: 69.6%	Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions.	+$412,176	$72,856	$51,236	N/A	Full ROI →
32	Thomas Jefferson University Grad rate: 67.9%	Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions.	+$374,900	$73,167	$62,110	N/A	Full ROI →
33	Lebanon Valley College Grad rate: 70.5%	Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions.	+$355,280	$72,562	$63,990	N/A	Full ROI →
34	Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus Grad rate: 52.2%	English Language and Literature, General.	+$347,120	$64,637	$26,405	N/A	Full ROI →
35	Widener University Grad rate: 65.6%	Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology.	+$333,700	$72,346	$68,305	N/A	Full ROI →
36	University of Pennsylvania Grad rate: 96.5%	Education, General.	+$316,788	$74,987	$85,738	N/A	Full ROI →
37	Temple University Grad rate: 76.3%	Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods.	+$267,124	$63,316	$39,799	N/A	Full ROI →
38	Strayer University-Pennsylvania	Business Administration, Management and Operations.	+$243,888	$58,962	$23,838	N/A	Full ROI →
39	Duquesne University Grad rate: 76.6%	Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology.	+$230,392	$66,128	$63,042	N/A	Full ROI →
40	University of Pennsylvania Grad rate: 96.5%	History.	+$220,568	$70,176	$85,738	N/A	Full ROI →
41	Lehigh University Grad rate: 90.2%	Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology.	+$161,860	$65,596	$77,515	N/A	Full ROI →
42	Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia Grad rate: 81.0%	Criminology.	+$71,788	$58,692	$65,513	N/A	Full ROI →
43	University of Pennsylvania Grad rate: 96.5%	Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences.	+$26,588	$60,477	$85,738	N/A	Full ROI →
44	Schuylkill Technology Center Grad rate: 65.6%	Ground Transportation.	-$31,132	$43,555	$15,558	N/A	Full ROI →
45	Cedar Crest College Grad rate: 60.2%	Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services.	-$75,820	$49,457	$56,240	N/A	Full ROI →
46	Schuylkill Technology Center Grad rate: 65.6%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	-$203,212	$34,951	$15,558	N/A	Full ROI →
47	Messiah University Grad rate: 78.4%	Education, General.	-$249,196	$40,328	$53,939	N/A	Full ROI →

How ROI is calculated

20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost − Debt Payoff (×1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20). Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.