Covering Innovation & Inequality in Education
This year at Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus, we project that on average students will pay $28,900, while the advertised price of attendance is $41,338. That’s a difference of $12,438.
| Year | Net in-state price at Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | In-state sticker price at Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | Out-of-state sticker price at Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24-25 | $28,900 | $41,338 | $62,484 |
| 23-24 | $27,889 | $39,892 | $59,846 |
| 22-23 | $27,450 | $39,447 | $58,263 |
| 21-22 | $26,747 | $36,962 | $54,026 |
| 20-21 | $24,697 | $36,652 | $53,056 |
| 19-20 | $26,151 | $36,344 | $51,572 |
| 18-19 | $25,346 | $35,758 | $50,240 |
| 17-18 | $25,055 | $35,068 | $48,900 |
| 16-17 | $24,992 | $34,598 | $47,548 |
| 15-16 | $24,220 | $33,592 | $46,166 |
How much a student actually pays usually depends, at least in part, on their family's household income. At Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus this year, we project students with incomes over $110K will pay around $39,202, while students with incomes below $30K will pay around $20,564. That's a difference of $18,638.
| Income bracket | Projected net price at Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus |
|---|---|
| <$30K | $20,564 |
| $30K-$48K | $20,776 |
| $48K-$75K | $26,597 |
| $75K-$110K | $32,988 |
| >$110K | $39,202 |
A school’s graduation rate can indicate how likely a student is to complete their degree. At Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus, over the last five years 85% of students earned their bachelor’s degree within six years of enrolling.
Students from different demographic backgrounds often graduate at different rates, so it can be helpful to look beyond the overall graduation rate. This chart shows how students of different races and ethnicities fare earning their degrees at Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus.
| Demographic category | Graduation rate at Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | National average |
|---|---|---|
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 60% | 30% |
| Asian | 84% | 45% |
| Black | 71% | 34% |
| Hispanic | 78% | 41% |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 81% | 28% |
| White | 87% | 49% |
| Multiple races | 79% | 37% |
| Unknown race | 88% | 37% |
Student retention, or how often students return to continue their degree after completing their first year, is another helpful indicator. Over the last five years, at Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus, about 92% of full-time students returned the following fall to continue their degree.
The size and demographic makeup of a school’s student body can have a large impact on a student’s experience. Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus has 53,053 students, which puts it in the {SIZE_PERCENTILE} percentile of public, 4-year schools.
About 53% of students are male.
And about 58% of students are white.