Public · Mostly bachelor's degrees · Large suburb

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg

Middletown, Pennsylvania. 4,031 undergraduates. Admits 98% of applicants.

27%Graduation rate27 pts below the national median for similar colleges (54%)
$16,753Average net price per year16% below 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

Under $30,000$13,038
$30,000–$48,000$8,885
$48,001–$75,000$11,750
$75,001–$110,000$17,214
Over $110,000$24,689

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: $16,004 in-state, $27,254 out-of-state.

Do students finish, and what do they earn?

MeasureThis collegeSimilar colleges nationally
Graduation rate27%54%
Return for second year82%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

77 programs reported
ProgramGraduates / yrMedian earnings, 1 yrMedian earnings, 5 yrsMedian debt
Computer and Information Sciences, General61$84,461$132,938$22,985
Computer Engineering0$85,528$130,081$27,000
Finance and Financial Management Services28$69,230$115,485$23,035
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management11$73,501$107,163$26,000
Information Science/Studies18$68,240$101,568$25,000
Nuclear Engineering1$76,869$101,306$26,000
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering33$82,304$99,584$27,000
Marketing30$58,892$95,515$25,000
Mechanical Engineering57$75,796$94,999$25,000
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing36$82,877$92,712$27,000
Accounting and Related Services7$64,480$92,609$26,000
Economics0$60,469$88,456$23,599
Civil Engineering49$70,399$86,403$26,000
Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other13$44,357$84,900$26,000
Human Resources Management and Services6$62,246$84,018$25,250
Business Administration, Management and Operations16$56,682$83,106$27,000
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods10$63,116$83,075$24,016
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication0$55,985$81,151$25,000
Health and Medical Administrative Services7$55,314$80,275$25,342
Biological and Physical Sciences5$40,786$78,287$25,125
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness22$38,359$73,303$27,000
Political Science and Government14$46,124$72,401$25,000
Biology, General41$38,378$69,494$25,000
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services8$27,725$69,194$25,000
Criminal Justice and Corrections19$41,573$58,618$25,000
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods24$44,879$56,568$26,950
Communication and Media Studies10$45,444$56,278$24,500
Plant Sciences1$37,667$55,259$26,000
Sociology7$43,918$55,063$25,000
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities3$34,927$54,823$26,000
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas8$47,516$54,754$24,000
Psychology, General22$37,593$54,626$26,000
Area Studies5—$50,794$24,637
English Language and Literature, General11$35,537$49,494$26,000
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services9$38,150$46,930$27,000
Applied Mathematics3———
Public Policy Analysis5———

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

98%Admission rate
1,227Average SAT of admitted students
22–31ACT middle 50%
15:1Students per faculty member
32%Undergraduates with a Pell Grant

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Quick answers

How much does Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg cost per year?
The average net price at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg, what students pay after grants and scholarships, is $16,753 per year. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
How much do Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg graduates earn?
Former Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg 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-Penn State Harrisburg?
27% of Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg students graduate within 150% of normal time. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
How much student debt do Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg graduates have?
The median federal student debt at graduation from Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg is $24,500. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.