A college's ethnic diversity is indicated by the student body's equal inclusion of students from different backgrounds . Students at Penn State are primarily White with a small Foreign Resident population. The school has medium racial diversity. 31% percent of students are minorities or people of color (BIPOC). The ethnic breakdown is detailed in the following table.
| Race | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| White |
69%
|
| Black |
4%
|
| Hispanic |
6%
|
| Asian |
6%
|
| American Indian / Alaskan |
0%
|
| Hawaiian / Pacific Islander |
0%
|
| Two or more races |
3%
|
| International |
11%
|
| Race Unknown |
2%
|
There are 12% more male students than female students enrolled at Penn State Main Campus with a gender ratio of 53% men to 47% women. Compared to the US average of 56% female students, Penn State has a higher gender diversity than other US colleges and is very inclusive of both genders.
| Gender | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| Men |
53%
|
| Women |
47%
|
| Gender | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| Men |
26,390
|
| Women |
23,638
|
Penn State serves a low number of students outside of Pennsylvania, with 51 percent of the student body residing in-state.
| Origin | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| In State |
51%
|
| Out of State |
40%
|
| Foreign |
9%
|
| Unknown Location |
0%
|
14% of students can be considered low-income as indicated by their receipt of Federal Pell Grant Aid.
| Segment | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| Students Over 25 Years Old | 2.4% |
| Part time Undergrads | 2.2% |
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=214777 IPEDS survey data for Penn State Main Campus.