Pennsylvania State University
- Type:
- Public
- Programs:
- 4 years or more
Cost
- Cost / year
- $41,003
- Tuition & fees
- $21,098
- Avg. aid
- $14,013
- Receiving aid
- 67%
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- 61%
- SAT range
- 1240–1420
- ACT range
- 27–32
Outcomes
- Graduation rate
- 86%
- Median salary
- $57,191
- 1 yr after graduation
What are the graduation rates for students at Pennsylvania State University?
Reported completion outcomes for Penn State are strong, but they describe defined student cohorts rather than a guarantee for an incoming student. In the cited IPEDS figures, the four-year graduation rate is 71%, and the six-year rate is 86%. The reported first-year retention rate is 93%.
Federal graduation-rate measures generally track first-time, full-time, degree-seeking undergraduates who began in a specified cohort. A four-year and a six-year rate therefore describe different time windows for completion, not different degree types. Transfer students, many part-time students, and students who finish elsewhere are not represented in the same way. Individual time to degree can also depend on a major's course sequence, a change of major, or enrollment interruptions. Students comparing institutions should use similarly defined rates and consider the additional cost of any extra semesters.
What is the earning potential for graduates at Pennsylvania State University?
College Scorecard program figures offer a view of earnings approximately one year after completion, not a prediction of what a Penn State applicant will earn. They reflect reported outcomes for eligible former students in a field of study; they are not starting-salary offers made to every graduate.
For example, the reported one-year figure is $76,448 for computer engineering and $67,759 for registered nursing. The corresponding figures are $28,620 for general biology and $18,839 for drama and theater arts. These comparisons show how much field of study and early career paths can matter, but they do not establish that one major is a better financial choice for every student.
Scorecard earnings measures draw on federally aided students whose earnings can be matched to administrative records. Program figures can differ in credential level, cohort size, further-study patterns, and the share of graduates working soon after completion. They also omit important considerations such as debt, location, hours worked, and longer-term earnings. Applicants should compare the exact credential and program behind any figure before using it in a budget.
Pennsylvania State University Graduation Rate
Pennsylvania State University Retention and Employment
Pennsylvania State University Median Alumni Salary Over Time
Alumni Salary for Pennsylvania State University Degrees
Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
$51,228Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering
$68,716Agricultural Business and Management
$47,444Agricultural Engineering
$60,836Agriculture, General
$36,386Animal Sciences
$31,682Anthropology
$27,870Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services
$45,940Architectural Engineering
$67,154Architecture
$51,482Astronomy and Astrophysics
$22,853Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology
$38,061Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
$30,110Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other
$26,833Biological and Physical Sciences
$33,036Biology, General
$28,620Biology/Biotechnology Technologies/Technicians
$39,610Biomedical/Medical Engineering
$55,595Business Administration, Management and Operations
$49,437Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other
$61,252Business/Commerce, General
$42,524Business/Corporate Communications
$35,169Chemical Engineering
$70,502Chemistry
$40,776Civil Engineering
$61,387Communication and Media Studies
$32,077Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
$23,662Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other
$34,758Computer and Information Sciences, General
$73,647Computer Engineering
$76,448Computer Science
$58,206Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management
$65,214Criminal Justice and Corrections
$34,135Design and Applied Arts
$37,726Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
$18,839Economics
$45,928Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering
$67,461Engineering, General
$55,455Engineering, Other
$61,978English Language and Literature, General
$25,116Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
$59,349Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering
$55,225Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy
$62,018Film/Video and Photographic Arts
$23,725Finance and Financial Management Services
$61,200Fine and Studio Arts
$21,352Food Science and Technology
$49,091Forestry
$41,479Geography and Cartography
$38,349Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
$50,624Health and Medical Administrative Services
$45,122Health/Medical Preparatory Programs
$22,902History
$27,051Hospitality Administration/Management
$45,612Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
$29,005Human Resources Management and Services
$48,779Industrial Engineering
$69,173Information Science/Studies
$60,548International Relations and National Security Studies
$39,513Journalism
$33,090Landscape Architecture
$53,453Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
$33,395Management Information Systems and Services
$57,465Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
$52,296Marketing
$51,414Materials Sciences
$64,925Mathematics
$52,010Mechanical Engineering
$65,376Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians
$58,773Mining and Mineral Engineering
$71,938Music
$20,571Natural Resources and Conservation, Other
$28,554Natural Resources Conservation and Research
$34,969Non-Professional Legal Studies
$44,201Nuclear Engineering
$62,046Nutrition Sciences
$15,149Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management
$33,729Petroleum Engineering
$80,718Physics
$50,536Plant Sciences
$34,546Political Science and Government
$37,482Polymer/Plastics Engineering
$66,366Psychology, General
$29,652Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
$42,918Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
$67,759Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
$30,749Research and Experimental Psychology
$27,946Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
$34,958Sociology
$30,335Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
$30,320Statistics
$55,709Surveying Engineering
$52,230Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
$39,223Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
$40,637Visual and Performing Arts, General
$25,485Pennsylvania State University Graduations Per Degree
BACHELOR’S Degree
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
Engineering
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs
Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Social Sciences
Psychology
Health Professions and Related Programs
Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science and Related Fields
Education
MASTER’S Degree
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
Engineering
Legal Professions and Studies
Health Professions and Related Programs
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services
Education
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
Mathematics and Statistics
Physical Sciences
Biological and Biomedical Sciences
DOCTOR’S Degree
Engineering
Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Physical Sciences
Education
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services
Social Sciences
Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
Psychology
Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science and Related Fields
Mathematics and Statistics
Data last updated on November 2, 2026
Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026
Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.
