Pennsylvania State University-World Campus

Public · Moderately Selective · PA

School data & stats

TypePublic

LocationPA · Northeast

SettingUrban

Undergrads7,877

Student:faculty16:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate19.7%

6-yr grad rate34.2%

Drop-out rate34.2%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$15k

Out-of-state tuition$15k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity37.3%

Gender diversity52.4%

International2.7%

Identity—

Overview

Penn State World Campus is the university's fully online division, delivering Penn State degrees to students anywhere rather than through a physical campus. It exists to extend the Penn State name and faculty to adult learners, military members, and working students who need a degree that fits around existing obligations rather than a residential college experience.

Academics

Business, information technology, and a range of engineering-adjacent and applied fields are core offerings, taught by Penn State faculty and built to the same academic standards as the university's residential campuses. The diploma does not distinguish World Campus from the main University Park campus, which is part of its appeal for students seeking the Penn State name without relocating.

Getting in

Since there is no residential experience to build a class around, admission emphasizes readiness for self-directed, largely asynchronous coursework more than the kind of holistic review a residential campus might apply.

Worth knowing

World Campus is best suited to students who are self-motivated and comfortable without the built-in structure of a physical campus, classmates, or in-person faculty contact; military-connected students and working adults completing a degree around a job make up a large share of the population, and there is no campus life, athletics, or residential tradition to speak of.

worldcampus.psu.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate91.1%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 1090–1335 · ACT 26–32

Test policyoptional

Rec letters—

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

AdmissionRolling

Applying