Pennsylvania State University

School Overview: Acceptance Rate, Tuition, and More

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About Pennsylvania State University

School Type:

Religious Affiliation: Not applicable

Status: Non-profit

Military Friendly: Yes

Accreditation: regional

Pennsylvania State University is a large public university located on an urban campus in University Park, Pennsylvania. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 73,476, and admissions are selective, with an acceptance rate of 92%. The university offers 178 bachelor's degrees, has an average graduation rate of 72%, and a student-faculty ratio of 15:1. Tuition and fees for in-state students are $15,400, while tuition and fees for out-of-state students are $25,084.

University Park, PA

$15,400

Avg in-state
tuition

$25,084

Avg in-state
tuition

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Admissions Breakdown

92%

Acceptance Rate Insight

92% of students were accepted during the 2021-2022 school year. Sometimes schools with midrange acceptance rates have higher standards of entry but are still accessible to many students who apply.

87%

Retention Rate Insight

87% of full-time students stayed to continue their studies the following academic year. These students started in Fall 2020 and returned in Fall 2021.

72%

Graduation Rate Insight

72% of students graduated out of all full-time, first-time students who began their studies in Fall 2015. Keep in mind many students who enroll are not typically first-time students, as most are adult learners. Therefore, the number of first-time students is traditionally low.

Application Considerations

Test scoresConsidered (not required)

High school transcriptRequired

High school rankNot required or recommended

Letter of recommendationNot required or recommended

High school GPARequired

Open admissionNo

Completion of college prep programRecommended

Test of English as a foreign language (TOEFL)Required

Transfer Credit Policy

Dual enrollmentYes

Credit for qualified life experience*Yes

Advance placement (AP) creditsYes

*This can include previous jobs, trainings, licenses/credentials, or seminars. You may need to complete an exam or provide a portfolio to earn credit.

SAT & ACT

ACT 25th-75th Percentile25-31

SAT 25th-75th Percentile1140-1360

Learning Environment

Student Body Stats

89k

Students enrolled

54%

Online student enrollment

15:1

Student to faculty ratio

Ways Students Can Learn

OnlineCheck Bold
On-campusCheck Bold
HybridCheck Bold

Demographics

White

63%

Unknown

2%

Black

6%

Hispanic

8%

Two or more races

3%

Non-U.S. Citizen

10%

Asian

7%

American Indian/Alaska Native

0%

Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

0%

Socio-economic diversity

22% of students received an income-based Federal Pell Grant intended for low-income students.

22%

Online Programs

Offers Online Programs

Yes

Online Programs

148

Total Online Enrollment

48386

Student Location Breakout

Percent of Programs Online

76% On-campus

24% Online

Types of Online Programs Offered

CertificatesCheck Bold24% online

AssociateCheck Bold33% online

Bachelor'sCheck Bold18% online

Graduate CertificateCheck Bold62% online

Master'sCheck Bold28% online

DoctorateCheck Bold1% online

Student Charges

Tuition and Required Fees

Student LevelIn-stateOut-of-state
Undergraduate$59,784$59,784
Graduate$54,672$54,672

Cost of Undergraduate Attendance

Costs based on full-time, first-time degree or certificate-seeking undergraduates for the 2021–2022 academic year.

Costs to ConsiderPrice
Books and supplies$1200
On-campus room and board$17758
On-campus other expenses$2600
Off-campus (not with family) room and boardCurrently unavailable
Off-campus (not with family) other expensesCurrently unavailable
Off-campus (with family) other expensesCurrently unavailable

Total Undergraduate Cost

Total cost by categoryIn-stateOut-of-state
On-campus$81342$81342
Off-campus without family$60984$60984
Off-campus with family$60984$60984

Financial Breakdown

Students Receiving Aid

Federal Grant Aid

30%

State Grant Aid

18%

Institution Grant Aid

42%

Pell Grant

22%

Average Aid Awarded

Federal Grant Aid$5,303
State Grant Aid$3,641
Institution Grant Aid$6,517
Pell Grant Aid$4,709

Financial Outlook

$25k

Average student debtafter graduation

$44k

Average salary 6 years after starting school

Varsity Athletic Teams

NCAA Division I-FCS

4.2%

of the overall student body is a member of an athletic team.

Participation

MenWomen
  • All Track Combined
  • Baseball
  • Basketball
  • Fencing
  • Football
  • Golf
  • Gymnastics
  • Ice Hockey
  • Lacrosse
  • Soccer
  • Swimming Diving
  • Tennis
  • Volleyball
  • Water Polo
  • Wrestling
  • Bowling
  • Field Hockey
  • Softball

Degrees Awarded by Program

Degrees given for the 2021-2022 academic year.

#ProgramsBAMADoc
1AGRICULTURAL/ANIMAL/PLANT/VETERINARY SCIENCE AND RELATED FIELDS.
2ARCHITECTURE AND RELATED SERVICES.
3AREA, ETHNIC, CULTURAL, GENDER, AND GROUP STUDIES.
4BIOLOGICAL AND BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES.
5BUSINESS, MANAGEMENT, MARKETING, AND RELATED SUPPORT SERVICES.
6COMMUNICATION, JOURNALISM, AND RELATED PROGRAMS.
7COMPUTER AND INFORMATION SCIENCES AND SUPPORT SERVICES.
8EDUCATION.
9ENGINEERING.
10ENGINEERING/ENGINEERING-RELATED TECHNOLOGIES/TECHNICIANS.
11ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE/LETTERS.
12FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCES/HUMAN SCIENCES.
13FOREIGN LANGUAGES, LITERATURES, AND LINGUISTICS.
14HEALTH PROFESSIONS AND RELATED PROGRAMS.
15HISTORY.
16HOMELAND SECURITY, LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIREFIGHTING AND RELATED PROTECTIVE SERVICES.
17LEGAL PROFESSIONS AND STUDIES.
18LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES, GENERAL STUDIES AND HUMANITIES.
19MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS.
20MULTI/INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES.
21NATURAL RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION.
22PARKS, RECREATION, LEISURE, FITNESS, AND KINESIOLOGY.
23PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGIOUS STUDIES.
24PHYSICAL SCIENCES.
25PSYCHOLOGY.
26PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND SOCIAL SERVICE PROFESSIONS.
27SCIENCE TECHNOLOGIES/TECHNICIANS.
28SOCIAL SCIENCES.
29VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS.

Data collected from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), [2021-2022]. In the absence of IPED data, information was collected directly from the school and is accurate as of the date of collection. Contact the school directly for the most current and complete information.