Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus acceptance rate
Acceptance rate: 60.6% (fall admissions, CollegesRef 2026–27 edition). Middle 50% test scores: SAT Reading & Writing 620–700, SAT Math 620–720, ACT 27–32. Admissions details
What we know
Verified data· U.S. College Scorecard · latest data- Students
- 42,284
Larger than nearly all colleges
National median 921
What the numbers say about Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
Each finding compares this college's federal figures with other colleges. Your own price and outcome will differ.
- Price against similar colleges
- The average net price of $33,675 a year is $18,476 above the median of $15,199 across 75 public colleges in Pennsylvania.
- Price by family income
- Families earning up to $30,000 paid $22,193 a year after grants, and families earning over $110,000 paid $39,140, a difference of $16,947: the lowest-income families paid 57% of the top bracket's price.
- Debt against earnings
- Graduates who borrowed left with a median of $24,500 in federal loans, 34% of the $71,762 median salary of former students ten years after they started. On a standard 10-year plan that is about $278 a month, 5% of a typical monthly salary.
- Graduation against selectivity
- It admits 61% of applicants, and 85% of first-time, full-time students graduate within 150% of normal time. Colleges admitting 50–75% of applicants have a median graduation rate of 58%, so it graduates more students than its selectivity alone would suggest.
Top 5 alternatives to Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh CampusPittsburgh, PA- Temple University-PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, PA
The Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusUniversity Park, PA
West Chester University of PennsylvaniaWest Chester, PA- Slippery Rock University of PennsylvaniaSlippery Rock, PA
Admissions
Admit rate
Middle 50% test scores
- SAT Reading & Writing
- 620–700
- 200800
- SAT Math
- 620–720
- 200800
- ACT Composite
- 27–32
- 136
Your chances
Check your chancesYour SAT or ACT against Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus- SAT, middle 50%
- 1240–1420
- ACT, middle 50%
- 27–32
Dates and updates
Get reminders before the FAFSA opens and before the usual early, Regular Decision and May 1 dates, plus an email when we update Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus's cost, admission or outcome figures.
We don't list this college's own deadlines; check its admissions site for those.
Cost & financial aid
Average net price
$33,675
What students paid per year on average after grants and scholarships. Your price depends on family income.
Published price vs. what students paid
- In-state tuition & fees
- $21,098
- Out-of-state tuition & fees
- $43,490
- Average net price
- $33,675
Students receiving Pell Grants
- Pell Grant recipients
- 16.3%
Free tools
Plan your costs for Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
- Can I afford it?Loan payment against what its graduates earn
- How much can I borrow?Federal loan limits and what is left to cover
- Will I get a Pell Grant?Estimate this year's award from your SAI
- What would I repay?Monthly payments on $27,000 of loans
Want it all in one PDF for up to three colleges? See a sample Aid & Loan Plan
Work out your cost
Outcomes & student data
Federal data from IPEDS and the U.S. College Scorecard, not student reviews.
Graduation rate
First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time
First-year retention
Students who return for a second year
Transfer-out rate
First-time, full-time students who transferred to another college
Median earnings
$71,762
Former students who received federal aid
Is it worth it?
What Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus graduates earn against what they borrow and what the degree costs after grants.
| Latest official data | This college | Similar colleges |
|---|---|---|
| Median earningsFormer students, 10 years after startingSource: U.S. College Scorecard, latest data | $71,762 | $71,762 |
| Typical federal debtGraduates who borrowed; about $278 a month on a 10-year planSource: U.S. College Scorecard, latest data | $24,500 | $24,500 |
| Years to pay back4 years of average net price ($33,675 a year), paid with 10% of median earningsSource: U.S. College Scorecard, latest data | 18.8 years | 9.3 years |
Similar colleges: the median of 36 public four-year colleges in Pennsylvania with the same figures reported. Payback is illustrative: it ignores interest, taxes and living costs, and earnings vary by major. Check a loan payment against earnings.
Explore these programs
Every field of study, with the colleges that offer it and what graduates earn.
Programs A–ZAcademics
Total students
42,284
Carnegie classification
R1 research university
A Doctoral University (which undergraduates attend) with very high research activity.
Is this campus your type?
Five questions match you to a college identity, then show where Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus sits for you.
Take the fit quizLocation & details
Where the campus is, how far it sits from a major city, and other colleges within reach.
Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusUniversity Park, Pennsylvania, United States
Distances are straight-line miles, not driving distance. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, tiles by OpenFreeMap and OpenMapTiles.
Campus
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
University Park, Pennsylvania, United States
- Public
- R1 research university
Small city
Inside an urbanized area and a principal city.
- City (this campus)
- Suburb
- Town
- Rural
Nearest major cityPittsburgh, PA · about 115 mi
In the city250 mi
- Website
- psu.edu
Colleges within 25 miles
- The Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus0 miUniversity Park · Avg net price $24,012
- Pennsylvania State University-World Campus0 miUniversity Park · Avg net price $12,651
- South Hills School of Business & Technology1.5 miState College · Avg net price $23,369
- Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology8.7 miPleasant Gap · Avg net price $9,010
- Juniata College22 miHuntingdon · Avg net price $24,001
Colleges within 25 miles
- The Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus0 mi · Avg net price $24,012
- Pennsylvania State University-World Campus0 mi · Avg net price $12,651
- South Hills School of Business & Technology2 mi · Avg net price $23,369
- Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology9 mi · Avg net price $9,010
Still have a question?
Ask about admissions, cost or campus life at Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus. Answers come from CollegesRef data.
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Admit rate, net price and outcomes for Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus and University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus, side by side.
Compare with University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh CampusFrequently asked questions
What is the Pennsylvania State University acceptance rate for 2026?
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus admitted 60.6% of applicants in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition, the most recent release. That is the figure colleges report to the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
How much is Pennsylvania State University tuition?
In-state tuition at Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus is $21,098 and out-of-state tuition is $43,490 a year before financial aid in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition. The average net price after grants is $33,675 a year.
What is the average net price at Pennsylvania State University?
The average net price at Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus, what first-time, full-time students paid after grants and scholarships, was $33,675 a year in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition. Your own price depends on family income; the college's net price calculator gives a personal estimate.
What is the graduation rate at Pennsylvania State University?
85.4% of first-time, full-time students at Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus graduate within six years (150% of normal time), according to the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition.
What colleges are similar to Pennsylvania State University?
The closest matches are Pitt, Temple University, and Penn State, based on admissions, cost, graduation rate, size, and campus profile.
Data sources & last updated
Last checked Nov 15, 2026
- Admissions
- U.S. College Scorecard · latest data
- Cost
- U.S. College Scorecard · latest data
- Outcomes
- U.S. College Scorecard · latest data
- Enrollment
- U.S. College Scorecard · latest data
Figures come from federal reporting. Text marked “CollegesRef editorial” is our own summary, and similar-college lists come from CollegesRef matching. How we source data
