Cost of Penn State
| Total cost of attendance (per year) | $27,186 |
|---|
| Tuition and fees, in-state | $16,004 |
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| Tuition and fees, out-of-state | $27,254 |
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| Housing and food (on campus) | $15,346 |
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| Books and supplies | $1,200 |
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| Average net price after aid | $16,753 |
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Net price by family income
| Family income | Average net price / year |
|---|
| $0–30,000 | $13,038 |
| $30,001–48,000 | $8,885 |
| $48,001–75,000 | $11,750 |
| $75,001–110,000 | $17,214 |
| $110,001+ | $24,689 |
Net price is what students actually pay after grants and scholarships (in-state students). Get your own estimate with Penn State's net price calculator ↗.
Majors and programs at Penn State
Earnings one year after graduation and median debt, by program. Click a program for details and comparisons.
Bachelor's degree programs (37)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|
| Computer Engineering | 2 | $85,528 | $27,000 |
| Computer and Information Sciences | 108 | $84,461 | $22,250 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 90 | $82,877 | $23,749 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 80 | $82,304 | $26,000 |
| Nuclear Engineering | 1 | $76,869 | $26,000 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 135 | $75,796 | $24,250 |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | 23 | $73,501 | $26,000 |
| Civil Engineering | 121 | $70,399 | $25,000 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 66 | $69,230 | $22,147 |
| Information Science/Studies | 58 | $68,240 | $23,500 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 28 | $64,480 | $25,000 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 25 | $63,116 | $23,074 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | 10 | $62,246 | $25,000 |
| Economics | 1 | $60,469 | $21,500 |
| Marketing | 55 | $58,892 | $24,352 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 40 | $56,682 | $26,375 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | 1 | $55,985 | $24,218 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | 11 | $55,314 | $24,959 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 13 | $47,516 | $22,250 |
| Political Science and Government | 20 | $46,124 | $23,250 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 27 | $45,444 | $22,488 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 49 | $44,879 | $26,000 |
| Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other | 21 | $44,357 | $25,000 |
| Sociology | 17 | $43,918 | $24,211 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 46 | $41,573 | $24,180 |
| Biological and Physical Sciences | 17 | $40,786 | $23,601 |
| Biology | 78 | $38,378 | $23,250 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 49 | $38,359 | $25,526 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | 23 | $38,150 | $26,000 |
| Plant Sciences | 1 | $37,667 | $25,000 |
| Psychology | 57 | $37,593 | $23,642 |
| English Language and Literature | 18 | $35,537 | $23,361 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 5 | $34,927 | $24,179 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | 8 | $27,725 | $24,781 |
| Applied Mathematics | 8 | — | — |
| Area Studies | 8 | — | $24,250 |
| Public Policy Analysis | 9 | — | — |
Certificate programs (11)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | 28 | $72,546 | $26,000 |
| Management Information Systems and Services | 3 | $65,324 | $26,000 |
| Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other | — | $61,875 | $21,000 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 1 | $60,044 | $23,750 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | — | $53,216 | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 1 | — | — |
| Business/Commerce | 1 | — | — |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | 1 | — | — |
| Computer and Information Sciences | 1 | — | $27,000 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | 1 | — | — |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | — | — | — |
Associate's degree programs (3)
Master's degree programs (21)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences | 36 | $133,941 | — |
| Information Science/Studies | 19 | $129,630 | $41,000 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 86 | $116,437 | $28,431 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 9 | $114,915 | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 7 | $111,392 | — |
| Human Resources Management and Services | 15 | $92,380 | $41,000 |
| Homeland Security | — | $84,946 | $39,600 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | 19 | $81,337 | $48,158 |
| Public Administration | 8 | $74,027 | $44,375 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 26 | $69,658 | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 11 | $61,781 | — |
| Curriculum and Instruction | 21 | $59,068 | $31,500 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 19 | $47,359 | $30,750 |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | 39 | $46,486 | $51,162 |
| Area Studies | 6 | — | — |
| Civil Engineering | 4 | — | — |
| Communication and Media Studies | 5 | — | — |
| Engineering Science | — | — | — |
| Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians | 2 | — | — |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | 3 | — | — |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 1 | — | — |
Doctoral degree programs (3)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|
| Area Studies | 7 | — | — |
| Public Administration | 8 | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 4 | — | — |
Graduate certificate programs (11)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | — | — | — |
| Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other | 1 | — | — |
| Engineering, Other | — | — | — |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | 1 | — | — |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | 1 | — | — |
| Information Science/Studies | 1 | — | — |
| Museology/Museum Studies | 2 | — | — |
| Public Administration | 9 | — | — |
| Special Education and Teaching | — | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 1 | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | — | — | — |
Similar colleges in Pennsylvania
| College | City | Net price / yr | Acceptance | Earnings |
|---|
| Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania | Shippensburg | $21,129 | 87% | $58,077 |
| East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | East Stroudsburg | $21,084 | 92% | $59,893 |
| Millersville University of Pennsylvania | Millersville | $18,817 | 86% | $58,443 |
| Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | Kutztown | $22,146 | 91% | $57,647 |
| Indiana University of Pennsylvania | Indiana | $17,391 | 91% | $57,182 |
| Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania | Slippery Rock | $19,972 | 71% | $57,995 |
| Pennsylvania Western University | California | $17,839 | 94% | $51,161 |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College | Erie | $23,165 | 97% | $71,762 |
All colleges in Pennsylvania →
Frequently asked questions
What is Penn State's acceptance rate?
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg admits 98% of applicants. Admitted students average 1,227 on the SAT.
How much does Penn State cost per year?
The full cost of attendance is $27,186 a year (tuition and fees: $16,004 in-state, $27,254 out-of-state). After grants and scholarships the average student pays $16,753 a year, and students from families earning under $30,000 pay about $13,038.
How much do Penn State graduates earn?
Former students earn a median of $71,762 a year, 10 years after first enrolling — 38th of 113 similar colleges in Pennsylvania. The best-paid bachelor's program is computer engineering ($85,528 a year after graduation).
What is Penn State's graduation rate?
27% of full-time students graduate within six years, and 82% of first-year students return for a second year.