Penn State University: A Student Body Of Thousands

The Pennsylvania State University, also known as Penn State or PSU, is a public state-related land-grant research university with campuses and facilities throughout Pennsylvania. It is one of the largest public universities in the United States, with a total student enrollment of over 87,000 as of 2024.

Penn State's total student population in 2023

The Pennsylvania State University, also known as Penn State or PSU, is a public state-related land-grant research university with campuses and facilities across Pennsylvania. In 2023, Penn State's overall enrollment remained strong, with a total of 87,903 students. This number includes 16,239 first-year undergraduate students and a total undergraduate enrollment of 42,223. The gender distribution among undergraduate students is 52.6% male and 46.6% female, with 35% living in college-affiliated housing and the remaining 65% living off-campus.

Penn State's total enrollment for 2023 reflects a slight decrease of 0.2% from the previous year. Despite this, the university continues to witness a rise in the enrollment of residential underrepresented students for the fifth consecutive year. The percentage of students from underrepresented backgrounds has increased over the last five years, comprising 15.3% of the university-wide student body in fall 2023.

The university's primary campus, Penn State University Park, is located in State College and College Township. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 42,223 and a graduate enrollment of 6,912, amounting to a student population of 49,135. The University Park campus is the largest and most selective in the Penn State system, with an acceptance rate of 49%.

In addition to its main campus, Penn State maintains 19 commonwealth campuses and five special mission campuses across Pennsylvania. These campuses offer unique degree programs based on student demographics, providing a diverse range of educational opportunities for its students.

Undergraduate vs graduate student numbers

The Pennsylvania State University, also known as Penn State or PSU, is a public state-related land-grant research university with campuses and facilities throughout Pennsylvania. It is one of the largest public universities in the United States.

For the fall 2023 semester, Penn State University Park had a total undergraduate enrollment of 42,223 and a total graduate enrollment of 6,912. This is a significant difference, with the number of undergraduates being much higher than that of graduates.

In fall 2018, Penn State University Park enrolled 40,363 undergraduate students and 5,907 graduate students. This data shows a consistent trend of higher undergraduate enrollment over the years.

In 2023, Penn State's overall enrollment remained strong, with a total of 87,903 students across all campuses. This number includes both undergraduate and graduate students, with undergraduate students making up the majority.

Penn State has seen fluctuations in enrollment over the years, including during the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath. Despite these changes, the university continues to attract a large number of students, with a strong enrollment in both undergraduate and graduate programs.

The university's commitment to providing access to education, its diverse academic offerings, and its strong alumni network contribute to its appeal for prospective students. With a range of campuses and a focus on student success, Penn State maintains a high enrollment, making it one of the largest universities in the country.

University Park's student population

The Pennsylvania State University, also known as Penn State University Park or PSU, is the university's primary campus. It is located in State College and College Township, in central Pennsylvania. With an undergraduate acceptance rate of 49%, it is the most selective campus in the Penn State system.

The University Park campus had a total student population of 48,535 in Fall 2023, a 0.7% increase from the previous year. This includes 42,223 undergraduate students and 6,912 graduate students. The gender distribution of the undergraduate population is 52.6% male and 46.6% female, with 35% of students living in college-affiliated housing and 65% living off-campus.

The campus covers 5,617 acres and is located 70 miles northwest of Harrisburg. It is centrally located at the junction of Interstate 99/U.S. Route 220 and U.S. Route 322. The University Park campus is home to 14 distinct colleges, including the graduate school and the division of undergraduate studies.

Penn State University Park is one of the largest public universities in the United States, with a total student population across all campuses of 87,995 in Fall 2024.

Commonwealth Campuses' student numbers

The Pennsylvania State University is a large, geographically dispersed university with campuses located throughout Pennsylvania. The administrative hub is located at its flagship campus, University Park, but there are 19 additional commonwealth campuses that together enroll 37% of Penn State's undergraduate student population.

In 2022, the Commonwealth Campuses saw a 2.6% decline in enrollment, with a total of 24,109 students enrolled for in-person instruction. This figure represents a decrease of 648 students from the previous year.

In 2023, the Commonwealth Campuses experienced a slight decrease of 0.8% (231 students) in overall enrollment, with a total of 28,558 students enrolled in residential and online programs. This reflects a positive movement against a trend of steeper declines at the University's Commonwealth Campuses in recent years.

For 2024, the Commonwealth Campuses saw a small decline in resident instruction enrollment, with a decrease of 471 students, or 2%. This brings the total number of enrolled students across all 20 Commonwealth Campuses to 28,087. This figure includes both residential and online programs.

The Commonwealth Campuses play an integral role in advancing Penn State's mission, particularly in serving Pennsylvania residents. Nearly half of all first-year undergraduate students begin their Penn State educational journey at a Commonwealth Campus, and 80% of Commonwealth Campus students are Pennsylvania residents.

The University has been developing strategies to address long-term enrollment decreases at the Commonwealth Campuses, which have declined by about 24% over the last 10 years. Despite these efforts, some individual campuses continue to face unique challenges and steady enrollment declines.

Student demographics

The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, had a total of 42,223 undergraduate students enrolled in the fall of 2023, with a gender distribution of 52.6% male and 46.6% female. The overall student population across all campuses in fall 2024 was 87,995, with 58% of students being Pennsylvania residents. The racial makeup of the Penn State system, including all campuses and special-mission colleges, as of May 2, 2022, was 75.4% White, 5.5% Black, 4.3% Asian, 4.4% Hispanic, 0.2% Native American, 0.1% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, 1.7% two or more races, 5.8% international students, and 3.1% of unknown race.

The University Park campus has a higher proportion of male students, with 53% male and 47% female students enrolled in degree programs. 35% of students live in college-affiliated housing, while 65% live off-campus. The freshman retention rate is 92%, with 85% of students going on to graduate within six years.

Penn State has a large Greek system, with approximately 12% of the University Park population affiliated. The University Park campus also offers seven housing complexes: East Halls, North Halls, Pollock Halls, South Halls, West Halls, Eastview Terrace, and Nittany Apartments.

In terms of athletics, 20% of women and 17% of men participate. The university's teams compete in the Big Ten Conference in Division I of the NCAA and are known as the Penn State Nittany Lions.

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