Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Greater Allegheny
McKeesport, Pennsylvania · Public · 96.5% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 66/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Penn State Greater Allegheny scores 66 (Fair Value) on the CampusROI scale, but the score requires significant context. The institution is a small Penn State branch campus in McKeesport, Pennsylvania with 349 enrolled students. The ROI score of 66 is propped up by strong sub-scores on earnings premium (87) and payback period (82) - driven by excellent program-level outcomes, particularly in computer science and IT - while the completion rate sub-score of 4 reflects that only 19.0% of enrolled students graduate. Students who complete the credential achieve genuinely strong outcomes; fewer than 1 in 5 enrolled students reaches that point. The 41.3% Pell rate and $10,600 net price for the lowest income bracket are the most genuinely positive features of this profile.
How Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Greater Allegheny 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 rate19.0% - 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 Greater Allegheny
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $14,408/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $24,134/yr |
| Average net price | $15,521/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $62,084 |
| 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 | 7.1 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 19.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 349 |
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 $15,521/year, or roughly $62,084 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 $10,600/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $22,758/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 | $10,600 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $11,053 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $13,420 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $20,009 |
| $110,001+ | $22,758 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Students in the 0-30000 income bracket pay $10,600 net price per year at Penn State Greater Allegheny - approximately $42,400 over four years, assuming graduation in four years (which only 19% achieve). The 30001-48000 bracket pays $11,053. The cost is $10,600 per year.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $13,420 per year; the 75001-110000 bracket pays $20,009 - rising steeply at $75k. Middle-income families at $13,000-$20,000 per year are getting very low public university pricing. The caveat remains: the 19% completion rate means the four-year price projection is aspirational for most students.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
The 110001-plus bracket pays $22,758 per year - approximately $91,032 over four years.
Earnings by Major
Top 9 most popular majors at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Greater Allegheny with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration and Management | $65,292 | C |
| Psychology | $49,543 | D |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $56,877 | C |
| Information Science | $91,671 | B |
| Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other | $81,617 | D |
| Communication and Media Studies | $55,505 | D |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $120,729 | B+ |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration | $98,637 | B |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $73,308 | B |
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.
Computer and Information Sciences
Computer and Information Sciences shows $84,050 year-one and $120,729 four-year with a B+ grade - outstanding outcomes. However, only 1 graduate is reported for this program at Greater Allegheny, severely limiting confidence in these figures as campus-specific data. These earnings likely reflect a Penn State system-wide CIP code aggregate that includes University Park and other campuses.
Information Science
Information Science has 5 graduates with $66,209 year-one and $91,671 four-year, debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.393 (ROI grade B). The outcomes are strong but the cohort is tiny. At a 349-student campus with a 19% completion rate, 5 Information Science graduates likely represent a multi-year cohort.
Business Administration and Management
Business Administration has 13 graduates - the largest single-campus program cohort reported - with $45,110 year-one and $65,292 four-year, debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.599 (ROI grade C). The C grade is consistent with regional business outcomes in the greater Pittsburgh area. Business is likely the most stable program for students completing degrees at the Greater Allegheny campus itself rather than transferring.
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 Greater Allegheny’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 | 96.5% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 520-660 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 560-620 |
| Enrollment | 349 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 41.3% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $10,177 |
At 96.5%, Penn State Greater Allegheny is effectively open-enrollment. SAT requirements are minimal. The admissions process is designed for access, not selectivity. The 19.0% completion rate is the critical context: this campus is a stepping-stone for many students, not a four-year destination.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Greater Allegheny (this school) | 66 | $15,521 | $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-Eastern Campus | 62 | $3,925 | $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 Greater Allegheny admits 96.5% of applicants and enrolls 349 students in McKeesport, Pennsylvania - a suburb south of Pittsburgh. SAT Math ranges 520-660, SAT Reading 560-620; ACT ranges are not reported. The Pell grant rate of 41.3% indicates meaningful lower-income enrollment.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Greater Allegheny is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $15,521 a year after aid ($62,084 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $63,435 a decade out, the cost takes about 7.1 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 19.0% 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 Greater Allegheny: Common Questions
Is Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Greater Allegheny worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Greater Allegheny is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 66/100 on our ROI scale. At $15,521 a year after aid ($62,084 over four years) against $63,435 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 7.1 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 Greater Allegheny 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 $15,521 a year, or roughly $62,084 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 Greater Allegheny 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 Greater Allegheny?
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 7.1 years for Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Greater Allegheny. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Greater Allegheny 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 Greater Allegheny?
The six-year graduation rate is 19.0%. 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.
NewsletterCollege decisions are better with data.
From CampusROI, when there is something worth acting on.
Rankings & Links
Guides & Tools
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.