Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks
A good fit for students who want accessible admissions and students who want small classes and close faculty access. graduation rate is below 40%. solid earnings of $57,200 within 10 years.
About This School
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks is a public institution located in Reading, Pennsylvania with approximately 1,872 undergraduate students enrolled. Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks has an open or accessible admissions process, with an acceptance rate of 99%. The average net price after financial aid is $24,356 per year. The graduation rate is 32%, and the typical graduate earns $57,200 within 10 years of enrollment.
Penn State Berks is a commonwealth campus of Pennsylvania State University located in Spring Township in Berks County, Pennsylvania.
This campus is a good fit for students who want the Penn State name and resources but need an affordable, smaller entry point — particularly those who may be the first in their family to attend college or who aren't quite ready for the social and academic intensity of University Park. The Penn State brand carries real weight with employers, and a median salary of $57,200 ten years out suggests graduates do find their footing professionally. That said, the 32% graduation rate is a serious red flag that deserves an honest conversation — only about 1 in 3 students who start here actually finish, which means this school works well for some students but not most, and you should ask hard questions about what kind of academic and personal support you'll need to be one of the ones who makes it through. The net price of $24,356 per year is manageable relative to earnings, and median debt of $25,000 at graduation is reasonable, but those numbers only look good if you actually graduate. My honest advice: if Penn State Berks is your path to transferring to University Park or a practical local option with family nearby, it can absolutely work — but go in with a clear plan, connect with an advisor in your first semester, and don't assume the near-universal acceptance rate means success is guaranteed.
Popular Programs
Percentage of degrees awarded. Source: College Scorecard.
Admissions
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Cost & Financial Aid
Net Price by Family Income
Average annual cost after grants/scholarships, by household income. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Financial Aid
Full Cost
After Graduation
Earnings 6 Years After Enrollment, by Gender
Gap: 17% less for female graduates. National avg ~16%.
What Each Major Actually Earns
Median earnings four years after graduation, by major, next to the national median for that same major at every college. The school-wide average hides this: at most schools the spread between the best- and worst-paying majors is far wider than the gap between schools.
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks graduates earn most above the national rate in Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness ($67,399 vs $54,562 nationally), and most below it in Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions ($51,635 vs $55,792).
| Major | Grads | Here | National | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business/Commerce, General | 48 | $65,292 | $68,407 | −$3,115 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 42 | $87,997 | $92,135 | −$4,138 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 29 | $88,192 | $76,194 | +$11,998 |
| Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians | 26 | $81,835 | $84,304 | −$2,469 |
| Psychology, General | 24 | $49,543 | $50,706 | −$1,163 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 21 | $77,336 | $65,466 | +$11,870 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 20 | $67,399 | $54,562 | +$12,837 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 20 | $53,362 | $47,382 | +$5,980 |
| Biology, General | 19 | $64,910 | $57,214 | +$7,696 |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | 16 | $51,635 | $55,792 | −$4,157 |
| Biological and Physical Sciences | 14 | $69,102 | $58,891 | +$10,211 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 13 | $56,877 | $55,378 | +$1,499 |
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study data. Median earnings of graduates working and not enrolled four years after completing a bachelor's degreehere. Majors with too few graduates to report are omitted for privacy, so this is not the school's full program list.
Will This School Pay Off?
Solid return. Earnings outpace debt, though major choice matters.
Earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. These are means across all graduates, not specific to any major.
Student Body
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (1,872 undergraduates).
Contact & Location
Address
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks
Tulpehocken Road
Reading, PA 19610-1016
Official Links
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See How Colleges Compare
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks is one of thousands of colleges in our data studies, each built from the same U.S. Department of Education data shown on this page. Compare schools head to head:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the acceptance rate at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks?
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks has an acceptance rate of 99%, based on the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Education.
Is Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks hard to get into?
Not especially. Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks has an acceptance rate of 99%, so admissions are relatively accessible for applicants who meet the requirements.
How much does Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks cost?
The average net price at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks is about $24,356 per year after grants and scholarships, based on federal data. Your actual cost depends on your family's finances and aid package.
What is the graduation rate at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks?
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks has a graduation rate of 32%, according to U.S. Department of Education data.
Sources & Methodology
Primary data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Accessed via automated sync. Latest values may come from different reporting years depending on the metric.
School overview from Wikipedia. Used for context only, not as a primary data source for admissions, cost, or outcomes claims.
- Earnings figures are institution-level averages, not major-specific.
- Some metrics are based on Title IV financial aid recipients only.
- Some values may be privacy-suppressed or rolled up by the Department of Education.
- Contact the school directly for current admissions requirements and costs.
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