Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Shenango
Sharon, Pennsylvania · Public · 92.2% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 66/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Penn State Shenango, a small commonwealth campus in Sharon, PA, scores 66 out of 100 on CampusROI and earns the Fair Value tier. In-state tuition is $14,024 and out-of-state is $23,560, with an average net price of $18,095 and total four-year cost of about $72,380. Average earnings at six years are $43,600 and climb meaningfully to a median $63,435 by year ten, producing a 39.3% earnings premium that drives the strongest sub-score on the profile. Median debt of $25,000 against those earnings gives a 0.573 debt-to-earnings ratio and a 7.5-year payback period, both well within the comfortable range for a public university. Repayment progress is also strong at 79% making progress at year three and 80% at year seven. The clear weakness is completion: the six-year graduation rate is just 41.9%, the lowest sub-score on the page.
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Shenango
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $14,024/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $23,560/yr |
| Average net price | $18,095/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $72,380 |
| 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 | 41.9% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 256 |
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: $14,024/year ($23,560/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 $18,095/year, or roughly $72,380 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 $14,946/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $22,729/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 | $14,946 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $15,847 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $14,896 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $17,600 |
| $110,001+ | $22,729 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 face a net price of $14,946 per year, a meaningful discount off the in-state sticker once Pell and PHEAA state grants are applied. Four years totals about $59,800 against $63,435 in ten-year median earnings, a workable ratio especially for students moving into nursing or computer/information sciences after transfer.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income brackets show an inversion worth flagging: the $48,001-$75,000 bracket pays $14,896, which is slightly less than the $30,001-$48,000 bracket at $15,847 and very close to the lowest bracket. The $75,001-$110,000 bracket jumps to $17,600. This pattern usually reflects PHEAA state grant cliffs combined with modest institutional aid and warrants pressure-testing with the financial aid office.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households above $110,000 pay $22,729 a year, or roughly $90,900 over four years.
Earnings by Major
Top 9 most popular majors at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Shenango with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | $45,943 | D |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $56,877 | C |
| Registered Nursing | $91,032 | B+ |
| Business Administration and Management | $65,292 | C |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | $75,396 | C+ |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $58,195 | D |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $120,729 | B+ |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $73,308 | B |
| Business/Corporate Communications | $55,840 | 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.
Computer and Information Sciences
Computer and Information Sciences shows remarkable program-level outcomes with $84,050 in first-year earnings climbing to $120,729 by year four against $26,000 in median debt. The 0.309 debt-to-earnings ratio earns a B+ ROI grade. Pittsburgh's tech employer base provides strong absorption.
Registered Nursing
Nursing graduates 4 students per year with $77,955 in first-year earnings rising to $91,032 by year four against $27,000 in median debt, a 0.346 debt-to-earnings ratio and B+ ROI grade. The western PA and northeast Ohio nursing market is tight, and Penn State's BSN credential carries weight in regional health systems including UPMC and Sharon Regional.
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
Management Sciences shows $58,140 in first-year earnings and $73,308 by year four against $26,000 in median debt, producing a 0.447 debt-to-earnings ratio and B ROI grade.
Business Administration and Management
Business Administration graduates 4 students with $45,110 in first-year earnings rising to $65,292 by year four against $27,000 in median debt. The 0.599 debt-to-earnings ratio earns a C ROI grade.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice graduates 5 students per year with $37,240 in first-year earnings rising to $56,877 by year four against $26,000 in median debt. The 0.698 debt-to-earnings ratio earns a C ROI grade. The credential aligns with Pennsylvania State Police, regional sheriff's departments, and federal pathways through the Pittsburgh and Cleveland field offices.
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 Shenango’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 | 92.2% |
| Enrollment | 256 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 39.2% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $9,036 |
Penn State Shenango admits 92.2% of applicants. SAT and ACT mid-ranges are not reported in current Scorecard data. Students should clarify their intended degree pathway before reading too much into the completion figure.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Shenango (this school) | 66 | $18,095 | $63,435 |
| Ohio State University-Lima Campus | 68 | $12,940 | $60,409 |
| 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 Shenango has 256 students and a Pell Grant rate of 39.2%.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Shenango is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $18,095 a year after aid ($72,380 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 41.9% 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 Shenango: Common Questions
Is Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Shenango worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Shenango is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 66/100 on our ROI scale. At $18,095 a year after aid ($72,380 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 Shenango 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 $18,095 a year, or roughly $72,380 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 Shenango 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 Shenango?
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 Shenango. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Shenango 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 Shenango?
The six-year graduation rate is 41.9%. 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.