DuBois, PApublicdubois.psu.edu
Admit rate has held near 92% across the last 2 years. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
Penn State DuBois is the definition of an accessible, community-focused branch campus—with a 97% acceptance rate and a tight-knit student body that logs over 10,000 annual volunteer hours. While it shares the Penn State brand, this rural Pennsylvania outpost carves its own niche with hands-on associate and bachelor's degrees in fields like criminal justice and engineering, plus a scrappy athletic program competing in the USCAA.
Test-optional — scores considered if submitted
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
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Outcomes & value
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Campus & location
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Penn State DuBois is one of the most accessible gateways into the Penn State system, with an Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants. hovering around 97%—a stark contrast to the University Park campus' 55% selectivity. The middle 50% of admitted students report SAT scores between 990-1210 or ACT scores of 19-25, though standardized tests are considered but not required. High school GPA is a mandatory factor, with the campus emphasizing accessibility for local and First-generation (first-gen)A student who would be the first in their immediate family to earn a four-year college degree. Many colleges consider this in context. students. Notably, only 22% of enrollees submitted SAT scores, suggesting a Test-optionalA policy where you choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores. If you don't, the rest of your application carries more weight. culture.
This campus offers a focused slate of , with standouts including:
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings). Figures cover graduates who received federal aid and lag ~2 years; not all programs report data.
Small class sizes and faculty dedication are recurring themes, with programs designed to feed into local industries or facilitate transfers to University Park. A unique perk: students can complete select four-year degrees entirely at this branch campus, avoiding the scramble for limited spots at flagship programs.
Life here revolves around community engagement—students collectively contribute over 10,000 volunteer hours annually, from local projects to national initiatives. The campus fosters camaraderie through:
With no on-campus housing, most students commute from the surrounding rural area, creating a commuter-school vibe heavy on regional ties.
Six years post-graduation, alumni typically earn between $24,800 and $58,300—reflective of the campus’ mix of vocational and transfer-oriented paths. While institution-specific graduation rates aren’t published, the Penn State system boasts a 72% four-year graduation rate at University Park, suggesting that many DuBois students who transfer upward benefit from this pipeline. The 34% graduation rate cited by Niche likely reflects the high share of associate-degree seekers and transfers.
With an average net price of $17,880-$18,960 after aid, Penn State DuBois undercuts many regional options. Key financial aspects:
This affordability makes it a pragmatic choice for students aiming to minimize debt before potentially transferring within the Penn State system.
Penn State DuBois is unapologetically regional—a place where students can earn a Penn State degree without leaving rural Pennsylvania, often while living at home. Its near-open admissions policy and strong vocational programs (like Wildlife Technology) cater to place-bound learners, while the option to transition to University Park maintains upward mobility. The campus punches above its weight in community impact, with student volunteerism woven into its identity. For those seeking big-school resources with small-town accessibility, it’s a pragmatic launchpad.