AP Physics C: Mechanics credit at Pennsylvania colleges

Every Pennsylvania college with a published AP Physics C: Mechanics credit policy — minimum score, credit hours, and the course it replaces.

Quick answer

39 of 98 Pennsylvania colleges (40%) award credit for AP Physics C: Mechanics at a score of 3. 52 require a 4 and 7 require a 5. The lowest bar in the state is a 3 at West Chester University of Pennsylvania (3 credit hours). 97 of these colleges link to their own policy page below. Captured July 30, 2026.

Colleges that award credit for AP Physics C: Mechanics, with the minimum qualifying score, credit hours awarded and the equivalent course.
College	Min score	Credits	Counts as	Source
West Chester University of Pennsylvania West Chester	3	3	PHY 100	Policy
Harrisburg Area Community College Harrisburg	3	4	PHYS 211 Phys Eng/Scientists I	Policy
Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania Bloomsburg	3	4	PHYS 211 General Physics 1	Policy
Community College of Allegheny County Pittsburgh	3	4	PHY 221	Policy
Northampton County Area Community College Bethlehem	3	4	PHYS 101	Policy
Montgomery County Community College Blue Bell	3	4	PHY 121	Policy
Delaware County Community College Media	3	3	PHY 270 Physics Elective	Policy
Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus Indiana	3	4	PHYS 131/141	Policy
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Slippery Rock	3	4	PHYS 216	Policy
Millersville University of Pennsylvania Millersville	3	5	PHYS 231	Policy
Duquesne University Pittsburgh	3	3	PHYS 123	Policy
Bucks County Community College Newtown	3	—	PHYS 121	Policy
East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania East Stroudsburg	3	4	PHYS 161	Policy
Lehigh Carbon Community College Schnecksville	3	3	PHY 299	Policy
PCT Pennsylvania College of Technology Williamsport	3	4	PHS 201	Policy
Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania Shippensburg	3	4	PHYS 205 and PHYS 124 (lecture and lab)	Policy
Reading Area Community College Reading	3	—	PHY 250	Policy
Robert Morris University Moon Township	3	—	PHYS 1210/1215	Policy
Gannon University Erie	3	3	PHYS 210	Policy
Point Park University Pittsburgh	3	6	PHYS 295	Policy
Messiah University Mechanicsburg	3	4	PHYS 211	Policy
Holy Family University Philadelphia	3	3	Tier 1 Science OR PHYS 202 (4) OR Tier 2 Elective	Policy
Grove City College Grove City	3	4	SCIC 201	Policy
Eastern University Saint Davids	3	4	PHYS-151/151L	Policy
Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre	3	4	PHY 201, 204	Policy
Butler County Community College Butler	3	4	PHYS 102	Policy
Marywood University Scranton	3	4	Physics Elective	Policy
Elizabethtown College Elizabethtown	3	4	PHY201	Policy
Arcadia University Glenside	3	4	PH211	Policy
Delaware Valley University Doylestown	3	4	MP-2123 (4 cr)	Policy
Seton Hill University Greensburg	3	4	SPH 110 and 111 General Physics II and Lab, or fulfills Liberal Arts Curriculum - Science requirement	Policy
King's College Wilkes-Barre	3	3	PHYS 111	Policy
Geneva College Beaver Falls	3	4	PHY 181	Policy
University of Pittsburgh-Bradford Bradford	3	8	PHYS0201, 0202, or 0203, 0204	Policy
Chestnut Hill College Philadelphia	3	3	—	Policy
Keystone College La Plume	3	4	PHYS 2110 General Physics I	Policy
Cairn University-Langhorne Langhorne	3	3	—	Policy
Cheyney University of Pennsylvania Cheyney	3	4	SPY 211	Policy
MC Manor College Jenkintown	3	—	—	Policy
Temple University Philadelphia	4	4	Physics 1061	Policy
Drexel University Philadelphia	4	4	PHYS 152	Policy
Villanova University Villanova	4	4	PHY 1100 & PHY 1101	Policy
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania Kutztown	4	4	PHY100/101	Policy
Lehigh University Bethlehem	4	5	PHY 011, PHY 012	Policy
Saint Joseph's University Philadelphia	4	—	PHY 105, 105L	Policy
PSUP Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg Middletown	4	4	Physics 211	Policy
Bucknell University Lewisburg	4	1	100 level Physics Elective / No lab credit	Policy
University of Scranton Scranton	4	—	PHYS 120 Credit for laboratory is not automatically granted; however, the student may present lab books/syllabi to the department chair for review and possible credit assignment.	Policy
York College of Pennsylvania York	4	5	PHY160 and PHY161	Policy
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington Abington	4	4	Physics 211	Policy
Widener University Chester	4	4	PHYS 161 + 163	Policy
Lafayette College Easton	4	1	Physics 131	Policy
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona Altoona	4	4	Phys 211	Policy
Gettysburg College Gettysburg	4	1	PHY 103 / MI - Natural Science with lab	Policy
Dickinson College Carlisle	4	—	PHYS 131	Policy
Susquehanna University Selinsgrove	4	4	PHYS-203	Policy
DeSales University Center Valley	4	5	Either PH 201 or PH 203 (pending student's major)	Policy
Moravian University Bethlehem	4	4	PHYS 111	Policy
Franklin and Marshall College Lancaster	4	1	PHY 111	Policy
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks Reading	4	4	Physics 211	Policy
Muhlenberg College Allentown	4	1	PHY 101-110	Policy
Lebanon Valley College Annville	4	4	Majors: Elective (or PHY 111 with the permission of the department). Non-majors: PHY 111.	Policy
Ursinus College Collegeville	4	4	PHYS 111Q	Policy
Haverford College Haverford	4	.5	—	Policy
Bryn Mawr College Bryn Mawr	4	1	—	Policy
Albright College Reading	4	—	PHY 202	Policy
Immaculata University Immaculata	4	4	—	Policy
Saint Vincent College Latrobe	4	4	PH 111, 113	Policy
Chatham University Pittsburgh	4	4	PHY251, PHY255L	Policy
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine Media	4	4	Phys 211	Policy
Allegheny College Meadville	4	4	PHYS*101	Policy
Juniata College Huntingdon	4	3	PC-2XXTR	Policy
Mount Aloysius College Cresson	4	4	PHYS 106	—
Waynesburg University Waynesburg	4	4	PHY 212, General Physics II	Policy
Lycoming College Williamsport	4	4	PHYS 225	Policy
PSUP Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Lehigh Valley Center Valley	4	4	Physics 211	Policy
PSUP Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Scranton Dunmore	4	4	Phys 211	Policy
Wilson College Chambersburg	4	4	PHY-101: Physics I	Policy
PSUP Pennsylvania State University-Penn State York York	4	4	Phys 211	Policy
PSUP Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Schuylkill Schuylkill Haven	4	4	Physics 211	Policy
PSUP Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Mont Alto Mont Alto	4	4	Physics 211	Policy
PSUP Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Hazleton Hazleton	4	4	Physics 211	Policy
PSUP Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Beaver Monaca	4	4	Physics 211	Policy
PSUP Pennsylvania State University-Penn State New Kensington New Kensington	4	4	Physics 211	Policy
PSUP Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Fayette- Eberly Lemont Furnace	4	4	Phys 211	Policy
PSUP Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Greater Allegheny McKeesport	4	4	Phys 211	Policy
PSUP Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Wilkes-Barre Dallas	4	4	Physics 211	Policy
PSUP Pennsylvania State University-Penn State DuBois DuBois	4	4	Physics 211	Policy
Bryn Athyn College of the New Church Bryn Athyn	4	3	Phys1xx	Policy
PSUP Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Shenango Sharon	4	4	Physics 211	Policy
University of Pittsburgh-Titusville Titusville	4	4	PHYS 0174	Policy
University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh	5	4	PHYS 0174	Policy
University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia	5	1.5	Physics 0150	Policy
Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh	5	12	33-141	Policy
University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown Johnstown	5	4	PHYS 0150	Policy
Swarthmore College Swarthmore	5	1	—	Policy
University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg Greensburg	5	4	PHYS 0174	Policy
Washington & Jefferson College Washington	5	—	PHY 107	Policy

AP Physics C: Mechanics credit in other states

California 173 New York 107 Ohio 92 Texas 89 Illinois 84 North Carolina 67 Florida 63 Massachusetts 61 Michigan 57 Washington 49 Virginia 49 Minnesota 45

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 Physics C: Mechanics?+

98 colleges in Pennsylvania publish a credit-bearing policy for AP Physics C: Mechanics. 39 of them (40%) award credit at a score of 3, 52 require a 4, and 7 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 Physics C: Mechanics score that earns credit in Pennsylvania?+

3. West Chester University of Pennsylvania in West Chester awards credit at a score of 3, worth 3 credit hours, counting as PHY 100. 39 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?+

97 of the 98 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

📚 AP Physics C: Mechanics nationwide 📚 All AP exams 🎓 All Pennsylvania colleges 🔁 Transfer credit policies 🧭 Counselor toolkit

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.