Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus — University Park, United States

About Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus

Penn State was chartered in 1855 as the Farmers' High School of Pennsylvania on land donated in Centre County, and in 1863 it became the state's land-grant college. It became Pennsylvania State College in 1874 and gained university status under its current name in 1953. University Park is the main campus of a statewide system and is legally a 'state-related' public university.

Land-grant agricultural sciences
Engineering
Statewide multi-campus system

Source

At a glance

Students: 50,399
International: 9.3%
Students per teacher: 16:1
Founded: 1855
Type: Public
Endowment: $3.9B

University Park, United States40.793, -77.860

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Rankings

QSQS=92World · 2027Source
THETHE=108World · 2026Source
WebometricsWebometrics#20World · 2026United States #14Source
CWURCWUR#61World · 2026United States #32Source
URAPURAP#89World · 2025United States #23Source

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Admissions & how to apply

Check the entry requirements for your course and qualifications.
Apply on the university’s own application page.
Pay the application fee ($65).

Application fee

Per application$65Source

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Costs & aid

International tuition$39,626per year · 2023

Fees$562
Room & board2023$13,030

US net price$33,675

What US families pay after grants, by household income. International students usually pay the full price.

<$30k$22,193
$30–48k$21,267
$48–75k$25,458
$75–110k$31,948
>$110k$39,140

Source

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Programmes

392 programmes

Psychology, GeneralBachelor’s · 523 graduates 2025
Finance, GeneralBachelor’s · 512 graduates 2025
Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralBachelor’s · 398 graduates 2025
Mechanical EngineeringBachelor’s · 379 graduates 2025
Biological and Biomedical Sciences, OtherBachelor’s · 350 graduates 2025
Marketing/Marketing Management, GeneralBachelor’s · 349 graduates 2025
Information Science/StudiesBachelor’s · 306 graduates 2025
Econometrics and Quantitative EconomicsBachelor’s · 299 graduates 2025
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods, OtherMaster’s · 296 graduates 2025
Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information AssuranceBachelor’s · 295 graduates 2025
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, OtherCertificate / diploma · 288 graduates 2025
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication, OtherBachelor’s · 281 graduates 2025

…

Campus & media

Outcomes

Admit rate: 60.6%
SAT average: 1337
Graduate in 4 years: 70.8%
Graduate in 6 years: 85.4%
Return after year one: 92.6%
Pell grant students: 16.3%
Students with federal loans: 42.3%
Median debt: $24,500

Median earnings after starting

1 year$57,191
6 years$60,829
10 years$71,762

Student body

Women47%
Men53%

US government and university data. Figures describe past students, not your own chances. Source

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