Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
Vs. Peer Institutions
Admissions Profile
ROI Sensitivity AnalysisAssuming 4 Years to Graduation
This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.
Lifetime Value Added (NPV)⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.
ROI Efficiency Metrics⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.
- Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
- Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
- Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
- NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.
Social Impact ROINew⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.
Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.
Gov. Pell Grant ROINew⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.
Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.
Program ROI Analysis
Certificates
Accounting and Related Services
Area Studies
Biological and Physical Sciences
Business Administration, Management and Operations
Business/Commerce, General
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
Computer and Information Sciences, General
Computer Software and Media Applications
Data Processing
Educational Administration and Supervision
Engineering, General
Engineering, Other
Finance and Financial Management Services
Geography and Cartography
Human Resources Management and Services
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians
Information Science/Studies
Intercultural/Multicultural and Diversity Studies
Journalism
Leisure and Recreational Activities
Management Information Systems and Services
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
Non-Professional Legal Studies
Plant Sciences
Psychology, General
Real Estate
Religion/Religious Studies
Security Science and Technology
Associate's Degrees
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services
Business/Commerce, General
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians
Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians
Forestry
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
Human Resources Management and Services
Information Science/Studies
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians
Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
Agricultural Business and Management
Agricultural Engineering
Agricultural Mechanization
Agricultural Public Services
Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science and Related Fields, Other
Agriculture, General
Agriculture/Veterinary Preparatory Programs
Animal Sciences
Anthropology
Applied Mathematics
Archeology
Architectural Engineering
Architecture
Area Studies
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other
Biological and Physical Sciences
Biology, General
Biology/Biotechnology Technologies/Technicians
Biomedical/Medical Engineering
Business Administration, Management and Operations
Business/Commerce, General
Business/Corporate Communications
Business/Managerial Economics
Chemical Engineering
Chemistry
Civil Engineering
Communication and Media Studies
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
Computer and Information Sciences, General
Computer Engineering
Computer Science
Computer Software and Media Applications
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Data Processing
Design and Applied Arts
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
Economics
Education, General
Education, Other
Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians
Engineering Science
Engineering, General
Engineering, Other
English Language and Literature, General
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
Finance and Financial Management Services
Fine and Studio Arts
Food Science and Technology
Forestry
Geography and Cartography
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
Health and Medical Administrative Services
Health/Medical Preparatory Programs
History
Hospitality Administration/Management
Human Resources Management and Services
Industrial Engineering
Information Science/Studies
International Business
Journalism
Landscape Architecture
Management Information Systems and Services
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
Marketing
Materials Sciences
Mathematics
Mechanical Engineering
Medieval and Renaissance Studies
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology
Mining and Mineral Engineering
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
Music
Natural Resources and Conservation, Other
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
Non-Professional Legal Studies
Nuclear Engineering
Nutrition Sciences
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management
Petroleum Engineering
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Philosophy
Physical Sciences, General
Physics
Plant Sciences
Political Science and Government
Polymer/Plastics Engineering
Psychology, General
Public Policy Analysis
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
Religion/Religious Studies
Research and Experimental Psychology
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
Science, Technology and Society
Security Science and Technology
Social Sciences, General
Social Sciences, Other
Sociology
Special Education and Teaching
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
Statistics
Surveying Engineering
Sustainability Studies
Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences
Visual and Performing Arts, General
Post-Baccalaureate Certificates
Accounting and Related Services
Business Administration, Management and Operations
Business/Commerce, General
Curriculum and Instruction
Education, General
Education, Other
Educational Administration and Supervision
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
Finance and Financial Management Services
Geography and Cartography
Human Resources Management and Services
Information Science/Studies
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
Marketing
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
Public Administration
Public Health
Special Education and Teaching
Statistics
Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
Agricultural Engineering
Agricultural Public Services
Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science and Related Fields, Other
Animal Sciences
Architectural Engineering
Architecture
Area Studies
Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
Biology, General
Biomedical/Medical Engineering
Biotechnology
Botany/Plant Biology
Business Administration, Management and Operations
Chemical Engineering
Chemistry
Civil Engineering
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
Communication and Media Studies
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
Community Organization and Advocacy
Computational Science
Computer and Information Sciences, General
Computer Engineering
Computer Science
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Curriculum and Instruction
Demography
Design and Applied Arts
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
Educational Administration and Supervision
Educational/Instructional Media Design
Engineering Science
Engineering, Other
English Language and Literature, General
Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering
Finance and Financial Management Services
Fine and Studio Arts
Food Science and Technology
Geography and Cartography
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
Health and Medical Administrative Services
Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities
Homeland Security
Human Resources Management and Services
Industrial Engineering
Information Science/Studies
International Agriculture
International and Comparative Education
International/Globalization Studies
Landscape Architecture
Management Information Systems and Services
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
Manufacturing Engineering
Materials Engineering
Mathematics
Mechanical Engineering
Medicine
Music
Nanotechnology
Natural Resources and Conservation, Other
Neurobiology and Neurosciences
Nuclear Engineering
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management
Petroleum Engineering
Philosophy
Physics
Plant Sciences
Political Science and Government
Psychology, General
Psychology, Other
Public Administration
Public Health
Security Science and Technology
Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education
Social Sciences, General
Soil Sciences
Special Education and Teaching
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
Statistics
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
Systems Engineering
Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences
Zoology/Animal Biology
Graduate Certificates
Information Science/Studies
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
Doctoral Degrees
Agricultural Business and Management
Animal Sciences
Anthropology
Area Studies
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other
Biology, General
Biomedical/Medical Engineering
Botany/Plant Biology
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences
Chemical Engineering
Chemistry
Civil Engineering
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
Communication and Media Studies
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
Computer and Information Sciences, General
Computer Science
Criminology
Curriculum and Instruction
Economics
Educational Administration and Supervision
Educational/Instructional Media Design
Engineering Science
English Language and Literature, General
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering
Fine and Studio Arts
Food Science and Technology
Genetics
Geography and Cartography
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
Health and Medical Administrative Services
History
Industrial Engineering
Information Science/Studies
Materials Engineering
Mathematics
Mechanical Engineering
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
Neurobiology and Neurosciences
Nuclear Engineering
Nutrition Sciences
Philosophy
Physics
Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences
Plant Sciences
Political Science and Government
Psychology, General
Public Administration
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
Social Sciences, Other
Sociology
Special Education and Teaching
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
Statistics
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
Zoology/Animal Biology
Professional Degrees
Law
Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies
Medicine
Other Programs
Curriculum and Instruction
Special Education and Teaching
Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate (for undergraduate programs) or a median bachelor's degree holder (for graduate programs), accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.
For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate decision moving forward. Note that the institution's average undergraduate net price is used as a proxy for annual cost, which may differ from actual graduate tuition. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.
Completers Only: Federal median earnings data strictly reflects outcomes for students who successfully graduated. Students who do not complete their degree typically earn significantly less and face higher risks of debt default.