Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Lehigh Valley
Center Valley, Pennsylvania · Public · 97.4% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 63/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Penn State Lehigh Valley enrolls about 859 undergraduates and offers in-state tuition of $15,208, with an average net price of $18,220. The campus earns a Fair Value ROI score of 63, with standout submetrics: an earnings premium of 39% and a 7.5-year payback period. Six-year average earnings of $43,600 and median ten-year earnings of $63,435 are solid. However, the completion rate of 17.8% is critically low. Many students use Lehigh Valley as an access point to the Penn State brand before transferring, which inflates the non-completion figure without necessarily indicating academic failure. The 35% Pell Grant rate confirms a significant working and first-generation student population.
How Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Lehigh Valley 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 rate17.8% - 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 Lehigh Valley
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $15,208/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $25,392/yr |
| Average net price | $18,220/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $72,880 |
| 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 | 7.5 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 17.8% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 859 |
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: $15,208/year ($25,392/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 $18,220/year, or roughly $72,880 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 $12,422/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $24,539/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 | $12,422 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $13,319 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $16,438 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $23,611 |
| $110,001+ | $24,539 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $12,422 net - PSLV's most accessible tier. With a 7.5-year payback period and $43,600 in six-year average earnings, low-income students who use PSLV as an on-ramp to Penn State's system and graduate face a positive ROI. The completion rate caveat applies: students who stop out carry debt without the Penn State credential.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30,001 - $75,000 band pays $13,319 - $16,438. Middle-income families should clarify whether their student plans to transfer or complete at the campus level, as that decision shapes both the cost and credential outcome.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $75,000 pay $23,611 - $24,539 per year.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Lehigh Valley with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration and Management | $65,292 | C |
| Information Science | $91,671 | B |
| Psychology | $49,543 | D |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $73,308 | B |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | $51,635 | D |
| Business/Corporate Communications | $55,840 | D |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | $75,396 | C+ |
| Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other | $81,617 | D |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $120,729 | B+ |
| Finance and Financial Management | $96,714 | 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
CIS graduates only 2 students with year-one earnings of $84,050 and $120,729 at four years - the highest four-year figure at PSLV. A B+ grade and 0.31 debt-to-earnings ratio are strong.
Information Science
Information Science graduates 20 students with year-one earnings of $66,209 and $91,671 at four years. A B grade and 0.39 debt-to-earnings ratio make this program one of PSLV's more reliable ROI tracks. The Lehigh Valley tech corridor - with corporate presence from logistics, health care, and financial services - provides employer access for information management graduates.
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
Management Sciences graduates 11 students with year-one earnings of $58,140 and $73,308 at four years. A B grade and 0.45 debt-to-earnings ratio are solid for a regional campus.
Business Administration and Management
Business Administration is PSLV's largest program at 29 graduates with year-one earnings of $45,110 and $65,292 at four years.
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 Lehigh Valley’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 | 97.4% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 550-660 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 580-660 |
| Enrollment | 859 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 35.0% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,550 |
PSLV admits 97.4% of applicants - nearly open access. Middle 50% SAT is 550 - 660 math and 580 - 660 reading; no ACT data is reported. Merit-based scholarships are available through the Penn State system.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Lehigh Valley (this school) | 63 | $18,220 | $63,435 |
| Valley City State University | 67 | $11,890 | $52,725 |
| Miami University-Middletown | 63 | $10,809 | $55,076 |
| Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus | 60 | $5,755 | $52,581 |
| East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | 51 | $18,134 | $56,148 |
| Cheyney University of Pennsylvania | 11 | $14,265 | $37,837 |
Who Thrives Here
The completion rate at this campus is 17.8%.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Lehigh Valley is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $18,220 a year after aid ($72,880 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $63,435 a decade out, the cost takes about 7.5 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 17.8% 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 Lehigh Valley: Common Questions
Is Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Lehigh Valley worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Lehigh Valley is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 63/100 on our ROI scale. At $18,220 a year after aid ($72,880 over four years) against $63,435 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 7.5 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 Lehigh Valley 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 $18,220 a year, or roughly $72,880 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 Lehigh Valley 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 Lehigh Valley?
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 7.5 years for Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Lehigh Valley. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Lehigh Valley 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 Lehigh Valley?
The six-year graduation rate is 17.8%. 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.