College Profiles/ Penn State University Park
College Profile · Fall 2027 Entry
Penn State University Park Admissions: Acceptance Rate, Cost, Financial Aid and Deadlines
University Park, PA · 42,822 undergraduates. Everything families need to apply to Penn State University Park for fall 2027, verified against the school’s own Common Data Set, cost of attendance and admissions pages, with ConnectPrep’s strategic read.
By Jeremy Fine, Founder of ConnectPrep
Updated October 11, 2026 · Data verified against official sources
✓ Every figure cited
Quick answer
Penn State University Park admitted 55.3% of 106,547 first-year applicants in the 2025-2026 Common Data Set.[1] The middle 50% SAT range for enrolled first-years is 1280 to 1410.[1] First-year students who received need-based aid got an average grant of $8,430.[1] For fall 2027 entry, deadlines are Early Action Nov 1, Regular Decision Rolling (Dec 1 recommended).[2]
55.3%
Overall admit rate[1]
1280 to 1410
Middle 50% SAT[1]
$8,430
Average need-based grant[1]
85.0%
Six-year graduation rate[1]
Penn State University Park at a Glance
- Location
- University Park, PA
- Type
- Public
- Student to faculty ratio
- 15.4:1[1]
- Endowment
- $4.2 billion (federal data)[3]
- SAT/ACT, fall 2027
- Optional[2]
- Application
- Common App, MyPennState[2]
- First-year retention
- 92.3%[1]
The ConnectPrep Take on Penn State University Park
The ConnectPrep take
Penn State's Common Data Set is simple: academic GPA is very important and rigor is important. With 106,547 applicants and a 55.3% admit rate, a strong transcript is the core of a successful application, and your student also chooses between University Park, a Commonwealth Campus, or World Campus. Admission is rolling with a Dec 1 recommended date, but Early Action on Nov 1 brings a decision by Dec 24. Testing is optional, and Penn State does not superscore; it uses the highest combined score from a single test date. That makes one strong sitting the goal. With a middle 50% SAT of 1280 to 1410, we advise submitting at 1345 or higher and aiming for 1410. The mistake we see most is missing the honors and medical deadlines, which run earlier than families expect.
What to do this fall
- Apply Early Action by Nov 1 for a decision by Dec 24, well before the rolling Dec 1 recommendation.
- Schreyer Honors College applicants need an 800-word essay, short answers and two recommendations, all due Nov 15.
- Accelerated Premedical-Medical applicants must submit everything, including an SAT of 1470 or higher or ACT of 32 or higher, by Oct 13.
- Prepare for one strong test date, since Penn State uses the best single sitting rather than a superscore.
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Penn State University Park Admissions Statistics
| Applicant pool |
Applied |
Admitted |
Admit rate |
| All first-year applicants[1] |
106,547 |
58,952 |
55.3% |
- Yield, the share of admitted students who enrolled, was 15.5%.[1]
Testing and academic profile
| Academic profile of enrolled first-years |
Middle 50% or share |
| SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing[1] |
630 to 710 |
| SAT Math[1] |
630 to 720 |
| SAT composite[1] |
1280 to 1410 |
| ACT composite[1] |
28 to 32 |
| Enrolled students who submitted the SAT[1] |
29% |
| Enrolled students who submitted the ACT[1] |
5% |
| Average high school GPA[1] |
3.67 |
ConnectPrep score target
Aim for 1410 on the SAT, the 75th percentile here, or 32 on the ACT. When testing is optional, we generally advise submitting scores at or above about 1340, the middle of the range. A higher score is always better, and the test can be retaken. Not there yet? Take a free practice test and we will build the plan to close the gap.
What Penn State University Park looks for
Rated “very important” by Penn State University Park: Academic GPA. Rated “important”: Rigor of secondary school record.
Penn State University Park Application Deadlines 2026-2027
| Round |
Deadline |
Decision |
| Early Action |
Nov 1 |
by Dec 24 |
| Regular Decision |
Rolling (Dec 1 recommended) |
|
Insider deadlines families miss
These scholarship, honors, program, interview and aid deadlines come from Penn State University Park’s own pages. Anything tagged Before RD is due before the Regular Decision deadline.
| Program or rule |
Deadline |
What to know |
Accelerated Premedical-Medical Program (with Sidney Kimmel Medical College)
Before RD |
Oct 13 |
Complete application, SKMC supplemental questions, resume, STARS and SAT (1470+) or ACT (32+) from a single sitting due Oct 13, 2026; late or incomplete files are not considered. Interviews in January, offers mid-February.[4] |
Schreyer Honors College
Before RD |
Nov 15 |
Separate Schreyer application with an 800 word essay, short answers and two recommendation letters; both the Penn State and Schreyer applications with all documents are due Nov 15.[5] |
| Recommended submission deadline |
Dec 1 |
Penn State is rolling but recommends submitting all applications by Dec 1; EA by Nov 1 gives a decision by Dec 24.[2] |
See how Penn State University Park compares with other colleges in the Mid-Atlantic deadlines database or the full 2026-2027 college application deadlines hub.
Penn State University Park Cost and Financial Aid
| Cost and aid |
Figure |
| Tuition[6] |
$20,878 |
| First-years awarded need-based aid[1] |
37.3% |
| Average need-based scholarship or grant[1] |
$8,430 |
| Average total financial aid package[1] |
$12,659 |
| Average share of need met[1] |
68.6% |
| Merit (non-need) awards to first-years[1] |
552 students, average $6,026 |
Lower division (first-year and sophomore) University Park tuition for Pennsylvania residents; non-residents pay $44,574. Upper division tuition is higher and varies by program, for example business, engineering and nursing.[6]
What families actually pay: net price by income
Net price is the full cost of attendance minus the average grants and scholarships for first-year students receiving aid, by family income. It comes from federal data, which runs a year or two behind the school’s current cost figures.[3]
| Family income |
Average net price per year |
| $0 to $30,000 |
$19,845 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 |
$20,049 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 |
$25,667 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 |
$31,834 |
| Over $110,000 |
$37,831 |
| All aided students |
$32,875 |
Academics and Majors at Penn State University Park
Most popular fields by share of bachelor’s degrees awarded[1]
- Business/marketing17%
- Engineering15%
- Computer and information sciences10%
- Communication/journalism7%
- Biological/life sciences7%
Signature programs
Schreyer Honors College
Penn State's honors college, which incoming students enter through a supplemental application submitted alongside the Penn State application.[7]
Accelerated Premedical-Medical Program
An accelerated premedical-medical program for first-year applicants, who must submit SAT or ACT scores by the program's October 13 deadline.[2]
THON
The world's largest student-run philanthropy, which has raised $254 million for pediatric cancer research and patient support.[8]
Choosing a major and getting in
Applicants choose University Park, a Commonwealth Campus or the online World Campus, and may apply to one of more than 275 majors or apply undecided.[2]
Special admission paths
- Early action: apply by November 1 for a decision by December 24.
- Schreyer Honors College supplemental application.
- Accelerated Premedical-Medical Program (test scores required, October 13 deadline).
- Commonwealth Campus start.
Penn State University Park Retention and Graduation Rates
| Outcome |
Figure |
| First-year students who returned for sophomore year[1] |
92.3% |
| Graduated within four years[1] |
70.8% |
| Graduated within six years[1] |
85.0% |
| Median earnings 10 years after starting college[3] |
$63,435 |
| Median federal loan debt of graduates[3] |
$25,000 |
| Undergraduates receiving Pell Grants[3] |
14% |
Make Penn State University Park a realistic goal
ConnectPrep builds the full plan: the right round, a score target and test schedule, essays that sound like your student, and every scholarship and program deadline on one calendar. Start with a free consultation or a free practice test.
Compare Similar Colleges
Penn State University Park FAQs
What is the Penn State University Park acceptance rate?
Penn State University Park admitted 55.3% of first-year applicants (58,952 of 106,547), according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.
When are the Penn State University Park application deadlines for 2026-27?
For students entering in fall 2027: Early Action Nov 1; Regular Decision Rolling (Dec 1 recommended). 2 scholarship, honors or program deadlines come before Regular Decision; see the insider deadlines table on this page.
What SAT score do you need for Penn State University Park?
The middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 1280 to 1410 on the SAT and 28 to 32 on the ACT. ConnectPrep advises aiming for 1410, the 75th percentile. Testing policy for fall 2027 entry: Optional.
Does Penn State superscore the SAT?
No. Penn State uses the highest combined score from a single test date and does not superscore. Testing is optional for first-year applicants, except for the Accelerated Premedical-Medical Program. The middle 50% SAT is 1280 to 1410 and the ACT is 28 to 32, so we advise sending a single-sitting SAT at or above 1345.
When is the Schreyer Honors College deadline?
Nov 15. Schreyer requires a separate application with an 800-word essay, short answers and two recommendation letters, and both the Penn State and Schreyer applications with all documents must be in by that date. That is earlier than the Dec 1 date Penn State recommends for its rolling admission, so plan essays over the summer.
About the author
Jeremy Fine
Jeremy Fine founded ConnectPrep in 2013 and brings more than 20 years of experience in education, spanning test preparation, college advising and academic program management. He holds a BA from Washington University in St. Louis and an MPA from the University of Pittsburgh.
ConnectPrep is based in Westport, Connecticut, and works with students from kindergarten through graduate school, in person and online. Meet the team.
This profile is an independent ConnectPrep resource and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Penn State University Park. Figures come from the sources listed above as published when checked in October 2026; the Common Data Set year is noted where used. Policies and costs change, so confirm with the school before applying.
