---
title: Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus — cost, debt & earnings (College Scorecard)
location: University Park, PA
control: Public
source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (2026-06-10 release)
sourceUrl: https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/
---

# Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus

University Park, PA · Public · Bachelor-granting

> Federal College Scorecard institution **medians** — not a prediction of any one student's outcome, and not a figure for any single program. Earnings/debt cover federally-aided students.

## The bottom line

| Figure | Value | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Typical earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $63,435 | recorded |
| Earnings range (25th–75th pct) | $40,301 – $93,790 | recorded |
| Typical federal debt | $19,500 | recorded |
| Debt of students who withdrew | $9,500 | recorded |
| Completion rate | 86% | recorded |
| Average annual net cost | $39,694 | recorded |
| % earning above a $28k HS-grad wage | 79% | recorded |
| Debt ÷ a year's earnings | 0.31× | derived |
| Earnings premium vs $28k HS benchmark | $35,435 | derived |

**86% of students finish** — the loans are owed whether or not you graduate, so read every figure below next to this number.

Typical **federal** loan debt is $19,500 (≈ 31% of a year's typical earnings here). Note: this counts federal loans only — not private loans, Parent PLUS, or family savings — so true borrowing is usually higher; and because dropouts borrow less, low-completion schools can show a deceptively low debt figure.

## Earnings by major (the number that decides "worth it")

> **Different measure — read on its own terms.** These are median earnings **1 year after completing the program** (early career, graduates only) — NOT the 10-years-after-entry school-wide figure above. Do not compare a program figure to the school figure; compare majors to each other. The Dept. of Education omits programs with too few graduates.

By program, early-career pay ranges from $15,149 to $110,382 across 143 program(s).

| Major | Credential | Pay (1 yr out) | Median debt |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions. | Master's Degree | $110,382 | $97,044 |
| Information Science/Studies. | Master's Degree | $109,295 | $33,905 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods. | Master's Degree | $100,372 | $21,500 |
| Computer Engineering. | Master's Degree | $100,190 | $41,000 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General. | Master's Degree | $99,798 | $41,000 |
| Statistics. | Master's Degree | $96,917 | not reported |
| Systems Engineering. | Master's Degree | $96,574 | $32,822 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | Master's Degree | $95,304 | $41,000 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. | Master's Degree | $92,512 | $41,000 |
| Geography and Cartography. | Master's Degree | $87,475 | not reported |
| Finance and Financial Management Services. | Master's Degree | $82,006 | not reported |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods. | Master's Degree | $81,629 | not reported |
| Social Sciences, General. | Master's Degree | $81,247 | not reported |
| Psychology, Other. | Master's Degree | $81,025 | $41,000 |
| Petroleum Engineering. | Bachelor's Degree | $80,718 | $22,837 |
| Chemistry. | Doctoral Degree | $77,929 | not reported |
| Computer Engineering. | Bachelor's Degree | $76,448 | $26,471 |
| Medicine. | Master's Degree | $76,084 | not reported |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General. | Bachelor's Degree | $73,647 | $25,000 |
| Human Resources Management and Services. | Master's Degree | $72,738 | $41,000 |
| Communication and Media Studies. | Doctoral Degree | $72,603 | not reported |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services. | Master's Degree | $72,509 | $44,873 |
| Mining and Mineral Engineering. | Bachelor's Degree | $71,938 | not reported |
| Chemical Engineering. | Bachelor's Degree | $70,502 | $26,706 |
| Psychology, General. | Doctoral Degree | $70,397 | not reported |
| Industrial Engineering. | Bachelor's Degree | $69,173 | $24,250 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering. | Bachelor's Degree | $68,716 | $26,969 |
| Architectural Engineering. | Master's Degree | $68,141 | not reported |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | Bachelor's Degree | $67,759 | $23,250 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering. | Bachelor's Degree | $67,461 | $26,000 |
| Architectural Engineering. | Bachelor's Degree | $67,154 | $31,000 |
| Polymer/Plastics Engineering. | Bachelor's Degree | $66,366 | $27,000 |
| Mechanical Engineering. | Bachelor's Degree | $65,376 | $26,723 |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management. | Bachelor's Degree | $65,214 | $26,000 |
| Materials Sciences. | Bachelor's Degree | $64,925 | $23,224 |
| Accounting and Related Services. | Master's Degree | $63,873 | $20,500 |
| Nuclear Engineering. | Bachelor's Degree | $62,046 | $24,623 |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy. | Bachelor's Degree | $62,018 | not reported |
| Engineering, Other. | Bachelor's Degree | $61,978 | $25,500 |
| Civil Engineering. | Bachelor's Degree | $61,387 | $26,000 |
| Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other. | Bachelor's Degree | $61,252 | $21,489 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services. | Bachelor's Degree | $61,200 | $25,000 |
| Geography and Cartography. | Post-baccalaureate Certificate | $61,048 | not reported |
| Agricultural Engineering. | Bachelor's Degree | $60,836 | $27,000 |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering. | Master's Degree | $60,554 | not reported |
| Information Science/Studies. | Bachelor's Degree | $60,548 | $25,950 |
| Medicine. | First Professional Degree | $59,741 | $215,577 |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations. | Bachelor's Degree | $59,349 | $25,000 |
| Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians. | Bachelor's Degree | $58,773 | $27,000 |
| Community Organization and Advocacy. | Master's Degree | $58,377 | $48,937 |
| Computer Science. | Bachelor's Degree | $58,206 | $27,000 |
| Management Information Systems and Services. | Bachelor's Degree | $57,465 | $26,000 |
| Public Administration. | Master's Degree | $56,081 | $41,000 |
| Statistics. | Bachelor's Degree | $55,709 | $21,500 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering. | Bachelor's Degree | $55,595 | $24,164 |
| Engineering, General. | Bachelor's Degree | $55,455 | $25,949 |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering. | Bachelor's Degree | $55,225 | $26,869 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services. | Master's Degree | $54,328 | $41,000 |
| Law. | First Professional Degree | $54,072 | $65,436 |
| Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services. | Associate's Degree | $53,956 | not reported |
| Landscape Architecture. | Bachelor's Degree | $53,453 | $29,966 |
| Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians. | Associate's Degree | $52,817 | not reported |
| Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science and Related Fields, Other. | Bachelor's Degree | $52,573 | not reported |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods. | Bachelor's Degree | $52,296 | $25,000 |
| Surveying Engineering. | Bachelor's Degree | $52,230 | not reported |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas. | Master's Degree | $52,015 | not reported |
| Mathematics. | Bachelor's Degree | $52,010 | $23,875 |
| Architecture. | Bachelor's Degree | $51,482 | $30,440 |
| Marketing. | Bachelor's Degree | $51,414 | $24,947 |
| Accounting and Related Services. | Bachelor's Degree | $51,228 | $25,218 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences. | Bachelor's Degree | $50,624 | $25,648 |
| Physics. | Bachelor's Degree | $50,536 | $23,299 |
| Curriculum and Instruction. | Master's Degree | $49,813 | $23,151 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. | Bachelor's Degree | $49,437 | $24,973 |
| Food Science and Technology. | Bachelor's Degree | $49,091 | $25,000 |
| Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians. | Associate's Degree | $49,089 | $16,500 |
| Human Resources Management and Services. | Bachelor's Degree | $48,779 | $27,000 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions. | Associate's Degree | $48,326 | $12,625 |
| Educational Administration and Supervision. | Master's Degree | $48,179 | $29,612 |
| Agricultural Business and Management. | Bachelor's Degree | $47,444 | $26,000 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities. | Master's Degree | $47,226 | not reported |
| Student Counseling and Personnel Services. | Master's Degree | $46,674 | $41,000 |
| Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services. | Bachelor's Degree | $45,940 | $25,784 |
| Economics. | Bachelor's Degree | $45,928 | $24,500 |
| Special Education and Teaching. | Master's Degree | $45,891 | $31,107 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management. | Bachelor's Degree | $45,612 | $23,455 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services. | Bachelor's Degree | $45,122 | $25,000 |
| Non-Professional Legal Studies. | Bachelor's Degree | $44,201 | $31,750 |
| International/Globalization Studies. | Master's Degree | $43,974 | $45,147 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication. | Bachelor's Degree | $42,918 | $23,250 |
| Business/Commerce, General. | Bachelor's Degree | $42,524 | $25,593 |
| Forestry. | Bachelor's Degree | $41,479 | $20,089 |
| Information Science/Studies. | Associate's Degree | $41,003 | $21,000 |
| Chemistry. | Bachelor's Degree | $40,776 | $27,000 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas. | Bachelor's Degree | $40,637 | $25,500 |
| Business/Commerce, General. | Associate's Degree | $40,242 | $17,701 |
| Biology/Biotechnology Technologies/Technicians. | Bachelor's Degree | $39,610 | not reported |
| International Relations and National Security Studies. | Bachelor's Degree | $39,513 | $24,375 |
| Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants. | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $39,262 | $17,273 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods. | Bachelor's Degree | $39,223 | $26,000 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections. | Master's Degree | $39,000 | not reported |
| Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services. | Associate's Degree | $38,928 | $14,000 |
| Geography and Cartography. | Bachelor's Degree | $38,349 | $26,000 |
| Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology. | Bachelor's Degree | $38,061 | $26,000 |
| Design and Applied Arts. | Bachelor's Degree | $37,726 | $25,625 |
| Political Science and Government. | Bachelor's Degree | $37,482 | $25,000 |
| Agriculture, General. | Bachelor's Degree | $36,386 | $26,000 |
| Business/Corporate Communications. | Bachelor's Degree | $35,169 | $25,000 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research. | Bachelor's Degree | $34,969 | $26,000 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics. | Bachelor's Degree | $34,958 | $23,250 |
| Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other. | Bachelor's Degree | $34,758 | $25,431 |
| Plant Sciences. | Bachelor's Degree | $34,546 | $22,048 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections. | Bachelor's Degree | $34,135 | $25,500 |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management. | Bachelor's Degree | $33,729 | $23,000 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities. | Bachelor's Degree | $33,395 | $26,500 |
| Journalism. | Bachelor's Degree | $33,090 | $24,367 |
| Biological and Physical Sciences. | Bachelor's Degree | $33,036 | $25,887 |
| Communication and Media Studies. | Bachelor's Degree | $32,077 | $25,000 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities. | Associate's Degree | $31,892 | $16,500 |
| Animal Sciences. | Bachelor's Degree | $31,682 | $25,000 |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions. | Bachelor's Degree | $30,749 | $26,000 |
| Sociology. | Bachelor's Degree | $30,335 | $26,000 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness. | Bachelor's Degree | $30,320 | $26,940 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology. | Bachelor's Degree | $30,110 | $25,750 |
| Psychology, General. | Bachelor's Degree | $29,652 | $26,000 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services. | Bachelor's Degree | $29,005 | $27,000 |
| Biology, General. | Bachelor's Degree | $28,620 | $25,717 |
| Natural Resources and Conservation, Other. | Bachelor's Degree | $28,554 | $27,000 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology. | Bachelor's Degree | $27,946 | $25,375 |
| Anthropology. | Bachelor's Degree | $27,870 | $27,000 |
| History. | Bachelor's Degree | $27,051 | $26,000 |
| Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other. | Bachelor's Degree | $26,833 | $25,601 |
| Visual and Performing Arts, General. | Bachelor's Degree | $25,485 | $24,225 |
| English Language and Literature, General. | Bachelor's Degree | $25,116 | $25,000 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services. | Associate's Degree | $24,148 | $22,250 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts. | Bachelor's Degree | $23,725 | $23,250 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services. | Bachelor's Degree | $23,662 | $23,250 |
| Health/Medical Preparatory Programs. | Bachelor's Degree | $22,902 | not reported |
| Astronomy and Astrophysics. | Bachelor's Degree | $22,853 | $24,614 |
| Fine and Studio Arts. | Bachelor's Degree | $21,352 | $27,000 |
| Music. | Bachelor's Degree | $20,571 | $26,438 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft. | Bachelor's Degree | $18,839 | $27,000 |
| Nutrition Sciences. | Bachelor's Degree | $15,149 | $25,000 |

## What this is — and is NOT

Institution-wide medians from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. **Not** a prediction of what you would earn or owe, **not** a figure for any single program (a CS and a fine-arts graduate of the same school diverge enormously), **not** proof the school caused the outcome (selection, not causation), and **not** a "best college" ranking. Explore Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus by field of study at the official Scorecard: https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?214777

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Structured data (JSON-LD), each figure labeled by epistemic status: `/education/pennsylvania-state-university-main-campus-pa.jsonld` · all schools: `/education`