Can I Afford College?

Our State System universities are among the lowest in tuition of all four-year colleges and universities in the Commonwealth.

Almost 80 percent of State System students receive some form of financial aid, usually in a combination of grants/scholarships, loans, and work-study jobs. Without this aid, many students simply could not afford an education.

Each university’s financial aid office is ready to help you navigate through the various options for funding your education.

How much will you pay to attend a State System university?

That depends on a number of variables, such as:

• which university you choose to attend,
• whether or not you are a Pennsylvania resident,
• whether you live at home, on campus, or off-campus,
• your eligibility for financial aid.   

University charges are generally broken down into tuition, fees, and housing and meal plans for students living on campus. In addition, students incur other costs in order to attend college such as books and supplies, transportation expenses and other miscellaneous expenses. To determine the amount of financial aid you may be eligible to receive, all of these costs are added together to determine your “Cost of Attendance” (COA). This is the total estimated amount you will need to complete one year of college.  

With the exception of one university that charges tuition on a per-credit basis, all State System universities charge the same tuition rate to Pennsylvania residents. However tuition for out-of-state students varies by university. In addition, each university establishes its own mandatory fees charged to all students and offer a variety of housing and meal plan packages.