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Pennsylvania State University

Basic Information

Type Public
Geographical Reach Regional
Location University Park, PA
Population 140,000
Website https://www.psu.edu/
Map of the United States

Demographics

Total Undergraduates 41,862
Men / Women 53% / 47%
White 60%
International 9%
Hispanic 8%
Asian 7%
Black 5%
Mixed 4%
Native American 0%
From State 53%
From Region 23%

Academics

Undergraduate Degrees
Business & Economics 22%
Humanities & Social Sciences 21%
Engineering 15%
Computer Science 12%
Life & Natural Sciences 11%
Health Sciences 6%
Arts 5%
Physical Sciences & Math 5%
Education 3%

Financial

In-State Tuition & Fees $20,644
Out-of-State Tuition & Fees $41,790
Est. In-State Cost $26,705
Est. Out-of-State Cost $54,060
10-Year ROI $132,000
ROI Percentile 40th

Retention & Graduation

Full-Time Retention 93%
4-Year Graduation Rate 71%
6-Year Graduation Rate 86%
Transfer-Out Rate 2%

Weather

Comfortable Days 110 (71%)
Sunshine Hours 2,293 (15%)
Days Without Precipitation 235 (28%)

Admissions

Uses Common App Yes
Acceptance Rate 55%
Yield (Unbound) 17%
Early Action Nov 1
Regular Decision Jan 1

Research

Research Level R1
Expenditure
Engineering, Computing & Math $627M #3
Humanities & Social Sciences $74M #15
Life & Natural Sciences $554M #36
Graduate Degrees
Engineering, Computing & Math 295 #9
Humanities & Social Sciences 454 #30
Life & Natural Sciences 350 #73

Honors College

Name Schreyer Honors College
Students 2,000 (5%)

Standardized Tests

Test Scores

Test Policy optional
Submitted Test Scores 36%
SAT Range 1270 – 1390
SAT Math Range 620 – 720
SAT RW Range 620 – 700
ACT Range 27 – 32

Earnings by Major Category

Each major category's degree-weighted estimated median 5-year earnings at this college, expressed as a z-score against the national degree-weighted distribution for that category. 0 is the national average. The shaded band between +1.28 and −1.28 marks the central 80% of the national distribution (10th–90th percentile).

Schools & Majors

⇅ Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
College of Agricultural Sciences 487 46% / 54% 3% $61,965 96%
Agricultural Operations 33 — 27% / 73% 3% $74,662 80 100%
Agriculture 25 — 52% / 48% 4% $42,079 8 94%
Animal Nutrition 80 — 16% / 84% 0% $69,396 73 98%
Animal Sciences 74 — 12% / 88% 3% $46,518 16 98%
Food Science 34 — 35% / 65% 9% $74,291 80 91%
Forest Sciences and Biology 15 — 87% / 13% 0% $59,724 52 93%
Landscape Contracting 17 — 88% / 12% 0% $55,006 39 100%
Plant Science 35 — 57% / 43% 3% $51,282 28 100%
Turfgrass Science 11 — 100% / 0% 0% $55,006 39 100%
Agribusiness Management 84 — 81% / 19% 6% $77,337 83 95%
Agricultural and Extension Education 10 — 30% / 70% 0% $69,944 73 —
Natural Resources Management and Policy 1 — 100% / 0% 100% $59,183 51 —
Natural Resources and Conservation 34 — 53% / 47% 3% $43,168 10 97%
Natural Resources/Conservation 28 — 61% / 39% 4% $59,675 52 91%
Sustainability Studies 6 — 67% / 33% 0% $86,211 90 100%
⇅ Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
College of Arts and Architecture 286 37% / 63% 4% $54,178 96%
Architecture 64 — 47% / 53% 0% $74,103 79 100%
Art Education 10 — 10% / 90% 0% $53,731 35 97%
Art History 13 — 31% / 69% 15% $44,809 12 94%
Design and Applied Arts 12 — 50% / 50% 0% $66,140 67 97%
Drawing 22 — 32% / 68% 0% $33,750 3 92%
Fine/Studio Arts 35 — 23% / 77% 11% $44,809 12 94%
Graphic Design 14 — 36% / 64% 0% $66,140 67 97%
Landscape Architecture 29 — 38% / 62% 10% $82,300 87 100%
Music 27 — 48% / 52% 0% $24,816 1 96%
Music Education 21 — 48% / 52% 0% $53,731 35 97%
Music Performance 1 — 0% / 100% 0% $24,816 1 96%
Photography 8 — 38% / 62% 12% $42,386 9 96%
Printmaking 20 — 20% / 80% 5% $33,750 3 92%
Visual and Performing Arts 10 — 40% / 60% 0% $37,822 5 89%
⇅ Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
College of Earth and Mineral Sciences 241 72% / 28% 29% $84,553 96%
Mining Engineering 2 — 100% / 0% 50% $89,583 92 100%
Petroleum Engineering 68 — 78% / 22% 74% $96,960 95 97%
Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology 32 — 72% / 28% 0% $60,598 55 96%
Geological and Earth Sciences 34 — 56% / 44% 9% $82,224 87 94%
Geosciences 48 — 67% / 33% 6% $82,224 87 94%
Materials Science 57 — 77% / 23% 21% $86,377 90 100%
⇅ Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
College of Education 370 19% / 81% 4% $53,836 94%
Educational Assessment 16 — 12% / 88% 44% $54,447 37 —
General Education 2 — 0% / 100% 0% $48,587 21 86%
Language and Drama Education 6 — 17% / 83% 17% $53,731 35 96%
Secondary Education 99 — 45% / 55% 6% $53,634 35 94%
Special Education 16 — 19% / 81% 0% $58,085 48 100%
Teacher Education, Multiple Levels 229 — 8% / 92% 1% $53,634 35 94%
Trade and Industrial Teacher Education 2 — 50% / 50% 0% $53,731 35 96%
⇅ Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
College of Engineering 2,145 72% / 28% 14% $93,778 97%
Aerospace Engineering 150 — 84% / 16% 8% $99,365 96 96%
Agricultural and Biological Engineering 32 — 44% / 56% 6% $80,397 85 95%
Architectural Engineering 110 — 63% / 37% 5% $97,610 95 98%
Biomedical Engineering 140 — 43% / 57% 6% $104,854 97 94%
Chemical Engineering 130 — 62% / 38% 13% $99,826 96 96%
Civil Engineering 165 — 76% / 24% 7% $82,353 87 98%
Computer Engineering 70 — 93% / 7% 24% $110,493 98 98%
Computer Hardware Engineering 1 — 100% / 0% 0% $110,493 98 98%
Electrical Engineering 133 — 92% / 8% 23% $93,111 94 97%
Engineering 29 — 86% / 14% 24% $92,717 93 94%
Engineering Science 25 — 72% / 28% 16% $100,117 96 97%
Environmental Engineering 19 — 53% / 47% 11% $85,308 89 97%
Industrial Engineering 139 — 64% / 36% 15% $103,650 97 97%
Mechanical Engineering 385 — 84% / 16% 14% $90,200 92 98%
Nuclear Engineering 22 — 82% / 18% 9% $102,125 97 99%
Surveying Engineering — — — — $90,324 92 —
Computer Science 427 — 65% / 35% 19% $92,982 94 97%
Organizational Leadership 168 — 67% / 33% 20% $80,773 86 96%
⇅ Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
College of Health and Human Development 850 29% / 71% 4% $60,800 97%
Nutrition Sciences 72 — 14% / 86% 6% $61,750 58 100%
Athletic Training 1 — 0% / 100% 0% $52,829 32 100%
Communication Sciences and Disorders 124 — 3% / 97% 2% $61,295 56 98%
Kinesiology 221 — 34% / 66% 2% $59,703 52 96%
Pre-Nursing Studies 48 — 46% / 54% 2% $87,644 91 —
Rehabilitation Sciences 53 — 19% / 81% 6% $50,801 27 96%
Health Administration 86 — 29% / 71% 0% $73,837 79 93%
Hospitality Management 109 — 35% / 65% 14% $56,884 44 97%
Parks, Recreation and Leisure 83 — 73% / 27% 5% $55,121 39 98%
Human Development and Family Studies 53 — 2% / 98% 4% $44,563 12 93%
⇅ Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
College of Information Sciences and Technology 936 79% / 21% 19% $110,116 96%
Artificial Intelligence — — — — $101,128 97 —
Computer and Information Sciences 426 — 82% / 18% 29% $116,013 99 95%
Cybersecurity 272 — 80% / 20% 2% $108,251 98 96%
Data Analytics 22 — 64% / 36% 0% $91,219 93 —
Data Modeling and Warehousing — — — — $104,238 97 —
Data Processing 6 — 33% / 67% 50% $104,171 97 —
Data Science 122 — 80% / 20% 28% $93,130 94 —
Human-Centered Design and Development 45 — 56% / 44% 13% $116,013 99 95%
Informatics 43 — 70% / 30% 9% $116,013 99 95%
⇅ Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
College of the Liberal Arts 1,955 39% / 61% 12% $62,650 93%
Biological and Physical Sciences 106 — 26% / 74% 3% $66,382 67 92%
Development Economics 15 — 40% / 60% 7% $87,517 91 92%
Economics 340 — 78% / 22% 40% $87,517 91 92%
African-American Studies 10 — 30% / 70% 0% $70,622 74 94%
Anthropology 34 — 32% / 68% 0% $38,547 5 82%
Asian Studies 5 — 20% / 80% 0% $66,630 68 —
Chinese 7 — 29% / 71% 14% $57,116 45 —
Classics 13 — 54% / 46% 0% $55,145 39 —
Comparative Literature 8 — 0% / 100% 12% $52,731 32 —
Criminal Justice 253 — 27% / 73% 1% $55,232 39 95%
Criminal Justice/Safety — — — — $59,623 52 —
English 71 — 27% / 73% 0% $49,973 24 92%
Forensic Science 43 — 30% / 70% 5% $66,934 68 100%
French 12 — 25% / 75% 8% $57,837 47 98%
German 7 — 43% / 57% 14% $57,500 46 —
History 58 — 62% / 38% 2% $46,877 17 96%
Humanities 7 — 29% / 71% 0% $48,587 21 86%
International Affairs 97 — 39% / 61% 9% $67,400 69 92%
Italian 5 — 0% / 100% 0% $57,837 47 98%
Japanese 2 — 50% / 50% 50% $57,324 46 —
Jewish/Judaic Studies — — — — $53,903 36 —
Korean 1 — 0% / 100% 0% $57,896 47 —
Latin American Studies — — — — $67,078 69 —
Medieval and Renaissance Studies — — — — $56,300 43 —
Near and Middle Eastern Studies 1 — 0% / 100% 0% $67,101 69 —
Philosophy 36 — 58% / 42% 14% $63,726 62 80%
Political Science 190 — 48% / 52% 1% $69,838 73 93%
Psychology 512 — 23% / 77% 9% $51,142 28 92%
Russian 1 — 100% / 0% 0% $57,380 46 —
Science, Technology, and Society 12 — 42% / 58% 8% $59,234 51 —
Social Sciences — — — — $54,501 37 —
Sociology 63 — 22% / 78% 21% $56,535 43 97%
Spanish 36 — 33% / 67% 3% $57,837 47 98%
Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies 10 — 0% / 100% 10% $70,622 74 94%
⇅ Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications 878 39% / 61% 11% $64,885 96%
Communication 68 — 56% / 44% 1% $49,390 23 93%
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs 4 — 25% / 75% 0% $62,022 58 93%
Journalism 183 — 52% / 48% 8% $61,946 58 95%
Mass Communication/Media Studies 56 — 34% / 66% 39% $49,390 23 93%
Public Relations and Advertising 319 — 14% / 86% 12% $77,241 83 96%
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication 1 — 100% / 0% 100% $77,241 83 96%
Digital Communication and Media 176 — 55% / 45% 9% $65,538 65 100%
Film Production 71 — 63% / 37% 4% $42,386 9 96%
⇅ Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
Eberly College of Science 1,057 37% / 63% 10% $73,794 94%
Astronomy 33 — 70% / 30% 9% $60,953 56 94%
Chemistry 57 — 47% / 53% 18% $70,919 75 92%
Mathematics 136 — 71% / 29% 43% $85,203 89 93%
Physics 62 — 94% / 6% 24% $60,242 54 86%
Biochemistry 93 — 43% / 57% 4% $66,816 68 92%
Biological and Biomedical Sciences 330 — 13% / 87% 0% $80,065 85 96%
Biology 299 — 28% / 72% 4% $68,771 72 94%
Medical Microbiology 7 — 43% / 57% 14% $69,455 73 —
Toxicology 13 — 62% / 38% 15% $71,668 76 —
Science Technologies 27 — 37% / 63% 11% $74,401 80 95%
⇅ Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing 132 10% / 90% 2% $90,902 97%
Nursing 132 — 10% / 90% 2% $90,902 92 97%
⇅ Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
Smeal College of Business 1,577 60% / 40% 14% $92,451 96%
Statistics 64 — 64% / 36% 39% $102,466 97 88%
Accounting 219 — 63% / 37% 9% $87,152 90 97%
Business 66 — 65% / 35% 20% $100,940 96 93%
Entrepreneurship 97 — 75% / 25% 4% $76,906 82 97%
Finance 533 — 75% / 25% 16% $105,563 98 96%
Insurance 25 — 56% / 44% 4% $70,075 74 98%
Management Information Systems 87 — 70% / 30% 16% $94,003 94 97%
Management Sciences 17 — 65% / 35% 0% $70,075 74 98%
Marketing 393 — 36% / 64% 11% $82,708 87 97%
Organizational Behavior 76 — 41% / 59% 14% $80,773 86 96%

Rankings

Fun and Games

Party til You Drop (Out) Party Schools
Rage

Politically Incorrect

Equal Opportunity Objectification Most Attractive Men
Gym Selfie Central
I'm Getting Cancelled in 3, 2, 1... Most Attractive Women
Double Takes

Prestige

I Peaked in AP Calc But Now I Get Priority Registration Top 15 Honors Colleges
Public Ivy But With Actual Fun and/or Football

Engineering

It Actually IS Rocket Science Aerospace Engineering
Wind Tunnel Wizards
Farming with Numbers Biological & Agricultural Engineering
Farm to Lab
It's Not About Molecules, It's About Pipes Chemical Engineering
Dinosaur Juice
Playing House Civil Engineering
Project Managers
Resistance Is Futile Computer Engineering
Segfault Survivors & Kernel Panickers
Resistance Is Not Futile Electrical Engineering
Dangerously Grounded
Drill, Baby, Drill Energy & Mining Engineering
Oil AND Gold
Regular Engineering Just Wasn't Hurting My Brain Enough Engineering Physics
Simultaneously Engineers & Physicists Until a Recruiter Observes Them
Hugging Trees with Calculus Environmental Engineering
Watershed Wizards
Making Spreadsheets Go Brrrr Industrial Engineering
The Classics
Is It a Solid? Is It a Liquid? Yes. Materials Engineering
Atomic Architects
WD-40 & Duct Tape Mechanical Engineering & Robotics
Mad Scientists' Machine Shop
We Glow In The Dark Nuclear Engineering
Reactor Masters

Computer Science

Chat-GPT? Claude? I can do better. Artificial Intelligence
Solid Programs
Hoodie Not Included Cybersecurity
Cleared for Top Secret, Not for Small Talk
Have You Tried Turning It Off and On Again? Information Technology
IT Enterprise Experts

Physical Sciences & Math

Breaking Bad Chemistry
Agri-Chem & Geo
Rocks and Whales Earth & Atmospheric Sciences
Ocean Explorers
The "I Understand Interstellar" Elite Physics & Astronomy
The Heavyweight Builders (Applied Physics)
No Words Allowed Pure Mathematics
Equation Elegance

Life & Natural Sciences

Pre-Med Reject Waiting Room Biology
The Double Helix
Photosynthesis Fan Club Ecology & Plant Biology
Greenhouse Gang
Doomsday Prepping with Data Environmental Science
Climate Warriors
Better Eating Through Chemistry Food Science & Nutrition
The Flavor Engineers
Memorizing 206 Bones Human Biology
Bone Collectors
Farmers, Cowboys, and Tree Huggers Plant & Agricultural Systems
Field & Forest
Puppies Over People Zoology & Veterinary Sciences
Aggies with Stethoscopes (Veterinary Sciences)
X-Ray Vision Required Clinical Diagnostics
Imaging Innovators

Health Sciences

Behind Every Doctor Health Services
Care Coordinators
Future Heroes (With 12-Hour Shifts) Nursing
Code Blue Ready
Legal Drug Dealers Pharmacy
The Compound
Talk About a Career Phonoaudiology
SLP Specialists
Walk It Off Rehabilitation
Cleared to Play
Sweat Equity Sports & Fitness
ESPN Scholars

Business & Economics

LIFO the Party Accounting
GAAP Gatekeepers
The House Always Wins Actuarial Science
We Don't Predict the Future, We Charge You for It
Show Me the Bushels Agribusiness & Economics
Suits with Boots
PowerPoint Presentation Power Rankings Business Administration
Regional Boardroom Rulers
Pivot Tables & Missing Pallets Business Analytics
Just-In-Time Jugglers
It's Basic Supply and Demand, Bro Economics
The Aggie-Econ & Applied Regressions Guild
Wolf of Wall Street Prep Finance
Fortune 500 Feeders
The Spreadsheet Doctors Healthcare Administration
The Hospital C-Suite Pipeline
May I Take Your Order? Hospitality & Tourism
The Gold Standard
Office Politics 101 Human Resources
Talent Whisperers
Tik-Tok Generation Marketing
Brand Builders
Ballers, Shot Callers & Hollywood Hustlers Sports & Entertainment Business
The "Do You Know Who I Am?" Elite

Humanities & Social Sciences

Much Ado About Nothing English, Literature & Writing
Ink & Quill
Saving the Planet, One Policy at a Time Environmental Policy & Sustainability
Compost Curriculum
Mappy Few, the Cartography Crew Geography & Cartography
Cartography Cartel
Model UN Generation Government & Politics
Diplomat Track
Hindsight is 20/20 (And So is My Salary) History & Archaeology
Footnote Masters
Nosy for a Living Journalism
Statehouse Press-Corps Factories
Professional Yapping Media & Communication Studies
State-Funded Media Monoliths
The "Why Are We Here?" Support Group Philosophy & Ethics
Armchair Philosophers
Spin Class Professional Communication
State-Flagship Spin Machines
I Want To Understand Myself Psychology
Future Roommate Diagnosers
Arguing with God for a Grade Religion
The Seekers
Everything is a Construct Sociology & Anthropology
Survey Says
Grammar Police Academy World Languages & Linguistics
Syntax Scholars

Education

No Johnny, Don't Eat Your Buggers Early Education
Brat Whisperers
Surviving PTA Karens General Education
Teacher's Pet
History Repeats Itself Social Sciences Education
History Buffs
Everyone Gets a Medal Special Education
IEP Architects
Gym Class Heroes and Art Teachers Specific Subjects Education
Specialty Stars
Show Your Work, Then Teach It STEM Education
Lab Coat Lecturers

Arts

Sleep Deprivation by Design Architecture
Blueprint Masters

Professional

The Hard Hat Caste Construction
Permit-Ready