Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes

Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania · Public · Moderately selective · CDS 2024-2025

Acceptance rate
75%
6,464 applicants
Avg SAT
1090
Mid 50: 1000–1190
In-state tuition
$10,507
per year, before aid
Net price (avg)
$19,524
after aid, what families pay
Quick answer

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania is a public university in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania that admits about 75% of applicants, making it a moderately selective school. The average family pays about $19,524 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians, Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General and Special Education and Teaching, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 66% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 0.7 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania is a public institution located in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania with a moderately selective admissions profile. For the most recent reporting cycle, Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania admits about half to three-quarters of applicants, with an overall admission rate of 75%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1086 and an ACT composite around 23. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $19,524 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania is realistic for their teenager, the most useful planning step is comparing your child's current GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against these admitted-student ranges — not the headline acceptance rate alone.

What GPA does my child need for Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania?

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania admits students with a wide GPA range, but most successful applicants present an unweighted GPA of 3.3 or higher with a college-prep curriculum. Parents tracking their child's GPA toward this tier of school can use Solyo's free calculator to see weighted, unweighted, and college-recalculated numbers side by side.

Actual GPA distribution of admitted students
4.00
23.8%
3.75–3.99
21.1%
3.50–3.74
18.1%
3.25–3.49
13.7%
3.00–3.24
11.1%
2.50–2.99
11.6%
Below 2.50
0.4%
From the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania.

What does Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania weight in admissions?

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania reports the following factor importance in its Common Data Set (2024-2025). These are the criteria the admissions committee weighs when reviewing applications.

Important4 factors
  • Rigor of secondary school record
  • Class rank
  • Academic GPA
  • Standardized test scores
Considered3 factors
  • Application essay
  • Recommendations
  • Talent/ability
Not Considered11 factors
  • Interview
  • Extracurricular activities
  • Character/personal qualities
  • First generation status
  • Alumni/ae relation
  • Geographical residence
  • State residency
  • Religious affiliation/commitment
  • Volunteer work
  • Work experience
  • Level of applicant's interest

SAT and ACT scores Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania typically admits

The middle-50 SAT Math range is 490–590, with an EBRW midpoint near 540. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 19–25. Many applicants here submit scores; even slightly below the average can be competitive when combined with a strong GPA and curriculum.

SAT Composite
25th percentile1000
50th percentile1090
75th percentile1190
% submitting SAT19%
ACT Composite
25th percentile18
50th percentile22
75th percentile26
% submitting ACT3%
Current testing policy
  • Test-optional: Standardized test scores are not required, but may be submitted and considered.
  • • Policy detail: Considered if submitted

Where admitted students ranked in their high school class

Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort — often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.

Top 10% of class15%
Top 25% of class42%
Top 50% of class78%
% submitting class rank53%

How much does Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania actually cost?

Published tuition is $10,507 for in-state students and $14,615 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $10,584 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $19,524 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 28% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.

In-state tuition$7,716
Out-of-state tuition$11,574
Room and board$10,884
Average net price (after aid)$19,524
Application fee$30 (waivers available)

Application deadlines and early decision data for Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

Regular admission
Notification date15-Jun
Reply deadlineNo set date
Rolling admissionsYes

Will my child graduate from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania?

Retention and graduation rates are the most overlooked numbers in college planning, but they predict actual outcomes far better than acceptance rate. They tell you whether admitted students stay and finish on time.

Freshman retention
84%
returned for sophomore year
4-year graduation
null%
finished on time
6-year graduation
65.6%
finished within 6 years

Most popular majors at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

The most popular undergraduate programs at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians, Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General and Special Education and Teaching. Across all programs, Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania confers roughly 748 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians program report a median income of about $86,067 five years after entering college. Major popularity is a practical signal of where a school concentrates its teaching strength and where your child will find the deepest course offerings and peer community.

MajorGraduates / yearMedian earnings (5 yrs out)
Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians157$86,067
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General113$71,272
Special Education and Teaching100$49,371
Business Administration, Management and Operations83$58,293
Communication and Media Studies79$46,911
Public Health76$55,275
Psychology, General73$44,693
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General67$46,977
Bachelor's-degree completions from federal IPEDS data; earnings from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Is Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania safe? Campus crime & safety

In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania disclosed 5 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 0.7 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 1 violent offenses and 4 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Per-1,000-student rates matter more than raw counts when comparing schools, because larger universities mechanically report more incidents. Under the federal Clery Act, every college that receives federal aid must publish these numbers annually.

Total offenses
5
0.7 per 1,000 students
Violent crime
1
0.15 per 1,000
Sexual assault / VAWA
4
0.59 per 1,000
Burglary
0
reported incidents
Clery Act disclosures (2024) cover on-campus, noncampus, and adjacent public-property incidents; rates use an enrollment of 6,788 students.

What is campus life like at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania?

About 41% of undergraduates at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania live in campus housing, so a meaningful share of students commute or live off campus. In Greek life, 4% of men join a fraternity and 8% of women join a sorority. Residential rate and Greek participation shape day-to-day social life and are worth weighing alongside academics and cost.

Live on campus
41%
of undergraduates
In fraternities
4%
of men
In sororities
8%
of women
From the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania.

Other colleges in Pennsylvania parents ask about

How parents track GPA toward selective schools like Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania recalculate it, and ask an AI college counselor specific questions about their teen's odds. The platform is built for parents — not students — and turns what's usually a fragmented planning process into a single dashboard.

Common questions parents ask about Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

What GPA do I need for Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania?

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania admits students with a wide GPA range, but most successful applicants present an unweighted GPA of 3.3 or higher with a college-prep curriculum.

What SAT or ACT score does Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania typically admit?

The middle-50 SAT Math range is 490–590, with an EBRW midpoint near 540. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 19–25.

How much does Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania actually cost after financial aid?

The average net price at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania after grants and scholarships is $19,524 per year. That figure is more useful for budgeting than the published sticker price, because it reflects what families actually pay after aid is applied.

Is Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania realistic for my child?

Compare your teen's current unweighted GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against the ranges above. If both numbers fall inside the school's middle-50, Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania is a target school. If both fall below the 25th-percentile mark, treat it as a reach and balance the application list accordingly.

What is the acceptance rate at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania?

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania accepts about 75% of applicants out of roughly 6,464 who apply each year. That makes it a moderately selective school.

Is Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania test-optional?

Yes. Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania is test-optional, so SAT and ACT scores are not required, but strong scores can still be submitted and will be considered.

What is the graduation rate at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania?

About 66% of students at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania graduate within six years. 84% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.

Is Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania a public or private school, and where is it located?

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania is a public institution located in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania.

What are the most popular majors at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania?

The largest undergraduate majors at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania by annual graduates are Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians, Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General and Special Education and Teaching. The school awards about 748 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.

Is Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania safe? What is its campus crime rate?

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania reported 5 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 0.7 per 1,000 students. Compare the per-1,000 rate rather than the raw total, since larger schools report more incidents.

What is campus life like at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania?

At Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania, 41% of undergraduates live on campus, 4% of men are in fraternities, 8% of women are in sororities, according to its most recent Common Data Set.

Data sourced from the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania, the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act campus safety disclosures. Solyo extracts admissions data from official Common Data Set publications and refreshes it annually.