Pennsylvania State University, also known as Penn State, was established in 1855 as an agricultural college to apply scientific principles to farming. Eventually, the university expanded, and its mission broadened to include teaching, research, and public service across many fields of study.
It is the largest public university in Pennsylvania. University Park is the largest Penn State campus and serves as an administrative hub, but Penn State is not officially defined as having a “main” campus. Penn State has 24 campuses around Pennsylvania, including University Park.
If you are considering Penn State as an option for your studies, it helps to understand its acceptance rate. Knowing how selective the university is can help you decide whether to apply and how competitive the admission process may be.
This article breaks down important information from Penn State’s admission statistics. Read on to learn more details about the university.
Pennsylvania State University Acceptance Rate
For Fall 2024 first-time, first-year admission at University Park, Penn State received 88,478 applications and admitted 53,579 students, which equals an acceptance rate of about 61 percent. Admission rates vary by campus. For example, the Fall 2024 Common Data Set reports that Altoona admitted 8,283 of 8,445 first-year applicants, while Berks admitted 5,950 of 6,030 first-year applicants.
At the graduate level, the currently published Penn State Graduate School statistics show that, for Fall 2022, the university received 18,066 graduate applications and made 7,225 offers, an offer rate of about 40 percent.
Preparing for Pennsylvania State University
Now that you know the acceptance rate and other admission trends, it’s important to consider other parts of the process, such as admission requirements, study costs, and scholarship availability.
Admission Requirements
Admission requirements are among the most important parts of your application because they show the criteria you need to meet to be considered for admission. International students applying to Penn State must submit required academic records and, when applicable, proof of English language proficiency. For first-year undergraduate applicants, Penn State is test-optional, so SAT or ACT scores are not required unless they are required by a specific program.
Tuition Fees
An essential element to plan for is the cost of education. Knowing the latest tuition fees and other costs helps you determine which programs are within reach and how much of an investment your higher education will be.
Penn State tuition varies by campus, level, program, residency, and credit load. At University Park for the 2025–2026 academic year, full-time non-Pennsylvania resident undergraduate tuition is $42,860 for lower-division students and ranges from $45,012 to $50,630 for many upper-division programs. For non-Pennsylvania resident graduate students at University Park, full-time tuition is $46,796 for most programs and $48,662 for Business, EMS, Science, IST, and Engineering programs, with some specialized programs using different rates.
Scholarships
Many universities offer funding to help with the high costs of a university degree. University websites often contain scholarship details, including the kinds of available scholarships and how to apply for them. At Penn State, scholarship availability depends on the student’s campus, college, level of study, and citizenship or residency status.
In short, Pennsylvania State University is a large public research university with a broad land-grant mission and many campus options. Its University Park acceptance rate suggests that it is not as selective as some highly competitive universities, but selectivity can vary by campus, program, and applicant pool.
We hope this article about Penn State’s acceptance rate was helpful. To learn more about studying in the United States, read the Guide to Studying in the USA and check out the Available Courses for International Students.
