Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Fayette- Eberly Acceptance Rate, Admissions & Graduation

Where this campus stands

Penn State Fayette is a four-year public institution within the Penn State system, located in Fayette County. The area around the campus is classified as rural territory near a city, not within a large urban area. That is classification data, not a map of your daily life: it does not tell you how long the drive is from your home to campus or what the town is like. If your family does not live nearby, that is a separate calculation you need to make: where your child would live, how they would get to class, and how often they could return home.

One detail is worth clarifying up front: in the 2021 Carnegie Classification, Penn State Fayette appears outside the classified universe. That is not a negative mark. Carnegie classifies types of institutions, not quality, and this school simply does not carry that label. What you should do, before paying for the first semester, is ask admissions directly what accreditation the school has and exactly what degree it awards, and verify it yourself on the Department of Education website. No classification label replaces that call.

As for special designations, Penn State Fayette 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 census, 138 have at least one of those three designations. Fayette’s having none of them says nothing about which communities it serves today or how your child would feel there. Ask directly: what cultural centers exist, what student organizations are available, and, if possible, whether you can speak with someone who already studies there.

The highest award level this institution reports offering is the bachelor’s degree. That confirms the institution’s upper limit, not that the specific major your child wants is offered here or that it ends in exactly that degree. That must be verified program by program.

A small campus, and what that implies

The most important number for understanding everything else here is the size. In the official fall count, Penn State Fayette had 419 enrolled students, all of them undergraduates—there is no graduate enrollment at this campus. Compared with 519 four-year public schools with selective admissions in this same census, it is among the smallest: at least nine out of ten have more students.

What does that mean for a family? Neither better nor worse. It means the dynamics of a large campus—long lines, dozens of sections of the same class, anonymity—probably do not apply here. But it also means something very practical that you need to ask: whether courses in your child’s major are offered every semester or only once a year. At a small school, that can change how long it takes to graduate.

As for who studies there: the undergraduate population is almost evenly divided between men and women, with women making up 52 out of every 100 students. Students ages 25 to 64 are a minority, at 9 out of every 100—so it is mostly a traditional college-age population. And the share of Hispanic or Latino undergraduates is low: 3 out of every 100, according to the fall 2023 report. Compared with similar schools, it is among the lowest in the group: nine out of ten similar schools report a higher share.

I am telling you this plainly because it is a hard truth not worth hiding: if your child will be one of only a few, that is a real part of the experience to anticipate. It does not make the school bad—the number counts only enrollment, not quality or campus climate—but it is worth asking which student groups and supports exist for Latino students and, if possible, speaking with someone who is already there before deciding.

How the academic year works

Penn State Fayette organizes its calendar into semesters: two long terms of about 15 weeks each. This is the standard format, with consistent dates for all students.

The school reported accepting prior credit through two routes: AP examinations and what IPEDS calls “credit for life experiences”—learning acquired through independent study, adult courses, work experience, portfolios, licenses, or certifications, including military training. It also enrolls high school students in college courses for credit through a formal dual-enrollment program.

Here is the part that truly matters: the school’s stating that it accepts AP does not mean it automatically awards credit for every examination. We do not know what scores it requires, how many credits it awards, or whether those credits apply to 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 students complete here: in the reported year, the school awarded 81 bachelor’s degrees, concentrated in a small number of fields—the breakdown covers only 7 program families. The family with the most degrees was health professions, with 32 of the 81: 40 out of every 100. Compared with similar schools, Penn State Fayette falls in the quarter reporting the least variety of academic fields. With numbers this small, a single year’s figure can shift greatly from one period to another. If your child has a major in mind, request the last three years of data for that specific program; do not rely on data from just one cycle.

One number sounds good but deserves context: the student-to-instructional-staff ratio is 9 to 1, among the lowest at similar schools. But a low aggregate ratio does not measure actual class size or faculty availability. Ask directly how many students are in first-year classes.

As for structured opportunities, the institution reports offering study abroad and cocurricular undergraduate research.

Getting in: what they require and how likely admission is

Penn State Fayette does not have open admissions; it reviews specific materials before making a decision. Of nine possible considerations, it marks three as required: the high school record, high school GPA, and an English-proficiency examination for applicants to whom it applies. A recommended academic plan and personal essay are not required, but they are considered if submitted.

If your child studied outside the United States or attended high school in Spanish, you need to address this now: ask whether the English-proficiency examination applies and what would qualify your child for an exemption. This is one of those things families discover too late if they do not ask in time.

The application fee is $65.

Now for the central figure: in the 2023 cycle, Penn State Fayette received 731 first-time applications and offered admission to 670 applicants. That is 92 out of every 100 applicants admitted. Compared with similar schools, it is on the more accessible side: seven out of ten similar schools, or more, accepted an equal or smaller percentage. Of every 100 applicants, 92 receive an acceptance.

But here is something many families do not anticipate: of every 100 admitted applicants, only 17 enrolled. The other 83 had a place and did not take it. That is not a mark against the school—the federal record does not explain why each person made the decision they did—but it does tell you something useful: receiving an acceptance letter is not the same as deciding to attend. And what others did does not predict what you will be offered. Wait for your own letter with the net price—what the year will actually cost you—before deciding whether this school stays on your list.

As for standardized tests, the SAT and ACT are not required. If submitted, they are considered; if not, the application proceeds just the same. Very few students submitted scores—14 out of every 100 enrolled students, and the reported percentiles come from only 16 students. With such a small sample, those ranges (540-630 in reading and writing, 540-635 in mathematics) do not serve as a reliable threshold or guarantee. They are official data, but fragile because of the sample size.

As for transfers: of the bachelor’s-degree-seeking cohort that entered in 2017, 22 out of every 100 transferred to another school without completing here. That percentage is common compared with similar schools. Transferring is not failing. It is still wise for your child to know in advance how to request the paperwork needed to transfer, in case it becomes necessary.

The real price, before and after aid

At Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Fayette- Eberly, among 11 first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid, paid the in-state or in-district rate, and whose EFC records showed family income below $30,000, the average net price was $13,828. Among 12 students from the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $18,109; among 18 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $24,244. For dependent students, the band includes both their parents’ income and their own.

The difference between the average for the lowest-income band (11 students) and that for the highest-income band (18 students) is $10,416. Among first-year students who received any grant or scholarship aid, the average was $18,780.

Among the 519 schools of the same type and control included in this census that reported these data with the same time coverage, this one falls in the most expensive quarter for the lowest-income families. That does not mean it should be ruled out. It means you need to request the 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 students pay: grants, loans, and what remains uncounted

Of every 100 degree-seeking students here, 85 receive some grant or scholarship aid that does not need to be repaid. Among similar schools, that places it in the quarter where grants and scholarships reach the most students. Among recipients, the annual average is $10,203. And 36 out of every 100 receive Pell Grants, the federal aid for families with demonstrated financial need.

Now for the figure that truly needs your full attention. In the 2022-23 year, 60 out of every 100 undergraduate students received a federal student loan. That is high compared with similar schools: it is among those with the largest shares of students taking out loans. Among borrowers, each received an average of $6,284 that year.

Financing an education with debt is common here, not the exception. If your child borrows a similar amount each year during the program’s typical four years, the total comes to about $25,136, not counting interest. And that calculation should be made before the first signature, not afterward.

One clarification that protects your wallet: that average covers only federal loans in the student’s name. It does not include PLUS loans that parents sometimes sign for, debt from banks, or credit cards. Nor is it the total debt with which someone leaves upon graduating—that would require adding all the years together, and that number is not in this report. What I can tell you with certainty is this: the percentage you just read describes other families, not yours. What your child would need to borrow depends on their own financial aid letter. Wait for that letter before committing.

The institution also reports offering an installment tuition payment plan as a cost-management option.

Campus life, athletics, and available support

Penn State Fayette does not provide its own housing—neither residence halls nor apartments under its control—and does not report institutional meal plans. That does not remove those costs from your real budget; it only means you need to request the cost-of-attendance budget for off-campus housing and food directly.

As for ROTC, the school did not mark any ROTC opportunity in its 2023 report, neither the general box nor any of the three military branches. Of the 1,786 four-year institutions in this guide, 926 did mark one; this institution was not among them. If your child’s plan depends on an ROTC scholarship, do not cross it off the list without first asking admissions directly what is available today. The reported field does not capture everything that may exist in practice.

In athletics, Penn State Fayette is affiliated with the USCAA (United States Collegiate Athletic Association), not the NCAA or the NAIA. The specific question about participation in intercollegiate athletics is not applicable in the federal record, so the affiliation alone does not confirm which teams compete today. If athletics matter to your child, contact the coach directly and ask whether there is a place on the team, which division it competes in, and whether athletic scholarships are available. Request written confirmation.

As for distance education, the school does offer undergraduate distance-education courses, but in the fall count, fewer than 1 out of every 100 students took their entire course load that way. In addition, in its specific report on fully distance-education programs, Penn State Fayette indicated that it does not offer a program in which all required courses can be completed at a distance. If this is relevant to your family, confirm it in writing for the specific major.

Among the services the institution reports are combined academic and career counseling, employment services for current students, participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program, a dedicated point of contact for veterans and military families, a student veterans organization, and a published webpage for disability services. Reporting these services confirms that they exist as programs; it does not measure their quality or effectiveness for your child in particular.

Who stays and who graduates

Here we reach the numbers that carry the most weight, and I will state them directly, without softening them.

Of the full-time cohort that entered in the fall of 2022, 74 out of every 100 met the official retention criterion: they were still enrolled there or had already graduated one year later. Compared with similar schools, it falls slightly below the midpoint of the group. The rest—25 out of every 100—did not return, and the data do not distinguish between those who successfully transferred to another school and those who left their studies altogether.

Now graduation. Of 153 first-time, full-time, bachelor’s-degree-seeking students who entered in 2017, 48 had earned their degrees at this same institution six years later: 31 out of every 100. At four years, the figure was 24 out of every 100—only 7 points lower, which indicates that those who graduate here generally do not take much longer than four years. Compared with similar schools, this rate is among the lowest in the group: nine out of ten similar schools, or more, report a higher share of graduates.

It is worth looking at the complete outcomes for those 153 students because the graduation figure alone does not tell the whole story:

That last group, 65 people, is the largest and the least explained: “no longer enrolled” does not state the reason, and it may include someone who graduated after the official time limit. It is a hard truth, and there is no honest way to soften it: most of those who entered in that cohort are not shown as having earned a degree here within the time limit. This is a figure for the entire school; if your child has a specific major in mind, you need to request that information directly from the department.

Finally, the eight-year measure, which includes both full-time and part-time students: of a cohort of 258 students who entered between July 2015 and June 2016, 40 out of every 100 had earned a degree or certificate from this school by August 2023. Among Pell Grant recipients, the figure was slightly lower: 36 out of every 100. Compared with similar schools, it falls in the bottom quarter. This measure is a snapshot at one point in time; it does not measure eight continuous years of study or how much that path cost. Before committing, request written information on how long the program your child wants takes to complete, how its required courses are scheduled, and how the total cost changes if the path takes longer.

Putting the pieces together

Penn State Fayette is a small campus within a large system, with accessible admissions, relatively high tuition for its category, heavy reliance on student loans, and graduation rates that are on the low side compared with similar schools. None of those facts, on its own, determines whether it is the right school for your child. Together, they form a clear picture of what type of institution it is and which specific questions are worth asking before signing anything.

What you now know is one real piece: what this university is, according to its own official data. You still need to combine it with what your child wants to study and what they have already built, and with what your family can and is willing to pay. A real plan comes from those three pieces together—not from just one. This piece does not decide for you. It gives you what you need to decide.

Note on sources: The information in this article comes from official data reported by the institution to the U.S. Department of Education’s IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System), primarily from the 2022-23 and 2023-24 cycles. Best College Aid does not represent Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Fayette or the United States government; this article organizes and explains public data and does not constitute personalized admissions advice.