This article is about Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania, a public university in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. I am not going to tell you whether it is right for your child, because that depends on three things that only your family can bring together: what the school actually offers, what your child wants and has accomplished, and what you can and are willing to pay. Here, I can give you only the first piece, with all the depth and honesty the official data allow. But that piece matters, and it is worth understanding well.
Who This School Is and Where It Stands
Let us start with something that sounds technical but clarifies the landscape: in the 2021 Carnegie Classification, the classification most widely used to group universities by type, Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania is outside the classified universe. That does not tell you whether it is good or bad. It tells you that Carnegie did not assign it a label. Before paying for the first semester, ask admissions directly what accreditation the school has and exactly what degree your child will receive, and verify that name yourself on the Department of Education website. No classification saves you from making that call.
What we do know for certain is that it is a public, four-year institution, and the government records it as a school whose highest reported level extends through the doctorate, although that is general institutional information, not a promise that your child’s specific program has that path. If the program needs to connect to graduate study, verify that directly with the program.
It is in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, in Columbia County, in a town setting away from large urban areas. If your family does not live nearby, this means you will have to figure out separately where your child would live and how your child would get around. The code only identifies the campus location; it does not tell you how long the trip from your home takes or how close everything else is. You find that out by asking.
And there is something worth saying directly, without hedging: Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania has none of these three special designations. It is not a historically Black college or university, it is not a tribal college or university, and it is not a land-grant institution. Of the 3,012 universities in this national directory, 138 have at least one of the three. The fact that this school is not on that list does not tell you which students it serves or how your child will feel there. Ask directly which cultural centers exist today and which student organizations are active, and better yet, speak with someone who already studies there.
The Size of the Community Your Child Would Join
Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania reported enrollment of 11,088 students in the official fall count. It is a large school, within the range the government defines as between 10,000 and 19,999 students. Compared with similar schools, its size is among the most common: neither one of the truly large schools nor one of the small ones. Of that total, undergraduate enrollment is 9,967 and graduate enrollment is 1,121. Above all, it is a school designed around undergraduate study.
But a school’s total size does not tell you the size of a classroom. If that matters to your child, ask for the actual number of students per class in the first year and in the program your child is considering. It is a simple question that many families never ask, and it can completely change the daily experience.
Now, to describe the makeup of that community clearly: out of every 100 undergraduate students, 7 are Hispanic or Latino. It is a small minority, and compared with the 519 selective public four-year schools in this census, the school ranks below the group’s midpoint. Having few Latino students does not make the school bad, just as having many would not by itself make it good. It is simply a fact about who is enrolled. If your child will be one of the few, your family should ask a specific question: which student groups and support services exist today? You should also arrange to speak with a Latino student who is already there before deciding. The number I just gave you covers the entire school; the actual experience may look different in a specific program.
There are more women than men among undergraduates: 60 out of every 100. Adult students, ages 25 to 64, are few: 6 out of every 100. And here is something that matters if your child is thinking about moving far from home: out of every 100 entering students, 91 reported a permanent address in the same state as the institution. This is overwhelmingly a community of Pennsylvania students.
How the Academic Year Works and How Broad the Offerings Are
The calendar is organized into semesters: two long terms of about 15 weeks each. There is nothing unusual about that, and it makes planning the year simpler.
The university stated that it accepts prior credit through two avenues: AP examinations and what IPEDS calls credit for life experience, which may come from independent study, adult courses, work experience, portfolios, prior licenses, or military or professional opportunities. It also stated that it enrolls high school students in college courses for credit through a formal dual-enrollment program, and it reports accepting credit for military training. It is good that all of those options exist. But the school’s statement that it offers these avenues does not mean your child’s credit will be recognized automatically. Saying that it accepts AP does not tell you what score it requires, how much credit it awards, or whether that credit applies to the specific program your child wants. Request the transfer-credit evaluation in writing before enrolling, and do not count those savings in your budget until you have it in hand.
As for the degrees it awards: between July 2022 and June 2023, the school awarded 2,228 bachelor’s degrees across 23 academic program families. Health professions produced the largest number of graduates, accounting for 20 out of every 100 degrees awarded that year, but no other field took the bulk of them. The school has broad offerings, with no single area dominating. Even so, 23 active program families do not mean 23 specific majors or guarantee that the program your child wants has a strong presence today. Verify the exact program.
Regarding the relationship between students and faculty, the school reports 19 students per full-time-equivalent faculty member. Compared with similar schools, that places it in the group’s highest quarter, meaning it is among those with more students per faculty member. At the same time, this ratio is considered medium on the overall scale. Both things are true at once, which is why I am giving them to you separately. What this number does not tell you is the actual size of a first-year classroom. It is an institutional ratio, not an attendance count.
The institution also reports structured academic opportunities worth keeping in mind if they apply to your child’s plan: study abroad, preparation for teacher certification below the postsecondary level, the ability to complete preparation there in certain areas of teacher specialization, and state approval for the initial teacher-certification program.
Getting In Is Easy Here. Staying and Paying Are the Real Questions
Here we come to one of the most important parts of this profile. Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania does not have open admission: it reviews an application before saying yes. Of the nine considerations IPEDS asks about, only three are required: the high school record, completion of the college-preparatory course plan the university requires, and an English-proficiency examination when applicable. The rest—grade point average, class rank, essay, letters of recommendation, work experience, and whether a relative attended the school—are considered if submitted, although the report does not say how much weight each carries. The published application fee is $25.
And here is a truth stated plainly: there is one item on that list that your child cannot change through effort. The university reported that it considers whether a relative previously attended. If that is not true of your family, do not spend energy on it. Spend that energy on what is within your child’s control: the academic record, the required course plan, and the essay if your child decides to submit one.
Now for the figure most likely to stand out: out of 7,733 first-time applicants, the school accepted 7,327. That is 95 out of every 100. Compared with similar schools, it is on the high-acceptance side; seven out of ten similar schools accepted an equal or smaller percentage. Put plainly, this school accepts applicants almost all the time. Even so, 406 applicants from that total did not receive an offer of admission. Your child’s energy in this process will go further if it is focused on meeting deadlines and completing the application carefully than on “competing” for a place that, statistically, your child is likely to get.
But here is the counterweight you cannot skip: being easy to enter does not mean being inexpensive, or that most students finish. Before deciding, you need to look at the net price and the graduation rate. Those two calculations matter much more than the admission figure, and we will examine them shortly.
Something interesting happens after admission: out of every 100 students admitted for the first year of 2023, only 33 ultimately enrolled there. The other 67 had an admission letter in hand and still chose somewhere else. Compared with similar schools, that is a high proportion of “yes, but no.” Receiving an admission letter is not the same as deciding to attend, and that 33 % does not measure quality or satisfaction either; it only counts how many enrolled that particular fall. When your child’s letters arrive, place them side by side and compare net price, program, and distance before the deposit deadline.
Regarding standardized tests, the SAT and ACT are optional. If your child submits them, they are considered; if not, the application is still considered complete. Among the students who enrolled, 34 out of every 100 submitted SAT scores, and the middle half of those students scored between 490 and 600 in reading and writing and between 480 and 580 in mathematics. Those numbers describe students who enrolled and submitted scores, not all applicants. That 490 is not a minimum that must be reached, and that 600 does not guarantee anything either.
And here is something many families do not examine: transfers. Among the bachelor’s-degree-seeking cohort that entered in 2017, 26 out of every 100 transferred to another school without finishing there. That is a substantial share, and the report does not say why they left. At the same time, 363 students transferred into this school from another institution in fall 2023, which is also a high figure. Here is something almost no one explains to you: a student who transfers does not count as a graduate of this school, even if that student completes the degree somewhere else. That fact matters when we compare graduation rates later. And the fact that many students transfer does not mean they did poorly; the report tracks the movement, not each person’s outcome.
The Price You See and the Price You Would Actually Pay
At Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania, among 287 first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid, paid the in-state or in-district rate, and had EFC records showing family income below $30,000, the average net price was $13,799. Among 225 students in the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $17,711; among 500 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $23,167. For dependent students, the income range combines their parents’ income with their own.
The difference between the average for the lowest-income band, which included 287 students, and the average for the highest-income band, which included 500 students, is $9,368. Among first-year students who received any grant or scholarship aid, the average was $18,004.
Among the 519 schools of the same type and control included in this census that reported this figure with the same time coverage, this school ranks in the most expensive quarter for the lowest-income families. That does not mean you should rule it out. It means you should request the financial aid letter before deciding.
The income bands in this profile describe first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid; at this public institution, they use the in-state or in-district rate. The overall average for students with grant or scholarship aid, when shown, describes first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional grants or scholarships; it also uses that rate. If your family lives outside the state or district, the calculation is different. Ask about it before applying.
How This School Is Paid for in Practice
Out of every 100 degree-seeking students, 75 received a grant or scholarship that does not have to be repaid, with an annual average of $7,656 among recipients. The Pell Grant—federal aid specifically for low-income families—reached 33 out of every 100. Aid in general reaches most students; aid that depends directly on family income reaches fewer. When your child’s letter arrives, separate it by hand into three piles: what does not have to be repaid, what must be repaid with interest, and what has to be earned through work. Many financial aid letters mix all three into a single column, and that is where families become confused.
Now for the debt, stated without embellishment. In the 2022-23 academic year, 58 out of every 100 undergraduate students received a federal student loan, with an average of $6,246 per student that year. Compared with similar schools, this university is among those with the largest share of students receiving federal loans: at least nine out of ten similar schools had a smaller proportion. Here, financing through debt is the norm, not the exception.
If your child borrowed a similar amount each year during the four years of the degree, the cumulative amount would be around $24,984, not including interest. That number is decided before the first signature, not at the end of the journey. And this average covers only federal loans in the student’s name for one year. It does not include Parent PLUS loans that parents sometimes sign for, debt owed to banks, credit cards, or the total debt with which someone graduates after four years. The percentage I just gave you describes other families, not yours. The amount your child would actually have to borrow comes from your child’s own financial aid letter. Wait for that letter before ruling out the school or committing to it.
The institution also reports offering a tuition payment plan in installments, if that helps your family manage cash flow.
Living There: Campus, Support, and What to Ask for in Writing
Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania has its own housing, and it does not require all first-time, full-time students to live there. That does not mean no program has such a requirement; ask whether your child’s program does. It also offers meal plans, with a fixed number of meals per week under the largest plan. Its reported maximum housing capacity is 6,301 students. The existence of a room does not guarantee that a bed will be available when your child needs one. Ask in writing for the current year’s rate, the housing application deadline, and whether your child is guaranteed a place or will be placed on a waiting list.
If your child is interested in ROTC, the school reported two available branches: Army and Air Force. Navy is not marked as available. Its appearance in the report does not mean the program is conducted on this exact campus or that space is guaranteed. Ask about it directly by name before building a plan around it.
In athletics, the school competes at the intercollegiate level and is affiliated with the NCAA, reporting membership for football, basketball, baseball, and cross-country or track and field. That affiliation belongs to the institution, not to your child. If your child is interested in playing, write directly to the coach for that sport and ask whether there is a place on the team, which division the team competes in, and whether that specific sport offers athletic scholarships. Ask for written confirmation.
As for the mode of study, the school offers distance education at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, although only 6 out of every 100 undergraduate students take absolutely all their classes at a distance. The other 94 take at least one class in person. It also reports having at least one complete program that can be finished entirely at a distance, although that does not confirm that such a program exists specifically at the undergraduate level. Confirm the exact level and program if this matters to your child.
The library operates with paid staff, and its annual spending exceeds the $100,000 threshold recorded by the federal government. It has physical and digital materials, and it offers interlibrary lending. What the data do not say is exactly when it is open or whether someone is available to guide your child through research. Ask those questions directly.
Finally, the institution reports combined academic and career counseling services, participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program for veterans, a dedicated point of contact for veterans and service members, a recognized student veterans’ organization, and a published web address for services for people with disabilities.
The Numbers That Truly Matter: Who Stays and Who Graduates
We have reached the part that, if I had to choose just one section for you to read carefully, would be this one.
Among the full-time, bachelor’s-degree-seeking cohort that entered in fall 2022, 75 out of every 100 were still enrolled the following year or had already completed their degree. A clear majority stayed. Compared with similar schools, this figure ranks slightly below the group’s midpoint: more similar schools retained a larger proportion of students. There are two things this number does not tell you. It does not separate those still studying there from those who have already graduated, and it does not distinguish between a student who transferred to another school and is still studying and one who simply left school. Both count the same as “did not stay.”
Now for graduation, which is where the weight of the decision can truly be felt. Of the 2,881 first-time, full-time students who entered a bachelor’s-degree program in 2017, 1,557 had earned a degree from this school six years later. That is 54 out of every 100. At the four-year mark, the figure falls to 41 out of every 100, a difference of 13 points between waiting four years and waiting six. Compared with similar schools, this six-year rate ranks above the group’s midpoint.
Put plainly, after six years, 54 out of every 100 students in that cohort had a bachelor’s degree from this school, and 46 did not. It is almost half and half. The report counts outcomes, not the reasons behind each individual story. Remember something we saw earlier: a student who transferred to another school and completed the degree there does not count as a graduate here, even though that student completed the education somewhere. Before deciding, ask what specific support exists to help a student finish and how long the program your child is considering usually takes in practice.
There is also a third view, at eight years, that is worth knowing because it includes more types of students. From a cohort of 4,637 students who entered between July 2015 and June 2016—full-time and part-time, first-time and with prior experience—58 out of every 100 had earned a degree or certificate from this school by the August 2023 reporting date. Here a difference appears that deserves your direct attention: among Pell Grant recipients, the figure was 49 out of every 100, fourteen points below the group that did not receive Pell. Whether your family qualifies for Pell today does not determine your child’s outcome, but if it applies, it is worth asking the school directly what specifically exists for those students: whether an adviser is assigned, whether emergency aid is available, and whether the institution’s grant or scholarship aid is renewed each year. Ask for a written response.
What Comes Next Belongs to You and Your Child
You now know one of the plan’s three pieces well: what this university really is, including its admission figures, its list price and actual price, its graduation outcomes, and its support services. It is a large public school with a very open entry door—95 out of every 100 applicants receive a yes—but with serious questions about net price for lower-income families and about how many students actually complete the path to a degree.
None of these numbers makes the decision for you. What they can do is give you a basis for comparing this letter when it arrives alongside the others. If your child is just beginning to build a list, these are the facts that should be weighed against other options. If the admission letter is already in hand, you now know what to ask before the deposit deadline: the written credit evaluation, the residency classification, the actual financial aid letter, and the housing plan with its deadline.
Combine this piece with what your child wants to study, what your child has accomplished so far, and what your family can and is willing to pay. A plan that truly works for your family comes from that combination, not from any single number.
Source note: The information in this article comes from official data reported by the institution to the U.S. Department of Education’s IPEDS system, corresponding primarily to the 2022-23 and 2023-24 cycles, depending on the indicator. Best College Aid does not represent Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania or any government agency; this article organizes and explains public information to help families understand it.