Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
University Park, PA · Public · Small city · Carnegie R1/R2 · PSUMC · Penn State
Public institution in University Park, PA · 41,862 undergraduates · 54% acceptance rate · $63,435 median earnings 10 years after entry.
- Top 1%Undergraduates
- Top 6%Graduation rate (4-year)
- Top 11%Full-time retention
- Top 17%Median earnings, 6 years after entry
Stats
College Scorecard figures, each with where this school sits nationally among institutions that report the same measure. A dash means the school does not report it.
Cost
- Average net price
- $32,5981,806th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
- In-state tuition & fees
- $20,2341,125th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
- Out-of-state tuition & fees
- $40,1881,626th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
- Cost of attendance
- $39,1601,199th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
- Median graduate debt
- $25,0001,246th lowest of 1,880 reporting
Outcomes
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $63,435423rd highest of 1,969 reporting
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $55,620331st highest of 1,964 reporting
- Graduation rate (4-year)
- 85.7%129th highest of 2,031 reporting
- Full-time retention
- 92.0%198th highest of 1,853 reporting
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- 54.2%328th most selective of 1,608 reporting
- Average SAT
- 1316173rd highest of 1,024 reporting
- Median ACT
- —
Campus
- Undergraduates
- 41,86214th largest of 2,162 reporting
- Student-faculty ratio
- 15.0:11,317th smallest of 2,159 reporting
- Pell Grant share
- 13.3%1,996th highest of 2,140 reporting
Nearest large-hub airport: 129 mi (BWI)
On 5 of our 111 lists
Every published ranking this school appears on, with its rank there.
Best-paying fields of study
Median earnings one and two years after graduating, by field. Showing 12 of 141 reported programs.
| Field | Level | 1 yr | 2 yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engineering ScienceEngineering | bachelors | $79,081 | $73,215 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralComputer Science | bachelors | $75,344 | $78,244 |
| Computer EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $74,381 | $71,234 |
| Petroleum EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $73,272 | $69,535 |
| Chemical EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $72,676 | $73,145 |
| Industrial EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $69,972 | $71,286 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $69,606 | $67,660 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingHealth Professions | bachelors | $69,000 | $69,419 |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and ManagementComputer Science | bachelors | $68,647 | $68,950 |
| Electrical, Electronics and Communications EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $68,573 | $68,477 |
| Architectural EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $67,561 | $68,631 |
| Polymer/Plastics EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $66,653 | $75,706 |
Campus facts
- Founded in 1855source
- Athletic nickname: "Nittany Lions"source
- Mascot: Nittany Lionsource
- Beaver Stadium seats about 106,572source
- Competes in NCAA Division Isource
- School colors: Blue and Whitesource
- Motto: "On seal: "Virtue, Liberty, and Independence""source
- Formerly known as "{{collapsible list"source
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- Formerly known as "| title=|Farmer's High School of Pennsylvania (1855–1862)|Agricultural College of Pennsylvania (1862–1874)|The Pennsylvania State College (1874–1953)|Dickinson School of Law (1834–2000)|The Chestnut Street Female Seminary (1850–1883)|The Ogontz School for Girls (1883–1950)|Wyomissing Polytechnic Institute (1930–1958)|Pennsylvania State Forest Academy (1903–1929)}}"source
- Athletic conference: Big Tensource
- A [[National Sea Grant College Program institutionsource
- A Sea-grant]] institutionsource
- A [[Space-grant university institutionsource
- A Space-grant]] institutionsource
- Fight song: ""[[Fight On, State]]""source
- Notable alum: Gene Kellysource
- Notable alum: Paul Bergsource
- Notable alum: Rick Santorumsource
- Notable alum: Adam McKaysource
- Notable alum: Keegan-Michael Keysource
Athletics — 16 sports
NCAA Division I-FBS · NCAA Division I
Athletic scholarships allowed · Athletic aid $24,365,001 (M $14,065,058 · W $10,299,943)
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Fencing
- Field Hockey
- Football
- Golf
- Gymnastics
- Ice Hockey
- Lacrosse
- Soccer
- Softball
- Swimming and Diving (combined)
- Tennis
- Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
- Volleyball
- Wrestling
- Soccer: 2015
- Volleyball: 2024, 2014, 2013, 2010, 2009 +2
- Wrestling: 2026, 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022 +8
Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport.
Key links
- Official websitepsu.edu
- College ScorecardFederal source for every figure above (UNITID 214777)
- Compare colleges in PARe-score with your weights
- The Most Selective Colleges in PennsylvaniaEvery eligible four-year in this state, ranked by published admission rate
- Showdown: Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus vs Temple UniversityHigher-or-lower on real Scorecard metrics — round 1 is these two
- Sports directoryAll 16 EADA programs at this school
- Build an admissions plan8th–12th grade actions for this college — sports, activities, timeline
- MethodologyWhat these figures do and do not capture
- How to read a school page end to endStats, standings, lists, athletics, news — one profile, many jobs. Know which panel answers which question.
- Sticker price is a trapPublished tuition is a starting rumor. Net price is closer to what families actually pay.
- What acceptance rate actually measuresSelectivity is a competition statistic — not a quality score, and not your personal odds.
- A plan from eighth grade — without fake certaintySchool-anchored milestones, sports scarcity honesty, and EC playbooks — not invented admit odds.