- Acceptance rate: 61% for fall 2024
- SAT, middle 50%: 620–700 reading and writing, 620–720 math
- ACT, middle 50%: 27–32 composite
- Average net price: $27,450 a year (2022–23)
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How does your GPA compare?
Don't know your GPA? Check your GPA
Where you standEnter your GPA
Add a test score to compare it with what Penn State Main Campus reported: an acceptance rate of 61% for fall 2024 and an ACT middle 50% of 27–32.
Weighted GPAs above 4.0 can't be compared directly. Many colleges recalculate on their own scale, so use your unweighted GPA here.
A guide based on reported data, not a prediction. Penn State Main Campus reviews each application.
Penn State Main Campus GPA requirements
Penn State Main Campus requires a high school GPA from first-year applicants, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
Federal data doesn't include GPA averages, and Penn State Main Campus hasn't published one we could verify, so this page doesn't list an average GPA.
Penn State Main Campus acceptance rate
Penn State Main Campus admitted 53,579 of 88,478 first-year applicants for fall 2024, an acceptance rate of 61%, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.
Penn State Main Campus is a public 4-year college in University Park, Pennsylvania, with 42,604 undergraduates.
SAT and ACT scores
Scores of the first-year students who entered Penn State Main Campus in fall 2024 and submitted them. Half of them scored between the 25th and 75th percentiles:
| Test | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading and Writing | 620 | 660 | 700 |
| SAT Math | 620 | 670 | 720 |
| ACT Composite | 27 | 30 | 32 |
| ACT English | 26 | 30 | 33 |
| ACT Math | 26 | 28 | 31 |
The U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard estimates an average SAT score of 1337 for admitted students.
Admission requirements
What Penn State Main Campus looks at when it decides on first-year applicants, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024:
| Admission factor | Status |
|---|---|
| High School GPAYour cumulative high school grade point average. | Required |
| High School RecordYour transcript: the courses you took and the grades you earned. | Required |
| College Preparatory ProgramCompletion of a college preparatory curriculum in high school. | Considered if submitted |
| Essay or Personal StatementA personal statement or essay written for your application. | Considered if submitted |
| Test ScoresSAT or ACT scores. | Considered if submitted |
| High School Class RankYour ranking relative to other students in your graduating class. | Not considered |
| RecommendationsLetters of recommendation from teachers, counselors, or other mentors. | Not considered |
| Other TestsOther admission tests, such as the Wonderlic or WISC-III. | Not considered |
| Demonstration of CompetenciesEvidence of specific skills through portfolios, auditions, or other demonstrations. | Not considered |
| Work ExperiencePaid or volunteer work. | Not considered |
| Legacy StatusWhether a parent or other relative attended the college. | Not considered |
AP credit
Penn State Main Campus awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.
It also awards credit for life experience, such as work or military service.
Average net price
First-time, full-time undergraduates paying in-state tuition who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average net price of $27,450 a year at Penn State Main Campus in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
Net price is the full cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have a chance at Penn State Main Campus with a 3.0 GPA?
GPA alone can't tell you here. Penn State Main Campus admitted 61% of first-year applicants for fall 2024. It requires a high school GPA but hasn't published an average we could verify, so there's no admitted-student GPA to compare a 3.0 against. Your transcript and test scores are the clearer guide.
Does Penn State Main Campus require the SAT or ACT?
Check Penn State Main Campus' admissions website for the current rule: testing policies change from year to year. Penn State Main Campus was test optional: it considered SAT or ACT scores if you sent them, according to its filing with the U.S. Department of Education (fall 2024). Of its fall 2024 first-year students, 31% sent SAT scores and 5% sent ACT scores.
How much does GPA matter at Penn State Main Campus?
A lot: Penn State Main Campus requires high school GPA and high school record. It considers college preparatory program, essay or personal statement and test scores if you send them. It doesn't consider high school class rank, recommendations, other tests, demonstration of competencies, work experience and legacy status. That's what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
What are Penn State Main Campus' SAT and ACT score ranges?
The middle 50% of Penn State Main Campus' fall 2024 first-year students who sent scores had SAT 620–700 in reading and writing and 620–720 in math; ACT composite 27–32, according to what the college reported to the U.S. Department of Education. A quarter scored below that range.
What GPA do you need to get into Penn State Main Campus?
Penn State Main Campus requires a high school GPA from first-year applicants, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024. It hasn't published an average GPA we could verify, so we don't list one.
What is Penn State Main Campus' acceptance rate?
Penn State Main Campus' acceptance rate was 61% for fall 2024: it admitted 53,579 of 88,478 first-year applicants, it said in its report to the U.S. Department of Education.
How selective is Penn State Main Campus?
Moderately selective: more than half of applicants got in. Penn State Main Campus admitted 61% of first-year applicants for fall 2024.
Does Penn State Main Campus give credit for AP exams?
Yes. Penn State Main Campus awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, it said in its report to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.
What do students pay at Penn State Main Campus after grants?
First-time, full-time undergraduates paying in-state tuition who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average of $27,450 a year at Penn State Main Campus in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
Does Penn State Main Campus consider legacy status?
No. Penn State Main Campus doesn't consider whether a parent or other relative attended, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
Before you apply, check Penn State Main Campus' official admissions site: requirements can differ by program and change from year to year.
Sources
- College Navigator: Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusU.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS (2024–25 provisional data): admissions, test scores and admission factors for fall 2024, undergraduate enrollment for fall 2024, net price for 2022–23 and credit policies for 2024–25.
- College Scorecard dataAverage SAT: an estimate by the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (June 10, 2026 release).
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