A complete list of trustees is also available, as well as biographies of all 18th century trustees.
College of Philadelphia
- Benjamin Franklin, President of the Board of Trustees 1749-1755 (Academy), 1755-1756 (College), Trustee 1779-1790 (University)
- Richard Peters, President 1756-1764
- James Hamilton, President 1764-1764
- John Penn, President 1764-1771
- James Hamilton, President 1771-1773
- Richard Penn, President 1773-1774
- John Penn, President 1774-1779
- Benjamin Franklin, President 1789-1790
- William White, President 1790-1791
University of the State of Pennsylvania
- Joseph Reed, President 1779-1781
- William Moore, President 1781-1782
- John Dickinson, President 1782-1785
- Thomas McKean, President 1788-1791
From 1791 to 1880 there was no elected Chairman. Meetings of the Trustees were chaired by one of those present.
University of Pennsylvania
- His Excellency the Governor of the Commonwealth, President ex officio 1791-present
- William Pepper, President pro tempore in the absence of the Governor 1880-1894
- Charles Custis Harrison, President pro tempore 1894-1911, Chairman 1911-1923
- Randal Morgan, Chairman 1923-1926
- Charles Custis Harrison, Chairman 1926
- Josiah Harmar Penniman, Chairman 1926-1928
- Thomas Sovereign Gates, Chairman, Executive Board 1928-1948, Chairman of Trustees 1945-1948
- Robert Thompson McCracken, Chairman 1948-1956
- Alfred Hector Williams, Chairman 1956-1961
- Wilfred Donnell Gillen, Chairman 1961-1968
- William Lang Day, Chairman 1968-1973
- Robert Galbraith Dunlop, Chairman 1974-1974 (acting)
- Donald Thomas Regan, Chairman 1974-1978
- Paul Fetterolf Miller, Jr., Chairman 1978-1986
- Alvin Varner Shoemaker, Chairman 1986-1994
- Pindaros Roy Vagelos, Chairman 1994-1999
- James S. Riepe, Chairman 1999-2009
- David L. Cohen, Chairman 2009-2021
- Scott L. Bok, Chairman 2021-