Penn State acceptance rate, cost and outcomes
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus · Public · University Park, PA · 42,223 undergraduates (IPEDS fall 2023)
Penn State admitted 54.2% of applicants for fall 2023, the same as 54.2% in 2013. Pennsylvania residents pay $21,098 in tuition and fees for 2025-26; out-of-state students pay $43,490.
Admit rate, 2013 to 2023
Show as table
| Fall | Admit rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 54.2% | 47,552 | 25,772 |
| 2014 | 50.3% | 50,299 | 25,295 |
| 2015 | 51.3% | 53,472 | 27,440 |
| 2016 | 56.4% | 52,974 | 29,878 |
| 2017 | 50.3% | 56,114 | 28,233 |
| 2018 | 56.5% | 52,742 | 29,793 |
| 2019 | 75.9% | 95,970 | 72,880 |
| 2020 | Not reported | ||
| 2021 | Not reported | ||
| 2022 | 55.2% | 85,783 | 47,360 |
| 2023 | 54.2% | 85,956 | 46,605 |
Applications went from 47,552 in fall 2013 to 85,956 in fall 2023. Admit rate = admitted ÷ applicants. Source: IPEDS fall admissions.1
What families actually pay
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| Family income | Net price / year, 2024-25 |
|---|---|
| $0 to $30,000 | $22,193 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $21,267 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $25,458 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $31,948 |
| Over $110,000 | $39,140 |
| Tuition and fees, in-state (2025-26) | $21,098 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state (2025-26) | $43,490 |
| Cost of attendance (2024-25) | $41,003 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid (2024-25) | $33,675 |
Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants, for first-time full-time students with federal aid paying the in-state rate, 2024-25. Tuition is 2025-26. Source: College Scorecard.2
SAT and ACT
Middle 50% (25th to 75th percentile) of enrolled first-year students who submitted scores: 33% submitted the SAT, 6% the ACT. Source: IPEDS fall 2023.1
Similar public colleges
| College | Admit rate | Tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|
| Pitt PA | 49.7% | $22,736 in-state |
| West Chester University PA | 79.2% | $11,464 in-state |
| Temple PA | 82.9% | $23,824 in-state |
Same state and type first, then the nearest admit rate. Fall 2023 and 2025-26 figures.
What the numbers say
Penn State's main campus admitted 54.2% of applicants for fall 2023, exactly the rate it reported for fall 2013, so the change over the decade is 0.0 points.1 The path was not flat: the rate reached 75.9% in fall 2019, and the trend table shows Not reported for the next falls because IPEDS holds no reported counts for them.1 Applications climbed 81% between 2013 and 2023, to 85,956, and the university admitted 46,605 students for fall 2023.1
It is test-optional; the middle 50% of score senders had 610 to 710 on SAT math and 27 to 32 on the ACT.1
Pennsylvania residents pay $21,098 in tuition and fees for 2025-26 and out-of-state students pay $43,490.2 The resident price sits well above the $14,440 median of the 37 public bachelor's colleges in Pennsylvania.2 Aid narrows the gap between incomes less than at many large publics: the 2024-25 average net price was $22,193 for families earning up to $30,000 and $39,140 above $110,000.2 Among aided students from families earning $48,001 to $75,000 the figure was $25,458.2
For the cohort that started in 2019, 85% finished within 6 years, and the median federal loan debt of graduates is $24,500.2
Every number on this page, with its source field
| Figure | Value | File, field, year |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 85,956 | IPEDS ADM2023, APPLCN, fall 20231 |
| Admitted | 46,605 | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMSSN, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled first-years | 9,040 | IPEDS ADM2023, ENRLT, fall 20231 |
| Undergraduates | 42,223 | IPEDS DRVEF2023, EFUG, fall 20234 |
| Admission policy | Selective (not open admission) | IPEDS IC2023, OPENADMP, 2023-243 |
| Test policy | Test-optional | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMCON7, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 25th percentile | 610 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR25, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 75th percentile | 690 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR75, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 25th percentile | 610 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT25, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 75th percentile | 710 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT75, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 25th percentile | 27 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM25, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 75th percentile | 32 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM75, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting SAT | 33% | IPEDS ADM2023, SATPCT, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting ACT | 6% | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTPCT, fall 20231 |
| Tuition and fees, in-state | $21,098 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_IN, 2025-262 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state | $43,490 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_OUT, 2025-262 |
| Cost of attendance | $41,003 | College Scorecard, COSTT4_A, 2024-252 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid | $33,675 | College Scorecard, NPT4_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $0 to $30,000 | $22,193 | College Scorecard, NPT41_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $30,001 to $48,000 | $21,267 | College Scorecard, NPT42_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $48,001 to $75,000 | $25,458 | College Scorecard, NPT43_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $75,001 to $110,000 | $31,948 | College Scorecard, NPT44_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income over $110,000 | $39,140 | College Scorecard, NPT45_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Graduation rate within 6 years | 85% | College Scorecard, C150_4, 2019 entrants2 |
| First-year retention | 93% | College Scorecard, RET_FT4, fall 2023 entrants2 |
| Undergraduates with a Pell grant | 16% | College Scorecard, PCTPELL, 2024-252 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $71,762 | College Scorecard, MD_EARN_WNE_P10, 2022-232 |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $24,500 | College Scorecard, GRAD_DEBT_MDN, FY2024-252 |
| Median in-state tuition and fees, public colleges, Pennsylvania (N = 37) | $14,440 | College Scorecard, median TUITIONFEE_IN, public bachelor's institutions, 2025-262 |
Sources
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS admissions files, fall 2013 to fall 2023 (IC2013, ADM2014, ADM2015, ADM2016, ADM2017, ADM2018, ADM2019, ADM2022, ADM2023). Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- U.S. Department of Education: College Scorecard, Most Recent Institution-Level Data (Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution (release of 15 Oct 2026)). Data years: 2019 entrants, 2022-23, 2024-25, 2025-26, FY2024-25, fall 2023 entrants. Checked 25 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Institutional Characteristics 2023-24 (IC2023.zip). Data years: 2023-24. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Fall Enrollment, derived variables, fall 2023 (DRVEF2023.zip). Data years: 2023. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
AdmitFacts is not affiliated with Penn State, the U.S. Department of Education or NCES. Missing values are shown as Not reported, never estimated. The file field behind each figure is listed under "Every number on this page". How we build each page