Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Schuylkill
Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania · Public · 96.6% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 63/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Penn State Schuylkill, one of Penn State's commonwealth campuses in eastern Pennsylvania, scores 63 out of 100 - a solid Fair Value tier rating. Average earnings six years after entry are $43,600, climbing to a median $63,435 at year ten - the long-run trajectory benefits from the Penn State degree's brand power. Median debt is $25,000 against a 0.573 debt-to-earnings ratio. Net price is $19,659 with in-state tuition of $15,208; four-year total cost runs $78,636. Cohort sizes per program are very small. Overall this is a credible value play for eastern PA students who plan to leverage the 2+2 path or stay at Schuylkill for a focused major.
How Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Schuylkill 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 rate31.9% - 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 Schuylkill
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $15,208/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $25,392/yr |
| Average net price | $19,659/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $78,636 |
| 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 | 7.7 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 31.9% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 620 |
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 $19,659/year, or roughly $78,636 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 $14,657/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $26,293/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 | $14,657 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $14,543 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $18,556 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $23,004 |
| $110,001+ | $26,293 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $14,657 net annually - meaningful institutional + Pell aid. Four-year exposure of about $59,000 against $43,600 average 6-year earnings is workable. This is a defensible affordability play for low-income eastern PA students.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30,001-$48,000 bracket actually pays slightly LESS at $14,543 - a small but real inversion vs. the lowest income bracket. Likely reflects Pell sensitivity to assets. The $48,001-$75,000 bracket pays $18,556, and $75,001-$110,000 jumps to $23,004. Four-year cost runs $74,000-$92,000 across mid brackets.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households above $110,000 pay $26,293 net per year - four-year cost approaches $105,000.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Schuylkill with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $56,877 | C |
| Psychology | $49,543 | D |
| Business Administration and Management | $65,292 | C |
| Biology | $64,910 | D |
| Registered Nursing | $91,032 | B+ |
| Business/Corporate Communications | $55,840 | D |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $120,729 | B+ |
| Information Science | $91,671 | B |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $73,308 | B |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | $75,396 | 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.
Business Administration and Management
Earnings are $45,110 first-year rising to $65,292 by year four, with $27,000 median debt and a 0.599 debt-to-earnings ratio for a C grade. The Penn State brand carries graduates well in the long run; year-four earnings reflect that trajectory. For students who plan to stay at Schuylkill rather than transfer, this is a defensible track.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice is the largest reporting cohort (18 graduates) with $37,240 first-year earnings and $56,877 by year four, $26,000 median debt, and a 0.698 ratio for a C grade. Students should plan around PSLF eligibility and the slow-but-stable career arc.
Psychology
Psychology produces 15 graduates with $32,408 first-year earnings, $49,543 by year four, $27,000 median debt, and a 0.833 ratio for a D grade. Same structural ROI problem as at most schools: bachelor's-only psychology pays poorly without graduate-school continuation. Students entering the major need a clear graduate plan or should pivot to applied tracks.
Biology
Biology produces 11 graduates with $33,417 first-year earnings rising to $64,910 by year four - the year-four jump suggests medical/dental school graduates entering practice. $26,000 median debt, 0.778 ratio, D grade. Pre-health pipeline only - bachelor's-only biology outcomes here are weak. Students should commit to graduate or professional school from day one.
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 Schuylkill’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 | 96.6% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 500-600 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 520-630 |
| Enrollment | 620 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 40.5% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,985 |
Admission rate is 96.64% - functionally open access at the Schuylkill campus, consistent with Penn State's commonwealth-campus model where students with a Penn State acceptance can choose any campus. SAT mid-50% bands are 500-600 Math and 520-630 Reading; ACT data is not reported.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Schuylkill (this school) | 63 | $19,659 | $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
Pell rate is 40.46% - working-class skew. Total enrollment of 620 supports genuine small-class instruction. Students who stay at Schuylkill through graduation should target nursing, business, or information-science tracks where the campus posts decent outcomes.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Schuylkill is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $19,659 a year after aid ($78,636 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $63,435 a decade out, the cost takes about 7.7 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 31.9% 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 Schuylkill: Common Questions
Is Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Schuylkill worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Schuylkill is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 63/100 on our ROI scale. At $19,659 a year after aid ($78,636 over four years) against $63,435 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 7.7 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 Schuylkill 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 $19,659 a year, or roughly $78,636 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 Schuylkill 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 Schuylkill?
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 7.7 years for Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Schuylkill. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Schuylkill 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 Schuylkill?
The six-year graduation rate is 31.9%. 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.