Public · Mostly bachelor's degrees · Small city
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
University Park, Pennsylvania. 42,284 undergraduates. Admits 61% of applicants.
85%Graduation rate31 pts above the national median for similar colleges (54%)
$33,675Average net price per year69% above the national median for similar colleges ($19,899)
$71,762Median earnings 10 years after starting22% above the national median for similar colleges ($58,912)
$24,500Median debt at graduation13% above the national median for similar colleges ($21,609)
Our read
Graduates' median debt ($24,500) equals 34% of former students' median earnings ten years after starting ($71,762).
What families actually pay
Average yearly net price for first-time, full-time students who received federal aid, by family income. Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships. Source: College Scorecard.
Compare net price across collegesPublished tuition and fees: $21,098 in-state, $43,490 out-of-state.
Do students finish, and what do they earn?
| Measure | This college | Similar colleges nationally |
|---|---|---|
| Graduation rate | 85% | 54% |
| Return for second year | 93% | 76% |
| Median earnings, 6 years after starting | $60,829 | $49,318 |
| Median earnings, 10 years after starting | $71,762 | $58,912 |
| Median debt at graduation | $24,500 | $21,609 |
Graduation rate within 150% of normal time; retention is the share of first-year students who return. Earnings are medians for former students who received federal aid, working and not enrolled. National comparison is the median for colleges of the same type (mostly bachelor's degrees).
Programs and what graduates earn
391 programs reported| Program | Graduates / yr | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services | — | $57,972 | $72,057 | $21,625 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | — | $61,201 | $71,284 | $17,581 |
| Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians | — | $58,264 | $69,654 | — |
| Information Science/Studies | — | $49,860 | $67,465 | — |
| Business/Commerce, General | — | $38,044 | $62,213 | $17,500 |
| Forestry | — | — | $53,071 | — |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 2 | $39,818 | $51,387 | $17,687 |
| Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services | — | $41,132 | $46,727 | $15,750 |
| Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management | — | — | $42,786 | $12,489 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | — | $40,234 | — | — |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | — | $38,145 | $36,127 | $22,281 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | — | — | — | $19,448 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 3 | — | — | — |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 0 | — | — | $20,625 |
| Program | Graduates / yr | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Information Science/Studies | — | $114,402 | $164,257 | $22,778 |
| Business/Commerce, General | — | $100,934 | $152,766 | $21,554 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | — | $129,844 | $149,927 | $21,105 |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | — | $134,369 | — | $26,000 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | — | $129,315 | — | $22,851 |
| Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other | — | $115,795 | — | $27,000 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | — | — | $98,852 | — |
| Public Administration | — | — | $97,063 | $23,635 |
| Geography and Cartography | — | — | $94,303 | $26,000 |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | — | $90,275 | — | — |
| Engineering, Other | — | — | — | $25,000 |
| Program | Graduates / yr | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medicine | 135 | $66,744 | $152,015 | — |
| Law | 230 | $73,461 | $99,547 | — |
Program-level medians for graduates who received federal aid. A dash means the Department of Education suppressed the figure to protect privacy, usually because the program is small. At four-year colleges, certificate graduates often earned a bachelor's at the same time, so their earnings can reflect the degree. Source: College Scorecard, field of study data.
Getting in
61%Admission rate
1,337Average SAT of admitted students
27–32ACT middle 50%
16:1Students per faculty member
16%Undergraduates with a Pell Grant
Similar colleges in Pennsylvania
Saint Joseph's University - PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia · net price $33,840 · grad rate 81%Franklin and Marshall CollegeLancaster · net price $33,445 · grad rate 79%Gettysburg CollegeGettysburg · net price $33,015 · grad rate 79%Lafayette CollegeEaston · net price $35,879 · grad rate 85%University of ScrantonScranton · net price $32,132 · grad rate 82%Haverford CollegeHaverford · net price $31,075 · grad rate 89%
Quick answers
- How much does Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus cost per year?
- The average net price at Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus, what students pay after grants and scholarships, is $33,675 per year. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
- How much do Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus graduates earn?
- Former Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus students earn a median of $71,762 a year ten years after starting college. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
- What is the graduation rate at Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus?
- 85% of Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus students graduate within 150% of normal time. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
- How much student debt do Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus graduates have?
- The median federal student debt at graduation from Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus is $24,500. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
