Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine is a less selective public university in Media, Pennsylvania. It admits most applicants, graduates 26% of its students within six years, and its former students earn a median $63,435 ten years after starting college, more than 54% of the Pennsylvania colleges we cover.

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Yearly household income. Saved on this device only. No account needed.

Acceptance rate
98%

More selective than 4% of Pennsylvania colleges we cover.

College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class

What your family pays
$22,585 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $31,088. College Scorecard.

Graduation rate
26%

Higher than 9% of Pennsylvania colleges we cover and 9% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.

Within 6 years · College Scorecard

Earnings after college
$63,435

Higher than 54% of Pennsylvania colleges we cover and 77% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.

Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine acceptance rate & admissions

Of 2,461 applicants, Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine admitted 2,346 and 442 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1080–1310 on the SAT.

2,461
Applied
2,346
Admitted
442
Enrolled

IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class

SAT total, middle 50% of first-years1080–1310
First-years who sent SAT scores30%
First-year students who return73%
Pell Grant recipients34%
First-generation students29%
Women / men37% / 63%

Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine tuition, cost & net price

What families actually pay per year, by income

Average net price after grants and scholarships for Pennsylvania residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.

College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, federal aid recipients)

Sticker price (before aid)

Tuition & fees, in-state$15,208
Tuition & fees, out-of-state$25,392
Housing & meals, on campus$13,820
Books & supplies$1,840
Total cost of attendance, in-state$31,088

IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard

Median debt at graduation$19,500

College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal

Full cost breakdown, in-state vs out-of-state →

State aid: Pennsylvania residents with financial need may receive a PA State Grant: up to $6,000 a year in 2026-27 at approved colleges, depending on need and the college. Not included in the prices above. Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA), PA State Grant

What Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine costs to finish, and how fast it pays back

Graduates of Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine took 4.5 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in Pennsylvania. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.

Family incomeNet price / yrCost to finishYears to pay back
$0–30k$15,904$71,4092.6 years
$30–48k$16,580$74,4442.7 years
$48–75k$21,157$94,9953.4 years
$75–110k$25,067$112,5514.1 years
$110k+$29,031$130,3494.7 years

Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.5 years, the average time graduates took (12% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($63,435) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in PA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $27,638 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method

College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.

Best-value colleges in Pennsylvania for your income →

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine majors, earnings & careers

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine offers 16 bachelor's majors across 7 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.

  • Engineering · 3
  • Humanities & Languages · 3
  • Business & Finance · 2
  • Communications & Media · 2
  • Science & Math · 2
  • Social Sciences & Public Service · 2
  • Technology & Computing · 2

Highest-earning majors at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine

MajorEarnings, 4 yrsMedian debt
Computer and Information Sciences$120,729$26,000
Computer Engineering$112,269$26,708
Information Science / Studies$91,671$26,000
Engineering$88,063$27,000
Civil Engineering$81,403$26,838
Public Relations and Advertising$76,246$24,693
Management Science / Analytics$73,308$26,000
Business$65,292$27,000
Quick list of all 16 majors
  • Agriculture / Veterinary Preparatory Programs$47,620
  • Area Studies—
  • Biology$64,910
  • Business$65,292
  • Civil Engineering$81,403
  • Communications$55,505
  • Computer and Information Sciences$120,729
  • Computer Engineering$112,269
  • Engineering$88,063
  • English$50,299
  • Human Development and Family Studies$45,943
  • Information Science / Studies$91,671
  • Liberal Arts / General Studies$58,195
  • Management Science / Analytics$73,308
  • Psychology$49,543
  • Public Relations and Advertising$76,246

— means too few graduates to report earnings.

College Scorecard field of study, latest release

All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →

Business → Management analyst

$100,920
Philadelphia
$93,830
Pennsylvania
$101,860
U.S.

Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.1% from 2025 to 2035.

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35

Civil Engineering → Civil engineer

$99,410
Philadelphia
$97,850
Pennsylvania
$100,840
U.S.

Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 6.4% from 2025 to 2035.

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35

Living in Philadelphia

Cost of living
3% above the U.S. average

Overall prices in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD area.

BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024

Off-campus rent, 1 bedroom
$1,558/mo

2 bedrooms $1,860. Housing costs 13% above the U.S. average.

HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027

Weather
43° / 89°

January and July average highs. 42 inches of rain a year, 31 inches of snow.

NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020

Natural hazard risk
Relatively Moderate

Highest: tornado (relatively high); river flooding (relatively high); heat wave (relatively high); winter weather (very high).

FEMA National Risk Index, Delaware County

Campus & students

Total enrollment (incl. graduate)1,223
First-year students from Pennsylvania74%
Next most common home statesDelaware, New Jersey, New York
Undergraduate degrees awarded, 2023-2486% bachelor's · 3% associate · 12% certificates
Student bodyWhite 48% · Black 19% · Asian 14% · Hispanic 11%International 3%

IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute

Delaware County at a glance

Population579,222
Median household income$89,546
Adults with a bachelor's degree42%
Median age39

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024

Compare Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine with similar schools

Similar public colleges in Pennsylvania by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.

SchoolAcceptanceYou'd payGraduationEarnings, 10 yrsPrice gap
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine98%$22,58526%$63,435This school
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Hazleton96%$17,59726%$63,435
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks99%$24,35632%$63,435
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Lehigh Valley97%$18,22018%$63,435
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State New Kensington95%$18,30528%$63,435

College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.

Why the price is different

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine would cost you $4,988 more per year than Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Hazleton, on average.

  • Higher sticker price at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine, mostly from higher housing & meal costs (+$1,798).
  • Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Hazleton gives aided families $3,577 more in grants, on average.
Per year, Pennsylvania residentPennsylvania State University-Penn State BrandywinePennsylvania State University-Penn State HazletonDifference
Tuition & fees$15,208$15,208$0
Books & supplies$1,840$1,840$0
Housing & meals$13,820$12,022+$1,798
Personal & travel$4,788$4,788$0
Living-at-home adjustment−$4,568−$4,181−$387
Sticker price$31,088$29,677+$1,411
Average grants−$8,503−$12,080+$3,577
You pay$22,585$17,597+$4,988

“+” means Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.

Common questions about Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine

What is the Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine acceptance rate?

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine accepts 98% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 2,346 of 2,461 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1080–1310 on the SAT.

How much does Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine cost per year?

The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $31,088 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $22,585 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $15,904 and families earning $110k+ pay $29,031.

How much do Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine graduates earn?

Former Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine students earn a median $63,435 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.

What is the Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine graduation rate?

26% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 73% return for their second year.

How long does a Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine degree take to pay off?

For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine costs about $94,995 after grants ($21,157 a year for 4.5 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $63,435 ten years after starting, $27,638 more than high school graduates in Pennsylvania ($35,797), so the cost is repaid in 3.4 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).

Is Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine the right fit for your family?

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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/pennsylvania-state-university-penn-state-brandywine (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).