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University Park, PA · West Chester, PA
| Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $32,875/yr | $23,331/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $19,845/yr | $17,018/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $25,000 | $23,500 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $20,049/yr | $17,414/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $25,667/yr | $20,417/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $31,834/yr | $24,715/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $37,831/yr | $27,160/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $265/mo | $249/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $14,474/yr | $14,828/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | $15,274/yr | $18,526/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $1,200/yr | $1,200/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $5,020/yr | $4,848/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $39,694/yr | $28,394/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $20,644/yr | $10,775/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $41,790/yr | $22,599/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 14% | 25% |
| Students taking federal loans | 40% | 54% |
| Getting in | ||
| Students who get accepted | 61% | 78% |
| SAT range (middle 50%) | 1240–1420 | 1100–1270 |
| SAT average | 1337 | 1187 |
| ACT range (middle 50%) | 27–32 | 24–28 |
| ACT sections (middle 50%) | English 26–33 · Math 26–31 | English 22–27 · Math 21–26 |
| Admissions data from | Fall 2023 | Fall 2023 |
| Applications received | 85,956 | 16,467 |
| Students accepted | 46,605 | 13,042 |
| Students who enrolled | 9,040 | 3,087 |
| Accepted students who enroll | 19% | 24% |
| Enrolled who sent SAT scores | 33% | 16% |
| Enrolled who sent ACT scores | 6% | 1% |
| High-school GPA | Required | Optional (considered if sent) |
| High-school transcript | Required | Required |
| Essay | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Recommendation letters | Not considered | Not considered |
| Class rank | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| College-prep program | Optional (considered if sent) | Required |
| Demonstrated competencies | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Work experience | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| English proficiency test | Required | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Other admission tests | Not considered | Not considered |
| Legacy considered | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| SAT/ACT policy | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 86% | 71% |
| Freshmen who come back | 93% | 83% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $63,435/yr | $61,258/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $40,301–$93,790 | $41,905–$83,592 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 85% | 73% |
| White students graduating | 88% | 75% |
| Black students graduating | 75% | 55% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 81% | 58% |
| Asian students graduating | 85% | 60% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $55,620/yr | $51,013/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 79% | 80% |
| Graduate on time | 71% | 53% |
| Pell students who graduate | 81% | 61% |
| First-gen students who finish | 56% | 44% |
| Low-income students who finish | 50% | 41% |
| Students who transfer out | 1.7% | 17% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $60,370/yr | $58,013/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Business, Management & Marketing 20% · Engineering 14% · Computer & Information Sciences 11% | Business, Management & Marketing 26% · Health Professions 14% · Education 10% |
| Most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 20% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 26% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Engineering — 14% of degrees | Health Professions — 14% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Computer & Information Sciences — 11% of degrees | Education — 10% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Communication & Journalism — 7% of degrees | Psychology — 9% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 6% of degrees | Parks, Recreation & Fitness — 5% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods — $110,689/yr | No data reported |
| Degrees in STEM | 36% | 8.8% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 42,284 | 14,164 |
| Students per professor | 16 : 1 | 20 : 1 |
| Graduate students | 8,133 | 2,722 |
| Average professor pay | $13,120/mo | $11,216/mo |
| Full-time professors | 86% | 72% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Middle States Commission on Higher Education | Middle States Commission on Higher Education |
| Median family income | $61,924 | $75,332 |
| Setting | City (small) | Suburb (large) |
| Location | University Park, PA | West Chester, PA |
| Region | Mid East | Mid East |
| Founded | 1855 | 1871 |
| Public or private | Public | Public |
| Main degree offered | Bachelor's degrees | Bachelor's degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity | Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 9.3% | 0.3% |
| Men | 53% | 42% |
| Women | 47% | 58% |
| White students | 63% | 73% |
| Black students | 4.6% | 10% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 9.3% | 8.2% |
| Asian students | 7.6% | 2.9% |
| Two or more races | 4.1% | 3.9% |
| Other / not reported | 2.4% | 1.2% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 29% | 28% |
| Part-time students | 2% | 8.2% |
| Students age 25+ | 1.8% | 7% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $15,699/yr | $8,968/yr |
| Endowment | $4.2B | $69.4M |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | 14,238 | 5,383 |
| Required to live on campus | No | No |
| Room charge (campus housing) | $7,614/yr | $6,142/yr |
| Meal plan charge | $5,416/yr | $4,184/yr |
| Meal plan offered | Yes | Yes |
| Meals per week | Varies by week | Varies by week |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Federal designation | None | None |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | Yes | Yes |
| ROTC | Yes — Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force | Yes — Army, Air Force |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | No |
| Credit for life experience | Yes | Yes |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | No | Yes |
| Weekend & evening classes | Yes | No |
| Teacher certification | Yes | Yes |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | No | No |
| On-campus day care | No | No |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | Yes | Yes |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | Yes | Yes |
| Credit for military training | Yes | Yes |
| Student veteran organization | Yes | Yes |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NCAA Division I-FBS | NCAA Division II with football |
| Football team | Yes | Yes |
| Varsity teams | 27 | 20 |
| Student athletes | 902 | 612 |
| Athletic scholarships | $24.4M | $1.6M |
| Athletics budget | $231.7M | $9.7M |
| Athletics revenue | $254.4M | $11.0M |
| Recruiting spend | $4.6M | $29,217 |
Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year, logo, campus photo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.