Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona

Altoona, Pennsylvania · Public

All 28 assessed programs leave graduates out-earning a typical Pennsylvania high-school graduate (about $36,498/yr). Another 2 could not be assessed.

What would this cost you?

Family incomeNet price per year
Under $30k$16,017
$30k to $48k$16,546
$48k to $75k$19,464
$75k to $110k$23,562
$110k and up$28,263
All families (average)$22,213

Net price is the yearly cost after grants and scholarships, by family income (College Scorecard). It reflects students who received federal aid.

Program earnings vs a high-school graduate

Earnings are measured four years after completion when available. Where four-year earnings are suppressed, one-year earnings are shown and marked 1-year earnings. One-year and four-year figures reflect different career stages and should not be compared as if measured at the same time.

28 of 30 programs could be assessed 93% have an earnings verdict

Programs by earnings versus a typical Pennsylvania high-school graduate.
ProgramDegreeMedian earningsvs a high-school gradVerdictMedian debtYears to repayRecent completers
NursingBachelor's Degree$91,032+$54,534clears the bar$23,2500.4 yrs73
Electromechanical Technologies/TechniciansBachelor's Degree$81,835+$45,337clears the bar$27,0000.6 yrs40
Teacher Education (by level)Bachelor's Degree$53,362+$16,864clears the bar$26,0001.5 yrs31
BusinessBachelor's Degree$65,292+$28,794clears the bar$25,5930.9 yrs22
Human Development and Family StudiesBachelor's Degree$45,943+$9,445clears the bar$27,0002.9 yrs15
IT Administration and ManagementBachelor's Degree$98,637+$62,139clears the bar$26,0000.4 yrs14
IT Administration and ManagementUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma$102,874+$66,376clears the bar$26,0000.4 yrs14
PsychologyBachelor's Degree$49,543+$13,045clears the bar$26,0002.0 yrs14
Criminal JusticeBachelor's Degree$56,877+$20,379clears the bar$25,5001.3 yrs13
EnglishBachelor's Degree$50,299+$13,801clears the bar$25,0001.8 yrs11
BiologyBachelor's Degree$64,910+$28,412clears the bar$25,7170.9 yrs11
AccountingBachelor's Degree$88,192+$51,694clears the bar$25,2180.5 yrs11
Natural Resources and ConservationBachelor's Degree$60,193+$23,695clears the bar$26,0001.1 yrs8
Engineering, GeneralUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma$62,026 1-year earnings+$25,528clears the bar$27,0001.1 yrs8
Kinesiology and Physical EducationBachelor's Degree$67,399+$30,901clears the bar$26,9400.9 yrs8
Civil EngineeringBachelor's Degree$81,403+$44,905clears the bar$26,0000.6 yrs7
Computer and Information ScienceBachelor's Degree$120,729+$84,231clears the bar$25,0000.3 yrs6
Communications and MediaBachelor's Degree$55,505+$19,007clears the bar$25,0001.3 yrs5
Political ScienceBachelor's Degree$68,918+$32,420clears the bar$25,0000.8 yrs5
BusinessAssociate's Degree$61,596+$25,098clears the bar$17,7010.7 yrs5
Liberal Arts and General StudiesAssociate's Degree$54,654+$18,156clears the bar$16,5000.9 yrs3
DesignBachelor's Degree$58,105+$21,607clears the bar$25,6251.2 yrs3
HistoryBachelor's Degree$52,871+$16,373clears the bar$26,0001.6 yrs3
Liberal Arts and General StudiesBachelor's Degree$58,195+$21,697clears the bar$26,5001.2 yrs2
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's Degree$57,997+$21,499clears the bar$16,5000.8 yrs1
MathematicsBachelor's Degree$77,336+$40,838clears the bar$23,8750.6 yrs1
Visual and Performing Arts, GeneralBachelor's Degree$45,170+$8,672clears the bar$24,2252.8 yrsinsufficient data
Management Information SystemsUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma$81,794+$45,296clears the bar$26,0000.6 yrsinsufficient data
Criminal JusticeAssociate's Degreeinsufficient datainsufficient datainsufficient datainsufficient datainsufficient data1
Computer and Information ScienceUndergraduate Certificate or Diplomainsufficient datainsufficient datainsufficient datainsufficient datainsufficient datainsufficient data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release 2026-06-10. Earnings are medians measured four years after completion where available (programs shown with a 1-year figure are marked), compared with the state high-school-graduate benchmark ($36,498/yr). Debt is federal loans only. Suppressed values are shown as insufficient data, never imputed. Figures describe past graduates and are never a promise.