The Pennsylvania State University

https://www.psu.edu

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2021 Undergraduate Tuition

$15,400

2.5% growth from 2020

2021 Average Net Price

$24,012

After Financial Aid

2020 Default Rate

0.0177%

on Student Loans

2021 Acceptance Rate

92.3%

96,686 Applicants

2021 Enrolled Students

88,914

82.1% Full-Time

About

The Pennsylvania State University is a higher education institution located in Centre County, PA. In 2021, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at The Pennsylvania State University were Information Science (867 degrees awarded), General Psychology (807 degrees), and General Finance (607 degrees).

In 2021, 24,399 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at The Pennsylvania State University. 47.5% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 52.5% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (15,679 degrees), 9.36 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (1,675 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at The Pennsylvania State University is $15,400, which is $−14,750 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($30,150).

In 2020 the default rate for borrower's at The Pennsylvania State University was 0.0177%, corresponding to 3 out of the 16956 total borrowers.

Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

In 2021, the median undergraduate tuition at The Pennsylvania State University is $15,400

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $24,012.

In 2021, 56% of undergraduate students attending The Pennsylvania State University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 45% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$15,400

2021 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2021, the cost of tuition at The Pennsylvania State University was $15,400.

This chart compares the tuition costs of The Pennsylvania State University (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$24,012

2021 Value

6.01%

1 Year Growth

In 2021 The Pennsylvania State University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $24,012. Between 2020 and 2021, the average net price of The Pennsylvania State University grew by 6.01%.

This chart compares the average net price of The Pennsylvania State University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$12,318

Room and Board

$1,840

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at The Pennsylvania State University was of $12,318 in 2021. The cost of room and board increased by 3.65% between 2020 and 2021.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,840. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at The Pennsylvania State University (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

56%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

45%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

56% of undergraduate students at The Pennsylvania State University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2021. This represents a decline of 6.67% with respect to 2020, when 60% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at The Pennsylvania State University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

0.0177%

2020 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2020 the default rate for borrower's at The Pennsylvania State University was 0.0177%, which represents 3 out of the 16956 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

The Pennsylvania State University received 96,686 undergraduate applications in 2021, which represents a 1.43% annual growth. Out of those 96,686 applicants, 89,207 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 92.3% acceptance rate.

There were 88,914 students enrolled at The Pennsylvania State University in 2021. 32% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

The Pennsylvania State University has an overall enrollment yield of 18%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

92.3%

Acceptance Rate in 2021

89,207

Accepted Out of 96,686

In 2021, the undergraduate acceptance rate of The Pennsylvania State University was 92.3% (89,207 admissions from 96,686 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2020, which was 78.3%. Between 2020 and 2021, the number of applicants grew by 1.43%, while admissions grew by 19.6%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of The Pennsylvania State University (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

32%

Submission Percentage (2021)

5,154

Scores Submitted (2021)

32% of enrolled first-time students at The Pennsylvania State University in 2021 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

The following chart shows the average SAT scores for the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile of applicants for each section of the test that they are evaluated on.

Enrollment

The Pennsylvania State University had a total enrollment of 88,914 students in 2021. The full-time enrollment at The Pennsylvania State University is 73,028 students and the part-time enrollment is 15,886. This means that 82.1% of students enrolled at The Pennsylvania State University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at The Pennsylvania State University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 62.8% White, 8.17% Hispanic or Latino, 6.86% Asian, 5.8% Black or African American, 3.44% Two or More Races, 0.116% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0855% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at The Pennsylvania State University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Male (34.6%), followed by White Female (29.7%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (4.61%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (21%), followed by White Male (19.8%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (3.2%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

82.1%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at The Pennsylvania State University in 2021, both undergraduate and graduate, is 88,914 students. The full-time enrollment at The Pennsylvania State University is 73,028 and the part-time enrollment is 15,886. This means that 82.1% of students enrolled at The Pennsylvania State University are enrolled full-time compared with 77.4% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at The Pennsylvania State University (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

87%

2021 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at The Pennsylvania State University was 87%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (84%), The Pennsylvania State University had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at The Pennsylvania State University (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
55,816 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
7,265 enrolled students
Asian
6,098 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at The Pennsylvania State University is 62.8% White, 8.17% Hispanic or Latino, 6.86% Asian, 5.8% Black or African American, 3.44% Two or More Races, 0.116% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0855% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 47.5% White, 15.5% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.58% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 2,038 students (2.29%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2021, 1,239 fewer women than men received degrees from The Pennsylvania State University. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at The Pennsylvania State University is white (15,679 degrees awarded). There were 9.36 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (1,675 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at The Pennsylvania State University is Information Science (867 degrees awarded), followed by General Psychology (807 degrees) and General Finance (607 degrees).

In 2021, the most specialized majors across all degree types at The Pennsylvania State University, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Engineering (3,053 degrees awarded), Physical Sciences (542 degrees), and Math & Statistics (551 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Elementary & middle school teachers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at The Pennsylvania State University are Elementary & middle school teachers (2,639,335 people), Other managers (2,238,430 people), Registered nurses (1,850,364 people), Software developers (1,446,628 people), and Accountants & auditors (1,374,574 people).

The most specialized majors at The Pennsylvania State University in 2021 are Engineering (3,053 degrees awarded), Physical Sciences (542 degrees), Math & Statistics (551 degrees), Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (2,603 degrees), and Social Sciences (1,653 degrees) (as of 2021).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at The Pennsylvania State University are Surgeons, Diagnostic medical sonographers, Podiatrists, Cardiovascular technologists and technicians, and Media and communication workers, all other

The most specialized majors at The Pennsylvania State University are Engineering (3,053 degrees awarded), Physical Sciences (542 degrees), Math & Statistics (551 degrees), Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (2,603 degrees), and Social Sciences (1,653 degrees) (as of 2021).

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at The Pennsylvania State University are Elementary & secondary schools (5,586,329 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (3,275,256 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (2,452,532 people), Computer Systems Design (2,343,824 people), and Construction (1,303,670 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by The Pennsylvania State University.

Most Common (2021)

Information Science
867 degrees awarded
General Psychology
807 degrees awarded
General Finance
607 degrees awarded

In 2021, the most common bachelors degree concentration at The Pennsylvania State University was Information Science with 867 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at The Pennsylvania State University according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

12,819

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2021

11,580

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2021

In 2021, 12,819 degrees were awarded to men at The Pennsylvania State University, which is 1.11 times more than the number of degrees awarded to females (11,580).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at The Pennsylvania State University by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2021, 747 degrees were awarded to men at The Pennsylvania State University in Information Science, which is 2.33 times more than the 320 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2021, 627 degrees were awarded to men at The Pennsylvania State University in General Psychology, which is 3.41 times more than the 184 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

53%

100% Completion Time

72%

150% Completion Time

In 2021, 53% of students graduating from The Pennsylvania State University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 72% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 73% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

White Female

Highest Graduation Rate (78.4%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2021 at The Pennsylvania State University is Female and White (78.4% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (73.2%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
15,679 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
1,675 degrees awarded
Asian
1,559 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at The Pennsylvania State University is white (15,679 degrees awarded). There were 9.36 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (1,675 degrees).

2.03% of degree recipients (496 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2021)

White Male
8,229 degrees awarded
White Female
7,450 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
894 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at The Pennsylvania State University is white male (8,229 degrees awarded). There were 1.1 times more white male recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white female (7,450 degrees).

Operations

The Pennsylvania State University has an endowment valued at nearly $4.61B, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 1.83B (39.8%) compared to the 1.13% average return (4.2M on 373M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2021, The Pennsylvania State University had a total salary expenditure of 6.74B. The Pennsylvania State University employs 1,588 Assistant professors, 1,331 Associate professors and 1,273 Professors. Most academics at The Pennsylvania State University are Male Professor (889), Female Assistant professor (818), and Male Assistant professor (770).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at The Pennsylvania State University are: Computer, Engineering, and Science, with 2,249 employees, Office and Administrative Support, with 1,841 employees, and Management with 1,838 employees.

Endowment

$4.61B

2021 Endowment

37.2%

growth from 2020

The Pennsylvania State University has an endowment valued at about $4.61B, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The endowment of The Pennsylvania State University grew 37.2% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $4.24B higher than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at The Pennsylvania State University (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

Salary Expenditure

$3.26B

2021 Salaries

6.99%

growth from 2020

In 2021, The Pennsylvania State University paid a median of $3.26B in salaries, which represents 48.4% of their overall expenditure ($6.74B) and a 6.99% growth from the previous year.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 246M (41.5% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$486M

Instructional Salaries

4,683

Number of Employees

In 2021, The Pennsylvania State University paid a total of $486M to 4,683 employees working as instructors, which represents 14.9% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $73.7M (30%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

Assistant professor

Most Common Instructor

1,588 Employees

Computer, Engineering, and Science

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

2,249 Employees

In 2021, the most common positions for instructional staff at The Pennsylvania State University were Assistant professor with 1,588 employees, Associate professor with 1,331 employees, and Professor with 1,273 employees.

In 2021, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at The Pennsylvania State University were Computer, Engineering, and Science with 2,249 employees, Office and Administrative Support with 1,841 employees, and Management with 1,838 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2021)

Male Professor
Female Assistant professor
Male Assistant professor

In 2021, the most common demographic for instructional staff at The Pennsylvania State University was Male Professor with 889 employees, Female Assistant professor with 818 employees, and Male Assistant professor with 770 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at The Pennsylvania State University.