Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Mont Alto

Public · Moderately Selective · PA

School data & stats

TypePublic

LocationPA · Northeast

SettingRural

Undergrads559

Student:faculty10:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate22.2%

6-yr grad rate33.7%

Drop-out rate17.1%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$14k

Out-of-state tuition$24k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity22.7%

Gender diversity59.8%

International1.1%

Identity—

Overview

Penn State Mont Alto is a small commonwealth campus in south-central Pennsylvania, at the base of South Mountain, originally established as the state's forestry school. It functions both as a stand-alone campus and as an entry point into the wider Penn State system.

Academics

Forest technology remains a distinctive program tracing back to the campus's founding purpose, alongside nursing. Most other students complete the first two years of a Penn State major here before transferring to University Park or another campus to finish the degree — a common '2+2' path within the Penn State system.

Campus & student life

The wooded, mountain-base setting is quieter and more rural than University Park, and because many students plan to transfer after two years, campus culture is smaller in scale and more transient than at a traditional four-year college.

Worth knowing

Students choosing Mont Alto as an entry point should plan around the 2+2 structure — it is a genuine, well-used pathway into a full Penn State degree, but it does mean relocating partway through college for most majors outside forest technology and nursing.

montalto.psu.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate98.2%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 980–1300

Test policyoptional

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

Regular decisionDec 1

AdmissionRolling

Applying