Penn State University Park
Academics
How strong are the academics at Penn State University Park?
Let's cover class sizes, graduation rates, and outcomes.
15:1
Student to faculty ratio
35
Average class size
70%
4-year grad rate
Class Sizes
Class sizes likely stayed the same for you through high school. You'll find that college is much different. Some of the largest universities have classes that can seat hundreds of students in giant lecture halls. Conversely, as they progress and their focus narrows, higher-level courses can sometimes have just a handful of students.
Penn State has an average student-to-faculty ratio of 15:1. The typical school is 14:1. While this ratio is important, what’s more important is how big a typical class is.
Class Sizes
Most Common
20-29
2-9
559
10-19
1,016
20-29
1,525
30-39
553
40-49
566
50-99
453
100+
415
Honors Programs
Penn State University Park has an honors program and/or honors college. Specifics of these programs vary, but benefits of being in an Honors Program might include priority registration, being part of a tight-knit community, and accessing unique learning opportunities.
Learn more about honors options on Penn State's website.
Outcomes
It’s critical to understand a school’s outcomes to understand if your four (or more) years at the school will be worth it. Here are some key statistics about the outcomes of students who enroll at Penn State University Park:
92%
First-year retention rate
70%
4-year grad rate
86%
6-year grad rate
The average base annual salary of students who were employed within six months of graduation is $48,779. This is higher than the national average of $48,300.
$48,779
$48,300 (National Average)
Majors
Many students choose a school largely based on the what they want to study. The are Penn State University Park's most popular majors, ranked by how many people graduated with the concentration in the most recent year:
Finance, General
Information Science/Studies
Psychology, General
Computer and Information Sciences, General
Mechanical Engineering
333.4
382.12
430.84
479.56
528.28
577
The Full List
Major
Graduates
Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science And Related Fields
- Agribusiness/Agricultural Business Operations 75
- Animal Sciences, General 72
- Pre-Veterinary Studies 69
- AGRICULTURAL / ANIMAL / PLANT / VETERINARY SCIENCE AND RELATED FIELDS 36
- Agriculture, General 36
- Agriculture, General 36
- Plant Sciences, General 36
- Food Science 32
- Veterinary Microbiology and Immunobiology 25
- Turf and Turfgrass Management 18
- Landscaping and Groundskeeping 17
- Agricultural and Extension Education Services 12
Architecture And Related Services
- Architecture 43
- Landscape Architecture 29
Area
- Asian Studies/Civilization 13
- Women's Studies 9
- African-American/Black Studies 8
- Latin American Studies 2
- Near and Middle Eastern Studies 1
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other 341
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General 242
- Biochemistry 100
- Medical Microbiology and Bacteriology 13
- Toxicology 8
Business
- Finance, General 577
- Marketing/Marketing Management, General 361
- Accounting 218
- Organizational Behavior Studies 150
- Hospitality Administration/Management, Other 110
- Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations, Other 90
- Labor and Industrial Relations 89
- Management Information Systems, General 75
- Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other 66
- Actuarial Science 36
- Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods, Other 20
Communication
- Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication, Other 349
- Journalism 175
- Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia 128
- Mass Communication/Media Studies 47
- Speech Communication and Rhetoric 46
- Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other 3
Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
- Information Science/Studies 489
- Computer and Information Sciences, General 382
- Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance 276
- Human-Centered Technology Design 50
- Informatics 19
- Data Processing and Data Processing Technology/Technician 8
- Artificial Intelligence 7
- Data Modeling/Warehousing and Database Administration 7
- Computer and Information Sciences, Other 0
Education
- Teacher Education, Multiple Levels 180
- Secondary Education and Teaching 94
- Music Teacher Education 22
- Special Education and Teaching, General 16
- Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research, Other 12
- Art Teacher Education 11
- Foreign Language Teacher Education 6
- Trade and Industrial Teacher Education 5
Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering 374
- Civil Engineering, General 160
- Electrical and Electronics Engineering 154
- Chemical Engineering 139
- Industrial Engineering 134
- Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, General 126
- Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering 108
- Computer Engineering, General 83
- Architectural Engineering 79
- Petroleum Engineering 77
- Nuclear Engineering 33
- Engineering, Other 30
- Engineering Science 29
- Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering 28
- Agricultural Engineering 25
- Mining and Mineral Engineering 7
- Surveying Engineering 1
English Language And Literature/Letters
- English Language and Literature, General 74
Family And Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
- Human Development and Family Studies, General 79
Foreign Languages
- Spanish Language and Literature 34
- French Language and Literature 23
- Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 14
- Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General 14
- Chinese Language and Literature 8
- Italian Language and Literature 7
- Comparative Literature 6
- Japanese Language and Literature 5
- German Language and Literature 5
- Russian Language and Literature 4
- Korean Language and Literature 3
Health Professions And Related Programs
- Communication Sciences and Disorders, General 129
- Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Other 111
- Health/Health Care Administration/Management 92
- Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions, Other 68
- Pre-Medicine/Pre-Medical Studies 66
- Athletic Training/Trainer 13
History
- History, General 52
Homeland Security
- Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration 221
- Forensic Science and Technology 43
- Criminal Justice/Safety Studies 1
Liberal Arts And Sciences
- Humanities/Humanistic Studies 10
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies 1
Mathematics And Statistics
- Mathematics, General 156
- Statistics, General 75
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
- Data Science, General 158
- Biological and Physical Sciences 89
- Nutrition Sciences 59
- Geography and Environmental Studies 22
- Science, Technology and Society 12
- Sustainability Studies 9
- Medieval and Renaissance Studies 2
Natural Resources And Conservation
- Natural Resources/Conservation, General 46
- Natural Resources and Conservation, Other 44
- Forest Sciences and Biology 15
- Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy, Other 1
Parks
- Exercise Science and Kinesiology 210
- Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management, General 76
Philosophy And Religious Studies
- Philosophy 33
- Jewish/Judaic Studies 3
Physical Sciences
- Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, General 59
- Materials Science 58
- Physics, General 56
- Chemistry, General 48
- Geology/Earth Science, General 47
- Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences, Other 35
- Astronomy 27
Psychology
- Psychology, General 446
Science Technologies/Technicians
- Biology/Biotechnology Technology/Technician 22
Social Sciences
- Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 335
- Political Science and Government, General 175
- International Relations and Affairs 138
- Anthropology, General 36
- Sociology, General 35
- Development Economics and International Development 21
- Social Sciences, General 1
- Archeology 0
- Economics, General 0
- Geography 0
Visual And Performing Arts
- Cinematography and Film/Video Production 70
- Music, General 35
- Art/Art Studies, General 30
- Design and Applied Arts, Other 19
- Acting 18
- Art History, Criticism and Conservation 16
- Graphic Design 15
- Technical Theatre/Theatre Design and Technology 14
- Photography 12
- Visual and Performing Arts, General 7
- Music Performance, General 4
- Dance, General 0
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