About Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in Middletown, Pennsylvania. It enrolls 4,031 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorMiddle States Commission on Higher Education
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Selective). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
58/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes37
Value51
Affordability33
Selectivity35
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 97.6%, Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg is broadly accessible to qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
97.6%
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
1120 – 1310
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
22 – 31
Cumulative composite
Test PolicyNot ConsideredStandardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $23,330 per year. That's in line with the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$23,330
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
26%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
41%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$15,972
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$26,958
Room & Board (on-campus)
$14,474
Room & Board (off-campus)
$15,274
Books & Supplies
$1,200
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$5,020
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$5,020
Total Cost of Attendance
$32,521
Application fee: $65 (one-time, due at submission)
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$16,219
$30,001 – $48,000
$16,221
$48,001 – $75,000
$21,176
$75,001 – $110,000
$25,103
Over $110,000
$29,834
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$4,75010%percentile
$8,75025%percentile
$25,000Medianpercentile
$27,00075%percentile
$34,00090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $20,980
↓ $4,020
No Pell $19,500
↓ $5,500
Dependent students $19,500
↓ $5,500
Independent students $19,486
↓ $5,514
Female students $20,000
↓ $5,000
Male students $19,500
↓ $5,500
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $9,500, less than completers ($25,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
61% of full-time students who enrolled at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg graduate within six years, and 82% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
61%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
82%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg earn a median of $63,435 ten years after first enrolling. That's above the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$63,435
Earning > $25K
84%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$50,100
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$63,100
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$50,800
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$53,000
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$62,300
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $13,000, about 21% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
14.5 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Excellent. 91% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg is home to 4,031 students, a mid-sized community.
Total Enrolled
4,031
Part-Time
6%
First-Generation
29%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 46.0%1,854
Asian 14.4%582
International 14.1%570
Black 10.1%408
Hispanic 9.6%387
Other 4.0%160
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Large SuburbMiddletown, Pennsylvania
Housing
Partly residential699 beds available
Adult Learners
7%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Branch campus
What You Can Study
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
63 distinct programs across
18 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg is 15:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
15:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Avg Faculty Salary
$95,374
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
246 instructional faculty across 5 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
31
13%
$130,020
Associate Professors
69
28%
$110,850
Assistant Professors
48
20%
$90,504
Instructors
90
37%
$76,299
Lecturers
8
3%
$71,447
Pros & Cons of Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Accessible admissions for most applicants
Reasonable class sizes
Solid post-graduation earnings
CONS
Above-average net price
Best for:
Based on the data, Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier.
Frequently Asked Questions about Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg.
Is Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg hard to get into?
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted. Acceptance rate: 97.6%.
What is the acceptance rate at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg?
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg has an acceptance rate of 97.6%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
What SAT score do you need for Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg scored between 1120 and 1310 on the SAT (Reading + Math combined). Scores at the higher end of that range improve admissions odds materially. Per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
What ACT score do you need for Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg scored between 22 and 31 on the ACT composite. Scores in the upper half of that range strengthen an application. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg cost?
The average net price after aid at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg is $23,330 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg worth it?
Moderate return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $63,435 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $23,330 per year. That's roughly 2.7x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg known for?
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg is best known for its programs in Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Nursing. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg are $63,435, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg accredited?
Yes. Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg?
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg enrolls 4,031 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg?
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg graduates 61% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg a public or private college?
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg is a Public institution.
Where is Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg located?
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg is located in Middletown, Pennsylvania.
What programs does Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg offer?
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg offers 63 distinct programs. The most popular include Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Nursing.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg is 15:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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