Penn State Behrend is part of a public university that’s committed to affordability. That means our tuition is considerably lower than the tuition of most private institutions. 

The chart below shows estimated direct costs for a full-time first- or second-year student during the 2023-24 academic year. Final tuition and fees for each coming academic year are determined by the Board of Trustees each July. For more scenarios and to review all elements of attendance cost, use the College Cost Calculator.

What Will It Cost to Attend Penn State Behrend?

  Pennsylvania Resident Non-Pennsylvania Resident
Tuition and Fees $15,944 $26,668
Housing and Food $13,170 $13,170
Average Total Costs $29,114 $39,838

Tuition, fees, housing, and food are billed by semester. Housing and food rates may vary depending on the type of room and meal plan chosen.

 

There are a variety of options to help fund your education. Contact our Financial Aid office to walk through those options. 

You can also visit Penn State's Office of Student Aid for more information on costs and financing strategies.

The Behrend Advantage: Lower Cost, Higher Value

Some schools use tuition discounting to try to match Penn State Behrend's lower tuition. They may refer to this effort to reduce their tuition as a scholarship. The chart below shows one possible cost comparison between Penn State Behrend and a typical private school in the region. You'll note that Penn State Behrend remains the more affordable option even after tuition discounting by the sample private school.

A Cost Comparison: One Example

  Penn State Behrend Typical Regional Private School
Tuition and Fees/Housing and Food $29,114 $49,700
Tuition Discount   -$14,000
Financial Aid: Scholarship -$4,000 -$3,000
Financial Aid: Federal/State Grants -$7,500 -$7,500
Federal Stafford Loan -$5,500 -$5,500
Annual Out-of-Pocket Costs $12,114 $19,700

This comparison illustrates one possible scenario. Your actual package may differ based on your specific financial need and level of merit-based aid. Rates for Penn State Behrend represent in-state tuition.

A Value Proposition

In addition to the lower base tuition, consider these benefits of Penn State Behrend:

  • The Power of Penn State: Behrend students earn degrees from a University ranked in the top 100 worldwide, according to 2024 QS World University rankings. As graduates, they become part of one of the country's largest alumni networks. Penn State is a name that opens doors—anywhere you go.
  • Time to Graduation: The single biggest factor in managing the cost of your education is managing the time it takes to complete it. Penn State focuses on sustained advising to help students stay on track to graduate on time.
  • Behrend Is a Best Value: Penn State Behrend is in the top 10 percent of all colleges and universities in Pennsylvania for greatest return on investment and best value, measured by the cost of attendance against the median salary of graduates, according to Payscale.com (2022) and SmartAsset.com (2019).