- Acceptance rate: 98% for fall 2024
- SAT, middle 50%: 550–650 reading and writing, 570–660 math
- ACT, middle 50%: 22–31 composite
- Average net price: $22,406 a year (2022–23)
Looking for Penn State’s main campus?
On this page · 7 sections
How does your GPA compare?
Don't know your GPA? Online GPA calculator
Where you standEnter your GPA
Add a test score to compare it with what Penn State Harrisburg reported: an acceptance rate of 98% for fall 2024 and an ACT middle 50% of 22–31.
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 Harrisburg reviews each application.
Penn State Harrisburg GPA requirements
Penn State Harrisburg 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 Harrisburg hasn't published one we could verify, so this page doesn't list an average GPA.
Penn State Harrisburg acceptance rate
Penn State Harrisburg admitted 9,092 of 9,316 first-year applicants for fall 2024, an acceptance rate of 98%, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.
Penn State Harrisburg is a public 4-year college in Middletown, Pennsylvania, with 4,047 undergraduates.
SAT and ACT scores
Scores of the first-year students who entered Penn State Harrisburg 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 | 550 | 610 | 650 |
| SAT Math | 570 | 610 | 660 |
| ACT Composite | 22 | 27 | 31 |
| ACT English | 20 | 24 | 31 |
| ACT Math | 23 | 26 | 31 |
The U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard estimates an average SAT score of 1227 for admitted students.
Admission requirements
What Penn State Harrisburg 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 Harrisburg 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 $22,406 a year at Penn State Harrisburg 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
Is a 3.0 GPA good enough for Penn State Harrisburg?
GPA alone can't tell you here. Penn State Harrisburg admitted 98% 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.
What GPA does Penn State Harrisburg look for?
Penn State Harrisburg requires a high school GPA from first-year applicants, it said in its report 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 percent of applicants does Penn State Harrisburg accept?
Penn State Harrisburg's acceptance rate was 98% for fall 2024: it admitted 9,092 of 9,316 first-year applicants, according to its filing with the U.S. Department of Education.
How hard is it to get into Penn State Harrisburg?
Not very selective: at least 3 in 4 applicants got in. Penn State Harrisburg admitted 98% of first-year applicants for fall 2024.
Does Penn State Harrisburg require the SAT or ACT?
Check Penn State Harrisburg's admissions website for the current rule: testing policies change from year to year. Penn State Harrisburg was test optional: it considered SAT or ACT scores if you sent them, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education (fall 2024). Of its fall 2024 first-year students, 23% sent SAT scores and 3% sent ACT scores.
How much does GPA matter at Penn State Harrisburg?
A lot: Penn State Harrisburg 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 Harrisburg's SAT and ACT score ranges?
The middle 50% of Penn State Harrisburg's fall 2024 first-year students who sent scores had SAT 550–650 in reading and writing and 570–660 in math; ACT composite 22–31, according to what the college reported to the U.S. Department of Education. A quarter scored below that range.
What is the average net price at Penn State Harrisburg?
First-time, full-time undergraduates paying in-state tuition who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average of $22,406 a year at Penn State Harrisburg 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 Harrisburg give credit for AP exams?
Yes. Penn State Harrisburg awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to its filing with the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.
Does Penn State Harrisburg look at legacy status?
No. Penn State Harrisburg doesn't consider whether a parent or other relative attended, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
Before you apply, check Penn State Harrisburg's official admissions site: requirements can differ by program and change from year to year.
Sources
- College Navigator: Pennsylvania State University-Penn State HarrisburgU.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).
Wrong result or missing a feature? Send feedback
Similar colleges in Pennsylvania
With a similar acceptance rate and size.
- Penn State Erie Behrend CollegeAdmits most applicants · 97% admitted
- Penn State AbingtonAdmits most applicants · 97% admitted
- Penn State AltoonaAdmits most applicants · 98% admitted
- Point Park UniversityAdmits most applicants · 97% admitted
- East Stroudsburg University of PennsylvaniaAdmits most applicants · 92% admitted
- La Salle UniversityAdmits most applicants · 97% admitted
See all colleges in Pennsylvania →