Why Penn State Behrend

At Penn State Behrend, you’ll find the ideal place to make friends, get involved, and enjoy life on a beautiful residential campus. With more than 4,000 undergraduate and graduate students, we’re among the largest of Penn State’s campuses—but small class sizes mean you’ll connect with award-winning faculty, and plentiful student support resources will help you learn and grow as you pursue your interests. Through Open Lab learning opportunities, you’ll get hands-on experience doing research and solving real-world problems to prepare you for your future.

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Get a Degree Locally That’s Recognized Globally

Enroll in one of our more than forty four-year degree offerings or take advantage of our 2+2 plan and begin nearly any of Penn State’s 275+ majors here before transitioning to another campus, like University Park. No matter which major matches your interest, you’ll be backed by the strength of the Penn State network, our top-ranked research enterprise, faculty experts, and more than 740,000 alumni worldwide ready to open doors to future opportunities.

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Take the next steps toward a future at Penn State Behrend. Find admission requirements, tuition and financial aid, and other information to get you ready to apply.

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You Won't Be Bored

A Vibrant Community

At Penn State Behrend, boredom is not an option—whether you live on campus in a traditional residence hall, suite, or apartment or commute from your home or a nearby off-campus apartment. With more than 140 student clubs and organizations plus intramural sports, there’s something for every student.

You can enjoy Greek life, boost your résumé with an academic club or the Behrend Honors program, give back to the community through a service organization, or embrace your leadership skills as a resident assistant. That's all in addition to NCAA Division III athletics, concerts, movie nights, and Behrend’s famous “Midnight Bingo.”

Life at Penn State Behrend

The exterior of Burke Center at Behrend

Penn State Behrend was one of the first colleges in the country to co-locate its schools of business and engineering, here in Burke Center on campus.

The exterior of the Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation Center at Penn State Behrend

Students work with industry partners on research and development projects in the Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation Center at Penn State Behrend.

Students eating a meal at a table inside Behrend’s Dobbins Dining Hall

Dobbins Dining Hall, an all-you-can-eat food court, is one of several dining options at Behrend.

A female student building a device in Behrend’s plastics lab 

Engineering students at Behrend conduct real-world research and complete a capstone project. That’s part of what regularly lands Behrend’s engineering program among the top 50 in the nation, according to U.S. News and World Report.

Students sitting at computers during a class in the Black School of Business’ finance lab

Behrend students learn in state-of-the-art facilities, including the Black School of Business finance lab in Burke Center.

A male student using a Bloomberg Terminal

Students at Behrend have access to Bloomberg Terminals, which offer a comprehensive database of market data and financial information.

Two students conducting experiments in a biology lab

School of Science majors, like all Behrend students, have the opportunity to conduct hands-on research.

A group of nine students running on a wooded trail on the Penn State Behrend campus.

Behrend’s 854-acre campus includes the massive Wintergreen Gorge with its hiking paths, bike trails, and waterfalls.

Three male students working inside a large-scale 3D scanner in Behrend’s Innovation Commons

Behrend’s Innovation Commons is a collaboration space for industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and students. Projects include a large-scale 3D scanner, which was designed and built by School of Engineering students.

The interior of Lilley Library showing stacks of books and tables for individual study

Lilley Library isn’t just a place for books—it’s also a resource for students wanting quiet study time, extra help from a peer tutor, or access to digital resources.

Sixteen students sit around a conference table for a Multi-Cultural Council meeting

Behrend students represent 40 states and 40 countries. Many students participate in activities sponsored by the Multi-Cultural Council, which advances diversity and inclusion at the college.

Three male students playing a game on an inflatable platform

There’s no time to be bored at Penn State Behrend – just consider the 140-plus student organizations, plus live entertainment options and special events like Nittany Night Out. It’s no wonder 95 percent of our graduating seniors would recommend us to friends.

A nursing student preparing to do a simulated exam on a mannequin

Nursing students at Penn State Behrend learn in nursing simulation labs featuring mannequins that produce life-like symptoms and responses.

A student walking outside of Behrend’s Ohio Hall residence building

Ohio Hall, one of eighteen on-campus residential buildings at Behrend, offers suite-style living. Traditional residence halls and apartments are also available on campus.

A pedestrian bridge leading to Behrend Fields with colorful fall leaves

A pedestrian bridge leads to Behrend Fields, where the college’s track-and-field facility, intramural fields, and a newly expanded disc golf course are located. Other athletic facilities on campus include Junker Center, home to the college’s NCAA Division III teams, and, coming soon, a state-of-the-art student fitness and recreation area to open in 2023.

Two male students working on machinery in Behrend’s plastics lab

Students learn all aspects of plastics processing in Behrend’s Plastics Training Lab, one of the largest, best-equipped labs of its kind in the country.

The exterior of the Reed Union Building on the Behrend campus

Reed Union Building has a café, a coffee shop, a convenience store, a bookstore, a gaming lounge, and student organization offices.

Two female students casting a net into Presque Isle Bay

Hands-on experience is a hallmark of Behrend’s Open Lab learning – where students work with business, industry, and community partners. In one Open Lab project, student researchers discovered an invasive species in Lake Erie’s Pennsylvania waters.

Four female students wading in a creek to conduct research

Behrend students don’t learn in classrooms and lecture halls only – they turn the world into their classroom through field research, service projects, and more.

A group of students and faculty members sitting together

At Penn State Behrend, faculty members get to know students by name and take a personal interest in their success. Those one-on-one connections may be one of the reasons up to 70 percent of our students start and finish their Penn State degrees at Behrend.

Students sitting at a long dinner table

Special Living Options – including a homemade farm-to-table dinner – provide unique experiences for on-campus residents who are looking to live among students who share their academic goals or unique interests.

A male and a female student sitting behind a PSB TV news desk

Students in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences have plenty of opportunities for on-campus engagement, including working at PSB TV.