Bachelor's · Altoona, Pennsylvania

Is Biological and Physical Sciences at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona worth it?

High confidence High confidence: 100+ graduates behind the earnings figures.

The verdict · all families, in-state, half paid with loans

Pays back in time: graduates typically recover the cost in about 4.8 years.

Earnings 1 year after graduating: $43,809; Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Earnings 4 years after graduating: $74,224; Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Typical federal debt at graduation: $23,601; NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
Net cost to graduate, all families: $92k (likely $92k – $121k); AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
Earnings bump, year 4: $35k a year vs high-school graduates aged 25–34 in PA; 2023 ACS 5-year pooled, adjusted to 2024 dollars
Payback: 4.8 years (likely 4.1–5.7); Bump vs net cost plus loan interest
10-year net return: $45k (likely −$35k – $113k); Today's dollars
20-year net return: $476k (likely $318k – $644k); Today's dollars
Odds of finishing (school-wide): 16%; Fall 2019 or AcadYr 2019-20 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
Borrowers making progress / in default, 2 years in: not reported / ≤ 5%; NSLDS AY2016-17, AY2017-18 pooled cohorts measured in 2018-19, 2019-20

Change income, residency or loans Compare Biological and Physical Sciences at other schools

🔭 Getting ready in high school

Students heading toward math & physical science majors like this one often take these classes. Every school offers a different mix, so check with your counselor.

AP classes

AP Calculus BC
AP Statistics
AP Physics C: Mechanics
AP Chemistry

IB Higher Level

Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches HL
Physics HL or Chemistry HL

Build my roadmap 🗺️ Middle school to career, plus high schools near you that offer these classes.