Introduction
Pennsylvania is home to 175 varying colleges. These schools contain everything from small community colleges to large urban and rural campuses. In order to find the most beautiful campuses in Pennsylvania we ranked each college on their architecture and grounds. The list was then cut down based on diversity of location and environment. The result is the 25 most beautiful Pennsylvania college campuses ranked below.
The 25 Most Beautiful College Campuses in Pennsylvania
1. University of Pennsylvania – Philadelphia, PA
The sole Ivy League university in the state, UPenn is also one of the most beautiful campuses in the state. Though it is set within the bustling urban environment of Philadelphia, the campus feels like a separate world. There is a wide array of distinctive historic buildings, including the Fisher Fine Arts Building and the University Museum, home to the lovely papyrus-growing Warden Garden. Aside from its own stunning grounds, the school also owns the 92-acre Morris Arboretum in northwest Philadelphia, which is the state’s official arboretum.
2. Haverford College – Haverford, PA
Designed by British landscape architect William Carvill in 1834, the entirety of Haverford’s 216-acre makes up the most extensive college arboretum in the United States. There is a diverse tree collection throughout the grounds and a nature trail that helps connect students to the environment. There is a quaint duck pond nestled into the woodsy campus, too, which is home to many avian visitors. Haverford is undoubtedly one of the most pastoral and lush college campuses in Pennsylvania.
3. Franklin and Marshall College – Lancaster, PA
This small liberal arts college of Franklin and Marshall is set within walking distance of the scenery of downtown Lancaster. Founded in 1787 with a small donation from Benjamin Franklin, the campus’s modest 200 acres are filled with many important pieces of American architecture, including three notable buildings that are preserved by the National Register of Historic Places. These Gothic Revival buildings are among the most spectacular in the country. The spread of leafy trees only add to making it a beautiful place to go to college.
4. Juniata College – Huntingdon, PA
Sitting on a compact 110 acres, with a nearby 315-acre nature preserve under its management, Juniata has a mix of both stately and cutting-edge architecture. The former library of Carnegie Hall was built with the aid of the steel magnate Andrew Carnegie in 1907 and Founders Hall, the first building on campus, is now rebuilt to meet LEED Gold sustainability standards. The off-campus Baker Peace Chapel, designed by celebrated artist Maya Lin, is one of the many notable college-affiliated structures in the immediate area. The so-called “cliffs” provide a stellar view of the flowing Juniata River.
5. Allegheny College – Meadville, PA
This small liberal arts college in Western Pennsylvania can boast a sprawling 542 acres to its name. The central campus is only 79 of these acres, while the rest are split between adjacent Bousson Forest preserve and the general natural recreation surrounding the school. There are 40 major buildings on campus, which range from well-preserved historic structures to a state-of-the-art science building and a multimillion-dollar arts center. The school takes a lot of effort to meet sustainability standards and frequently wins “green” awards for its work in this regard.
6. University of Pittsburgh – Pittsburgh, PA
Undoubtedly, the visual focal point on the Pitt campus is the Cathedral of Learning, a 42-story Late Gothic Revival skyscraper that is considered the tallest educational building in the Western Hemisphere. Numerous other examples of this architectural style can be found around the 132-acre campus. The Pitt campus also has many open green spaces for students to congregate in warmer months. The school has been awarded many Green Star Awards from the Professional Grounds Management Society.
7. Swarthmore College – Swarthmore, PA
With thousands of ornamental plants within its borders, Swarthmore’s Scott Arboretum is one of the most pristine natural spaces on campus. There are countless trees and flowering bushes to be found throughout the sprawling green area. Though the college is relatively small, the 425-acre campus gives students lots of ground to explore. There is an outdoor stone amphitheater, many places to relax in the fresh air and many architectural splendors, like Parrish Hall, which dates back to the late 19th century.
8. West Chester University – West Chester, PA
The most prominent feature of this 388-acre suburban campus is the condensed amount of historic architecture in one place. The Quadrangle Historic District is a group of five academic buildings that were built between 1891 and 1940. They are all made of native Chester County serpentine stone are considered representative of their respective eras. The area was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.
9. Temple University – Philadelphia, PA
In the middle of urban Philadelphia, the Temple campus is a nice respite from the hectic pace of its surroundings. Along with a wide array of classic collegiate architecture, the school is also maintains the lush 187-acre Ambler Arboretum a handful of miles away. The main campus has numerous outdoor spaces for student gatherings, including the Alumni Circle, the Founder’s Garden and the area around the Bell Tower, which is commonly known as the beach. The latter is the largest green space on campus and is the home base for an assortment of community events.
10. Pennsylvania State University – University Park, PA
One of the largest universities in the United States, Penn State is made up of 24 separate campuses. The most notable is the primary campus at University Park, which attracts over 46,000 undergraduate and graduate students to its tree-lined grounds. With a sprawling 5,448 acres to its name, this campus is home to the famed Mall, where students can wander to their classes along a stately elm-lined walkway. A number of historic buildings mixed in with state-of-the-art facilities make Penn State a great place to study for many students.
11. Washington & Jefferson College – Washington, PA
Located in a small town about 30 miles south of Pittsburgh, the 60-acre campus of Washington & Jefferson has a range of historically important buildings. McMillan Hall is the oldest building on campus and, as it was built in 1793, is considered the oldest college structure west of the Allegheny Mountains. (It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.) Aside from the history, there are a number of contemporary architectural gems and many green spaces to enjoy a nice day.
12. Muhlenberg College – Allentown, PA
Outside of the modest 81-acre campus in Western end of urban Allentown, Muhlenberg also is responsible for maintaining the nearby Lee and Virginia Graver Arboretum and the Raker Wildlife Preserve. The campus proper is home to many fine pieces of preserved architecture and public art. The Egner Chapel is the symbolic heart of the school and is an excellent example of the Collegiate Gothic style. A prominent red steel sculpture by renowned artist Mark di Suvero is impossible to miss during a stroll through the center of campus.
13. Bryn Mawr College – Bryn Mawr, PA
With its combination of beautiful trees and incredible historic architecture, Bryn Mawr is a stunning campus. The school boasts to be the home to some of the earliest examples of Collegiate architecture in the country, which many colleges went on to copy. The famous landscape architects Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux designed the 135-acre grounds of this women’s liberal arts college, giving the environment an idyllic and manicured aura. Bryn Mawr is surely one of the most historically unique campuses in the state.
14. Villanova University – Villanova, PA
The centerpiece to Villanova’s beautiful campus may very well be the immense St. Thomas of Villanova Church. Built in 1841, the church boasts two 60-foot tall towers on the exterior and a seven-section dome on the interior. The rest of the 254-acre campus is just as impressive, with many species of trees scattered through the grounds. The campus is also committed to maintaining its verdant spaces in a sustainable fashion, which only adds to the green appeal.
15. Dickinson College – Carlisle, PA
Established in 1773, Dickinson College has the distinction of being the first college to be founded after the United States were formed. The campus is distinct for both its historic limestone buildings and a wide array of trees lining walkways. The central Academic Quad, especially, is surrounded by many historic pieces of architecture from the 18th century up to current times. The state-of-the-art “Treehouse” dormitory made Dickinson the first college in the state to receive a Gold LEED rating.
16. Gettysburg College – Gettysburg, PA
With over 2,000 trees on this 200-acre campus, Gettysburg is one of the most verdant schools in the state. The college has been at this location since 1837 and its historic beauty is on display everywhere. The stately American Greek Revival structure of Pennsylvania Hall is one of the architectural centerpieces on campus, though there are many others to be found. The watery spread of Quarry Pond is one of the best natural features on campus, attracting birds and human visitors alike.
17. Lehigh University – Bethlehem, PA
As with nearby Lafayette College, Lehigh is set within the idyllic Lehigh Valley. This campus, though, includes a view of South Mountain, a lovely area to take in throughout all of the changing seasons. The Gothic-inspired Alumni Memorial Building is only one of the many stunning architectural gems on campus. After an additional 750 acres were given to the school in 2012, Lehigh can now boast a whopping total of 2,400 acres to its name.
18. Bucknell University – Lewisburg, PA
Bucknell’s quaint Lewisburg campus boasts an expansive classically designed quad, which is a central meeting space among students strolling to classes. The hilly and grass-covered grounds are truly stunning and the Georgian-styled Rooke Chapel is an architectural gem on campus. With its numerous tree-line paths crossing campus, Bucknell is an especially beautiful place to be in the fall when the leaves change. There are lots of benches and nooks around campus to relax or study within the idyllic surroundings.
19. Messiah College – Grantham, PA
Founded in 1909, Messiah is a small Christian college in a rural pocket of the state. The modestly sized campus has many pleasant tree-lined paths and numerous stately buildings. The Old Main building was the first to be built on the campus and today holds administrative offices. A bright red covered bridge is another notable structure on the school’s grounds, where the regular “creeking” tradition occurs when students get tossed into the water as a celebration.
20. Duquesne University – Pittsburgh, PA
Located in Pittsburgh’s Bluff neighborhood, this small 50-acre campus feels separate from the urban environment that surrounds it. There are lots of tree-filled pockets and open spaces for people to socialize outside. Architecturally, there is also a great deal to appreciate. The Old Main is an excellent example of the Victorian Gothic style and the Mellon Hall of Science is a product of famous architect Luwig Mies van der Rohe.
21. Carnegie Mellon University – Pittsburgh, PA
Set within urban Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon boasts 149 acres of stellar architecture and neat landscape design. When the school was founded in 1900, the Beaux-Arts style of architecture was the reigning aesthetic and that historic mode is what constitutes the primary look of the buildings on campus. Contemporary architecture and many pieces of public art make the CMU campus a lively mixture of things to examine with one’s eye. There are also enough towering trees to make it a serene place to escape the noise of the surrounding city.
22. Ursinus College – Collegeville, PA
Not far from Philadelphia, the 170-acre suburban campus at Ursinus has many attractions that make it unique. A range of architectural styles are represented on the campus, from the ornate stone Bomberger Hall to the contemporary glass of the Kaleidoscope Performing Arts Center. The Berman Art Museum is considered one of the finest small college museums in the country. There is an assortment of public art on display around campus and many places to relax outside on a nice day.
23. Lafayette College – Easton, PA
Nestled within the scenic Lehigh Valley, Lafayette is in a truly spectacular location. The leafy Quad is a wonderful place to take in the autumn colors and witness bustling student life. There are many lovely pieces of historic architecture throughout, including the Collegiate Gothic Hogg Hall and Second Empire-style Pardee Hall. But the verdant tree-lined walkways are what make Lafayette an especially nice environment to be a student.
24. Saint Vincent College – Latrobe, PA
Founded in 1846 by a Bavarian monk and today operated by the Benedictine monks of Saint Vincent Archabbey, this small college has a relatively large campus. The centerpiece of the campus is the College Basilica, which was the first Catholic parish west of the Allegheny Mountains. Many other stately red brick buildings are spread around the campus, in a range of architectural styles. There are several outdoor meeting places where students can socialize between classes.
25. University of the Sciences – Philadelphia, PA
With a history dating back to 1821, what was once the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy (the first such institution in the country) is now a fully contemporary school for the health sciences. Within the urban center of Philadelphia’s University City, the campus is mostly blended into its environment. Right next to the broad Clark Park and tree-lined surrounding streets, the campus has many of the amenities that city living might have. There are also high-tech laboratories, stately old dormitories and a quad that functions as a hang-out space on nicer days.
©2016
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