Pennsylvania State University-Penn State York
York, Pennsylvania · Public · 97.4% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 62/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Penn State York is a Penn State branch campus in York, Pennsylvania, designed primarily as a two-year start-then-transfer pathway to Penn State University Park or other Penn State campuses. It posts a Fair Value ROI score of 62/100. The earnings premium subscore of 79 and payback period of 7.6 years are strong - graduates eventually carry the Penn State degree and the Penn State earnings premium that comes with it (10-year median earnings of $63,435). Tuition is $15,208 in-state and net price after aid is $19,047, totaling $76,188 over four years if a student were to remain on this campus the full four years. Median federal debt is $25,000 with a 0.573 debt-to-earnings ratio. Repayment is healthy at 79.3% at three years.
How Pennsylvania State University-Penn State York 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 rate16.3% - 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 York
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $15,208/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $25,392/yr |
| Average net price | $19,047/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $76,188 |
| 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 | 7.6 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 16.3% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 668 |
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 $19,047/year, or roughly $76,188 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 $11,582/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $24,411/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 | $11,582 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $11,156 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $16,261 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $20,054 |
| $110,001+ | $24,411 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $11,582 net per year, and the $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays $11,156 (a slight inversion).
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-$75,000 bracket pays $16,261 and $75,001-$110,000 pays $20,054. The cost ramp is steep but consistent with Penn State branch pricing.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households above $110,000 pay $24,411 per year, $97,644 over four years.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State York with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration and Management | $65,292 | C |
| Biology | $64,910 | D |
| Psychology | $49,543 | D |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | $45,943 | D |
| Information Science | $91,671 | B |
| English Language and Literature | $50,299 | D |
| Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians | $81,835 | B |
| Business/Corporate Communications | $55,840 | D |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $73,308 | B |
| Interdisciplinary Studies | $69,102 | 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.
Business Administration and Management
Business Administration is the largest cohort that completes at Penn State York (16 grads). C ROI grade with first-year earnings of $45,110 and four-year earnings of $65,292 against $27,000 of median debt produces a 0.599 ratio. The Penn State business credential drives consistent placement into mid-Atlantic corporate roles.
Biology
Biology (13 grads) earns a D ROI grade. First-year earnings of $33,417 and a 0.778 debt-to-earnings ratio reflect the typical bachelor's-terminal Biology outcome. Four-year earnings of $64,910 suggest some graduates do continue to graduate or professional school, lifting the late-career number.
Psychology
Psychology (13 grads) earns a D ROI grade. First-year earnings of $32,408 and a 0.833 debt-to-earnings ratio. Most graduates require graduate study to reach meaningful earnings; terminal-bachelor's careers tend to land in HR, case management, or research-coordinator roles in the $40K range.
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
Human Development (12 grads) earns a D ROI grade. Career paths into early childhood services, family support, and case management produce modest earnings of $34,030 first year. Median debt of $28,000 against those earnings yields a 0.823 ratio.
Information Science
Information Science (7 grads) is one of the strongest programs: B ROI grade, $66,209 first-year earnings, $91,671 by year four, and a 0.393 debt-to-earnings ratio.
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 York’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) | 520-625 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 530-620 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 22-28 |
| Enrollment | 668 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 30.2% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $10,236 |
Penn State York admits 97.4% of applicants, reflecting branch-campus access policy. Students choose the branch campus for cost, proximity, or as a guaranteed pathway into Penn State's main university system. The combination of high admit rate and decent test profile produces a self-selected group that completes at higher rates than the headline 16.3% implies once transfers are counted.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State York (this school) | 62 | $19,047 | $63,435 |
| University of Maine at Fort Kent | 64 | $7,482 | $51,077 |
| Miami University-Middletown | 63 | $10,809 | $55,076 |
| 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
Enrollment of just 668 and a 30.2% Pell rate signal a small, predominantly middle-income student body. The pathway works best for students with declared majors in Computer Science, Information Science, Engineering Technology, or Business Management - all of which produce strong four-year earnings post-transfer.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State York is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $19,047 a year after aid ($76,188 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $63,435 a decade out, the cost takes about 7.6 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 16.3% 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 York: Common Questions
Is Pennsylvania State University-Penn State York worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether Pennsylvania State University-Penn State York is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 62/100 on our ROI scale. At $19,047 a year after aid ($76,188 over four years) against $63,435 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 7.6 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 York 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 $19,047 a year, or roughly $76,188 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 York 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 York?
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 7.6 years for Pennsylvania State University-Penn State York. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Pennsylvania State University-Penn State York 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 York?
The six-year graduation rate is 16.3%. 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.