10-yr median earnings
$63,435
Federal aid recipients only
Public · University Park, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus is a public institution in University Park, Pennsylvania. as a public institution, published Scorecard outcomes are the federal Title-IV cohort view of former students — not every graduate and not a guarantee for any one enrollee.
- $32,875
- Avg net price / yr
- $63,435
- 10-yr median earnings
- 85.9%
- 150%-time completion
- 60.6%
- Acceptance rate
The verdict
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus pairs top-quartile former-student earnings with a moderately open admit.
According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
- Top 12%
- former-student earnings, US
- 60.6%
- acceptance rate
- 85.9%
- 150%-time completion
- +14%
- earnings, 6→10 yrs
City: Small
Carnegie: R1
Institution data retrieved July 2026; field-of-study data retrieved March 2026.
How to read this Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus profile
Figures above come from IPEDS institution records published through the College Scorecard (retrieved July 2026 for institution fields; March 2026 for field-of-study). Peer groups and cost cohorts follow IPEDS ownership sector, Carnegie class ("Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity"), and locale, not an editorial shortlist.
Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for full-time, first-time undergraduate Title IV recipients. It is a defined cohort average, not a personalized price; income-band fields add context but do not replace the school's current net-price calculator.
Earnings use Treasury-linked records for federally aided former students who were working and not enrolled in the measurement year (completers and noncompleters). IPEDS completion and retention use separate first-time, full-time cohorts, so those denominators are not the earnings cohort. Read cost, completion, and earnings as distinct historical measures, not a causal verdict or individual forecast.
College Value Score
C+
College Value Score
61/100
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
A 6-metric composite of earnings, cost, and completion outcomes benchmarked against every reporting US college, not a ranking of teaching quality, campus life, or fit for any individual student. See the full methodology.
Earnings A
$63,435
10-year median former-student earnings
Net Price F
$32,875
Average annual cost after grants and aid
Completion Rate A+
85.9%
Completion within 150% of normal time
Debt F
$25,000
Median federal debt at graduation
Loan Repayment A
79.3%
Borrowers repaying loans within 3 years
Retention A
92.6%
First-year students returning for year two
Each axis is the percentile score shown in the breakdown at left; the shape shows this school's overall profile at a glance.
Avg net price
$32,875
After grants and scholarships
150%-time completion
85.9%
Full-time, first-time cohort
150%-time completion vs portal median (57.1%) 85.9%
Four-year-institution cohort
College ROI Quadrant - Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus vs peers
Each dot is a college plotted by 10-year median earnings (x-axis) vs average net price (y-axis), colored by completion within 150% of normal time. Bottom-right = high earnings/lower price; top-left = lower earnings/higher price.
How Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus ranks nationally
Where this school's former-student earnings fall within the full national distribution of every US college that reports to the College Scorecard, not just its peer set.
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus: former-student earnings vs. every US college
10-year median earnings, College Scorecard
$63,435 Top 12% higher than 88% of 5,103 US colleges
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US colleges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals
| Metric | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | National rank | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-yr median earnings | $63,435 | #611 of 5103 | 88th |
| Average net price | $32,875 | #4654 of 5020 | 7th (lower is better) |
| 150%-time completion | 85.9% | #404 of 4858 | 92nd |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 42,284 | #21 of 5462 | 100th |
National ranks count every operating US college reporting each metric to the College Scorecard, separate from the earnings histogram above.
Quick Facts
42,284
Undergraduate enrollment
60.6%
Acceptance rate
1,337
SAT average
85.9%
150%-time completion
$63,435
10-yr median earnings
92.6%
First-year retention
How Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus ranks in Pennsylvania
State rank among 270 reporting Pennsylvania colleges with College Scorecard data, a separate lens from the national distribution above.
| Metric | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | State rank | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-yr median earnings | $63,435 | #74 of 270 | 73rd |
| Average net price | $32,875 | #249 of 264 | 6th (lower is better) |
| 150%-time completion | 85.9% | #27 of 259 | 90th |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 42,284 | #1 of 282 | 100th |
Highest former-student earnings in Pennsylvania
| # | School | 10-yr earnings | Net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine | $138,767 | - |
| 2 | Carnegie Mellon University | $114,862 | $31,944 |
| 3 | University of Pennsylvania | $111,371 | $28,699 |
| 4 | Lehigh University | $105,584 | $36,931 |
| 5 | Villanova University | $100,423 | $43,756 |
| 6 | Bucknell University | $93,807 | $40,766 |
| 7 | Lafayette College | $91,410 | $34,433 |
| 8 | Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia | $86,881 | $29,689 |
| 9 | Saint Joseph's University - Lancaster | $86,881 | $42,478 |
| 10 | Joseph F McCloskey School of Nursing | $86,138 | - |
| 11 | Drexel University | $84,648 | $38,509 |
| 12 | Swarthmore College | $80,257 | $23,149 |
| 53 | Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusThis school | $63,435 | $32,875 |
Admissions
| Admission Rate | 60.6% |
| SAT Average | 1,337 |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 620 – 720 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 620 – 700 |
| ACT (25th-75th) | 27 – 32 |
Costs & Financial Aid
Net price by family income at Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
Average annual net price after grants; Title IV recipient cohort by income bracket
- $0 – $30k
$0 – $30k
$19,845 net price / yr
- $30k – $48k
$30k – $48k
$20,049 net price / yr
- $48k – $75k
$48k – $75k
$25,667 net price / yr
- $110k+
$110k+
$37,831 net price / yr
What this shows Need-based aid pulls net price down at lower brackets at Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus - compare the bar for your income band, not the overall average alone.
Tuition & Net Price
| In-State Tuition | $20,644 |
| Out-of-State Tuition | $41,790 |
| Average Net Price | $32,875 |
13.9%
Pell Grant Rate
39.9%
Federal Loan Rate
$25,000
Median Debt
$265/mo
Monthly Payment
2013–2023: what Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus costs has stayed close to flat
Average net price moved +20.6% over 10 years, from $27,032 to $32,606 in nominal dollars. The median college measured over the same span moved +14.6%.
9 reported years (years the source did not report are left as gaps). Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation.
2013 · $27,0322023 · $32,606
Over the same years, enrollment went +6.1% (39,460 → 41,862 students).
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, per-year fields (2013–2023). Net price is the average cost after grant and scholarship aid for federally-aided undergraduates.
Student Demographics
Race & ethnicity
Student body at a glance
50.1%
Female
28.8%
First Generation
Outcomes
92.6%
Retention Rate
$55,620
Median Earnings (6yr)
73.1%
Earning Over $25K
79.3%
Loan Repayment, Completers (3yr)
Outcomes & debt snapshot
| Measure | Cohort / horizon | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Completion within 150% of normal time | First-time, full-time | 85.9% |
| First-year retention | First-time, full-time freshmen | 92.6% |
| Median earnings | 6 years after entry | $55,620 |
| Median earnings | 10 years after entry | $63,435 |
| Share earning over $25,000 | Working, not enrolled | 73.1% |
| Loan repayment rate | Completers, 3 years after leaving | 79.3% |
| Median federal student debt | At completion | $25,000 |
| Estimated monthly payment | Standard 10-year plan | $265/mo |
Programs & Earnings
Field-of-study summary by credential
| Credential | Programs | Award count | Avg earnings | Top earnings | Avg debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 116 | 10,166 | $72,600 | $120,729 | $25,377 |
| Master's | 45 | 862 | $106,019 | $166,387 | $39,132 |
| Certificate | 13 | 598 | $86,290 | $108,264 | $23,089 |
| Associate's | 13 | 4 | $53,565 | $69,394 | $17,225 |
| Post-baccalaureate Certificate | 9 | 0 | $111,262 | $141,703 | - |
| Doctoral | 7 | 110 | $88,448 | $115,630 | - |
| First Professional | 2 | 373 | $100,795 | $110,814 | $140,507 |
| Graduate Certificate | 2 | 2 | - | - | $33,503 |
Top programs at Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus by completer earnings
Median earnings of program completers, College Scorecard field-of-study file
- Computer and Information S…
Computer and Information Sciences, General
$166,387 median earnings
- Information Science/Studies
Information Science/Studies
$158,815 median earnings
- Physics
Physics
$150,865 median earnings
- Systems Engineering
Systems Engineering
$145,507 median earnings
- Information Science/Studies
Information Science/Studies
$141,703 median earnings
- Business Administration, M…
Business Administration, Management and Operations
$140,589 median earnings
- Computer Engineering
Computer Engineering
$140,393 median earnings
- Management Sciences and Qu…
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
$139,676 median earnings
What this shows The highest-earning programs at a school are not necessarily its most popular ones - a small specialized program can post strong median earnings without reflecting the outcome most students here actually see.
| Program | Credential | Completers | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | Master's | 20 | $166,387 | $41,000 |
| Information Science/Studies | Master's | 2 | $158,815 | $33,905 |
| Physics | Master's | 7 | $150,865 | - |
| Systems Engineering | Master's | - | $145,507 | $32,822 |
| Information Science/Studies | Post-baccalaureate Certificate | - | $141,703 | - |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Post-baccalaureate Certificate | - | $140,589 | - |
| Computer Engineering | Master's | - | $140,393 | $41,000 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | Master's | 46 | $139,676 | $21,500 |
| Computational Science | Master's | - | $137,367 | $27,600 |
| Business/Commerce, General | Post-baccalaureate Certificate | - | $134,050 | - |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | Master's | 30 | $129,975 | $97,044 |
| Statistics | Master's | 12 | $129,392 | - |
| Statistics | Post-baccalaureate Certificate | - | $128,684 | - |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Master's | 116 | $127,665 | $41,000 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | Bachelor's | 395 | $120,729 | $25,000 |
Nearby Schools
Pennsylvania State University-World Campus
University Park, PA
7,877 students
South Hills School of Business & Technology
State College, PA
260 students
Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology
Pleasant Gap, PA
171 students
Juniata College
Huntingdon, PA
1,191 students
Mifflin County Academy of Science and Technology
Lewistown, PA
56 students
Explore Data-Matched Colleges
Matches use Scorecard measures among reporting colleges — not state-system recommendations or geographic proximity.
Similar Enrollment and Sector
Other Public institutions closest in reported enrollment, preferring the same Carnegie classification.
Similar Reported Net Price
Other Public institutions with the nearest reported average net price.
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Similar 2013–2023 Net-Price Trend
Same-sector institutions with the same direction and nearest fitted annual change; only series with R² of at least 0.40 qualify.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the acceptance rate at Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus? ▼
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus is a public institution in University Park, Pennsylvania. The acceptance rate is 60.6%. The average SAT score is 1,337. Undergraduate enrollment is 42,284 students.
How much do Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus former students earn? ▼
Federally aided former students at Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus who were working and not enrolled had median earnings of $63,435 ten years after entry; the cohort is not limited to graduates. Six years after entry, the corresponding median is $55,620.
How much does Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus cost? ▼
The average net price at Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus is $32,875. In-state tuition is $20,644 and out-of-state tuition is $41,790. Median student debt at graduation is $25,000.
What is the graduation rate at Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus? ▼
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus has a 85.9% completion rate within 150% of normal time at a four-year institution (typically six years for a bachelor’s program). The first-year retention rate is 92.6%.
Is Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus worth the student debt? ▼
The median student debt at Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus is $25,000, while former students earn a median of $63,435 ten years after enrollment. That debt represents about 39% of those annual earnings. Among borrowers who completed their program, 79.3% are repaying their loans within 3 years. Estimated monthly loan payment is $265.
Sources & methodology
Public-college profiles lean on IPEDS enrollment and Scorecard Title-IV outcomes. State appropriations are outside this page; the figures below are the federal cohort measures only.
Every number is read live from the Mar–Jul 2026 Scorecard/IPEDS retrievals. Public institutions often enroll large Title-IV cohorts, so medians can be stable — still cohort averages, never a personal forecast. Read the full methodology for how the data is sourced, computed, and verified.
- College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education - former-student earnings, cost & completion (collegescorecard.ed.gov).
- IPEDS, National Center for Education Statistics - enrollment, admissions, Carnegie class & demographics (nces.ed.gov/ipeds).
- U.S. Treasury / IRS earnings linkage - median earnings 6 & 10 years after enrollment for federal-aid recipients (irs.gov).
- College Scorecard, Field of Study - program-level (credential) earnings & debt (collegescorecard.ed.gov).
- Federal Student Aid (Title IV / NSLDS) - U.S. Department of Education - net price, student debt & aid-recipient repayment outcomes (studentaid.gov).
Where to go next from Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
- Compare Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus against schools with similar outcomes at a lower average net price.Find similar schools that cost less
- Browse every reporting college in Pennsylvania side by side.Browse Pennsylvania
- See how fields of study differ on former-student earnings and debt.Explore programs
Public-college Scorecard figures are historical Title-IV cohort averages — confirm current tuition, aid, and admissions rules with the institution before deciding.
Every figure on PlainCollege is rendered directly from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard data, no number is typed in by an editor. Public-institution profiles compile Scorecard Title-IV earnings, IPEDS enrollment/admissions, and Treasury linkage fields — no editor-typed figures. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error on this page. Review the public data changelog. Data current as of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals.