Penn State Main Campus
- 8/10 Overall Rating
- 4 Year
- University Park, PA
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4.2 12 reviews
Overview
Total enrollment
50,737- Location University Park, Pennsylvania
- Website psu.edu
- Type Public 4 Year
- Setting Small City
Best Colleges Rank
#185- Size Large
- Status Non-profit
- Housing Yes
- Level of Study Undergrad/Graduate
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
Penn State is rated within the top 29% of four-year colleges nationally and earns a CollegeSimply grade of 8 out of 10.
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Overall Rating8 out of 10
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Academics9 out of 10
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Resources7 out of 10
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Outcomes8 out of 10
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Value5 out of 10
Rankings
Rankings for Penn State Main Campus within the 2027 CollegeSimply Best Colleges Lists.
Admissions
Admission Standards
- SAT (enrolled mid-50) 1240/1420
- ACT (enrolled mid-50) 27/32
Acceptance Rate
- Applications Due -
- Enrollment Rate 17.1%
- Application Fee $65
Applicant Competition Low
Annual Cost to Attend
Pennsylvania Resident Tuition
$20,644Out of State Resident Tuition
$41,790Breakdown
- Tuition $20,644
- Books and Supplies $1,200
- Other Fees $578
- Room and Board $14,474
- Budget for Other Expenses $5,020
- Total One Year Cost $41,916
- Tuition $41,790
- Books and Supplies $1,200
- Other Fees $578
- Room and Board $14,474
- Budget for Other Expenses $5,020
- Total One Year Cost $63,062
Student Outcomes
Average Salary After 10 Years
Bachelor's Degree Graduation Rate
Popular Areas of Study
Popular majors at Penn State Main Campus are Business, Engineering, and Communication. 16% of students major in Business, 12% in Engineering, and 9% in Communication.
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Business 16%
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Engineering 12%
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Communication 9%
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Computer and Information Sciences 7%
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Social Sciences 7%
More Colleges to Consider
Students considering Penn State Main Campus are frequently interested in these similar colleges.
Data source: NCES / IPEDS https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=214777.
GPA calculator: Penn State Main Campus GPA calculator.
Last updated: August 2026