Which Penn State bachelor's program has the lowest debt?

Software and Media Applications graduates leave with a median of $20,810 in federal loans, the lowest among 102 Penn State bachelor's programs that report debt.

How much does Penn State cost?

In-state tuition and fees are $20,644 a year, and $41,790 for out-of-state students. After grants and scholarships, the average net price is $32,875 a year.

How many Penn State programs report graduate pay?

103 bachelor's programs, 9 associate's programs, and 9 certificate programs at Penn State report first-year pay, and 120 of them also report federal debt.

Penn State Programs, Ranked by Graduate Pay and Debt

Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
Public university
University Park, PA
42,284 undergraduates

College Scorecard June 2026 release

The short answer

103 Penn State bachelor's programs report what graduates earn. Petroleum Engineering pays the most in the first year ($85,795), and Communication Sciences and Disorders the least ($16,853). The median program pays $47,009. Penn State also has 9 associate's programs and 9 certificate programs that report pay.

In-state tuition and fees$20,644Per year. Out-of-state $41,790

Average net price after aid$32,875Per year

Graduation rate86%Within 6 years

Admission rate61%Of applicants

All 103 bachelor's programs, ranked

Each figure is the median for the program's graduates. "Rank in Pennsylvania" compares first-year pay with the same field's bachelor's programs across Pennsylvania. Programs that don't report a figure are listed last when you sort by it.

#	Program	Year 1 pay	Year 5 pay	Debt	Rank in Pennsylvania
1	Petroleum EngineeringAbout 77 graduates a year	$85,795	$96,960	$22,368	1st of 1
2	Computer EngineeringAbout 83 graduates a year	$85,446	$110,493	$26,708	4th of 7
3	Computer and Information ScienceAbout 458 graduates a year	$84,050	$116,013	$26,000	3rd of 28
4	Chemical EngineeringAbout 139 graduates a year	$82,218	$99,826	$26,831	2nd of 9
5	Electrical Engineering TechnologyGraduates a year not reported	$81,472	$85,955	Not reported	1st of 1
6	Architectural EngineeringAbout 79 graduates a year	$80,070	$97,610	$31,000	1st of 2
7	Engineering ScienceAbout 29 graduates a year	$79,909	$100,117	$26,500	1st of 1
8	Industrial EngineeringAbout 134 graduates a year	$78,975	$103,650	$25,000	2nd of 3
9	Nuclear EngineeringAbout 33 graduates a year	$78,218	$102,125	$24,799	1st of 1
10	NursingAbout 111 graduates a year	$77,955	$90,902	$27,000	22nd of 42
11	Biomedical EngineeringAbout 108 graduates a year	$76,531	$104,854	$24,164	2nd of 7
12	Electrical EngineeringAbout 154 graduates a year	$74,958	$93,111	$27,000	8th of 8
13	Software and Media ApplicationsAbout 7 graduates a year	$74,497	Not reported	$20,810	1st of 3
14	Information TechnologyAbout 276 graduates a year	$73,941	$108,251	$26,917	2nd of 6
15	Other EngineeringAbout 30 graduates a year	$73,153	$92,717	$26,000	1st of 1
16	Aerospace EngineeringAbout 126 graduates a year	$73,100	$99,365	$26,969	1st of 1
17	Computer ScienceGraduates a year not reported	$72,884	$114,896	$28,000	7th of 18
18	Materials ScienceAbout 58 graduates a year	$72,216	$86,377	$24,750	1st of 1
19	Mechanical EngineeringAbout 374 graduates a year	$69,772	$90,200	$27,000	9th of 14
20	FinanceAbout 577 graduates a year	$68,552	$105,563	$25,375	4th of 24
21	Polymer and Plastics EngineeringGraduates a year not reported	$68,438	$102,241	$27,000	2nd of 2
22	EngineeringGraduates a year not reported	$68,331	$79,695	$27,000	4th of 8
23	StatisticsAbout 75 graduates a year	$68,254	$102,466	$22,500	3rd of 4
24	Civil EngineeringAbout 160 graduates a year	$67,966	$82,353	$26,838	8th of 9
25	Other BusinessAbout 66 graduates a year	$67,306	$100,940	$24,028	1st of 4
26	Information ScienceAbout 489 graduates a year	$66,209	$92,982	$26,000	3rd of 8
27	Management Information SystemsAbout 75 graduates a year	$66,169	$94,003	$26,000	3rd of 7
28	Electromechanical TechnologyGraduates a year not reported	$65,043	Not reported	$27,000	1st of 2
29	Mechanical Engineering TechnologyGraduates a year not reported	$64,874	$79,352	$27,334	2nd of 3
30	AccountingAbout 218 graduates a year	$63,425	$87,152	$26,000	10th of 41
31	Agricultural EngineeringAbout 25 graduates a year	$62,382	$80,397	$27,000	1st of 1
32	Environmental EngineeringAbout 28 graduates a year	$61,414	$85,308	$27,000	2nd of 3
33	ArchitectureAbout 43 graduates a year	$60,898	$74,103	$30,440	1st of 3
34	Food ScienceAbout 32 graduates a year	$59,722	$74,291	$25,000	1st of 1
35	MathematicsAbout 156 graduates a year	$59,629	$85,203	$25,000	4th of 14
36	Sustainability StudiesAbout 9 graduates a year	$59,456	Not reported	$23,125	1st of 2
37	Human ResourcesAbout 239 graduates a year	$58,884	$80,773	$27,000	1st of 9
38	Landscape ArchitectureAbout 29 graduates a year	$58,304	$82,300	$30,999	1st of 1
39	Management ScienceAbout 56 graduates a year	$58,140	$70,075	$26,000	7th of 10
40	EconomicsAbout 356 graduates a year	$55,418	$87,517	$25,000	10th of 22
41	Geology and Earth ScienceAbout 82 graduates a year	$53,908	$82,224	$26,000	1st of 7
42	Legal StudiesGraduates a year not reported	$53,237	$57,765	$37,500	1st of 1
43	Business AdministrationGraduates a year not reported	$51,562	$70,131	$27,000	22nd of 65
44	MarketingAbout 361 graduates a year	$50,729	$82,708	$25,000	9th of 27
45	Public Relations and AdvertisingAbout 349 graduates a year	$50,587	$77,241	$24,693	1st of 9
46	Agricultural BusinessAbout 75 graduates a year	$50,136	$77,337	$26,000	1st of 2
47	Subject-Area Teacher EducationAbout 44 graduates a year	$50,006	$53,731	$26,000	3rd of 13
48	Applied HorticultureAbout 35 graduates a year	$49,872	$55,006	$26,925	1st of 2
49	Security Science and TechnologyAbout 43 graduates a year	$49,782	$66,934	$27,000	3rd of 4
50	Health and Medical AdministrationAbout 92 graduates a year	$49,749	$73,837	$26,000	8th of 13
51	EntrepreneurshipAbout 90 graduates a year	$47,840	Not reported	$26,000	4th of 5
52	ChemistryAbout 48 graduates a year	$47,009	$70,919	$27,000	3rd of 9
53	GeographyGraduates a year not reported	$46,477	$56,029	$26,000	1st of 2
54	International RelationsAbout 138 graduates a year	$45,858	$67,400	$25,000	4th of 7
55	Teacher EducationAbout 274 graduates a year	$45,795	$53,634	$26,263	12th of 40
56	BusinessGraduates a year not reported	$45,110	$62,450	$27,000	5th of 7
57	Romance LanguagesAbout 64 graduates a year	$45,050	$57,837	$23,250	4th of 12
58	PhysicsAbout 56 graduates a year	$43,461	$60,242	$23,830	2nd of 2
59	Design and Applied ArtsAbout 34 graduates a year	$43,324	$66,140	$26,000	4th of 16
60	Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyAbout 100 graduates a year	$43,288	$66,816	$26,178	3rd of 6
61	Atmospheric Science and MeteorologyAbout 59 graduates a year	$42,595	$60,598	$26,000	1st of 1
62	Political ScienceAbout 175 graduates a year	$41,201	$69,838	$26,000	9th of 29
63	ForestryAbout 15 graduates a year	$41,189	Not reported	$21,429	1st of 1
64	Social SciencesAbout 1 graduates a year	$40,584	Not reported	$29,500	2nd of 3
65	Hospitality ManagementAbout 110 graduates a year	$39,808	$56,884	$24,500	1st of 9
66	Astronomy and AstrophysicsAbout 27 graduates a year	$39,728	$60,953	$24,678	1st of 1
67	Other Communication and JournalismAbout 3 graduates a year	$39,582	$62,022	$26,500	1st of 1
68	EducationGraduates a year not reported	$39,035	Not reported	$27,000	3rd of 3
69	Radio, TV, and Digital MediaAbout 128 graduates a year	$39,030	Not reported	$24,937	2nd of 7
70	AgricultureAbout 36 graduates a year	$38,606	$42,079	$26,000	1st of 1
71	Liberal Arts and General StudiesAbout 11 graduates a year	$37,834	$48,587	$27,750	3rd of 11
72	Environmental Science and ConservationAbout 46 graduates a year	$37,330	$59,675	$26,000	7th of 16
73	Criminal JusticeAbout 222 graduates a year	$37,240	$55,232	$26,000	18th of 30
74	JournalismAbout 175 graduates a year	$36,468	$61,946	$25,000	3rd of 8
75	Ethnic, Cultural, and Gender StudiesAbout 17 graduates a year	$36,426	Not reported	$26,825	1st of 2
76	Veterinary ScienceAbout 25 graduates a year	$35,700	$74,662	$26,187	1st of 1
77	Biological and Physical SciencesAbout 89 graduates a year	$35,639	$66,382	$26,000	1st of 4
78	Other Biological SciencesAbout 341 graduates a year	$35,324	$80,065	$26,000	1st of 1
79	Recreation ManagementAbout 76 graduates a year	$35,132	$55,121	$24,410	2nd of 4
80	SociologyAbout 35 graduates a year	$35,016	$56,535	$26,000	8th of 20
81	Other Interdisciplinary StudiesGraduates a year not reported	$34,699	Not reported	$26,000	4th of 4
82	Experimental PsychologyGraduates a year not reported	$34,375	$42,393	$27,000	4th of 5
83	CommunicationsAbout 93 graduates a year	$34,181	$49,390	$25,875	14th of 37
84	Human Development and Family StudiesAbout 79 graduates a year	$34,030	$44,563	$28,000	2nd of 5
85	BiologyAbout 242 graduates a year	$33,417	$68,771	$26,000	32nd of 50
86	Animal ScienceAbout 72 graduates a year	$33,182	$46,518	$26,000	2nd of 2
87	Rehabilitation and TherapyAbout 68 graduates a year	$33,153	$50,801	$27,000	4th of 4
88	Business CommunicationGraduates a year not reported	$32,445	$56,837	$26,000	2nd of 2
89	PsychologyAbout 446 graduates a year	$32,408	$51,142	$27,000	27th of 48
90	Film and PhotographyAbout 82 graduates a year	$30,697	$42,386	$23,250	1st of 5
91	Kinesiology and Exercise ScienceAbout 210 graduates a year	$30,133	$59,703	$27,000	14th of 21
92	EnglishAbout 74 graduates a year	$29,848	$49,973	$26,000	11th of 23
93	Other Natural ResourcesAbout 44 graduates a year	$29,139	$43,168	$27,000	1st of 1
94	Pre-Veterinary StudiesAbout 69 graduates a year	$28,939	$69,396	$27,000	1st of 1
95	HistoryAbout 52 graduates a year	$28,803	$46,877	$26,322	11th of 19
96	TheatreAbout 32 graduates a year	$27,886	$33,750	$27,000	3rd of 12
97	Visual and Performing ArtsAbout 7 graduates a year	$25,702	$37,822	$24,638	3rd of 5
98	Nutrition ScienceAbout 59 graduates a year	$25,673	Not reported	$26,000	2nd of 2
99	AnthropologyAbout 36 graduates a year	$23,716	$38,547	$27,000	4th of 5
100	Fine and Studio ArtsAbout 46 graduates a year	$23,086	$44,809	$27,000	10th of 17
101	MusicAbout 39 graduates a year	$18,462	$24,816	$26,923	10th of 11
102	PhilosophyAbout 33 graduates a year	$17,881	$63,726	$23,878	6th of 6
103	Communication Sciences and DisordersAbout 129 graduates a year	$16,853	$61,295	$25,000	3rd of 4

Program names link to the program's own page, and Pennsylvania ranks link to the full ranking for the field. A program gets its own page when it reports both pay and debt and at least five Pennsylvania programs in the field do too.

Some nursing bachelor's programs are for nurses who are already licensed and working (RN-to-BSN). College Scorecard counts them with programs for new students, and their graduates' pay reflects years of nursing experience, so high pay at a program here may not mean higher starting pay for a new nurse.

5 more bachelor's programs report debt but not pay, so they aren't listed.

All 9 associate's programs, ranked

Each figure is the median for the program's graduates. "Rank in Pennsylvania" compares first-year pay with the same field's associate's programs across Pennsylvania. Programs that don't report a figure are listed last when you sort by it.

#	Program	Year 1 pay	Year 5 pay	Debt	Rank in Pennsylvania
1	Electrical Engineering TechnologyGraduates a year not reported	$61,945	$76,227	$13,000	1st of 4
2	Diagnostic and Treatment ProfessionsGraduates a year not reported	$58,317	$56,302	$12,625	7th of 19
3	Information ScienceGraduates a year not reported	$51,734	$66,641	$24,788	1st of 1
4	Mechanical Engineering TechnologyGraduates a year not reported	$49,172	$69,334	$18,500	1st of 1
5	Applied HorticultureGraduates a year not reported	$46,115	Not reported	$30,716	1st of 2
6	BusinessGraduates a year not reported	$44,626	$53,721	$19,500	2nd of 9
7	Liberal Arts and General StudiesAbout 4 graduates a year	$40,658	$45,363	$20,000	1st of 18
8	Allied Health and Medical AssistingGraduates a year not reported	$35,848	$43,968	$18,000	7th of 17
9	Human Development and Family StudiesGraduates a year not reported	$32,719	$31,277	$24,113	1st of 3

All 9 certificate programs, ranked

Each figure is the median for the program's graduates. "Rank in Pennsylvania" compares first-year pay with the same field's certificate programs across Pennsylvania. Programs that don't report a figure are listed last when you sort by it.

#	Program	Year 1 pay	Year 5 pay	Debt	Rank in Pennsylvania
1	Information TechnologyAbout 172 graduates a year	$75,635	Not reported	$27,000	2nd of 2
2	Liberal Arts and General StudiesAbout 15 graduates a year	$74,308	Not reported	$30,125	1st of 1
3	Real EstateAbout 103 graduates a year	$70,544	Not reported	$25,000	1st of 1
4	AccountingGraduates a year not reported	$67,492	Not reported	$26,499	1st of 1
5	EngineeringGraduates a year not reported	$62,026	Not reported	$27,000	2nd of 2
6	Management Information SystemsAbout 3 graduates a year	$58,382	Not reported	$27,000	1st of 1
7	Other BusinessAbout 229 graduates a year	$56,412	Not reported	$24,950	1st of 1
8	Practical NursingGraduates a year not reported	$54,669	$49,256	$21,000	4th of 35
9	JournalismAbout 62 graduates a year	$36,530	Not reported	$20,500	1st of 1

2 more certificate programs report debt but not pay, so they aren't listed.

Quick picks: bachelor's programs

Highest first-year pay

Petroleum Engineering$85,795
Computer Engineering$85,446
Computer and Information Science$84,050
Chemical Engineering$82,218
Electrical Engineering Technology$81,472

Lowest median debt

Software and Media Applications$20,810
Forestry$21,429
Petroleum Engineering$22,368
Statistics$22,500
Sustainability Studies$23,125

Largest programs

FinanceAbout 577 graduates a year
Information ScienceAbout 489 graduates a year
Computer and Information ScienceAbout 458 graduates a year
PsychologyAbout 446 graduates a year
Mechanical EngineeringAbout 374 graduates a year

Common questions

Petroleum Engineering graduates earn a median of $85,795 in their first year, the most of 103 Penn State bachelor's programs that report pay.

About this data

Earnings and debt only include students who received federal financial aid, and earnings only count graduates who were working and not enrolled in more school.
Debt only includes federal loans. Private loans and credit cards are not counted.
Tuition, net price, graduation rate, and admission rate are for the whole school, not one program.
Some schools with several campuses report one combined figure for all of them. We count each of those schools once, and leave them out of Pennsylvania rankings when their main campus is in another state.
Scorecard figures describe graduating classes from several years ago.

Sources

U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, field of study and institution files, June 2026 release
NCES, IPEDS tuition and fees, 2023-24, for in-district tuition labels