An economic impact study released Nov. 30, 2004, positions Penn State as the single largest contributor to Pennsylvania's economy—an engine of 24 campuses generating $6.14 billion annually in direct net economic impact to the commonwealth. The University's agricultural research brings $84.2 million into the commonwealth each year, and discoveries made by Penn State and assistance offered through its cooperative extension offices located in all 67 counties directly enhances the productivity of the state's farming operations.
Penn State is the state's largest non-governmental employer—with more than 35,000 full- and part-time employees in 2003. Combined with the number of jobs that indirectly support the University, Penn State is responsible for the employment of an estimated 60,000 people in Pennsylvania.
State College is the ninth-best "smaller metro" area in which to start a career or business, according to a ranking in a May 2004 edition of Forbes magazine.
Penn State students organize and run THON—the Penn State Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon—the largest student-run philanthropy in the world. In 2008, Thon raised $6.6 million to help fight pediatric cancer.
Penn State is helping to protect the nation through biosecurity education and research. In fact, Penn State was the first university to offer a course in agricultural biosecurity.
Named one of the nation’s best colleges and universities by the American public in a recent Gallup Poll.
Penn State has one of the 20 largest academic research libraries in the nation, open for public use.
Penn State is a leader in developing Internet2, the new super fast national computer network that will be 10 times faster than the current Internet.
Penn State was one of the first public universities in the nation to admit women and today, it is one of the country’s top five schools for the number of bachelor’s degrees awarded to women.
Penn State has conferred more than 612,000 degrees since its founding in 1855.
One out of every 9 Pennsylvanians who hold baccalaureate degrees is a graduate of Penn State.
One out of every 127 people who hold baccalaureate degrees in the United States is a graduate of Penn State.
Penn State serves nearly 41,000 children through its youth camps held annually each summer.
