Scranton, Pennsylvania has a population of about 76,074. The city’s median household income is $49,531 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 22.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. There are 5 accredited engineering programs within 100 miles of Scranton, with tuition ranging from $5,215 to $15,810 per year. In the Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA metro area, the top-earning engineering-related role is Architectural and Engineering Manager at a median $147,380 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).
The five accredited institutions below are the closest options indexed in our directory that offer engineering programs. Distances are calculated from Scranton city center.
| School | City | Distance | Tuition | Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson College | Scranton, PA | 3.4 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Wilkes University | Wilkes-Barre, PA | 16.1 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Luzerne County Community College | Nanticoke, PA | 22.3 mi | $6,450 - $15,810 | – |
| Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania | Bloomsburg, PA | 49.4 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Lehigh Carbon Community College | Schnecksville, PA | 51.2 mi | $5,215 - $15,075 | – |
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Pennsylvania schools on the Pennsylvania engineering page.
Scranton is part of the Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA metro area (BLS area code 42540). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Pennsylvania statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civil Engineer | $89,960 | Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA | $96,111 |
| Electrical Engineer | $111,700 | Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA | $119,338 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $85,570 | Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA | $91,421 |
| Chemical Engineer | $107,040 | PA statewide | $114,359 |
| Aerospace Engineer | $108,510 | PA statewide | $115,929 |
| Biomedical Engineer | $97,900 | PA statewide | $104,594 |
| Environmental Engineer | $83,130 | Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA | $88,814 |
| Architectural and Engineering Manager | $147,380 | Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA | $157,457 |
Source: BLS, May 2024 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 76,074 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $49,531 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 22.8% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 93.6 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Engineering-related employment in Lackawanna County | 509 workers, 61 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Our directory lists 5 engineering programs within 100 miles of Scranton. The closest is Johnson College in Scranton, PA (3.4 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is Lehigh Carbon Community College (51.2 miles). 0 of these programs are offered fully online.
Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying engineering-related roles near Scranton are: Architectural and Engineering Manager ($147,380), Electrical Engineer ($111,700), Aerospace Engineer ($108,510). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Pennsylvania statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Wilkes-Barre, PA is 15.4 miles from Scranton and has its own set of local engineering programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.
Scranton’s median household income of $49,531 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Scranton while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Pennsylvania public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.
Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.
Return to Best Online Engineering Programs in Pennsylvania (2026)