Penn State: the complete school report for parents
Penn State puts the most weight on GPA. It does not consider legacy, demonstrated interest and the interview, so campus visits and emails will not move the decision. With a 55.3% admit rate and 75% of enrolled students at a 3.50 GPA or above, the transcript is the entry ticket and scores are optional but help when they are strong. Major matters more than the name on the diploma here: five years out, Computer and Information Sciences, General graduates earn a median $116,013 against $24,816 for Music.
Penn State is officially Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus, also known as Psu. Admissions figures below come from its 2025-2026 Common Data Set (see the source), with the admission-factor grid re-read from that file on 2026-10-21.
Is Penn State a reach, target or safety for your student?
Enter a GPA and course load and the calculator places Penn State against the figures above. No account needed.
What does Penn State actually weigh in admissions?
Penn State rates 1 of the 18 factors "Very Important": GPA. It does not consider 12 of them at all. Every college reports these weights in section C7 of its Common Data Set; below is Penn State's 2025-2026 answer, read from the grid in its own file.
| Factor | How Penn State rates it |
|---|---|
| course rigor | Important |
| GPA | Very Important |
| test scores | Considered |
| the essay | Not Considered |
| extracurricular activities | Not Considered |
| recommendations | Not Considered |
| personal qualities | Not Considered |
| talent | Considered |
| class rank | Not Considered |
| demonstrated interest | Not Considered |
| the interview | Not Considered |
| legacy | Not Considered |
| first-generation status | Not Considered |
| geography | Considered |
| state residency | Considered |
| volunteer work | Not Considered |
| work experience | Not Considered |
| religious affiliation | Not Considered |
Does Penn State consider how hard my child’s courses were?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does Penn State consider GPA?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does Penn State consider SAT or ACT scores?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Penn State consider the application essay?
No. Penn State does not consider it.
Does Penn State consider extracurricular activities?
No. Penn State does not consider it.
Does Penn State consider recommendation letters?
No. Penn State does not consider it.
Does Penn State consider character and personal qualities?
No. Penn State does not consider it.
Does Penn State consider a special talent or ability?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Penn State consider class rank?
No. Penn State does not consider it. A school that does not rank its students is not a disadvantage.
Does Penn State consider demonstrated interest?
No. Penn State does not consider it. Campus visits, emails and info sessions do not move the decision.
Does Penn State consider an interview?
No. Penn State does not consider it. There is no interview to prepare for.
Does Penn State consider legacy status?
No. Penn State does not consider it. A parent or grandparent who attended gives no advantage.
Does Penn State consider being first-generation?
No. Penn State does not consider it.
Does Penn State consider where we live?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Penn State consider state residency?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Penn State consider volunteer work?
No. Penn State does not consider it.
Does Penn State consider work experience?
No. Penn State does not consider it.
Does Penn State consider religious affiliation?
No. Penn State does not consider it.
What GPA do admitted students actually have?
75% of enrolled students had a 3.50 GPA or above. The average was 3.67 on a 4.0 scale, reported for 96% of the entering class. This is the school’s own distribution, not an estimate from its admit rate.
| High school GPA | Share of enrolled students |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | 8% |
| 3.75–3.99 | 38% |
| 3.50–3.74 | 29% |
| 3.25–3.49 | 16% |
| 3.00–3.24 | 6% |
| 2.50–2.99 | 2% |
| 2.00–2.49 | 0% |
What is the Penn State waitlist really like?
Penn State offered a place on its waiting list to 2,109 applicants and 1,153 accepted one. 46 were ultimately admitted. That is 4.0% of those who waited.
Is transferring in easier than applying as a freshman?
Penn State admitted 61.3% of 1,508 transfer applicants, against 55.3% of first-year applicants. The two routes are similarly competitive here. The minimum college GPA considered is 2.
When do we apply, and does timing change the odds?
Penn State reports its early rounds below.
| Regular application deadline | Not reported |
|---|---|
| Decisions released | October 1 |
| Reply / deposit deadline | May 1 |
| Early Decision offered | No |
| Early Action offered | Yes |
| Early Action deadline | November 1 |
| Application fee | $65 |
| Fee waiver available | Yes |
| Deferred admission offered | Yes |
What does my child need to take in high school?
Penn State requires 15 academic units and recommends 16. A college-preparatory program is recommended. A GED is accepted.
| Subject | Required | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| English | 4 years | 4 years |
| Mathematics | 3 years | 3 years |
| Science | 3 years | 3 years |
| of which lab science | 0 years | Not stated |
| Foreign language | 2 years | 3 years |
| History | 0 years | Not stated |
| Visual / performing arts | 0 years | Not stated |
What will Penn State actually cost us?
Families pay an average of $32,875 a year at Penn State after grants and scholarships, against a published in-state tuition of $20,878. The published price is not what most families pay. The university reports meeting 68.6% of demonstrated need on average. It also gave 445 merit awards averaging $6,686 to first-years with no demonstrated need.
What families at each income level actually paid:
| Family income | Average net price per year |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $19,845 |
| $30,000–$48,000 | $20,049 |
| $48,000–$75,000 | $25,667 |
| $75,000–$110,000 | $31,834 |
| Over $110,000 | $37,831 |
53% of Penn State graduates borrow, leaving with an average of $52,196 in debt, which the federal data puts at about $265 a month in repayment. Penn State’s net price calculator gives your own figure.
Does a degree from Penn State pay off?
Graduates earn a median $63,435 ten years after entering, and $55,620 at six years. 83% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years. 68% are actively paying down their loans three years in.
Four-year net cost against that earnings premium:
| Family income | Four-year net cost | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $79,380 | 4.1 |
| $30,000–$48,000 | $80,196 | 4.1 |
| $48,000–$75,000 | $102,668 | 5.3 |
| $75,000–$110,000 | $127,336 | 6.6 |
| Over $110,000 | $151,324 | 7.8 |
A scale, not a forecast: it assumes aid and earnings hold steady.
$116,013 to $24,816, depending on the major. Median earnings five years out at Penn State:
| Major | Median earnings, 5 years | Graduates a year |
|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $116,013 | 395 |
| Computer Engineering | $110,493 | 81 |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | $108,251 | 234 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $105,563 | 449 |
| Chemical Engineering | $99,826 | 172 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | $93,111 | 182 |
| Information Science/Studies | $92,982 | 448 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $90,200 | 311 |
| Economics | $87,517 | 369 |
| Psychology, General | $51,142 | 427 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $33,750 | 34 |
| Music | $24,816 | 31 |
College Scorecard, by field of study; highest and lowest shown.
Will my child actually graduate?
92% of first-years return for a second year. 85% within six (Fall 2019 cohort). The rate holds up across income: 76.0% of Pell-grant recipients graduate within six years against 87.0% of everyone else, a gap of 11.0 points.
How big are the classes?
32% of class sections have fewer than 20 students, while 8% have 100 or more. The student-faculty ratio is 16:1, and 86% of faculty are full-time. Accredited by Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
What is life at Penn State like?
42,822 undergraduates, 40% of first-years from out of state. 96% of freshmen live in university housing, falling to 35% across all undergraduates. 29% of students are the first in their family to attend college, and the median family income is $63,381.
How is Penn State ranked?
Penn State is ranked #55 (tie) in National Universities by U.S. News & World Report (Best Colleges 2027). That is up from #59 a year earlier.
| Program list | Position |
|---|---|
| Best Undergraduate Engineering ProgramsAt schools whose highest degree is a doctorate | #22 (tie) |
| Biological / AgriculturalAt schools whose highest degree is a doctorate | #10 |
| Industrial / ManufacturingAt schools whose highest degree is a doctorate | #11 (tie) |
| MaterialsAt schools whose highest degree is a doctorate | #11 |
| MechanicalAt schools whose highest degree is a doctorate | #12 (tie) |
| PetroleumAt schools whose highest degree is a doctorate | #4 (tie) |
| Business Programs | #24 (tie) |
| Finance | #37 (tie) |
| Management | #34 (tie) |
| Marketing | #32 (tie) |
| Production / Operation Management | #13 |
| Supply Chain Management / Logistics | #7 |
| Computer Science | #34 (tie) |
| Nursing | #56 (tie) |
| Economics | #43 (tie) |
Source: U.S. News & World Report, Best Colleges 2027. Only lists that rank Penn State are shown; a program missing here may simply not be ranked by U.S. News, which says nothing about its quality.
What this means for your student
- 75% of enrolled students are at a 3.50 GPA or above, averaging 3.67. Below that line the rest of the application has to carry real weight.
- Skip demonstrated-interest tactics here. Visits and emails are not tracked, so save that effort for schools where they count.
- The waitlist is live but thin: 46 of 1,153 who waited were admitted, about 4%.
- Its highest-earning major returns $116,013 five years out against $24,816 at the other end, a gap wider than the one between most schools.
- See where your student actually stands: calculate their GPA and compare it against the distribution above.
Common questions about Penn State
What GPA do you need for Penn State?
75% of enrolled students at Penn State had a high school GPA of 3.50 or above, and the average was 3.67, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.
Does the Penn State waitlist move?
1,153 students accepted a place on the Penn State waiting list and 46 were admitted in the 2025-2026 cycle.
What do Penn State graduates earn?
Penn State graduates earn a median $63,435 ten years after entering, and 83% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years.
Other schools families compare with Penn State
Where these numbers come from
Admissions figures: Penn State’s 2025-2026 Common Data Set, published here, factor grid re-read from it on 2026-10-21. Earnings, debt, net price and graduation rates: College Scorecard (2022-2023). Unreported values show as “Not reported”.