Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
University Park, PA 16802-1503
About Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus (Penn State) is a public research university in University Park, Pennsylvania, enrolling about 42,284 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 60.56% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $63,435 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus charges about 3.7× the national public median tuition ($20,644).
- Versus the Pennsylvania median, sticker tuition is 6% above.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 86.09%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $63,435.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 382% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Finding
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus awards credentials across a wide program mix.
IPEDS completions cover more than 215 distinct degree programs at this campus.
Interpretation: Institutional averages blend very different fields; program-level completions and earnings matter more than the campus mean alone.
Limitation: Completions counts are not enrollment demand and do not measure program quality.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | $20,644 | $32,875 | 1 |
| Public (national median) | $5,512 | — | 1,688 |
| Pennsylvania (state median) | $19,450 | $17,754 | 181 |
| Town (locale median) | $9,600 | $14,971 | 1,517 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
How expensive is Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus really?
Key findings
- Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus charges about 3.7× the national public median tuition ($20,644).
- Versus the Pennsylvania median, sticker tuition is 6% above.
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $20,644
Finding Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus charges about 3.7× the national public median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $20,644. That is about 3.7× the national public median ($5,512). Versus the Pennsylvania median ($19,450), sticker tuition is 6% above. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is 73% above.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to public and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus is $32,875.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $32,875 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $15,122 above the Pennsylvania median net price. Versus town campuses, net price runs $17,904 above the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway At Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus, average net price exceeds published tuition alone because net price uses a fuller cost-of-attendance base.
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
In-state tuition
$20,644
Out-of-state tuition
$41,790
Avg. net price
$32,875
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $19,845 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $20,049 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $25,667 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $31,834 |
| $110,001+ | $37,831 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $82,576. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus is known for
Top program completions
- Finance, General533
- Psychology, General512
- Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance465
- Mechanical Engineering450
- Information Science/Studies439
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Broad access — most applicants are admitted.
- Yield: 19% of admitted students enrolled.
- Average SAT: 1337
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus.
Campus
Location
University Park, PA
City / state
- ZIP
- 16802-1503
- NCES locale
- Town
Compared with Town campuses nationally, net price is about 2.2× the median for Town campuses ($14,971 median).
Control
Institution type
Public
Control
- Region
- Mid East
- Carnegie
- Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity
Size
Enrollment
42,284
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 44,564
- Graduate
- 8,133
- Full-time share
- 98%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$25,000
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 13.88%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $16,992 | $29,566 | $27,032 |
| 2014 | $17,502 | $30,452 | $28,201 |
| 2015 | $17,514 | $31,346 | $29,226 |
| 2016 | $17,900 | $32,382 | $29,806 |
| 2017 | $18,436 | $33,664 | $30,373 |
| 2018 | $18,454 | $34,858 | $30,996 |
| 2019 | $18,450 | $35,514 | $27,343 |
| 2022 | $19,835 | $38,651 | $32,223 |
| 2023 | $20,234 | $40,188 | $32,606 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
This institution has a moderate acceptance rate, accepting most qualified applicants.
Applicants → admits → first-time enrollment from College Scorecard / IPEDS. Bar widths are scaled for readability at highly selective schools.
Test Scores
Average 1337 (middle 50% not reported)
Scores for enrollees who submitted tests (College Scorecard).
Academic Requirements
Estimated from admission selectivity and test scores. Scorecard does not publish admitted-student GPA for most institutions.
Estimated range · median 3.60
Estimated GPA band from selectivity and test scores — not an official requirement.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus reported total enrollment of about 42,284 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 53% male and 47% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (62.7%), Hispanic or Latino (9.3%), and Non-Resident Alien (9.3%). About 13.88% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 28.8% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
98.0% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus in 2024 is 42,284 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 44,564 students. Graduate enrollment is about 8,133 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
92.6%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
70.64% 100% Completion Time
86.09% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 70.64% of students graduating from Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Finance, General: 75% male / 25% female
- Psychology, General: 23% male / 77% female
- Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance: 79% male / 21% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus graduates earn a median of $63,435 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $63,435. Median federal loan debt: $25,000. Average net price used in cost models: $32,875.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus graduates report median earnings of $63,435 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (215 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$4.43B
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- Pennsylvania median 92× the median ($47.9M)
- Mid East median 104× the median ($42.6M)
- U.S. median 168× the median ($26.4M)
- Pennsylvania median 3.0× the median ($24,897)
- Mid East median 4.6× the median ($16,427)
- U.S. median 6.2× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 86.5%
- Pennsylvania median 23.3 pp above median (63.1%)
- Mid East median 29.6 pp above median (56.9%)
- U.S. median 28.5 pp above median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $13,120
- Pennsylvania median 1.6× the median ($8,003)
- Mid East median 1.6× the median ($8,119)
- U.S. median 1.7× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $15,699
- Pennsylvania median 1.8× the median ($8,615)
- Mid East median 1.7× the median ($9,164)
- U.S. median 2.2× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus at a glance
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus is a public institution in University Park, PA, classified as Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Finance, GeneralPsychology, GeneralComputer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance
- Largest enrollment groups
- White or Caucasian62.7%Hispanic or Latino9.3%Non-Resident Alien9.3%
Schools near Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
Other campuses in University Park, PA when available, plus nearby institutions in Pennsylvania.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade B) within Pennsylvania, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Penn State located?
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus is located in University Park, PA. The institution is also known as Penn State.
What is Penn State's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus (Penn State) is 60.6% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 85,956 applicants and 46,605 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is Penn State's tuition?
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $20,644 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $32,875 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Penn State cost?
Reported tuition is $20,644 and average net price is $32,875 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $14,474 annually.
What explains Penn State's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($32,875), completion (86.1% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($63,435). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at Penn State?
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus reports undergraduate enrollment of about 44,564 students, White (62.7%), Hispanic or Latino (9.3%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Penn State?
About 28.8% of students at Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus are first-generation college students.
What test scores do students need for Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus?
Among enrolled students who submitted scores, Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus reports midpoint SAT about 1337.
What do graduates of Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus earn?
Median earnings are $55,620 six years after entry and $63,435 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus?
The 150%-time completion rate is 86.1% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $25,000.
Is Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus public or private?
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus is a public institution located in University Park, PA.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
- Pennsylvania college profile
- Pennsylvania college costs
- Pennsylvania colleges by ROI
- University of Pennsylvania vs Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus vs West Chester University of Pennsylvania
- University Park, Pennsylvania city profile
- Mid East regional profile
- Town college profile
- Campus-setting profiles
- All state profiles
- Regional profiles
- National benchmarks
- School directory
- All schools in Pennsylvania
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.