Cheyney University of Pennsylvania

Public · PA

Photo: Smallbones (Public domain)

School data & stats

TypePublic

LocationPA · Northeast

SettingRural

Undergrads617

Student:faculty15:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate31.7%

6-yr grad rate40.6%

Drop-out rate31.5%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$11k

Out-of-state tuition$19k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity99.3%

Gender diversity66.1%

International0%

IdentityHBCU

Overview

Cheyney University of Pennsylvania is the nation's oldest historically Black institution of higher education, founded in 1837 outside Philadelphia. It is now part of Pennsylvania's state university system, set on a historic wooded campus, and carries a mission centered on access and renewal for a student body that includes many first-generation students.

Academics

Cheyney offers a range of undergraduate liberal-arts and professional programs at a small scale, with an honors academy for students seeking a more intensive track; class sizes are small given the university's size.

Campus & student life

The campus is wooded and historic, set outside Philadelphia, giving students a quieter residential setting with access to a major metro area nearby.

Getting in

Cheyney is not highly selective and emphasizes access, reviewing applicants with attention to potential as much as prior academic record.

Worth knowing

Cheyney's status as the oldest HBCU in the country is a genuine historical distinction, and its honors academy is a specific, real option for students seeking additional academic intensity within a small university.

cheyney.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate—

Enrolled mid-50%—

Test policynot reported

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

AdmissionRolling

Applying