P
#2 Best Public Universities in Pennsylvania

Penn State Main Campus

University Park, Pennsylvania

 11 Reviews

Overview

Enrollment

50,028
Penn State Main Campus overview
Location University Park, Pennsylvania
Online psu.edu
School Type Public 4 Year
Setting Small City
Penn State Main Campus overview
Size Large
Status Non-profit
On Campus Housing Yes
Level of Study Undergrad/Graduate
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Penn State's main campus in University Park is situated in central Pennsylvania's Nittany Valley, approximately 135 miles east of Pittsburgh and 190 miles west of Philadelphia. The 8,000-acre campus combines traditional collegiate Gothic architecture with modern academic facilities, centered around a core campus that serves as the academic and student life hub. Founded in 1855 as Pennsylvania's only land-grant institution, Penn State University Park operates as the flagship campus of the Penn State system and maintains competitive admission standards. The university offers more than 275 baccalaureate programs, with particular strengths in engineering, business, agriculture, and earth sciences, while most first-year students reside in one of the campus's multiple undergraduate housing complexes. As a member of the Big Ten Conference, Penn State fields Division I athletic teams known as the Nittany Lions, with its football program competing in the 106,572-seat Beaver Stadium.

Ratings

8/10

Overall

9/10

Academics

7/10

Resources

8/10

Outcomes

5/10

Value

Penn State is rated within the top 27% of four-year colleges nationally and earns a CollegeSimply grade of 8 out of 10. Learn how ratings are calculated

Rankings

Rankings for Penn State Main Campus within the 2024 CollegeSimply Best Colleges Lists.

View the CollegeSimply ranking methodology.

Getting In

Admission Standards

Very High
Penn State Main Campus overview
SAT 1210/1390
ACT 26/31

Applications Accepted

55.2% 
Penn State Main Campus overview
Applications Due -
Applicant Competition Average
Application Fee $65

Explore admissions requirements

Annual Cost to Attend

Pennsylvania Resident Tuition

$18,368
In State Costs for Penn State Main Campus
Fee Cost
Books and Supplies$1,840
Other Fees$530
Room and Board $12,744
Budget for Other Expenses$4,788
Total One Year Cost$38,270

Out of State Resident Tuition

$35,946
Out of State Costs for Penn State Main Campus
Fee Cost
Books and Supplies$1,840
Other Fees$530
Room and Board $12,744
Budget for Other Expenses$4,788
Total One Year Cost$55,848

Tuition and financial aid details

Outcomes

Average Salary After 10 Years

$55,300 per year

Bachelor's Degree Graduation Rate

87% within 6 years

Explore Post Graduation Outcomes

Popular Areas of Study

Popular subjects studied by Penn State Main Campus students
Subject Percent of Class
Business 16%
Engineering 12%
Communication 9%
Computer and Information Sciences 7%
Social Sciences 7%

View All 139 Majors

Other Colleges to Consider 

Students considering Penn State are frequently interested in these similar colleges.

Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=214777 IPEDS survey data for Penn State Main Campus.

Current students may use the Penn State Main Campus GPA calculator to determine their current college GPA.

Last updated February 24, 2024