Engineering at Penn State University
Penn State University awarded 1,620 bachelor's degrees in engineering in 2023, 14.8% of its 10,914 graduates, which makes it the second most common field of study at the school. Nationally, 5.94% of bachelor's degrees are in this field, so it is far more concentrated at Penn State University (2.5x the national share). 26% of those graduates were women.
Is engineering competitive at Penn State University?
Colleges report one admission rate for the whole school; here is the bar you are actually measured against, and how the model treats this major.
Penn State University admitted 46,605 of 85,956 applicants for fall 2023 (55%), and the middle 50% of admitted students scored 1240 to 1420 on the SAT. Colleges report admissions at the school level, not by major, so there is no published acceptance rate for engineering at Penn State University. CollegeCalcAI's published model treats "Engineering" as more competitive than Penn State University's overall rate (multiplier 0.92 on the effective admit rate), so an applicant declaring this field is scored against a slightly higher bar.
How to apply to Penn State University for engineering
What readers look for from applicants who declare this field, at any selectivity.
- Physics and calculus, ideally both at the highest level offered
- Evidence of making things: robotics, engineering clubs, a build you can describe
- A clear reason for engineering in the essay, not just strong STEM grades
- Run your odds with the major set: your estimate at Penn State University for engineering →
Field guide: how admissions works for this major across schools.
Where else to study engineering
Other colleges in Pennsylvania and at a similar selectivity that award bachelor's degrees in this field.
Every college ranked by engineering graduates: colleges that graduate the most engineering majors → · Engineering colleges in Pennsylvania →
More majors at Penn State University
The other fields Penn State University graduates the most students in, 2023.
Questions about engineering at Penn State University
How many students major in engineering at Penn State University?
1,620 students earned a bachelor's degree in engineering at Penn State University in 2023, 14.8% of that year's 10,914 graduates (IPEDS completions, first majors).
Is engineering competitive at Penn State University?
Penn State University admitted 46,605 of 85,956 applicants for fall 2023 (55%), and the middle 50% of admitted students scored 1240 to 1420 on the SAT. Colleges report admissions at the school level, not by major, so there is no published acceptance rate for engineering at Penn State University. CollegeCalcAI's published model treats "Engineering" as more competitive than Penn State University's overall rate (multiplier 0.92 on the effective admit rate), so an applicant declaring this field is scored against a slightly higher bar.
What is the acceptance rate for engineering at Penn State University?
There is no official major-level acceptance rate; Penn State University reports one school-wide figure, 55%. Some programs (direct-admit nursing, engineering and business schools) select separately and can be more selective than the school overall. CollegeCalcAI's calculator applies its published per-major adjustment and shows your estimate for this school with the major set.
Is Penn State University known for engineering?
By output, engineering is the second most common field at Penn State University and far more concentrated there than at the average U.S. college (14.8% of graduates versus 5.94% nationally).
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 Completions (bachelor's degrees, first majors, CIP 2-digit series). Admissions counts: IPEDS 2023. Built 2026-09-19. Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are not predictions or guarantees.