Penn State Behrend Admissions

SAT Scores, Acceptance Rate, Financial Aid & More

Lilley Library at Penn State Behrend
Lilley Library at Penn State Behrend. Melissa / Flickr
by Allen Grove
Dr. Allen Grove is an Alfred University English professor and a college admissions expert with 20 years of experience helping students transition to college.
Updated November 02, 2017

Penn State Behrend Admissions Overview:

With an 88% acceptance rate, Penn State Behrend is an accessible school. Students with good grades and test scores are likely to be admitted. Along with an application, prospective students will need to send in high school transcripts and scores from the SAT or ACT. If you have any questions about applying, be sure to contact the admissions office at Penn State.

Admissions Data (2016):

  • Penn State Behrend Acceptance Rate: 88%
  • Test Scores -- 25th / 75th Percentile

Penn State Behrend Description:

Penn State Behrend is located on an 854-acre campus, giving it one of the largest campuses in the entire Penn State system. Outdoor lovers will appreciate the campus's numerous walking and hiking paths as well as its status as an arboretum through the American Public Gardens Association. Located in Erie, Pennsylvania, the university is less than two hours from Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Buffalo. Students come from 44 states and 37 countries. Penn State Behrend has broad academic offerings in the humanities, sciences, and professional fields such as nursing and engineering.

Biology and business fields are among the most popular with undergraduates. Academics are supported by a 16 to 1 student / faculty ratio, and the university takes pride in having the resources and breadth of a major research university, but the intimacy of a student-centered college. Penn State Behrend is a residential campus with active campus life--students can choose from well over 100 student clubs and organizations including a fraternity and sorority system.

On the athletic front, the Behrend Lions compete in the NCAA Division III Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference. The university fields ten men's and ten women's intercollegiate varsity sports. Students can also participate in five intercollegiate club sports and a wide range of intramural sports. 

Enrollment (2016):

  • Total Enrollment: 4,566 (4,420 undergraduates)
  • Gender Breakdown: 66% Male / 34% Female
  • 95% Full-time

Costs (2016 - 17):

  • Tuition and Fees: $14,828 (in-state); $22,834 (out-of-state)
  • Books: $1,840 (why so much?)
  • Room and Board: $11,230
  • Other Expenses: $4,788
  • Total Cost: $32,686 (in-state); $40,692 (out-of-state)

Penn State Behrend Financial Aid (2015 - 16):

  • Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 79%
  • Percentage of New Students Receiving Types of Aid
    • Grants: 57%
    • Loans: 67%
  • Average Amount of Aid
    • Grants: $7,794
    • Loans: $8,946

Academic Programs:

  • Most Popular Majors: Accounting, Biology, Business Administration, Finance, Management Information Systems, Marketing, Mechanical Engineering, Nursing, Plastics Engineering Technology, Psychology

Graduation and Retention Rates:

  • First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 85%
  • 4-Year Graduation Rate: 43%
  • 6-Year Graduation Rate: 63%

Intercollegiate Athletic Programs:

  • Men's Sports: Swimming, Volleyball, Water Polo, Golf, Soccer, Basketball, Baseball
  • Women's Sports: Softball, Tennis, Soccer, Golf, Water Polo, Cross Country, Basketball

Data Source:

National Center for Educational Statistics

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