Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks

Reading, Pennsylvania

Public Suburb: Large

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks is a public institution in Reading, Pennsylvania enrolling 1,872 students, according to the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. The acceptance rate is 98.7% with an average SAT of 1,174. Graduates earn a median of $63,435 ten years after enrollment, based on U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal financial aid data. The average net price after financial aid is $24,356. This profile includes admissions data, graduation rates, program-level earnings, and cost breakdowns to help students compare colleges using official federal data.

What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks operates as a public institution located in Reading, Pennsylvania (suburb: large), with a total reported enrollment of 1,872 students of which 2,134 are undergraduates. Institution-level records in the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) classify each school by Carnegie category, ownership sector, and urban/rural locale, which is how this profile’s peer group and cost cohort are determined. Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks is categorized as “-2” under the Carnegie classification system, a meaningful signal when comparing like-to-like institutions.

Selectivity and financial signals give context to what applicants can expect. The reported admission rate is 98.7%, drawn from the most recent IPEDS Fall enrollment survey, with an average SAT of 1,174. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $24,356, with published in-state tuition of $15,972 and a Pell grant recipient share of 28.8%. Median federal student debt at graduation is $25,000, drawn from the U.S. Treasury-matched College Scorecard file.

Outcomes reveal whether the investment pays back. The 4-year completion rate is 27.7%, and the first-year retention rate is 76.8%. Graduates earn a median of $63,435 ten years after enrolling, compared with $55,620 six years post-enrollment. Within three years of entering repayment, 3192600.0% of borrowers are making progress on their federal loans, and 73.1% of graduates earn above the high-school threshold. Treating these numbers as a single snapshot alongside the cost cohort is the standard approach for evaluating ROI under the College Scorecard methodology.

Quick Facts

1,872
Total enrollment
98.7%
Acceptance rate
1,174
SAT average
27.7%
4-yr graduation rate
$63,435
10-yr median earnings
76.8%
First-year retention

Admissions

Admission Rate 98.7%
SAT Average 1,174
SAT Math (25th-75th) 540 – 635
SAT Reading (25th-75th) 550 – 640
ACT (25th-75th) 18 – 27

Costs & Financial Aid

Tuition & Net Price

In-State Tuition $15,972
Out-of-State Tuition $26,958
Average Net Price $24,356

Net Price by Family Income

$0 – $30,000 $16,429
$30,001 – $48,000 $15,862
$48,001 – $75,000 $23,583
Over $110,000 $29,541
28.8%
Pell Grant Rate
51.8%
Federal Loan Rate
$25,000
Median Debt
$265/mo
Monthly Payment

Student Demographics

White 57.9%
African American 8.6%
Hispanic or Latino 15.5%
Asian 8.9%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Pacific Islander 0.2%
Two or More Ethnicities 3.5%
International 3.6%
50.1%
Female
28.8%
First Generation

Outcomes

27.7%
4-Year Completion Rate
76.8%
Retention Rate
$55,620
Median Earnings (6yr)
$63,435
Median Earnings (10yr)
73.1%
Earning Over $25K
3192600.0%
Loan Repayment (3yr)

Programs & Earnings

Program Credential Completers Median Earnings Median Debt
Computer and Information Sciences, General Bachelor's 2 $120,729 $25,000
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management Certificate 17 $102,874 $26,000
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management Bachelor's 16 $98,637 $26,000
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities Certificate 4 $93,527 $12,652
Information Science/Studies Bachelor's 27 $91,671 $25,950
Accounting and Related Services Bachelor's 25 $88,192 $25,218
Mechanical Engineering Bachelor's 38 $87,997 $26,723
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians Bachelor's 39 $81,835 $27,000
Management Information Systems and Services Certificate 2 $81,794 $26,000
Human Resources Management and Services Bachelor's 4 $81,755 $27,000
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology Bachelor's 19 $77,336 $25,750
Biology/Biotechnology Technologies/Technicians Bachelor's $75,919
Biological and Physical Sciences Bachelor's 17 $69,102 $25,887
Political Science and Government Bachelor's 1 $68,918 $25,000
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness Bachelor's 26 $67,399 $26,940
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other Bachelor's $66,866 $25,431
Business/Commerce, General Bachelor's 31 $65,292 $25,593
Biology, General Bachelor's 12 $64,910 $25,717
Hospitality Administration/Management Bachelor's 9 $63,798 $23,455
Engineering, General Certificate $62,026 $27,000
Business/Commerce, General Associate's 4 $61,596 $17,701
Criminal Justice and Corrections Bachelor's 15 $56,877 $25,500
Communication and Media Studies Bachelor's 15 $55,505 $25,000
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods Bachelor's 19 $53,362 $26,000
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions Bachelor's 14 $51,635 $26,000
Psychology, General Bachelor's 19 $49,543 $26,000
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services Associate's 34 $46,356 $14,000
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft Bachelor's 1 $44,913 $27,000
Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Bachelor's 1 $40,485 $26,187
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies Bachelor's 8 $14,164

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the admissions statistics for Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks?
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks is a public institution in Reading, Pennsylvania. The acceptance rate is 98.7%. The average SAT score is 1,174. Total enrollment is 1,872 students.
How much do Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks graduates earn?
Graduates of Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks earn a median of $63,435 ten years after enrollment. Six years after enrollment, median earnings are $55,620.
How much does Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks cost?
The average net price at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks is $24,356. In-state tuition is $15,972 and out-of-state tuition is $26,958. Median student debt at graduation is $25,000.
What is the graduation rate at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks?
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks has a 4-year completion rate of 27.7%. The first-year retention rate is 76.8%.
Is Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks worth the student debt?
The median student debt at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks is $25,000, while graduates earn a median of $63,435 ten years after enrollment. That debt represents about 39% of first-year post-graduation earnings. 3192600.0% of borrowers are repaying their loans within 3 years. Estimated monthly loan payment is $265.

Data Sources

Data as of 2024-25 academic year. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Primary: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. Data reflects most recent available year.

Institutional characteristics: IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) institutional characteristics file.

Earnings: Median earnings 6 and 10 years after enrollment, from U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal student aid data.

Program data: Credential-level earnings from the College Scorecard Field of Study dataset.

All federal data sources used on this page

Earnings data sourced from IRS records via the U.S. Treasury–Department of Education matching used by the College Scorecard.