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Penn State majors and salaries
Pennsylvania State University · University Park, Pennsylvania · Public · 42,284 undergraduates
107
of 135 bachelor's programs with pay data
$71,762
median earnings 10 years after enrolling
$24,500
median federal debt at graduation
85%
graduate within six years
Finance and Financial Management Services awards the most degrees here (1,110 over two years), and it also pays above most other programs: $96,714 four years out. Computer and Information Sciences, General ($120,729) and Petroleum Engineering ($113,669) are the best-paid programs four years after graduation. South Carolina and Ohio State University trail Penn State on median earnings ten years after enrollment, while Rutgers, Pitt, Virginia Tech and UMass Amherst are ahead.
Highest-paying bachelor's programs
Every program with earnings data
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Median debt | Pay after 1 yr | Pay after 4 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | 972 | $22,250 | $84,461 | $120,729 |
| Petroleum Engineering | 145 | – | $79,009 | $113,669 |
| Computer Engineering | 154 | $27,000 | $85,528 | $112,269 |
| Industrial Engineering | 273 | $25,625 | $81,854 | $104,758 |
| Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other | 132 | $24,250 | $72,869 | $104,205 |
| Chemical Engineering | 269 | $26,973 | $84,660 | $103,728 |
| Engineering, Other | 59 | $15,625 | $69,862 | $102,134 |
| Computer Science | – | $22,750 | $70,117 | $101,854 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 248 | $27,000 | $77,736 | $100,416 |
| Engineering Science | 54 | $26,750 | $85,125 | $100,176 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | 276 | $27,000 | $79,268 | $99,159 |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | 548 | $26,000 | $73,501 | $98,637 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 1,110 | $22,147 | $69,230 | $96,714 |
| Management Information Systems and Services | 162 | $25,000 | $68,666 | $95,935 |
| Architectural Engineering | 189 | $31,000 | $78,742 | $94,483 |
| Nuclear Engineering | 55 | $26,000 | $76,869 | $94,365 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 287 | $26,000 | $82,304 | $93,277 |
| Materials Sciences | 115 | $21,670 | $75,929 | $92,864 |
| Information Science/Studies | 916 | $23,500 | $68,240 | $91,671 |
| Mining and Mineral Engineering | 9 | – | – | $91,411 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 243 | $23,749 | $82,877 | $91,032 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 437 | $25,000 | $64,480 | $88,192 |
| Engineering, General | – | $27,000 | $67,873 | $88,063 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 759 | $24,250 | $75,796 | $87,997 |
| Polymer/Plastics Engineering | – | $27,000 | $74,572 | $87,636 |
| Agricultural Engineering | 57 | $26,157 | $70,081 | $87,564 |
| Statistics | 139 | $23,250 | $55,273 | $86,636 |
| Computer Software and Media Applications | 7 | – | $84,115 | – |
| Food Science and Technology | 66 | $20,500 | $59,787 | $83,112 |
| Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians | – | $26,730 | $71,604 | $81,835 |
| Physics | 118 | $20,500 | $55,968 | $81,763 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | 483 | $25,000 | $62,246 | $81,755 |
| Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other | 671 | $25,000 | $44,357 | $81,617 |
| Civil Engineering | 325 | $25,000 | $70,399 | $81,403 |
| Economics | 711 | $21,500 | $60,469 | $81,228 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 164 | $24,250 | $56,396 | $81,092 |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | 47 | $26,944 | $72,799 | $80,855 |
| Marketing | 754 | $24,352 | $58,892 | $79,343 |
| Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians | – | $27,000 | $70,820 | $79,342 |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | 187 | $23,250 | $62,105 | $78,476 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 193 | $26,182 | $47,090 | $77,336 |
| Mathematics | 292 | $23,250 | $67,059 | $77,336 |
| Surveying Engineering | 1 | – | – | $77,094 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | 669 | $24,218 | $55,985 | $76,246 |
| Architecture | 107 | $29,000 | $62,516 | $76,181 |
| Biology/Biotechnology Technologies/Technicians | 49 | $20,000 | $61,604 | $75,919 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | 178 | $24,959 | $55,314 | $75,396 |
| Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians | – | – | $74,494 | – |
| Landscape Architecture | 58 | $27,000 | $59,043 | $74,363 |
| Agricultural Business and Management | 159 | $22,598 | $54,078 | $73,471 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 98 | $23,074 | $63,116 | $73,308 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | – | $26,375 | $56,682 | $72,218 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | 37 | $27,000 | $44,102 | $72,063 |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | 235 | $21,500 | $47,319 | $71,001 |
| Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services | 63 | $25,000 | $57,028 | $69,540 |
| Biological and Physical Sciences | 195 | $23,601 | $40,786 | $69,102 |
| Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology | 91 | $24,000 | $51,331 | $69,083 |
| Geography and Cartography | 0 | – | $45,907 | $68,993 |
| Political Science and Government | 365 | $23,250 | $46,124 | $68,918 |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy | 2 | $34,750 | $68,734 | – |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 431 | $25,526 | $38,359 | $67,399 |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | 304 | $22,250 | $49,422 | $66,876 |
| Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other | 7 | $23,000 | $38,911 | $66,866 |
| Astronomy and Astrophysics | 60 | $27,000 | – | $66,759 |
| Security Science and Technology | 86 | $27,000 | $54,657 | $66,084 |
| Philosophy | 69 | $26,000 | $39,593 | $65,675 |
| Business/Commerce, General | – | $23,873 | $52,236 | $65,292 |
| Chemistry | 105 | $23,182 | $48,918 | $65,230 |
| Biology, General | 541 | $23,250 | $38,378 | $64,910 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | 219 | $24,140 | $54,818 | $63,798 |
| Nutrition Sciences | 131 | $23,250 | $29,775 | $63,010 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 117 | $23,000 | $50,926 | $62,831 |
| Journalism | 358 | $25,000 | $44,298 | $62,336 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | 253 | $24,781 | $27,725 | $62,072 |
| Non-Professional Legal Studies | – | $25,000 | $53,147 | $60,745 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 74 | $21,500 | $47,703 | $60,193 |
| Social Sciences, General | 1 | $29,750 | $57,562 | $59,883 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 20 | $24,179 | $34,927 | $58,195 |
| Design and Applied Arts | 60 | $22,648 | $41,905 | $58,105 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 475 | $24,180 | $41,573 | $56,877 |
| Business/Corporate Communications | – | $25,000 | $39,635 | $55,840 |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management | 159 | $23,810 | $44,488 | $55,741 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 217 | $22,488 | $45,444 | $55,505 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 14 | – | – | $54,488 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 602 | $26,000 | $44,879 | $53,362 |
| Agriculture, General | 61 | $20,000 | $42,740 | $52,932 |
| History | 110 | $21,921 | $37,190 | $52,871 |
| Plant Sciences | 71 | $25,000 | $37,667 | $52,329 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 83 | $22,250 | $47,516 | $52,131 |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | 121 | $23,375 | $38,413 | $51,635 |
| Anthropology | 70 | $26,000 | $33,249 | $50,640 |
| English Language and Literature, General | 145 | $23,361 | $35,537 | $50,299 |
| Agricultural Public Services | 22 | – | $50,118 | – |
| Animal Sciences | 146 | $21,500 | $42,284 | $49,772 |
| Psychology, General | 958 | $23,642 | $37,593 | $49,543 |
| Sociology | 98 | $24,211 | $43,918 | $49,197 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | – | $20,500 | $33,367 | $48,348 |
| Agriculture/Veterinary Preparatory Programs | 149 | $22,500 | $37,406 | $47,620 |
| Forestry | 30 | $22,458 | $46,652 | – |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | 132 | $26,000 | $38,150 | $45,943 |
| Natural Resources and Conservation, Other | 78 | $24,959 | $30,902 | $45,833 |
| Visual and Performing Arts, General | 17 | – | – | $45,170 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 74 | $25,250 | $36,889 | $44,913 |
| Music | 67 | $26,081 | $32,085 | $44,241 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | 161 | $21,500 | $35,470 | $43,919 |
| Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences | 58 | $25,250 | $41,859 | – |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 94 | $26,000 | $30,936 | $40,036 |
Programs are grouped by four-digit CIP code, so one row can cover several related majors. "Graduates" counts bachelor's degrees awarded across the two years that make up each earnings cohort.
Outcomes
- Six-year graduation rate
- 85% (four-year colleges: 54% median)
- First-year students who return
- 93%
- Students per faculty member
- 16
- Median earnings 10 years after enrolling
- $71,762 (four-year colleges: $58,912 median)
- Median federal debt at graduation
- $24,500 (four-year colleges: $21,609 median)
Colleges similar to Penn State
The six public four-year colleges closest to Penn State in acceptance rate and undergraduate enrollment.
| College | Acceptance rate | Avg net price | Earnings after 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rutgers New Brunswick, NJ | 58% | $24,897 | $80,490 |
| Pitt Pittsburgh, PA | 58% | $29,362 | $73,113 |
| South Carolina Columbia, SC | 60% | $22,197 | $69,024 |
| Ohio State University Columbus, OH | 61% | $17,269 | $67,080 |
| Virginia Tech Blacksburg, VA | 55% | $25,808 | $88,716 |
| UMass Amherst Amherst, MA | 60% | $22,857 | $80,486 |
Program earnings and debt come from the College Scorecard field-of-study file: median pay of graduates who were working and not enrolled, one and four years after finishing, for two pooled graduating classes. Programs with too few graduates are suppressed by the Department of Education and do not appear. College Scorecard data updated November 2, 2026. How these figures are built · Penn State on College Scorecard