AP Biology credit at Pennsylvania colleges
Every Pennsylvania college with a published AP Biology credit policy — minimum score, credit hours, and the course it replaces.
Quick answer
48 of 102 Pennsylvania colleges (47%) award credit for AP Biology at a score of 3. 51 require a 4 and 3 require a 5. The lowest bar in the state is a 3 at Temple University (8 credit hours). 101 of these colleges link to their own policy page below. Captured July 30, 2026.
| College | Min score | Credits | Counts as | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Temple University Philadelphia | 3 | 8 | Biology 1001 & Biology 1002 | Policy |
 West Chester University of Pennsylvania West Chester | 3 | 4 | BIO 110 | Policy |
 Harrisburg Area Community College Harrisburg | 3 | 4 | BIOL 101 Gen Biology I | Policy |
 Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania Bloomsburg | 3 | 3 | BIOL 101 Human Biology | Policy |
 Community College of Allegheny County Pittsburgh | 3 | 8 | BIO-151, BIO-152 | Policy |
 Pennsylvania Western University California | 3 | 4 | BIOL 1900 | Policy |
| 3 | 4 | BIOS 107 | Policy | |
 Montgomery County Community College Blue Bell | 3 | 8 | BIO 121 and BIO 122 | Policy |
| 3 | 4 | BIO 110 General Biology I | Policy | |
 Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Slippery Rock | 3 | 3 | BIOL 101/100 | Policy |
| 3 | 4 | BIO104 | Policy | |
 Millersville University of Pennsylvania Millersville | 3 | 4 | BIOL 100 | Policy |
 Duquesne University Pittsburgh | 3 | 3 | BIOL 120 | Policy |
| 3 | — | BIOL 121 | Policy | |
 East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania East Stroudsburg | 3 | 4 | BIOL 114 | Policy |
 Lehigh Carbon Community College Schnecksville | 3 | 4 | BIO 110 | Policy |
PCT Pennsylvania College of Technology Williamsport | 3 | 4 | BIO Elective | Policy |
 Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania Shippensburg | 3 | 3 | BIOL 100 | Policy |
 University of Scranton Scranton | 3 | — | Test score too low for University of Scranton Credit. | Policy |
| 3 | — | BIO 150 and BIO 155 | Policy | |
| 3 | 8 | BIO204 and BIO205 and BIO1XX | Policy | |
 Robert Morris University Moon Township | 3 | — | BIOL 1310/1315 | Policy |
 Widener University Chester | 3 | 4 | BIOL 101 | Policy |
| 3 | 3 | SCIEN 297 | Policy | |
 Point Park University Pittsburgh | 3 | 8 | BIOL 101, 102, 103, 104 | Policy |
 Messiah University Mechanicsburg | 3 | 3 | BIOL 106 (Non-bio) | Policy |
 Holy Family University Philadelphia | 3 | 4 | BIOL 120 w/Lab | Policy |
 Grove City College Grove City | 3 | 4 | SCIC 202 | Policy |
 Eastern University Saint Davids | 3 | 8 | BIOL-151/151L & BIOL-152/152L | Policy |
| 3 | 4 | BIOL 101 | Policy | |
 Marywood University Scranton | 3 | 8 | 4 credits Biology elective; 4 credits Science elective | Policy |
 Elizabethtown College Elizabethtown | 3 | 4 | BIO101 | Policy |
 Arcadia University Glenside | 3 | 4 | BI185 | Policy |
 Delaware Valley University Doylestown | 3 | 4 | BY-1113 (4cr) or BY-1116 (3cr) | Policy |
 Misericordia University Dallas | 3 | 3 | BIO 105 | Policy |
 Seton Hill University Greensburg | 3 | 4 | SBL 150 General Biology I and SBL 151 General Biology I Lab, or fulfills Liberal Arts Curriculum - Science requirement for non-science major | Policy |
 Saint Francis University Loretto | 3 | — | — | Policy |
 King's College Wilkes-Barre | 3 | 3 | NSCI 173 | Policy |
 Immaculata University Immaculata | 3 | 3 | — | Policy |
 Chatham University Pittsburgh | 3 | 4 | BIO135 + lab | Policy |
 Waynesburg University Waynesburg | 3 | 4 | BIO 118, Human Biology for Non-Majors | Policy |
 Geneva College Beaver Falls | 3 | 3 | BIO 101 | Policy |
| 3 | 4 | BIOL 0101 | Policy | |
 Chestnut Hill College Philadelphia | 3 | 4 | BIOL-111 | Policy |
 Keystone College La Plume | 3 | 8 | BIOL 1125 and 1130 General Biology I and II | Policy |
 Cairn University-Langhorne Langhorne | 3 | 3 | SCI 341 | Policy |
| 3 | 4 | SLF 110 | Policy | |
MC Manor College Jenkintown | 3 | — | — | Policy |
| 4 | 3 | BIOSC 0150 | Policy | |
 Drexel University Philadelphia | 4 | 4 | BIO 132 | Policy |
 Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh | 4 | 9 | 03-011 | Policy |
 Villanova University Villanova | 4 | 8 | BIO 2105 & BIO 2106 | Policy |
| 4 | 8 | BIOL 201 & 202 Prin of Biology I & II (all majors) | Policy | |
 Lehigh University Bethlehem | 4 | 4 | BIOS 001 Biology For Non-Majors | Policy |
 Saint Joseph's University Philadelphia | 4 | — | BIO 161 | Policy |
PSUP | 4 | 4 | Bio 011, 012 | Policy |
 Bucknell University Lewisburg | 4 | 1 | 100 level Biology Elective / No lab credit. | Policy |
| 4 | 4 | Biology 011, 012 | Policy | |
| 4 | 4 | Biology 011 and Biology 012 | Policy | |
 Gettysburg College Gettysburg | 4 | 1 | BIO 100 / MI - Natural Science with lab | Policy |
 Dickinson College Carlisle | 4 | — | GNCR 000 | Policy |
 Susquehanna University Selinsgrove | 4 | 4 | BIOL-010 | Policy |
 DeSales University Center Valley | 4 | 4 | BI 151 | Policy |
 Moravian University Bethlehem | 4 | 4 | BIOL 100 | Policy |
 University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown Johnstown | 4 | 4 | BIOL 0110, 0111 | Policy |
 Franklin and Marshall College Lancaster | 4 | 1 | BIO 179 | Policy |
 Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre | 4 | 4 | BIO 122 | Policy |
| 4 | 4 | Biology 011 and Biology 012 | Policy | |
 Muhlenberg College Allentown | 4 | 1 | BIO 100 | Policy |
 Lebanon Valley College Annville | 4 | 8 | Non-Biology/Biochemistry/Environmental Science/Neuroscience majors: BIO 111, 112. Biology/Biochemistry/Environmental Science/Medical Laboratory Science/Neuroscience majors: Elective (or BIO 111, 112 with the permission of the department). | Policy |
 Ursinus College Collegeville | 4 | 4 | BIO 150 | Policy |
 Haverford College Haverford | 4 | .5 | — | Policy |
 Bryn Mawr College Bryn Mawr | 4 | 2 | — | Policy |
 University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg Greensburg | 4 | 4 | BIOSC 0150 | Policy |
 Albright College Reading | 4 | — | BIO 101 | Policy |
 Saint Vincent College Latrobe | 4 | 4 | — | Policy |
| 4 | 4 | Bio 011, 012 | Policy | |
 Allegheny College Meadville | 4 | 4 | — | Policy |
 Juniata College Huntingdon | 4 | 3 | BI-1XXTR | Policy |
 Washington & Jefferson College Washington | 4 | — | BIO 100 | Policy |
 Mount Aloysius College Cresson | 4 | 4 | BIOL 101 | — |
 Lycoming College Williamsport | 4 | 8 | SCI DIST | Policy |
PSUP | 4 | 4 | Biology 011 Biology 012 | Policy |
 Cedar Crest College Allentown | 4 | 8 | BIO 123 & 124 | Policy |
| 4 | 4 | Biology 011 and Biology 012 | Policy | |
 Wilson College Chambersburg | 4 | 8 | BIO-101: General Biology I BIO-102: General Biology II | Policy |
| 4 | 4 | Biology 011 and Biology 012 | Policy | |
PSUP Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Schuylkill Schuylkill Haven | 4 | 4 | Biology 011, Biology 012 | Policy |
PSUP | 4 | 4 | Biology 011 and Biology 012 | Policy |
| 4 | 4 | Biology 011 and Biology 012 | Policy | |
| 4 | 4 | Biology 011 and Biology 012 | Policy | |
PSUP Pennsylvania State University-Penn State New Kensington New Kensington | 4 | 4 | Biology 011 and Biology 012 | Policy |
PSUP Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Fayette- Eberly Lemont Furnace | 4 | 4 | Bio 011, 012 | Policy |
| 4 | 4 | Bio 011, 012 | Policy | |
| 4 | 4 | Biology 011 and Biology 012 | Policy | |
| 4 | 4 | Biology 011 and Biology 012 | Policy | |
 Bryn Athyn College of the New Church Bryn Athyn | 4 | 3 | Bio1xx | Policy |
| 4 | 4 | Biology 011 and Biology 012 | Policy | |
 University of Pittsburgh-Titusville Titusville | 4 | 4 | BIOSC 0050, 0150 | Policy |
 Lafayette College Easton | 5 | 1 | Biology 111 | Policy |
 Swarthmore College Swarthmore | 5 | 1 | — | Policy |
 Thiel College Greenville | 5 | 4 | BIO 145 | Policy |
AP Biology credit in other states
How we ranked this
One row per Pennsylvania college: the lowest score that earns actual credit under the policy that applies to all students, and the largest credit award published at that score. Placement-only policies — permission to skip a course without earning credit hours — are excluded. Credit hours and course equivalents are reproduced exactly as the college published them; “—” means no value was published and we do not estimate one. A page is published for a state only when at least 8 colleges back it.
Frequently asked questions
Which Pennsylvania colleges give credit for AP Biology?+
102 colleges in Pennsylvania publish a credit-bearing policy for AP Biology. 48 of them (47%) award credit at a score of 3, 51 require a 4, and 3 require a 5. The full list, with credit hours and the course each exam replaces, is in the table on this page.
What is the lowest AP Biology score that earns credit in Pennsylvania?+
3. Temple University in Philadelphia awards credit at a score of 3, worth 8 credit hours, counting as Biology 1001 & Biology 1002. 48 Pennsylvania colleges in total set their bar at a 3 or lower.
Does in-state residency change AP credit in Pennsylvania?+
No. AP credit policy is set per institution and applies to admitted students regardless of residency — residency affects tuition rate, not credit awards. What does vary is the school within a university: engineering and nursing colleges commonly set higher bars than arts and sciences. The rules shown here are the ones that apply to all students at each college.
How do I verify these Pennsylvania AP credit policies?+
101 of the 102 colleges on this page link to their own published AP credit page in the Source column; our snapshot was taken July 30, 2026. The college's page is authoritative and can change between admission cycles, so confirm there before building a graduation plan around the credit.
Keep exploring
Data sources: Each college's own published AP / advanced-standing credit page (captured July 30, 2026) · IPEDS institution directory (names, control, location). Figures are the most recent values published in each federal dataset; cells with no published value are shown as “—” and never estimated. Education does not sell rankings or accept placement fees.