Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus — Earnings vs Cost (vs National Average)
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus at a Glance
The Pennsylvania State University is a public state-related land-grant research university with campuses and facilities throughout Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855 as the Farmers' High School of Pennsylvania, Penn State was named the state's first land-grant university eight years later. Its primary campus, known as Penn State University Park, is located in State College and College Township in Centre County.
1855
171 years old
$5.1B
$5.06 billion (2025)
86,557
72,456 undergrad · 12,618 grad
8,002
7,343 acres
Identity
Is Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus Worth It?
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus offers moderate value at $32,875/year net price. Graduates earn a median of $63,435, which is near the national average. Students should research specific program outcomes before committing.
With a 2.1-year payback period, most graduates recoup their total cost of attendance relatively quickly.
With a 86% graduation rate, the vast majority of students finish their degree and reach these earning outcomes.
How Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus compares to peer public colleges of similar tier nationally
Ranked #10 of 12 on value score. Peers are matched by size, median earnings, SAT, and admission rate — not just geography.
| Rank | College | Value | Net price / yr | Median earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Utah Valley University | 94 | $6,376 | $55,486 |
| #2 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 76 | $17,339 | $60,409 |
| #3 | University of California-Santa Cruz | 71 | $17,890 | $68,396 |
| #4 | Texas A&M University-College Station | 71 | $21,315 | $72,097 |
| #5 | The University of Texas at Dallas | 70 | $18,267 | $68,227 |
| #6 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | 64 | $24,406 | $74,479 |
| #10 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | 41 | $32,875 | $63,435 |
Peer group: public colleges within ±60% of Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus's student body size and within a similar academic tier (SAT ±80, admit rate ±10pp, median earnings ±25%). 1 in PA.
Best Programs at Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
The highest-earning program at Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus is Computer and Information Sciences, General at $74,100/year (4 years after graduation). The lowest is Anthropology at $17,800/year.
Your major matters more than the school name — a Computer and Information Sciences, General graduate from Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus earns $74,100, while a Anthropology graduate earns $17,800. That's more than a 2× difference from the same institution. Choose your program carefully — it's the single biggest lever you control.
Debt also varies by program: Computer and Information Sciences, General graduates carry $27,000 in median debt vs. $23,872 for Anthropology.
Return on Investment
Estimated 4-Year Cost
Based on $32,875/yr net price × 4 years
Earnings Premium
vs. national average of $53,787/yr
Payback Period
Time to recoup the total cost through higher earnings
10-Year Net Gain
Median earnings over 10 years minus total cost of attendance
Programs & Earnings by Major
Graduate earnings data by field of study (4 years after graduation):
| Major | Earnings (4yr) | Earnings (1yr) | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $74,100 | $74,100 | $27,000 |
| Chemical Engineering | $70,500 | $70,500 | $27,000 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | $70,100 | $70,100 | $27,000 |
| Engineering Science | $69,600 | $69,600 | $27,000 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $67,800 | $67,800 | $21,500 |
| Architectural Engineering | $67,300 | $67,300 | $31,000 |
| Industrial Engineering | $67,200 | $67,200 | $27,000 |
| Computer Engineering | $65,700 | $65,700 | $27,000 |
| Petroleum Engineering | $65,500 | $65,500 | $27,000 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering | $65,400 | $65,400 | $27,000 |
| Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering | $65,300 | $65,300 | $27,000 |
| Polymer/Plastics Engineering | $65,100 | $65,100 | $27,000 |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | $65,000 | $65,000 | $27,000 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $63,000 | $63,000 | $27,000 |
| Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other | $62,700 | $62,700 | $25,375 |
| Materials Sciences | $62,500 | $62,500 | $26,876 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $61,800 | $61,800 | $25,000 |
| Nuclear Engineering | $61,400 | $61,400 | $27,000 |
| Engineering, Other | $60,200 | $60,200 | $27,000 |
| Civil Engineering | $60,000 | $60,000 | $27,000 |
| Information Science/Studies | $59,700 | $59,700 | $26,726 |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | $58,500 | $58,500 | $27,000 |
| Agricultural Engineering | $58,400 | $58,400 | $27,000 |
| Management Information Systems and Services | $57,200 | $57,200 | $27,000 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $56,200 | $56,200 | $27,000 |
| Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians | $55,600 | $55,600 | $27,000 |
| Statistics | $55,300 | $55,300 | $25,437 |
| Food Science and Technology | $52,100 | $52,100 | $26,718 |
| Mathematics | $49,400 | $49,400 | $25,743 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | $49,000 | $49,000 | $27,000 |
| Marketing | $48,900 | $48,900 | $26,000 |
| Economics | $47,800 | $47,800 | $25,000 |
| Engineering, General | $46,800 | $46,800 | $27,000 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $45,000 | $45,000 | $26,000 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | $44,600 | $44,600 | $26,000 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | $44,400 | $44,400 | $26,000 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $43,900 | $43,900 | $27,000 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | $43,500 | $43,500 | $26,000 |
| Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services | $43,400 | $43,400 | $27,000 |
| Chemistry | $42,800 | $42,800 | $26,250 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $41,700 | $41,700 | $24,438 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | $41,000 | $41,000 | $27,000 |
| Non-Professional General Legal Studies (Undergraduate) | $40,600 | $40,600 | $34,963 |
| Agricultural Business and Management | $38,700 | $38,700 | $25,000 |
| Business/Commerce, General | $38,100 | $38,100 | $27,000 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | $38,000 | $38,000 | $27,000 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $37,500 | $37,500 | $27,000 |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | $37,000 | $37,000 | $24,250 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | $36,900 | $36,900 | $27,000 |
| Business/Corporate Communications | $36,300 | $36,300 | $25,000 |
| Geography and Cartography | $34,900 | $34,900 | $25,000 |
| Design and Applied Arts | $34,700 | $34,700 | $26,000 |
| Political Science and Government | $33,700 | $33,700 | $27,000 |
| Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other | $33,500 | $33,500 | $25,468 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $32,900 | $32,900 | $27,000 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | $32,400 | $32,400 | $26,622 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | $32,300 | $32,300 | $25,312 |
| Journalism | $32,100 | $32,100 | $26,000 |
| Sociology | $32,000 | $32,000 | $27,000 |
| Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology | $31,500 | $31,500 | $26,969 |
| Parks, Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management | $31,200 | $31,200 | $25,500 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $31,000 | $31,000 | $27,000 |
| Biological and Physical Sciences | $30,600 | $30,600 | $26,596 |
| Biology, General | $29,400 | $29,400 | $27,000 |
| Psychology, General | $29,100 | $29,100 | $27,000 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | $28,700 | $28,700 | $27,000 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | $28,600 | $28,600 | $27,283 |
| Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services | $28,300 | $28,300 | $27,000 |
| Health and Physical Education/Fitness | $28,300 | $28,300 | $27,000 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $28,100 | $28,100 | $27,000 |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | $28,000 | $28,000 | $26,894 |
| Physics | $27,900 | $27,900 | $27,000 |
| History | $27,900 | $27,900 | $27,000 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $27,300 | $27,300 | $26,000 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $27,300 | $27,300 | $26,025 |
| Animal Sciences | $27,200 | $27,200 | $25,593 |
| Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other | $27,200 | $27,200 | $26,516 |
| Visual and Performing Arts, General | $26,700 | $26,700 | $26,125 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $25,200 | $25,200 | $26,000 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | $24,500 | $24,500 | $26,000 |
| Health/Medical Preparatory Programs | $23,400 | $23,400 | $27,000 |
| Music | $22,100 | $22,100 | $26,990 |
| Natural Resources and Conservation, Other | $19,900 | $19,900 | $27,000 |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | $18,500 | $18,500 | $27,000 |
| Anthropology | $17,800 | $17,800 | $23,872 |
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Quick Facts
- Institution Type
- public
- Location
- University Park, PA
- Student Body
- 42,284 students
- Admission Rate
- 61%
- Graduation Rate
- 86%
- Net Price (Annual)
- $32,875
- Median Earnings (10yr)
- $63,435
- Median Student Debt
- $25,000