Penn State Admission Requirements

Admission Rate & Difficulty

Acceptance Rate

The acceptance rate at Penn State is 55.2%.  Its admission rate is the 18th lowest in Pennsylvania.

Admission Selectivity

How hard is it to get into Penn State and can you get accepted?

Penn State is a more competitive school to get into. You have a good chance of acceptance if you meet the admission criteria. Last year, 47,360 out of the 85,784 who applied were admitted.

19% of those admitted chose to enroll in the school.

Can you get into Penn State?

55% are accepted, can you get in? Use the admission calculator to see if you have the grades and test scores needed to get in. See your admission chances based on your extracurriculars, intended major, background, and more.

Admission Requirements in Brief

To have the best chance of getting into to Penn State Main Campus you should:

• Score 1300 on the SAT
• Score 28 on the ACT

GPA Requirements & Average GPA

Penn State Main Campus has not reported high school GPA data for its accepted students.

Testing Requirements

Submission of SAT or ACT scores is not required for admission to Penn State Main Campus. If you optionally submit test scores, they will be considered with your application, but they are not mandatory. 38% of students submitted SAT scores and 7% submitted ACT scores for admission for the most recent academic year..

SAT Requirements & Average SAT Score

SAT Scores you need to get in

What are the SAT requirements for you to be admitted to Penn State Main Campus?

Average Score & Range

The average SAT score at Penn State is 1300 out of 1600 and the range for the middle 50% of accepted students is 1210-1390. Students who get into Penn State Main Campus score in the top 23 percent of all SAT test takers..  Penn State ranks #15 in the state of Pennsylvania and #187 in the nation for highest average SAT composite score.

Score for Acceptance

You should target scoring 1300 or above to be most competitive with other applicants. Penn State regularly admits students with SAT scores down to 1210 on a 1600 scale. However, three quarter of admitted students score higher. If you score below a 1210, admission should be considered a reach. Some students may be accepted with minimum SAT's as low as 1120, but scores this low are outside the normal range.

Score Submission Requirements

Penn State Main Campus is a test optional school meaning do not have to submit SAT scores with your application. The position on SAT scores from the college is "not required for admission, but considered if submitted (test optional)".

View other colleges which accept students in the 1300 SAT score range.

Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score

The table below outlines your predicted admission chances based on SAT score alone. If you are an average applicant with a score of 1300, you have around a 55% chance of being admitted. A 1390 places you well ahead of most other applicants and gives you about a 70% chance of getting in.

ACT Requirements & Average ACT Score

ACT Scores needed to get accepted

What are the ACT requirements for students to get into Penn State?

Score Range

The average ACT score for admitted students to Penn State is 28, while the middle 50% of students (25th to 75th percentile) score between a 26 and 31.  The school ranks #20 in Pennsylvania and #230 in the U.S. for highest average ACT composite score.

Score for Acceptance

For the best chance of admission, you should have an ACT of 28. This will place you in solid competition against other applicants. At a minimum, you should aim for a 26 and score in the score in the top 18 percent nationally. The lowest ACT score likely to be admitted is a 24.

7 percent of applicants submit ACT scores to Penn State Main Campus.

Score Submission Requirements

You do not have to to submit ACT scores with your application as Penn State Main Campus is test optional. The policy from the school on ACT scores is "not required for admission, but considered if submitted (test optional)".

Find other colleges with similar ACT score requirements

Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score

Here are your predicted chances of getting into Penn State for different ACT score ranges. A typical applicant with a 28 score has around 55% chance of getting in. Your odds increase to about 73% with a 31 ACT score.

Admission Statistics

Admission and enrollment rates by gender are detailed the the table below.

Application Fee

The cost for prospective students to apply to Penn State Main Campus is $65.

Application Requirements

What are the requirements for admission to Penn State Main Campus and what student information is used for admission decisions?

Credits Accepted