Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus

University Park, PA · Public · Doctoral / R1 research university

SAT middle 50% (admitted students)

1240–1420

Median ~1330

Acceptance rate

61%

Enrollment

42,284

ACT middle 50%

27–32

What the numbers say about Penn State

The reported middle 50% spans 180 points, from 1240 to 1420. A planning score near or above 1460 gives you a target above that historical range, not an admission guarantee.
The Scorecard snapshot reports a 61% acceptance rate. That rate describes a past applicant pool and should not be read as your personal admission probability.
Reported outcomes include a 86% completion rate and $63,435 in median earnings 10 years after entry. Compare those figures with cost and program fit, not in isolation.

Understand a 1330 SAT score Plan for a 1450 Verify current admissions policy

Tuition and outcomes

Tuition (in-state)

$20,644

Tuition (out-of-state)

$41,790

Median earnings 10 years after entry

$63,435

4-year completion rate (150% time)

86%

Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard. Documentation version September 2025; repository snapshot imported April 25, 2026. Scorecard fields can come from different reporting years, and this snapshot does not encode one universal data year. SAT totals are rounded to the nearest valid 10 points. Tuition excludes room, board, fees, and books. Read the methodology.

How your SAT score lines up

The Scorecard snapshot places the middle 50% of reported scores between 1240 and 1420. This is descriptive data, not an admission threshold or probability estimate.

1460 SAT planning target: Above the reported middle-50% range.
1420 SAT (reported 75th percentile): At the upper end of the reported middle-50% range.
1330 SAT (median): Within the upper half of the reported range.
1240 SAT (reported 25th percentile): Within the lower half of the reported range.

Compare to other colleges →

Colleges with similar SAT scores

Ranked by proximity to Penn State's reported SAT midpoint. Similar scores do not imply similar programs, cost, or admission odds.

College	Location	SAT middle 50%	Acceptance rate
Baylor University	Waco, TX	1200–1400	51%
Westmont College	Santa Barbara, CA	1240–1450	77%
Knox College	Galesburg, IL	1180–1440	71%
Thomas Aquinas College	Santa Paula, CA	1220–1400	83%
Miami University-Oxford	Oxford, OH	1220–1390	75%
University of Maryland-Baltimore County	Baltimore, MD	1240–1420	72%

FAQs

What SAT score do I need for Penn State?

Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus's Scorecard snapshot shows a middle-50% SAT range of 1240–1420, rounded to valid 10-point totals. 1460 is a planning target above the reported range, not an admission cutoff.

What is Penn State's acceptance rate?

Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus's most recently reported acceptance rate is approximately 61%.

How much does it cost to attend Penn State?

In-state tuition is approximately $20,644 and out-of-state is approximately $41,790. These figures exclude room, board, and fees.

Is Penn State test-optional?

Many US universities adjusted test policies after 2020. Check Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus's admissions page for current test-optional, test-required, or test-flexible policy.

Official site: www.psu.edu

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