Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College — Earnings vs Cost (vs National Average)
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College at a Glance
Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, officially Pennsylvania State University at Erie, The Behrend College and often shortened to Penn State Behrend, is a public satellite campus of Penn State University and is located near Erie, Pennsylvania. It is among the largest of Penn State's commonwealth campuses, with about 4,400 students enrolled in Behrend programs on campus and online. The college offers more than 40 undergraduate majors in four academic schools: The Sam and Irene Black School of Bu…
1948
78 years old
3,296
3,211 undergrad · 85 grad
200
854 acres
Identity
Is Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College Worth It?
At a value score of 29/100, Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College is a below-average value relative to its cost. Graduates earn $63,435 — 18% above average — while paying $24,558/year. Consider alternatives with better earnings-to-cost ratios.
The investment pays for itself in just 1.5 years — among the fastest payback periods of any college we track.
A 45% graduation rate is a serious red flag — fewer than 4 in 10 students finish. Those who don't graduate may still carry student debt without the higher-earning credential to show for it.
With a 97% acceptance rate, admission is essentially open — the question isn't whether you'll get in, but whether the investment will pay off.
Bottom line: consider whether the specific program you're interested in at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College has outcomes that justify the cost — the institution-wide numbers suggest caution.
How Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College compares to peer public colleges of similar tier in PA
Ranked #36 of 47 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 | Bellingham Technical College | 92 | $5,997 | $49,748 |
| #2 | Bates Technical College | 86 | $6,292 | $50,051 |
| #3 | California State University-Channel Islands | 83 | $9,849 | $62,152 |
| #4 | Sonoma State University | 76 | $12,885 | $65,986 |
| #5 | Renton Technical College | 76 | $8,296 | $49,782 |
| #6 | Lake Washington Institute of Technology | 71 | $6,817 | $50,669 |
| #36 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College | 29 | $24,558 | $63,435 |
Peer group: public colleges within ±60% of Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College's student body size and within a similar academic tier (SAT ±80, admit rate ±10pp, median earnings ±25%). 6 in PA.
Best Programs at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College
The highest-earning program at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College is Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at $67,800/year (4 years after graduation). The lowest is Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies at $18,500/year.
Your major matters more than the school name — a Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing graduate from Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College earns $67,800, while a Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies graduate earns $18,500. 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: Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing graduates carry $21,500 in median debt vs. $27,000 for Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies.
Return on Investment
Estimated 4-Year Cost
Based on $24,558/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $67,800 | $67,800 | $21,500 |
| Industrial Engineering | $67,200 | $67,200 | $27,000 |
| Computer Engineering | $65,700 | $65,700 | $27,000 |
| Petroleum Engineering | $65,500 | $65,500 | $27,000 |
| Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering | $65,300 | $65,300 | $27,000 |
| Polymer/Plastics Engineering | $65,100 | $65,100 | $27,000 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $63,000 | $63,000 | $27,000 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $61,800 | $61,800 | $25,000 |
| 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 |
| Mathematics | $49,400 | $49,400 | $25,743 |
| Marketing | $48,900 | $48,900 | $26,000 |
| Economics | $47,800 | $47,800 | $25,000 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $45,000 | $45,000 | $26,000 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $43,900 | $43,900 | $27,000 |
| Chemistry | $42,800 | $42,800 | $26,250 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | $36,900 | $36,900 | $27,000 |
| Political Science and Government | $33,700 | $33,700 | $27,000 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | $18,500 | $18,500 | $27,000 |
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Quick Facts
- Institution Type
- public
- Location
- Erie, PA
- Student Body
- 3,240 students
- Admission Rate
- 97%
- Graduation Rate
- 45%
- Net Price (Annual)
- $24,558
- Median Earnings (10yr)
- $63,435
- Median Student Debt
- $25,000