Pennsylvania State University-Penn State New Kensington
New Kensington, Pennsylvania · Public · 95.3% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 64/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Penn State New Kensington scores 64 (Fair Value). The school's average 6-year earnings of $43,600 and 7.5-year payback are acceptable, and 79.3% of borrowers are reducing their loan balance. The critical weakness is completion: only 27.6% of students graduate. This means more than seven in ten enrolled students fail to earn a degree, generating debt without the earning benefit. Median debt of $25,000 with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.573 is manageable for the graduates who complete, but the non-completion risk is severe. The 416-student enrollment makes this a very small campus.
How Pennsylvania State University-Penn State New Kensington 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 rate27.6% - 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 New Kensington
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $14,408/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $24,134/yr |
| Average net price | $18,305/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $73,220 |
| 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 | 27.6% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 416 |
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 $18,305/year, or roughly $73,220 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 $11,541/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $23,654/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 | $11,541 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $13,323 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $17,589 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $21,666 |
| $110,001+ | $23,654 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $11,541 net per year - about $46,000 over four years, assuming a four-year finish. Given the 27.6% completion rate, the average enrolled student does not finish in four years or at all. Low-income students who borrow and do not complete face $25,000 in debt with no degree. This is the fundamental risk at Penn State New Kensington.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-$75,000 bracket pays $17,589 net and the $75,001-$110,000 bracket pays $21,666.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000+ pay $23,654 net per year.
Earnings by Major
Top 9 most popular majors at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State New Kensington with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Information Science | $91,671 | B |
| Business Administration and Management | $65,292 | C |
| Registered Nursing | $91,032 | B+ |
| Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other | $81,617 | D |
| Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians | $81,835 | B |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $56,877 | C |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $73,308 | B |
| Communication and Media Studies | $55,505 | D |
| Psychology | $49,543 | D |
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 (8 graduates) earns $77,955 at year one and $91,032 at year four - the strongest program at this campus - with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.346 (ROI grade B+) and $27,000 median debt. Small cohort size limits the reliability of these figures, but nursing earnings are structurally high across Pennsylvania. This program is the campus's clearest financial argument.
Information Science
Information Science (13 graduates) earns $66,209 at year one and $91,671 at year four with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.393 (ROI grade B) and $26,000 median debt. Information systems graduates access Pittsburgh's growing tech and financial services sector.
Business Administration and Management
Business Administration (11 graduates) earns $45,110 at year one and $65,292 at year four with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.599 (ROI grade C) and $27,000 median debt. The PSU brand helps in regional hiring, but the earnings ceiling for New Kensington business graduates is modest.
Psychology
Psychology (4 graduates - too small a cohort for reliable conclusions) earns $32,408 at year one with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.833 (ROI grade D) and $27,000 median debt. The outcomes are weak; psychology without a graduate degree leads to low starting wages in most fields, and the debt load here is high relative to earnings.
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 New Kensington’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 | 95.3% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 530-640 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 580-625 |
| Enrollment | 416 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 31.8% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $9,403 |
A 95.3% acceptance rate means virtually anyone who applies is admitted. The school is functionally open-access. For students who want the Penn State degree, the admissions hurdle is not the binding constraint - academic persistence and program completion are.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State New Kensington (this school) | 64 | $18,305 | $63,435 |
| University of Maine at Fort Kent | 64 | $7,482 | $51,077 |
| Ohio University-Eastern Campus | 62 | $3,925 | $52,581 |
| 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 New Kensington admits 95.3% of applicants with SAT mid-ranges of 530-640 Math and 580-625 Reading - effectively open-access. It serves working-adult and commuter students in the New Kensington/Pittsburgh area who want PSU's degree on a schedule that fits jobs and family obligations. The 31.8% Pell rate suggests a moderate low-income population. Students who need flexibility and the Penn State brand for regional employers will find value here.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State New Kensington is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $18,305 a year after aid ($73,220 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 27.6% 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 New Kensington: Common Questions
Is Pennsylvania State University-Penn State New Kensington worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether Pennsylvania State University-Penn State New Kensington is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 64/100 on our ROI scale. At $18,305 a year after aid ($73,220 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 New Kensington 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 $18,305 a year, or roughly $73,220 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 New Kensington 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 New Kensington?
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 New Kensington. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Pennsylvania State University-Penn State New Kensington 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 New Kensington?
The six-year graduation rate is 27.6%. 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.