I am not going to tell you whether this university is “good” or “bad.” Honestly, no federal data can answer that question. What I can do is explain, precisely and without embellishment, what kind of institution it is, how likely your child is to get in, what it really costs, how many students stay and how many leave, and what questions you need to ask before signing anything. That is the first piece of the map. You have the other two—what your child wants and what your family can afford.
Where This School Stands
Penn State Abington is in Abington, Pennsylvania, in Montgomery County, within the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington metropolitan area. Its census code places it in a suburb: inside the urbanized area but outside the heart of the city. If your child plans to live at home and commute every day, do not rely on what the map says. Drive the route yourself on a weekday at the exact time your child would have class. Actual traffic is almost never what Google Maps promises.
It is a four-year public university, and its highest reported level is a master’s degree. IPEDS—the federal system that collects these data—classifies it as a “bachelor’s degree or higher” institution. That describes the type of school, not what your child specifically will be able to study there. Whether the intended major exists at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, and whether one connects to the other, is something you need to verify directly with the university.
One fact worth clarifying early: in the 2021 Carnegie Classification, Abington appears outside the classified universe. That says nothing about the school’s quality. Carnegie simply did not assign it a category in that classification. What you do need to do, before paying for the first semester, is ask admissions what accreditation the institution holds and the exact name of the degree you will receive, and then look up that name yourself on the Department of Education’s website. No classification saves you from making that call.
And a note about something families sometimes look for without finding it anywhere: Penn State Abington is not listed as a historically Black college or university, a tribal college or university, or a land-grant institution. Of the 3,012 colleges and universities in this national directory, 138 have at least one of those three designations. Abington’s absence from that list says nothing about which students it serves or how your child will feel there. Ask directly which cultural centers currently exist, which student organizations are active, and, if possible, speak with someone who already studies there.
A Medium-Sized Community
In fall 2023, Penn State Abington had 3,095 enrolled students, all of them undergraduates. It is a medium-sized school. Compared with the 519 selective-admission, four-year public schools that make up its reference group in this census, it is on the smaller side: at least seven out of ten of those schools have more students.
Of those 3,095, almost all—2,955 on a full-time-equivalent basis—study full time. But be careful: being large does not mean having more options, and being small does not mean more attention for your child. What matters is not the size of the entire school but the specific major that interests your child.
As for who makes up this community: 13 out of every 100 undergraduate students are Hispanic or Latino. That is a small minority, although its share is above the midpoint of the reference group without reaching the highest quartile. There are more men than women—41 out of every 100 are women—and there are few students between the ages of 25 and 64, just 7 out of every 100. If there are few Latino students here, that does not remove the school from your list; it simply means that during the visit you should ask what specifically exists for Latino students: a student group, a cultural center, or someone in the office who speaks Spanish.
How the Academic Year Is Organized
The calendar operates on semesters: two long terms of about 15 weeks each. The university reported accepting credit from AP exams as well as what IPEDS calls “credit for life experiences”—independent study, adult courses, work experience, portfolios, and prior licenses, including military training. It also enrolls high school students in college courses for credit through a formal dual-enrollment program.
Here is a hard and simple truth: the university’s statement that it accepts AP does not mean it will award credit for every exam your child takes. It does not say what score is required, how many credits are awarded, or whether those credits count toward your child’s specific major. Request the equivalency evaluation in writing before enrolling. Do not budget for the savings until you have it in hand.
As for what can be studied: in the most recently reported year, Abington awarded 489 bachelor’s degrees across 18 program families. One-third of those degrees—163 out of 489—were in business and management. Compared with 514 similar schools, Abington is in the quartile that awards the fewest degrees per year. The presence of 18 program families in the report does not mean there are 18 active majors today: one family groups several programs together, and some rows may report zero. Verify the exact program that interests your child.
The student-to-instructional-staff ratio is 14 to 1, a low figure compared with similar schools. But this does not tell you the actual size of a classroom. IPEDS does not publish that information, and this aggregate ratio alone does not demonstrate that more attention is available to each student.
One fact worth keeping in mind: the institution reports structured opportunities such as study abroad, undergraduate research, a complete program that can be taken only during evenings or weekends, and pathways for teacher-certification preparation, including state approval for initial certification. It is worth asking about each one directly because the report confirms that they exist, not how they work for your child’s major.
What It Is Like to Get In
This is among the most important information, so let’s take it slowly.
Penn State Abington does not have open admission: it reviews applications before saying yes. Of the nine admission criteria evaluated by this count, it marked three as required: the high school transcript, the high school GPA, and the English-proficiency exam for those to whom it applies. A personal essay and completion of a particular college-preparatory curriculum are not required, but if you submit them, they are considered.
If your child studied outside the United States or attended high school in Spanish, ask now whether the English-proficiency exam applies and what would qualify for an exemption. It is one of those things families discover late, and here it is marked as required when applicable.
Now for the figure that carries the most weight: in the 2023 cycle, Penn State Abington received 6,575 applications and offered admission to 6,051 applicants. That is 92 out of every 100. Compared with its reference group of 519 similar schools, it is on the more accessible side: at least seven out of ten of those schools accept an equal or smaller percentage. Even so, 524 applicants did not receive an offer that year. Getting in here is likely but not automatic, and the application must be complete and submitted on time.
Here is something that surprises many families: out of every 100 admitted applicants, only 15 ultimately enrolled. The other 85 had an offer in hand and did not accept it. Compared with similar schools, this proportion is on the low side. Do not read that as a mark against the school—the federal record does not say why each person made that decision. But it does tell you something important for your own decision: what others did does not tell you what the university will offer you. Wait for your letter showing the net price, which is what the year will actually cost, before deciding whether this school stays on your list.
The SAT and ACT are not required here. If your child submits them, they are considered; if not, the application remains valid. Among those who enrolled, 28 out of every 100 submitted SAT scores, and among them the middle half scored between 550 and 650 in reading and writing and between 540 and 660 in mathematics. These are figures for students who were already admitted and chose to submit their scores, not a minimum or a guarantee for anyone else.
One fact that almost no one asks about but that changes the picture: of the bachelor’s-degree-seeking cohort that entered in 2017, 38 out of every 100—390 people—transferred to another school without completing a degree here. Compared with similar schools, Abington is among those that see more students leave. The record does not state the reason, and it varies from one household to another. But there is something worth keeping in mind: a student who transfers is not counted as a graduate of this school, even if that student completes a degree elsewhere. Keep this idea in mind when we reach the graduation rates.
The Price, in Two Numbers That Are Not the Same
At Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington, among 118 first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid, paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate, and whose EFC records showed family income below $30,000, the average net price was $12,668. Among 69 students from the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $17,120; among 116 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $26,043. For dependent students, the band combines their parents’ income with their own.
There is a difference of $13,375 between the average for the lowest-income band, which included 118 students, and the average for the highest-income band, which included 116 students. These are group averages, not a prediction of your family’s price. Among first-year students who received any grant or scholarship aid, the average was $17,561.
$12,668 was the average net price for the lowest-income families in academic year 2022-23. That does not mean it is what your family will pay. It helps you determine whether it is worth requesting the financial aid letter.
Because the price changes so much from one income band to another, correctly identifying yours is the first step. The income bands in this profile describe first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid; at public institutions, they use the in-state or in-district tuition rate. The overall average 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. The financial aid letter sent to you is what matters.
How It Is Paid For: Grants, Pell, and Loans
69 out of every 100 degree-seeking students at Abington received aid that does not have to be repaid—grant or scholarship aid, in the broad sense—with an annual average of $9,604 among those who received it. And 39 out of every 100 received Pell Grants, the federal grant for low-income families. These are two different calculations with different denominators: one is the percentage who received something, and the other is how much recipients received. Do not multiply them by each other.
On the other side is debt. In school year 2022-23, 48 out of every 100 undergraduate students took out a federal loan, with an average of $6,161 per person that year. Compared with similar schools, this proportion is on the high side. If your child borrowed a similar amount in each of the four years, the total would be around $24,644, not including interest—and that calculation should be made before the first signature, not at the end.
That average, however, covers only federal loans taken out in the student’s name during one year. It does not include Parent PLUS loans that parents sometimes sign for, debt owed to banks, or credit cards. Nor is it the total debt someone has upon graduation; that would require adding all four years, and that figure is not in this report. When your financial aid letter arrives, separate it yourself into three piles: what does not have to be repaid, what must be repaid with interest, and what must be earned through work. Many letters mix them together in one column, and that confusion costs families money.
The university also reports offering an installment tuition payment plan, in case a single payment does not work for your situation.
Housing, Sports, ROTC, and Support
Penn State Abington has institution-controlled housing with a reported capacity of 400 students on or off campus. It does not require all first-year students to live there, but that does not mean no program requires it. It also offers meal plans, although the number of meals per week varies by the plan selected. The existence of a room does not guarantee an available bed when your child needs one; request the annual rate, the application deadline, and whether a place is guaranteed or your child would join a waiting list, all in writing.
ROTC is available in two branches: Army and Air Force. Navy is not marked as available. Its presence in the report does not mean the program is offered on this specific campus—IPEDS does not clarify that—so ask directly before building a plan around it.
The school is affiliated with the NCAA, with reported membership in basketball, baseball, and cross-country or track and field. The federal question about active participation in intercollegiate athletics does not apply in this record, so if sports matter to your child, request the current schedule and contact the coach directly.
As for distance education, only 1 out of every 100 undergraduate students took all their classes that way; the other 99 took at least one class in person. The institution reported that it does not offer any complete program at this level that can be taken entirely through distance education.
Reported services include combined academic and career counseling, employment services for current students, participation in the Yellow Ribbon program for veterans, a dedicated point of contact for veterans and military families, a student veterans’ organization, and a dedicated webpage for disability services. The fact that these services are reported confirms that they exist; it does not say how accessible or effective they are for your child in particular. Ask about that in person.
How Many Stay, How Many Finish
Here we reach the numbers that bring the most silence to a room, and they need to be read slowly.
Of the full-time cohort that entered in fall 2022, 77 out of every 100 were still enrolled or had already completed their bachelor’s degree one year later. This figure is in the middle—neither among the highest nor among the lowest compared with similar schools. But remember something important: not returning is not the same as dropping out. In this figure, a student who transferred to another university and is still studying there is counted the same way as a student who stopped studying altogether.
Now for graduation. Of the 1,032 full-time, bachelor’s-degree-seeking students who entered in 2017, 226 had earned a degree from this school six years later. That is 22 out of every 100. At four years, the figure is 15 out of every 100—just seven points lower, which indicates that most of those who graduate here do not do so quickly. Compared with 518 similar schools, Abington ranks at the very bottom of that table: at least nine out of ten similar schools graduate a larger proportion.
Read it this way: out of every 100 who entered, 78 did not have a bachelor’s degree from this school six years later. That does not mean 78 failed. Remember what we saw earlier: 38 out of every 100 from one cohort transferred to another university, and students who transfer and finish elsewhere are not counted as graduates here. The data do not distinguish among those who left and finished somewhere else, those who are still studying, and those who stopped studying altogether. What you can do with a figure like this is ask directly what happened to that cohort, what concrete support exists today, and keep more than one option on your child’s list.
There is a third measure, at eight years, that broadens the view: of a cohort of 1,252 students who entered between July 2015 and June 2016—including part-time students and those who already had prior college experience—38 out of every 100 had earned a degree or certificate from this school as of the August 2023 measurement date. Among students with Pell Grants, the figure was identical: 38 out of every 100. But within that same cohort, the first-time, full-time subcohort—those who started here directly after high school, without prior college experience—falls to 27 out of every 100, eleven points lower. This eight-year measure is not a bill and does not measure continuous enrollment; it is a snapshot at a specific point in time. Before signing anything, request in writing how long it takes to complete the major that interests your child, how its required courses are scheduled, and how the total cost changes if completion takes longer.
What Is Up to You, What Is Up to Your Child, What the University Decides
You now know Penn State Abington in greater depth than very few families reach before making a decision. You know that it is a medium-sized public school, with accessible admission but clear requirements. You know that many admitted students do not enroll, that many students who enter transfer, and that its six-year graduation rate is low compared with similar schools—without that, by itself, telling you what will happen to your child.
It is the university’s responsibility to admit students, charge tuition, offer aid, and sustain its programs. It is your child’s responsibility to study, explore, choose a major, and take responsibility for their part of the journey. It is your responsibility to understand the money, request the financial aid letter before rejecting or accepting anything, verify in writing what the federal report cannot confirm, and support the decision without carrying it alone.
You now have a deep understanding of one of the pieces you need to make a decision. Combine it with what your child wants to study, what your child has already built in high school, and what your family can truly afford, not what it can afford in theory. A plan comes from that combination, not from a single number.
Note on sources: The information in this article comes from 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, as indicated in each section. Best College Aid does not represent Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington or the U.S. government, and this article is not a substitute for the official or personalized information the university itself can provide about your child’s specific circumstances.