Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Beaver
Monaca, Pennsylvania · Public · 95.7% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 64/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Penn State Beaver scores 64 (Fair Value), with two strong sub-scores doing most of the work: a 40.8% earnings premium and a 7.4-year payback period. Earnings climb from $43,600 at 6 years to $63,435 at 10 years - a strong trajectory reflecting the Penn State brand and Pittsburgh-area placement. The 79.3% three-year repayment rate is solid. The completion rate is artifact-low because students who transfer don't count as completers at this campus. In-state tuition is $14,408, net price $17,418, and median debt is $25,000. The 0.573 debt-to-earnings ratio is workable. Reading the 21.7% completion rate as a quality signal would be misleading; the program-level outcomes (mostly B and C+ grades) tell a more accurate story of strong long-run results for students who finish their degree somewhere.
How Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Beaver scores under our methodology
These are the College Scorecard measures that pull this school's CampusROI score down. They describe the published figures, not the quality of the education, and they are our reading of the data. Check them against your own aid offer and intended major.
- 6-year graduation rate21.7% - The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our score, since a degree that is not finished rarely pays back.
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Beaver
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $14,408/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $24,134/yr |
| Average net price | $17,418/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $69,672 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $63,435 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $43,600 |
| Median debt at graduation | $25,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $265 |
| Estimated payback period | 7.4 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 21.7% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 482 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $14,408/year ($24,134/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $17,418/year, or roughly $69,672 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $9,228/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $22,285/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $25,000, which works out to about $265 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($43,600) and comes to 0.57, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $9,228 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $8,366 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $15,831 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $17,143 |
| $110,001+ | $22,285 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $9,228 net annually, but the $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays even less ($8,366). Over four years that's $33K-$37K through the Beaver campus, which against $63K median 10-year earnings is genuinely strong value for low-and-lower-middle-income students.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-$75,000) pay $15,831 - meaningfully more than the lower brackets.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Top-bracket families ($110,001+) pay $22,285 - close to the published net price.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Beaver with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | $49,543 | D |
| Business Administration and Management | $65,292 | C |
| Biology | $64,910 | D |
| Information Science | $91,671 | B |
| Communication and Media Studies | $55,505 | D |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $56,877 | C |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $73,308 | B |
| Registered Nursing | $91,032 | B+ |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | $75,396 | C+ |
| Human Resources Management | $81,755 | C+ |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Registered Nursing
Nursing (1 graduate at this campus, but the program is system-shared) earns a B+ grade with $77,955 first-year and $91,032 four-year earnings against $27,000 median debt (0.346 ratio). The numbers reflect Penn State system nursing outcomes broadly, with Pittsburgh-area placement supporting the strong earnings. For students who can complete the BSN credential, this is an exceptional ROI track.
Information Science
Information Science (10 graduates) earns a B grade with $66,209 first-year and $91,671 four-year earnings against $26,000 median debt (0.393 ratio). The strong climb across four years reflects Pittsburgh's growing tech employer base.
Business Administration and Management
Business Administration is the largest reported program at 17 graduates per year. Median earnings of $45,110 first-year and $65,292 four-year against $27,000 median debt produce a 0.599 ratio (C grade). The earnings climb is healthy. A defensible mainstream choice - the Penn State brand helps placement even in the broader management track.
Psychology
Psychology (20 graduates) has $32,408 first-year earnings against $27,000 median debt, which yields a 0.833 ratio (D grade). Four-year earnings of $49,543 partially redeem the picture. As elsewhere, this program is a feeder for graduate study; terminal-bachelor's outcomes are structurally tight.
Biology
Biology (13 graduates) earns a D grade with $33,417 first-year and $64,910 four-year earnings against $26,000 median debt (0.778 ratio). The wide first-year-to-four-year gap is typical for biology - graduates need professional or graduate school to reach the higher figure. Strong students continuing to medical, dental, or PA school see excellent long-run outcomes; terminal-bachelor's is harder.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 76.0% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 79.3% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 74.8% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 79.7% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Beaver’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 95.7% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 550-660 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 530-630 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 24-27 |
| Enrollment | 482 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 31.9% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $9,688 |
Penn State Beaver admits 95.7% of applicants. The combination of high admit rate and the 21.7% (transfer-distorted) completion rate makes selectivity a poor predictor here; students should focus on the 2-plus-2 transfer pathway and academic support resources rather than admit-rate signals.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Beaver (this school) | 64 | $17,418 | $63,435 |
| Ohio State University-Lima Campus | 68 | $12,940 | $60,409 |
| University of Maine at Fort Kent | 64 | $7,482 | $51,077 |
| Ohio University-Zanesville Campus | 60 | $5,746 | $52,581 |
| East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | 51 | $18,134 | $56,148 |
| Cheyney University of Pennsylvania | 11 | $14,265 | $37,837 |
Who Thrives Here
Penn State Beaver's 482 enrollment, 31.9% Pell rate, and Monaca location define a small commuter campus serving western PA students. The campus is particularly strong for nursing and information science feeder tracks. Mismatch: students looking to complete their full bachelor's degree on the Beaver campus face limited major options and the apparent low-completion artifact in institutional data.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Beaver is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $17,418 a year after aid ($69,672 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $63,435 a decade out, the cost takes about 7.4 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates. What to keep an eye on: its 21.7% graduation rate.
Median debt of $25,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $43,600 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.57, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Beaver: Common Questions
Is Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Beaver worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Beaver is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 64/100 on our ROI scale. At $17,418 a year after aid ($69,672 over four years) against $63,435 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 7.4 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Beaver cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $17,418 a year, or roughly $69,672 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Beaver graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $63,435 ten years after enrolling, roughly $21,635 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Beaver?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 7.4 years for Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Beaver. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Beaver graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $25,000, against average earnings of $43,600 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.57. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Beaver?
The six-year graduation rate is 21.7%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.