Facts and Rankings | Penn State University (2024)

Table of Contents
We are Penn State Land, space, sun, or sea, Penn State is the place to be Shared pride 1,000+ student clubs and organizations #5 Home to the world’s largest student-run philanthropy 50,000+ career preparedness programs Athletics Investing in your future 8,000+ Penn State scholarships Explore student tuition calculators #4 21% of Penn Staters are first-generation students 17,400+ Pell Grant recipients University-wide Our community of Penn Staters Nearly 88,000 students 58% Students from 50 states and 140+ countries Check out Undergraduate Admissions statistics Nearly 10,000 international students 40% 7,900+ faculty across all campuses 775,000+ alumni See Penn State's Data Digest dashboards Innovation ecosystem Penn State rankings U.S. News & World Report “Best Colleges” (Undergraduate) 2024 U.S. News & World Report, “America’s Best Graduate Schools” U.S. News “Best Online Programs” Rankings, 2024 – Penn State World Campus QS World University Rankings 2025 Center for World University Rankings 2024 Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024 Academic Ranking of World Universities (AWRU) 2023 AWRU 2022 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects U.S. News & World Report “Best Global Universities” 2024-25 QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2024 Campus Pride Index 2023 Forbes “Best Employers for New Grads” survey 2023 Penn State ranked first in the nation in faculty Fulbright Scholar awards for 2023-24 Times Higher Education University Impact Rankings 2024 The Princeton Review/Entrepreneurship Magazine, Top Schools for Entrepreneurship 2024 U.S. News & World Report, “Best Children’s Hospitals 2022-23” FAQs References

For more than 150 years we’ve been leaders in higher education, but it’s our community of shared pride that motivates us to do good around the world.

We are Penn State

$1.239B in annual research expenditures
Top 6% world-class university

QS World University Rankings, 2025

24 campuses across Pennsylvania

Facts and Rankings | Penn State University (1)

Land, space, sun, or sea, Penn State is the place to be

As one of only three land- space- sun-, and sea-grant universities in the U.S., Penn State is on the cutting edge of research, education, and service to Pennsylvania communities.

Explore Penn State's rankings.

Facts and Rankings | Penn State University (2)

Athletics

Penn State has one of the nation's most comprehensive and successful athletic programs, featuring 29 varsity programs and participates in the Big Ten Conference at the NCAA Division I level for most sports. At Penn State’s 20 undergraduate campuses, 75+ NCAA Division III teams and 100+ PSUAC teams qualify for national championships through the USCAA.

Cheer on Penn State Athletics.

Investing in your future

8,000+ Penn State scholarships

Top 10%

Worldwide in employer reputation and employment outcomes.

QS World University Rankings, 2024

#4

Best colleges for first-generation college students.

Best Colleges, 2023

21% of Penn Staters are first-generation students

17,400+ Pell Grant recipients University-wide

Our community of Penn Staters

Nearly 88,000 students

58%

Of students are Pennsylvania residents.

Students from 50 states and 140+ countries

Nearly 10,000 international students

40%

Of students are from diverse backgrounds.

7,900+ faculty across all campuses

775,000+ alumni

Facts and Rankings | Penn State University (3)

Innovation ecosystem

Invent Penn State’s 21 innovation spaces across the state work with students, alumni, corporate partners, and community innovators to accelerate the movement of great ideas and economic development in the Commonwealth and beyond.

Learn more about Invent Penn State.

Penn State rankings

Often ranked as a top thirty research university, our quality is reflected in Penn State’s worldwide standings as a leader in research, education, and community. Our record-breaking research expenditures exceed $1.239B, ranking 12 disciplines in the top 10 by the National Science Foundation.

U.S. News & World Report “Best Colleges” (Undergraduate) 2024

Penn State ranks 28th among national public universities and 60th overall out of 435 national universities listed in U.S. News World Report’s “Best Colleges” ranking for 2024. Penn State also ranks 23rd among Association of American Universities public institutions and is the top-ranked public university in Pennsylvania.

Undergraduate Programs

Undergraduate program rankings released by U.S. News include 16 top-25 ratings (four in the top 10) ratings for select programs in engineering and business, among others.

Best Undergraduate Business Programs

Penn State tied for #21 in “Best Undergraduate Business Programs,” out of 523 ranked institutions. In addition, the University ranked in the following specialties:

  • #8 in Supply Chain Management/Logistics
  • #11 in Production/Operation Management
  • #17 in Management (tie)
  • #25 in Accounting (tie)
  • #24 in Marketing (tie)
  • #50 in Finance (tie)

Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs (at schools whose highest degree is a doctorate)

Penn State tied for #19 out of 208 ranked institutions in “Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs.” In addition, the University ranked in the following specialties: 

  • #9 in Materials Engineering
  • #9 in Industrial/Manufacturing Engineering
  • #10 in Biological/Agricultural Engineering (tie)
  • #13 in Civil Engineering
  • #15 in Aerospace/Aeronautical/Astronautical Engineering (tie)
  • #15 in Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering (tie)
  • #15 in Mechanical Engineering (tie)
  • #20 in Chemical Engineering
  • #25 in Computer Engineering (tie)
  • #27 in Electrical/Electronic/Communications Engineering

Best Undergraduate Computer Science Programs

Penn State tied for 40 out of 554 ranked programs.

Best Undergraduate Nursing Programs

Penn State tied for 31 out of 656 ranked programs.

Best Undergraduate Economics Programs

Penn State tied for 41 out of 309 ranked programs.

Best Undergraduate Psychology Programs

Penn State tied for 34 out of 542 ranked programs.

U.S. News & World Report, “America’s Best Graduate Schools”

U.S. News “Best Graduate Schools” ranks professional school programs in business, education, engineering, law, medicine, and nursing, including specialties in each area. (Updated as of April 2024)

Overall

  • #46 in Best Education Schools (tie)
  • #32 in Best Engineering Schools (tie) (2023)
  • #68 in Best Law Schools (tie)

Programs and Specialities

Arts
  • #6 in Ceramics
  • #64 in Best Fine Arts Programs
Business
  • #5 in Supply Chain/Logistics
  • #9 in Business Production/Operations (tie)
  • #22 in Accounting (tie)
  • #22 in Business Management (tie)
  • #30 in Business Analytics (tie)
Earth and Mineral Sciences and Engineering
  • #3 in Environmental Sciences (tie)
  • #4 in Geochemistry (tie)
  • #6 in Petroleum Engineering
  • #7 in Earth Sciences (tie)
  • #9 in Geophysics and Seismology (tie)
  • #10 in Geology (tie)
  • #11 in Materials Engineering
Education
  • #4 in Higher Education Administration
  • #6 in Rehabilitation Counseling (tie)
  • #6 in Student Counseling and Personnel Services (tie)
  • #11 in Educational Administration and Supervision
  • #13 in Secondary Teacher Education (tie)
  • #13 in Educational Psychology (tie)
  • #15 in Special Education
  • #15 in Education Policy
  • #19 in Curriculum and Instruction (tie)
  • #19 in Elementary Teacher Education (tie)
Engineering (2023)
  • #10 in Nuclear Engineering (tie)
  • #10 in Industrial/Manufacturing/Systems Engineering (tie)
  • #11 in Biological/Agricultural Engineering
  • #15 in Aerospace/Aeronautical/Astronautical Engineering (tie)
  • #17 in Mechanical Engineering (tie)
  • #19 in Civil Engineering (tie)
  • #21 in Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering (tie)
  • #26 in Computer Engineering (tie)
  • #26 in Computer Systems (tie)
  • #27 in Chemical Engineering (tie)
  • #28 in Electrical/Electronic/Communications Engineering (tie)
  • #38 in Biomedical Engineering/Bioengineering (tie)
  • #40 in Computer Science (tie)
Health and Human Development
  • #19 in Health Care Management (tie)
  • #21 in Speech-Language Pathology (tie)
Humanities and Social Sciences
  • #5 in Criminology
  • #5 in Industrial Organizational Psychology (tie)
  • #3 in Sociology of Population (tie)
  • #8 in American Literature before 1865 (tie)
  • #9 in International Economics (tie)
  • #11 in African-American Literature (tie)
  • #13 in American Literature after 1865 (tie)
  • #13 in Microeconomics
  • #15 in Political Methodology
  • #15 in Social Stratification (tie)
  • #17 in Econometrics (tie)
  • #17 in International Politics
  • #23 in Sociology
  • #25 in Comparative Politics
  • #26 in English (tie)
  • #27 in Economics (tie)
  • #34 in Political Science (tie)
  • #35 in Psychology (tie)
  • #38 in History (tie)
Public Affairs
  • #70 in Best Public Affairs Programs, University Park (tie)
  • #89 in Best Public Affairs Programs, Penn State Harrisburg School of Public Affairs (tie)
Sciences
  • #9 in Cosmology/Relativity/Gravity
  • #11 in Condensed Matter
  • #16 in Analytical Chemistry (tie)
  • #19 in Statistics (tie)
  • #21 in Physics (tie)
  • #22 in Inorganic Chemistry (tie)
  • #26 in Applied Mathematics (tie)
  • #34 in Chemistry (tie)
  • #37 in Mathematics (tie)
  • #58 in Biological Sciences (tie)

U.S. News “Best Online Programs” Rankings, 2024 – Penn State World Campus

Penn State World Campus ranked in these graduate degree disciplines and the overall bachelor’s degree programs category.

  • #3 (tie), master’s in engineering 
  • #7, master’s in information technology
  • #18 (tie), master’s in business (non-MBA)
  • #19 (tie), master’s in education
  • #22 (tie), MBA
  • #32 (tie), bachelor’s degree programs

The “Best Online Programs” 2024 edition also includes rankings of specific disciplines within the program categories. These specialty program rankings were measured by U.S. News from ratings provided by national peer institutions, collected via surveys.

In addition, U.S. News ranked “Best Online Programs for Veterans” in six categories, with Penn State’s online bachelor’s programs at:

  • #2, master’s in engineering
  • #4, master’s in information technology 
  • #8 (tie), master’s in education
  • #9 (tie), master’s in business (non-MBA) 
  • #20 (tie), bachelor’s degree programs 
  • #20 (tie), MBA 

QS World University Rankings 2025

Penn State ranked No. 89 in the world in the 2025 QS World University Rankings, placing the University in the top 6% worldwide among the 1,503 institutions ranked by QS. Penn State also tied for No. 24 out of 197 ranked U.S. institutions, and is at No. 8 among public universities nationally and tied for No. 4 among Big Ten institutions.

In addition, Penn State ranked in 49 out of 55 subjects in the 2024 QS World University Rankings by Subject, released April 10. The University had a strong showing worldwide, ranking in the top 25 in seven subject areas and in the top 50 in 17 areas. Also, for the first time, Penn State participated in the QS Stars rating process, receiving 5 stars, the highest rating.

Center for World University Rankings 2024

Penn State is ranked 56th among the best universities in the world out of 2,000 ranked, placing the University in the top 3% for the quality and research prowess of its faculty, by the Center for World University Rankings for 2024.

Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024

Penn State is 20th among U.S. public universities, and placed 42nd in the nation overall, in the 2024 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings. Penn State placed in the top 6% globally among about 1,900 ranked institutions, rising 29 places from last year to No. 122 in the world.

Academic Ranking of World Universities (AWRU) 2023

​The Academic Ranking of World Universities ranked Penn State in the range of 101-150 in its listing of the top 1,000 world-class universities, out of more than 2,500 institutions ranked worldwide.

AWRU 2022 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects

​Penn State ranks in the top 50 in 16 subject area rankings and in the top 100 in the world in an additional 14 subjects, according to the 2022 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects, released by the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), which evaluates the performance of world universities in relevant subjects, using a number of metrics including research output, research influence, international collaboration, research quality, and international academic awards.

U.S. News & World Report “Best Global Universities” 2024-25

Penn State is ranked at #96 internationally, among 2,250 institutions evaluated, across 100 countries, in U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Global Universities” for 2024-25. In the U.S., Penn State ranks at #38 nationally, among U.S. public institutions at #17, and at #7 among our Big Ten peers. ​

QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2024

Penn State tied for No. 4 among 210 ranked universities in the United States in the QS World University Rankings: Sustainability for 2024, released Dec. 5. Internationally, the University ranked No. 37 out of 1,403 participating institutions worldwide. Penn State also tied with the University of Minnesota Twin Cities for No. 1 among Big Ten institutions and No. 2 among all U.S. public universities.

The 2024 rankings provide a framework to show how universities are taking action to tackle the world’s greatest environmental, social and governance challenges, according to international rankings organization Quacquarelli Symonds (QS).

Campus Pride Index 2023

For the third year in a row, Penn State has received 5 out of 5 stars for overall campus climate — and included among the “Best of the Best,” a list of 30 four-year public and private colleges across the nation — in the 2023 Campus Pride Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning-Friendly Campus Climate Index. Campus Pride is a national nonprofit organization for student leaders and campus groups working to improve LGBTQ environments at colleges and universities.

Forbes “Best Employers for New Grads” survey 2023

Penn State ranked No. 21 among all large U.S. employers — public, private and nonprofit — for new college graduates entering the workforce, according to Forbes magazine’s “America’s Best Employers for New Grads” survey.

Penn State ranked first in the nation in faculty Fulbright Scholar awards for 2023-24

Penn State has been ranked first in the nation in faculty Fulbright Scholar awards by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, with 12 faculty members offered Fulbright awards for academic year 2023-24. Penn State also is listed among the top-producing institutions for Fulbrights in STEM fields. This is the second year in a row and the third time in the last five years that Penn State has been the No. 1 producer of Fulbright Scholars, with the University also achieving this status in 2019 and 2022.

Times Higher Education University Impact Rankings 2024

Penn State ranked 4th in the U.S. and 51st in the world out of 1,963 participating institutions in the 2024 Times Higher Education University Impact Rankings, continuing Penn State’s placement in the top 2.5% of universities worldwide.

The global rating is a broad multidimensional assessment of a university’s research, community outreach and education, and campus operations. The criteria used in the assessment are linked to the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals, global goals adopted by all U.N. Member States that look to improve life for all people and help protect the planet.

The Princeton Review/Entrepreneurship Magazine, Top Schools for Entrepreneurship 2024

​Penn State has been ranked as the #33 school for undergraduate entrepreneurship studies in the U.S. in annual ratings of the top schools for entrepreneurship studies, by the Princeton Review and Entrepreneurship Magazine. Among schools in the Mid-Atlantic region, Penn State came in at #4.

U.S. News & World Report, “Best Children’s Hospitals 2022-23”

Penn State Health Children’s Hospital ranks among the nation’s best hospitals for children in multiple specialties—cardiology and heart surgery (#33), diabetes and endocrinology (#41), and pulmonology (#42).​

Compiled by Penn State's Office of Strategic Communications

Facts and Rankings | Penn State University (2024)

FAQs

Facts and Rankings | Penn State University? ›

Pennsylvania State University is ranked #96 in Best Global Universities. Schools are ranked according to their performance across a set of widely accepted indicators of excellence. Read more about how we rank schools.

What is state college known for? ›

State College is a small town where famous college football Penn State resides in. This town is mainly known for college football and it's college students who reside in the downtown area.

Are state universities worth it? ›

Students attending California's public colleges and universities see better returns on investment than those at most nonprofit private colleges and for-profit institutions.

What GPA do you need to get into Penn State? ›

Average GPA: 3.68

(Most schools use a weighted GPA out of 4.0, though some report an unweighted GPA. With a GPA of 3.68, Penn State requires you to be above average in your high school class. You'll need at least a mix of A's and B's, with more A's than B's.

What is the PA State university ranked? ›

The Pennsylvania State University—University Park's ranking in the 2024 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, #60. Its in-state tuition and fees are $19,835; out-of-state tuition and fees are $38,651.

Why is State College so expensive? ›

Increased demand for a college education, less funding from state governments and increases in administrative and operating costs have contributed to a higher cost. Students can afford college by seeking funding sources such as scholarships, student loans and work-study to help foot the bill.

Why you should go to a state university? ›

Affordable Tuition

The lower tuition fees are one of the most compelling benefits of attending state schools. They receive almost 90% of the funding from the state. That allows them to offer high-quality facilities at a much lower cost of tuition.

What are the disadvantages of a state university? ›

The larger student bodies at big state schools can also mean larger class sizes, which is not for everyone. It can be hard to pay attention with many people in a room, and you won't get as much individualized attention. You might be someone who thrives in small, discussion-based classes or seminars.

What is the #1 top college? ›

National Universities
  • #1. Princeton University.
  • #2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
  • #3. Harvard University (tie)

What makes a state university differ from other universities? ›

Universities can be both private or public institutions, and the name doesn't indicate any specific focus or affiliation. State universities, on the other hand, are public higher education institutions funded primarily by the state government.

What is the hardest college to get into? ›

The answer to what college has the lowest acceptance rate is the same as what ivy league college has the lowest acceptance rate: Harvard. While all Ivies are known for having some of the lowest college acceptance rates of all colleges, Harvard has generally been the most selective.

What GPA is required for Harvard? ›

In truth, you need close to a 4.0 unweighted GPA to get into Harvard. That means nearly straight As in every class while also taking the highest rigor classes available at your high school.

Can I get into Penn State with a 2.7 GPA? ›

Penn State does not have any minimum GPA or test score requirements. Please refer to our admitted student admission statistics.

What is the #1 college in PA? ›

1. University of Pennsylvania. The University of Pennsylvania (Penn, or UPenn) is a private Ivy League research university in Philadelphia.

Why is Penn State so popular? ›

Why is Penn State so popular? Penn State offers a high-quality education and a variety of highly regarded academic programs. Penn State is also known for its sports teams, extracurricular activities, and clubs.

What is the best campus in PA State university? ›

As for overall campus quality, University Park scored a 4.3 out of 5, based on 532 survey respondents. University Park was not Penn State's only campus to make the list — five Commonwealth Campuses grace the rankings as well. Berks is the second ranked Penn State campus, appearing at No.

Is State College better than university? ›

Choosing between a college or university depends on your educational goals and preferences. Colleges often offer smaller class sizes and closer relationships with professors, making them ideal for specialized fields of study. Universities may be better if you want to pursue a graduate degree or research opportunities.

Why are state colleges better than private colleges? ›

Private universities typically offer fewer academic majors than public colleges when it comes to program options. With a larger intake, public colleges can offer more degree options. If you are still undecided on your area of study, a public university will offer more options.

Is it better to go to an in State College? ›

Choosing an in-state school may come with more advantages than just in-state tuition. Studying in your state can minimize travel expenses, and it can be comforting to attend school in an environment you already know. In-state students may also have access to additional financial aid and scholarships.

Is State College a good college town? ›

Featuring a variety of hotels, motels, cozy bed & breakfasts, and other accommodations, State College, PA is a unique and wonderful combination of small town charm and college town action that makes it a great place to live or visit.

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