Quad

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College

Erie, PAQuad's selectivityOpen
Known forTest-optional heavy
WebsiteAdmissionsFinancial aid

Admissions · Fall 2024

10 in 10 applicants admitted

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend admits about 10 in 10 applicants (97%). That puts it in the "Open" tier, more selective than 8% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

97%

97%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivityOpen

Applied

6,378

Admitted

6,176

Yield

15%

of admits enroll

SAT middle 50%

1120–1310

10001600
ACT middle 50%

25–31

1836
Applications +57% since fall 2014 · admit rate 87% → 97%Over time

Getting in, in detail: funnel, what they look at, your scores

Students

Who's on campus

A small campus of 3,240 undergrads, where 29% receive Pell Grants, a typical share compared to other colleges.

3.2K

undergrads · larger than 71% of colleges

Diversity index

0.42

Pell Grant

29%

below the median

First generation

29%

below the median

Midsize suburbNCAA D-III · Allegheny Mountain Collegiate ConferenceROTCStudy abroadUndergrad research
More diverse · index 0.35 → 0.42 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Mechanical Engineering (11% of graduates). 12 students for every faculty member, fewer than at 59% of colleges. 78% of faculty are full-time. Spends $4,725 a year on instruction per student.

12 to 1

students per faculty member · fewer than at 59% of colleges

Most popular major

Mechanical Engineering

11% of 2024–25 graduates

Full-time faculty

78%

of faculty

Instruction spending

$4.7K

per student a year

All majors with search, earnings by major, and faculty

Cost & aid · 2023–24

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $32,061 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $7.8K more than the national median. The 76% who received grants paid $23,764 on average; the other 24% paid the full sticker price of $37,346 in-state / $48,070 out-of-state.

20%

$32.1K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $7.8K above the national median

$0$110K$400K+
Full price, in-state
$37,346 a year
tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid
Published data end at $110K
use the college's net price calculator for higher incomes
Aid generosity

Limited

grants cover 20% of full price

Federal loans

55%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office Veterans' benefits
Cost falling · −10% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $63,435 ten years after enrolling, more than at 75% of colleges; 47% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 2.0 years of that salary.

47%

47%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$63.4K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$25K

≈ $265/month for 10 years

Retention

83%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 69% → 44% since the class that entered fall 2008Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Since 2013–14, the full price fell 5% after inflation, while what the average first-year paid fell 10%, because grants grew faster. Applications rose 57% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 87% to 97%.

  • Cost

    Falling

    −10% after inflation

  • Applications

    Growing

    +57%

  • Selectivity

    Less selective

    admit rate 87% → 97%

  • Diversity

    More diverse

    index 0.35 → 0.42

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

Schools like this one

Wayne State College

3K undergrads

Similar sizeAlso public
Compare side-by-side

Montana State University Billings

2.6K undergrads

Similar sizeAlso public
Compare side-by-side

The University of Montana

96% admit · 7.5K undergrads

Similar selectivityAlso public
Compare side-by-side

University of Maine at Augusta

2.7K undergrads

Similar sizeAlso NortheastAlso public
Compare side-by-side
Sources for this overviewEvery dataset and year behind the numbers on this profile; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources for this profile

  1. 1
    IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  2. 2
    College Scorecard

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release; Entered fall 2023; Fall 2024; 2023–24; Fall 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  3. 3
    IPEDS Admissions survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  4. 4
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  5. 5
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  6. 6
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  7. 7
    IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12

  8. 8
    College Scorecard Field of Study data

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  9. 9
    IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  10. 10
    IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  11. 11
    Common Data Set

    Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  12. 12
    IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  13. 13
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  14. 14
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  15. 15
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  16. 16
    IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  17. 17
    IPEDS Outcome Measures survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12

IPEDS unit ID 214591 · Data retrieved 2026-10-12. Tap any ⓘ to see where that number came from and what year it describes. National ranks and medians include every 4-year college that reports the measure. How we source and calculate everything