Penn State University: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics

Dr. Allen Grove is an Alfred University English professor and a college admissions expert with over 20 years of experience helping students transition to college.

Penn State University Park is a public research university with an acceptance rate of 49%. Located in State College, Pennsylvania, Penn State is the flagship campus of the 24 campuses that make up the state university system in Pennsylvania. With over 47,000 undergraduate and graduate students, it is also by far the largest. Penn State's 275 majors provide a wealth of academic opportunities for students with diverse interests. The undergraduate programs in engineering and business are noteworthy, and general strengths in the liberal arts and sciences won the school a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. The Penn State Nittany Lions compete in the NCAA Division I Big Ten Conference.

Considering applying to Penn State University? Here are the admissions statistics you should know, including average SAT/ACT scores and GPAs of admitted students.

Acceptance Rate

During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, Penn State had an acceptance rate of 49%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 49 students were admitted, making Penn State's admissions process competitive.

The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to Penn State University. GPAs are unweighted. Find out how you compare to accepted students, see the real-time graph, and calculate your chances of getting in with a free Cappex account.

Admissions Chances

Penn State University, which accepts fewer than half of applicants, has a selective admissions process. If your SAT/ACT scores and GPA fall within the school's average ranges, you have a strong chance of being admitted. However, Penn State has a holistic admissions process that focuses on a rigorous course schedule and participation in extracurricular activities, as well as the optional personal statement.

In the graph above, the blue and green dots represent accepted students. As you can see, the majority of accepted students have at least "B" averages, and they have combined SAT scores (ERW+M) of about 1050 or higher, and ACT composite scores of 20 or higher. The higher the numbers, the more likely you are to get accepted. Hidden beneath the blue and green is a bit of red, so it's important to keep in mind that some students with high GPAs and test scores still get rejected by Penn State. The reasons the university might reject seemingly qualified students include a failure to take adequate college preparatory courses such as foreign language and science classes, and a lack of participation in meaningful activities outside of the classroom.