Pennsylvania State University Rankings, Courses, Fees, Admission 2023 & Scholarships

State College, PennsylvaniaLocation
UniversitySchool type
Estd1855established year
45218enrollment
Public
7.9/10

Pennsylvania State University is the best university in the state of Pennsylvania in academics, research and graduate education. Established in 1855, currently, the university enrols 88,914 students. Around 10% of the total students enrolled in the undergraduate programs at Pennsylvania State University are of international origin. Commonly known as Penn State, the university demonstrates an acceptance rate of 54%.

With a huge research endowment of 993 million USD including 610 million USD from Federal grants, the university is one of the top research institutes in the USA. 18 disciplines of the university are ranked among top 10 in the USA for research expenditures. 

Likes:

  • Campus: Upenn has a huge campus with a comprehensive list of amenities. These includes athletic facilities, cultural institutions, healthcare and dining. 
  • Scholarship Opportunities: Pennsylvania State University manifests a financial endowment of over 3.6 billion USD. Nearly 50% students of the university receive some kind of financial assistance from the university to study in USA. International students have to exclusive aids to avail – SIGIS and PSTAG.
  • Placement Opportunities: Penn State PhD graduates earn the highest average annual salary of 159,000 USD. Further, the MBA graduates of the university secure a mean salary of 107,000 USD per annum.

Check: High Paying Jobs in USA

Dislikes:

  • Enormous Campus: A variety of temptations on campus might distract prospective applicants from academics.
  • Cost of Attendance: International students can expect to spend somewhere between 52,000-56,000 USD (~39-42 lakh INR) as a total cost of studying in Pennsylvania State University.

Pennsylvania State University Rankings

  • #93 in QS World University Rankings, 2023
  • #63 in National Universities by U.S. News and World Report, 2022
  • #23 in Top Public Schools by U.S. News and World Report, 2022
  • #34 in Most Innovative Schools by U.S. News and World Report, 2022
  • #119 in World University Rankings by Times Higher Education, 2022
  • #47 in Impact Rankings, 2022 by Times Higher Education.

The subject-specific ranking comparison of Penn-State University with few other universities in USA is given below:

Subject Pennsylvania State University Arizona State University North Carolina State University
Computer Science #93 #89 #189
Engineering #74 #105 #149
Chemistry #63 #217 #171
Physics #55 #490 #526
Mathematics #42 - #74

Pennsylvania State University Programs

Pennsylvania State University offers over 160 undergraduate majors, more than 200 minors and 100 undergraduate certificate courses. Besides international students can choose from 190 graduate majors, various minors, and more than 100 certificate programs at graduate level in Penn State. It also offers 11,000 undergraduate certificate courses, postgraduate programs, and doctorate courses through 18 schools and colleges.

Explore: Penn State Programs

Pennsylvania State University Campus

Penn State has 7 on-campus housing complexes on the main campus that can accommodate 35% of its student population.

  • The university has 24 campuses spread across Pennsylvania. The main and the largest campus is University Park.
  • The Penn State World campus offers more than 60 online programs, degrees and certificates.

Pennsylvania State University Accommodations

Penn State University has housing options on all the campuses. First-year international students mandatorily need to stay on campus. The on-campus housing is offered to the students on a first-come-first-serve basis. The cost of living on-campus is provided in the following table:

Campus Cost in USD
Abington 4,847-5,512
Altoona 3,687-4,684
Beaver 3,322-4,153
Berks 4,684-5,993
Behrend 3,687-5,993
Brandywine 4,160
Greater Allegheny 3,322-4,153
Harrisburg 4,347-5,486
Hazleton 3,322-4,916
Mont Alto 3,322-4,153
University Park 2,763-6,500
Graduate and Family Housing 1,168-1,535

Pennsylvania State University Admission

For the last admission cycle, Pennsylvania State University recorded a total admission of 88,914 students. Majority of the applications were for undergraduate degrees with 73,476 students. Postgraduate programs recorded an enrollment of more than 15,000 students.

Pennsylvania State University Enrollment Statistics by Years

Pennsylvania State University Enrollment Trend
Source: Penn State University

Pennsylvania State University Application Process

Application Portal: Applications for both UG and graduate programs must be submitted on the official website of the university – MyPennState
Application Fee: 75 USD (5,912 INR)

Undergraduate ​Admission Requirements:

  • Official transcripts
  • Personal statement
  • GPA: 3.59/4 ~ 91% (recommended)
  • SAT/ACT scores (test-optional)
  • English language test scores – TOEFL, IELTS
  • Portfolio (if applicable)
  • Standardized test scores

Postgraduate Admission Requirements:

  • Academic transcripts
  • GMAT/GRE scores
  • SOP
  • English language proficiency test scores
  • Essays
  • LOR
  • Resume
  • Passport

Pennsylvania State University Cost of Attendance

Students have to prepare themselves for tuition costs and living costs for Pennsylvania State University's cost of attendance. The total expense can go up to 46 lakhs a year depending on the lifestyles of students. The estimated average annual cost of attendance of studying at Penn State University is tabulated below:

Expenses Cost in INR (per Academic Year)
Tuition and Fees 29.22 lakhs
Transportation & Personal Expenses 3.16 lakhs
Room and Meals 9.73 lakhs
Miscellaneous 1.45 to 4 lakhs
Total Expense Up to 46 lakhs

Pennsylvania State University Scholarships

Pennsylvania State University offers financial aids in the form of scholarships, grants, loans and work-study programs. International students are not eligible for any federal or state aids.

  • Penn State University provides two scholarships exclusively for international students – The Special International Grant-in-Aid (SIGIA) and Penn State Tuition Assistance Grant (PSTAG).
  • These scholarships grant up to 2,000 USD (1.58 lakhs).
  • 46% students of the university receive some form of financial aid.T

Pennsylvania State University Alumni

Penn State has over 645,000 people in its alumni network worldwide. These alumni enjoy the following benefits offered by the university:

  • Access and invitations for athletic, cultural, educational events
  • Access to The Penn Stater and AlumnInsider
  • Discounts on the alumni tours, worldwide vacation rents, healthcare centres, home, car, health, auto, life insurance
  • Financial services and alumni career services.

Penn State University Notable Alumni:

  • Ty Burrell – Actor
  • Jonathan Frakes – Actor
  • Lara Spencer – T.V. Presenter
  • Adam McKay – Film Director

Pennsylvania State University Placement

Pennsylvania State University offer excellent placement opportunities to its international students. Graduates working in Compliance, AML, KYC, and Monitoring earn the highest average annual salary of 195,000 USD (1.54 cr). 

Pennsylvania State University Average Annual Salary by Profession

The average salary of Pennsylvania State University graduates according to their respective degrees are as follows:

Degree Average Annual Salary (USD)
Doctorate 150,000
MBA 107,000
B.Sc. 94,000
B.A. 86,000
M.Sc. 83,000

Penn State is a highly popular institute offering admission to international students in USA. The university maintains a standard quality of education with candidates exhibiting a minimum GPA of 3.59 (~93-96%) on a scale of 4.0. The public land grant research university has its only private ‘Ivy League’ competitor University of Pennsylvania in the state.

FAQs

Ques. Does Pennsylvania State University require SAT or ACT scores?

Ans. Pennsylvania State University has declared to go test-optional. That means students will have to decide if they are going to submit their SAT and ACT scores. There is no minimum requirements for these scores.

Ques. Does Pennsylvania State University offer scholarships to international students?

Ans. Penn State University provides two scholarships for international students – The Special International Grant-in-Aid (SIGIA) and Penn State Tuition Assistance Grant (PSTAG), granting up to 2,000 USD or 1.58 lakhs INR.

Ques. Is Penn State University an Ivy League school?

Ans. No. Pennsylvania State University is not a member of the Ivy League. However, Penn State is a highly esteemed institution in itself and has ranked #23 in Top Public School by U.S. News in 2022.

Ques. Is Pennsylvania State University a good university for international students?

Ans. Pennsylvania State University has ranked #93 in QS World University Rankings in 2023. It has also ranked #63 in National Universities by U.S. News and World Report, 2022. Penn State is regarded as the best institution in Pennsylvania.

Ques. What is Pennsylvania State University famous for?

Ans. Pennsylvania State University is famous for its large alumni community spread all over the world. It has gained its popularity through high quality teaching, research and placement opportunities. 

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Pennsylvania State University comparison

Pennsylvania State UniversityArizona State UniversityDrexel UniversityOhio State UniversityUniversity at BuffaloUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of MassachusettsGeorgetown UniversityPurdue UniversityRutgers University - New JerseyNortheastern UniversityUniversity of ColoradoGeorgia Institute of TechnologySyracuse UniversityUniversity of PittsburghUniversity of MarylandUniversity of Michigan
Collegedunia Score5.9 Out of 105.5 Out of 104.9 Out of 106.1 Out of 104.4 Out of 107.9 Out of 104.5 Out of 105.5 Out of 105.8 Out of 105.3 Out of 10- Out of 105.7 Out of 106.1 Out of 105 Out of 106 Out of 105.9 Out of 107.5 Out of 10
Overall Ranking
  • 60 US News 2024
  • 83 QS World University 2024
  • 122 Times Higher Education 2024
  • 105 US News 2024
  • 179 QS World University 2024
  • 182 Times Higher Education 2024
  • 98 US News 2024
  • 301 Times Higher Education 2024
  • 601 QS World University 2024
  • 43 US News 2024
  • 99 Times Higher Education 2024
  • 151 QS World University 2024
  • 301 Times Higher Education 2024
  • 280 US News 2023
  • 301 Times Higher Education 2023
  • 6 US News 2024
  • 12 QS World University 2024
  • 16 Times Higher Education 2024
  • 67 US News 2024
  • 123 Times Higher Education 2024
  • 245 QS World University 2024
  • 22 US News 2024
  • 187 Times Higher Education 2024
  • 297 QS World University 2024
  • 43 US News 2024
  • 86 Times Higher Education 2024
  • 99 QS World University 2024
  • 40 US News 2024
  • 201 Times Higher Education 2024
  • 299 QS World University 2024
  • 53 US News 2024
  • 201 Times Higher Education 2024
  • 375 QS World University 2024
  • 105 US News 2024
  • 138 Times Higher Education 2024
  • 264 QS World University 2024
  • 33 US News 2024
  • 36 Times Higher Education 2024
  • 97 QS World University 2024
  • 67 US News 2024
  • 401 Times Higher Education 2024
  • 781 QS World University 2024
  • 67 US News 2024
  • 145 Times Higher Education 2024
  • 222 QS World University 2024
  • 46 US News 2024
  • 114 Times Higher Education 2024
  • 169 QS World University 2024
  • 21 US News 2024
  • 23 Times Higher Education 2024
  • 33 QS World University 2024
Subject Strength
  • 32 for Engineering by US News 2024
  • 109 for Medicine by QS World University 2023
  • 80 for Law by US News 2024
  • 126 for Engineering by Times Higher Education 2024
  • 283 for Medicine by QS World University 2023
  • 32 for Law by US News 2024
  • 97 for Engineering by US News 2024
  • 88 for Medicine by US News 2024
  • 80 for Law by US News 2024
  • 27 for Engineering by US News 2024
  • 28 for Medicine by US News 2024
  • 22 for Law by US News 2024
  • 201 for Engineering by Times Higher Education 2024
  • 76 for Medicine by US News 2024
  • 176 for Law by Times Higher Education 2024
  • 19 for Engineering by US News 2024
  • 3 for Medicine by US News 2024
  • 4 for Law by US News 2024
  • 55 for Engineering by US News 2024
  • 44 for Medicine by US News 2024
  • 191 for Law by Times Higher Education 2023
  • 136 for Engineering by Times Higher Education 2023
  • 53 for Medicine by US News 2024
  • 15 for Law by Times Higher Education 2024
  • 4 for Engineering by US News 2024
  • 127 for Medicine by Times Higher Education 2023
  • 127 for Law by Times Higher Education 2023
  • 62 for Engineering by US News 2024
  • 68 for Medicine by US News 2024
  • 86 for Law by US News 2023
  • 32 for Engineering by US News 2024
  • 168 for Medicine by Times Higher Education 2023
  • 71 for Law by US News 2024
  • 19 for Engineering by US News 2024
  • 26 for Medicine by US News 2024
  • 56 for Law by US News 2024
  • 5 for Engineering by US News 2024
  • 346 for Medicine by QS World University 2023
  • 251 for Law by QS World University 2020
  • 119 for Engineering by US News 2024
  • 213 for Medicine by Round University Ranking 2018
  • 122 for Law by US News 2024
  • 47 for Engineering by US News 2024
  • 13 for Medicine by US News 2024
  • 89 for Law by US News 2024
  • 19 for Engineering by US News 2024
  • 193 for Medicine by QS World University 2023
  • 16 for Law by Academy Ranking of World Universities 2021
  • 7 for Engineering by US News 2024
  • 13 for Medicine by US News 2024
  • 10 for Law by US News 2024
Programs
  • UG Programs- 163
  • PG Programs - 120
  • UG Programs- 60
  • PG Programs - 102
  • Doctorate Programs -21
  • UG Programs- 10
  • PG Programs - 36
  • UG Programs- 147
  • PG Programs - 78
  • Doctorate Programs -100
  • UG Programs- 66
  • PG Programs - 90
  • Doctorate Programs -75
  • UG Programs- 63
  • PG Programs - 71
  • Doctorate Programs -14
  • UG Programs- 81
  • PG Programs - 68
  • Doctorate Programs -2
  • UG Programs- 43
  • PG Programs - 43
  • Doctorate Programs -1
  • UG Programs- 199
  • PG Programs - 60
  • Doctorate Programs -7
  • UG Programs- 154
  • PG Programs - 102
  • Doctorate Programs -10
  • UG Programs- 52
  • PG Programs - 93
  • UG Programs- 83
  • PG Programs - 63
  • UG Programs- 42
  • PG Programs - 65
  • Doctorate Programs -8
  • UG Programs- 151
  • PG Programs - 79
  • Doctorate Programs -1
  • UG Programs- 91
  • PG Programs - 47
  • Doctorate Programs -7
  • UG Programs- 72
  • PG Programs - 85
  • Doctorate Programs -3
  • UG Programs- 32
  • PG Programs - 84
  • Doctorate Programs -31
Acceptance Rate51.3 %83.0 %83.0 %49.4 %59.4 %9.4 %65.5 %16.9 %56.0 %58.0 %28.9 %79.6 %23.0 %52.3 %55.0 %44.0 %28.0 %
Exam Score
Cost to Study
  • Average Tuition Fees:INR 2982713.76 [For UG Program]
  • Average Tuition Fees:INR 3166232.22 [For PG Program]
  • Hostel + Meal:INR 2210178.96 Per Year
  • Average Tuition Fees:INR 2586168 [For UG Program]
  • Average Tuition Fees:INR 2088828 [For PG Program]
  • Hostel + Meal:INR 1461102.03 Per Year
  • Average Tuition Fees:INR 2976745.68 [For UG Program]
  • Average Tuition Fees:INR 2502863.55 [For PG Program]
  • Hostel + Meal:INR 1217239.65 Per Year
  • Average Tuition Fees:INR 3019682.7 [For UG Program]
  • Average Tuition Fees:INR 3357625.23 [For PG Program]
  • Hostel + Meal:INR 1157641.74 Per Year
  • Average Tuition Fees:INR 2039094 [For UG Program]
  • Average Tuition Fees:INR 1914759 [For PG Program]
  • Hostel + Meal:INR 3085994.7 Per Year
  • Average Tuition Fees:INR 4406929.74 [For UG Program]
  • Average Tuition Fees:INR 4706991.54 [For PG Program]
  • Hostel + Meal:INR 1482736.32 Per Year
  • Average Tuition Fees:INR 2995313.04 [For UG Program]
  • Average Tuition Fees:INR 2847437.28 [For PG Program]
  • Hostel + Meal:INR 2182742.37 Per Year
  • Average Tuition Fees:INR 4252290.156 [For UG Program]
  • Average Tuition Fees:INR 4948533 [For PG Program]
  • Hostel + Meal:INR 1462013.82 Per Year
  • Average Tuition Fees:INR 2578210.56 [For UG Program]
  • Average Tuition Fees:INR 2337746.67 [For PG Program]
  • Hostel + Meal:INR 2648169.72 Per Year
  • Average Tuition Fees:INR 1202402.34 [For UG Program]
  • Average Tuition Fees:INR 1249318.08 [For PG Program]
  • Hostel + Meal:INR 2805909.39 Per Year
  • Average Tuition Fees:INR 4898799 [For UG Program]
  • Average Tuition Fees:INR 3978720 [For PG Program]
  • Hostel + Meal:INR 2207360.7 Per Year
  • Average Tuition Fees:INR 3234367.8 [For UG Program]
  • Average Tuition Fees:INR 2813783.94 [For PG Program]
  • Hostel + Meal:INR 2190451.14 Per Year
  • Average Tuition Fees:INR 2600259.3 [For UG Program]
  • Average Tuition Fees:INR 2415414.6 [For PG Program]
  • Hostel + Meal:INR 665772.48 Per Year
  • Average Tuition Fees:INR 4498440.3 [For UG Program]
  • Average Tuition Fees:INR 2092558.05 [For PG Program]
  • Hostel + Meal:INR 1272858.84 Per Year
  • Average Tuition Fees:INR 2706855.84 [For UG Program]
  • Average Tuition Fees:INR 3385890.72 [For PG Program]
  • Hostel + Meal:INR 1313309.16 Per Year
  • Average Tuition Fees:INR 3057894.99 [For UG Program]
  • Average Tuition Fees:INR 1616355 [For PG Program]
  • Hostel + Meal:INR 1601932.14 Per Year
  • Average Tuition Fees:INR 4090621.5 [For UG Program]
  • Average Tuition Fees:INR 1772934.21 [For PG Program]
  • Hostel + Meal:INR 1747486.98 Per Year
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Pennsylvania State University Ranking

20242023202220212020201920182017

Times Higher Education logo

Overall 122 out of 1600 in Global Ranking

Engineering 86 out of 1374 in Global Ranking
Law 151 out of 329 in Global Ranking
Arts 126 out of 691 in Global Ranking
Humanities 126 out of 691 in Global Ranking

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Pennsylvania State University Ratings

Based on 2 Students Rating

7.9 out of 10
8.5/10Academic
7.0/10Accommodation
7.0/10Faculty
8.0/10Infrastructure
8.5/10Placement
8.5/10Social Life

Pennsylvania State University Reviews


StreamDegree TypeStudent StatusNationalityBatchCourse
Sort By :
Newest First

Engineering (1)
Sciences (1)
Course (2)
Choice (1)
Everything (1)
School (1)
Tuition (1)

2 Reviews Found

IH

Penn State University is well known as a university that provides high-quality education, and its college of engineering is distinguished as a top engineering education across the country. Additionally, Penn State is local to my home here in Central Pennsylvania, so it was moreover convenient to attend here. A combination of top class education and the Penn State close location led me to attend here.

Fees:

They really try to milk you on fees as much as possible. Everything is a fee on top of the already high cost.

academic: 8/10
faculty: 7/10
infrastructure: 7/10
accomodation: 6/10
placement: 9/10
extracurricular: 7/10

J
8.5 /10

Liked the party scene and the school isn't absurdly expensive plus I liked how big it is and it's close to home somewhat. It's known to have a great opportunity for careers after graduation as well because the curriculum is hard.

Fees:

It was around $30K a year for tuition with living on campus and about $9-10k less per year living off campus. It's a pricey school but worth the price.

academic: 9/10
faculty: 7/10
infrastructure: 9/10
accomodation: 8/10
placement: 8/10
extracurricular: 10/10

Pennsylvania State University Scholarships


NameScholarship Per StudentLevel of StudyType
updated Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program updatedScholarship per studentVariable AmountLevel Of StudyDoctorateTypeMerit-Based
Go Clean ScholarshipScholarship per student₹ 2.9 L/Yr$3,500Level Of StudyBachelorTypeMerit-Based
Ellis R. Ott Scholarship for Applied Statistics and Quality ManagementScholarship per studentVariable AmountLevel Of StudyDoctorateTypeMerit-Based
Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research FellowshipsScholarship per studentVariable AmountLevel Of StudyDoctorateTypeMerit-Based
BL Mandhana ScholarshipsScholarship per student₹ 8.3 L/Yr$10,000Level Of StudyBachelorTypeMerit-Based
Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation ScholarshipsScholarship per student₹ 82.9 L/Yr$100,000Level Of StudyDoctorateTypeMerit-Based

Pennsylvania State University Admissions

  • Early Action Deadlines

    Important Date: November1 (Application deadline)
    Important Date: April1 (Application results)
  • Regular Decision Deadlines

    Important Date: January15 (Application deadline)
    Important Date: April1 (Application results)

Pennsylvania State University Exam Scores

ExamsAvg. ScoreMin ScoreMax. Score%Submitted'
Graduate
GRE updated316-340-
GMAT661---
Language Proficiency
IELTS6.56.5--
TOEFL8080--
Undergraduate
SAT12501160134065
Check Detailed Score
Evidence-Based Reading and Writing620580660-
Mathematics630580680-
ACT28253030
Check Detailed Score
English282531-
Mathematics282530-

Attendance Cost

₹2,982,714

attendance cost

The table shows average yearly cost of attendance for international students. Amount may vary with the course opted, nature of accommodation, and personal spending habits of a candidate.Check Program wise Fees

Tuition fees
Undergraduate Programs
₹2,982,714 / Year
Post Graduate Program
₹3,166,232 / Year
On Campus
Books & Supplies
₹152,518 / Year
On campus, Room & Board
₹934,999 / Year
On Campus, Other Expenses
₹396,877 / Year
Off Campus
Off campus (not with family), Room & Board
₹934,999 / Year
Off campus (not with family), Other Expenses
₹396,877 / Year
Off campus (with family), Room & Board
₹340,181 / Year
Off campus (with family), Other Expenses
₹340,181 / Year

Faculty

Total FacultyFull TimePart TimeGraduate Assistants
3621---

Pennsylvania State University Campus Location


+1-814-865-5471
Telephone
201 Old Main, University Park, 16802
Address

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