WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Pennsylvania College of Technology has been ranked the No. 1 school for innovation for the third consecutive year, No. 1 for veteran students for the second consecutive year and the No. 3 top public school in the "Regional Colleges (North)" classification by U.S. News & World Report for 2026. In the overall "Regional Colleges (North)" list, which includes both public and private institutions, Penn College moved from No. 5 in 2025 to No. 4 in 2026.
U.S. News defines the category of "Regional Colleges" as regional schools that focus on undergraduate education but grant fewer than 50% of their degrees in the liberal arts, and some also award two-year associate degrees. Within their category, each school is scored on up to 17 academic quality factors. In total, 67 institutions made the "Regional Colleges (North)" list.
“We are honored to be continually recognized so prominently by U.S. News & World Report,” said Penn College President Michael J. Reed. “Our goal is to place our students in the most competitive position for long-term success, and these rankings affirm the value of our distinctive, hands-on, industry-informed approach to education. With a 98% graduate placement rate, it’s clear that our model delivers strong outcomes and a meaningful return on investment for our students and their families.”
According to U.S. News, the "Best Colleges" rankings each year aim to provide prospective students and their families with the comparative merits of the undergraduate programs at America’s colleges and universities. The rankings offer detailed information of the institutions and data on factors such as graduation rates, graduate indebtedness and post-graduate earnings.
Penn College earned "Best Colleges" badges for its high performance in the following categories:
- Most Innovative Schools – Regional Colleges (North), No. 1
- Best Colleges for Veterans – Regional Colleges (North), No. 1
- Top Public Schools – Regional Colleges (North), No. 3
- Regional Colleges (North), overall, No. 4
Prospective students can see how Penn College compares to other institutions and how the rankings are calculated on the U.S. News website.
For more information about Penn College, a national leader in applied technology education and a special mission affiliate of Penn State, visit www.pct.edu, email admissions@pct.edu or call toll-free 800-367-9222.