More selective than 22% of Pennsylvania colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $26,916. College Scorecard.
Higher than 32% of Pennsylvania colleges we cover and 46% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 13% of Pennsylvania colleges we cover and 32% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Pennsylvania Western University acceptance rate & admissions
Of 6,189 applicants, Pennsylvania Western University admitted 5,796 and 1,617 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 940–1140 on the SAT or 17–25 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Pennsylvania Western University 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)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
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 Western University costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Pennsylvania Western University took 4.3 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 income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $13,944 | $59,820 | 5.2 years |
| $30–48k | $14,171 | $60,794 | 5.3 years |
| $48–75k | $16,517 | $70,858 | 6.2 years |
| $75–110k | $20,633 | $88,516 | 7.7 years |
| $110k+ | $23,272 | $99,837 | 8.7 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (40% 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 ($47,295) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in PA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $11,498 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.
Pennsylvania Western University majors, earnings & careers
Pennsylvania Western University offers 73 bachelor's majors across 10 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Science & Math · 13
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 13
- Business & Finance · 10
- Health & Medicine · 9
- Humanities & Languages · 8
- Arts & Design · 5
- Engineering · 5
- Education · 4
- Communications & Media · 3
- Technology & Computing · 3
Highest-earning majors at Pennsylvania Western University
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Health Sciences | $83,194 | — |
| Nursing | $82,099 | $35,187 |
| Industrial Production Technologies / Technicians | $77,401 | — |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $73,164 | $27,660 |
| Systems Science and Theory | $70,820 | — |
| Information Science / Studies | $70,608 | — |
| Finance | $68,289 | — |
| Chemistry | $65,224 | — |
Quick list of all 73 majors
- Accounting$63,781
- Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech)$60,617
- Anthropology—
- Arts and Entertainment Management—
- Biochemistry—
- Biological and Physical Sciences$45,272
- Biology$53,619
- Biology / Biotechnology Technologies / Technicians—
- Business—
- Business Administration$55,515
- Business Economics—
- Chemistry$65,224
- Communications$48,116
- Computer and Information Sciences$73,164
- Computer Engineering Technologies / Technicians—
- Computer Science—
- Criminal Justice$49,817
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology—
- Economics—
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$47,295
- Education (Subject Teaching)—
- Electrical / Electronic Engineering Technologies / Technicians—
- Engineering Technologies / Technicians—
- English$37,813
- Environmental Science / Conservation$50,722
- Finance$68,289
- Geography$49,517
- Geology / Earth Science$57,549
- Gerontology—
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design$40,854
- Health Sciences$83,194
- History$37,579
- Human Resources$57,354
- Industrial Production Technologies / Technicians$77,401
- Information Science / Studies$70,608
- International Business—
- Journalism$45,264
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$47,468
- Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies—
- Legal Support Services—
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$44,180
- Library Science and Administration—
- Linguistics—
- Marketing$59,703
- Mathematics$51,498
- Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering—
- Medical Laboratory Science$64,092
- Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions$42,837
- Middle / Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics—
- Music$41,546
- Nursing$82,099
- Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management—
- Philosophy—
- Physics—
- Political Science$57,724
- Psychology$45,903
- Psychology (Research)$45,300
- Public Relations and Advertising—
- Real Estate—
- Rehabilitation / Therapy Sciences—
- Social Sciences$42,582
- Social Sciences, Other—
- Social Work$45,436
- Sociology$42,662
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Special Education$48,497
- Speech-Language Pathology / Communication Disorders$56,316
- Statistics—
- Studio Art$37,684
- Systems Science and Theory$70,820
- Theatre—
- Veterinary / Animal Health Technologies / Technicians—
- Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management—
— 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 Administration → Management analyst
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
Nursing → Registered nurse
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 5.6% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Pittsburgh
Overall prices in the Pittsburgh, PA area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,389. Housing costs 28% below the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 41 inches of rain a year, 10 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
No hazard rated high.
FEMA National Risk Index, Washington County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Washington County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare Pennsylvania Western University with similar schools
Similar public colleges in Pennsylvania by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania Western University | 94% | $18,256 | 52% | $47,295 | This school |
| Indiana University of Pennsylvania | 91% | $16,804 | 56% | $51,019 | |
| Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | 91% | $21,331 | 54% | $53,775 | |
| Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania | 93% | $15,699 | 54% | $52,416 | |
| Millersville University of Pennsylvania | 86% | $20,787 | 58% | $55,246 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Pennsylvania Western University would cost you $1,452 more per year than Indiana University of Pennsylvania, on average.
- Higher sticker price at Pennsylvania Western University, mostly from a higher estimate for personal & travel costs (+$1,400).
- Indiana University of Pennsylvania gives aided families $1,434 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Pennsylvania resident | Pennsylvania Western University | Indiana University of Pennsylvania | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $11,436 | $11,380 | +$56 |
| Books & supplies | $1,240 | $1,100 | +$140 |
| Housing & meals | $13,200 | $12,802 | +$398 |
| Personal & travel | $3,480 | $2,080 | +$1,400 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$2,440 | −$464 | −$1,976 |
| Sticker price | $26,916 | $26,898 | +$18 |
| Average grants | −$8,660 | −$10,094 | +$1,434 |
| You pay | $18,256 | $16,804 | +$1,452 |
“+” means Pennsylvania Western University 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 Western University
What is the Pennsylvania Western University acceptance rate?
Pennsylvania Western University accepts 94% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 5,796 of 6,189 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 940–1140 on the SAT or 17–25 on the ACT.
How much does Pennsylvania Western University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $26,916 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $18,256 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $13,944 and families earning $110k+ pay $23,272.
How much do Pennsylvania Western University graduates earn?
Former Pennsylvania Western University students earn a median $47,295 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Pennsylvania Western University graduation rate?
52% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 72% return for their second year.
How long does a Pennsylvania Western University degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Pennsylvania Western University costs about $70,858 after grants ($16,517 a year for 4.3 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $47,295 ten years after starting, $11,498 more than high school graduates in Pennsylvania ($35,797), so the cost is repaid in 6.2 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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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 Western University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/pennsylvania-western-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).