Pennsylvania’s higher education system operates through multiple governance structures. The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) manages 10 state-owned universities following consolidations that created Commonwealth University and Pennsylvania Western University in 2022. The state also supports four state-related universities (The Pennsylvania State University, Temple University, the University of Pittsburgh, and Lincoln University, one of two HBCUs in PA) that function as public-private partnerships. The new State Board of Higher Education (SBHE), created in 2024, aims to coordinate across all sectors. Community colleges maintain local governance while receiving state support, and private institutions operate independently with significant collective impact through the Association of Independent Colleges & Universities of PA (AICUP).
