Penn State University - Harrisburg

What Penn State University - Harrisburg does

Penn State Harrisburg is the largest and most comprehensive of Penn State's Commonwealth Campuses, operating as a public undergraduate college and graduate school located in Middletown, Pennsylvania, eight miles east of Harrisburg. Founded in 1966 and governed by The Pennsylvania State University, it serves 5,000+ students from more than 40 U.S. states and over 50 countries, delivering 70+ undergraduate and graduate programs plus the first two years of 275+ Penn State majors across five schools: Business Administration, Behavioral Sciences and Education, Humanities, Public Affairs, and Science, Engineering, and Technology. Core products include bachelor's degrees, master's and doctoral programs (American Studies, Engineering and Computing Systems, Public Administration), accelerated IUG and three-year Fast-Track pathways, graduate and education certificates, Continuing Education for working professionals, and the OLLI Harrisburg lifelong learning institute for adults aged 50+. The platform is built on Canvas LMS and LionPATH student information systems, with technology integration extending to research administration and an emerging AI stack that includes a forthcoming BS in AI Methods and Applications, a planned BS in AI Engineering, an AI Immersive Lab, and an AI-Enabled Operational Efficiency initiative.

The revenue model is a hybrid of subscription-style tuition (PA residents $16,018; non-PA residents $27,534 annually for full-time undergraduates), auxiliary housing and meal plan revenue ($11,294 housing + $5,608 meal plan), federal/state/private research grants ($9.8M in expenditures in 2025, up 32% YoY), and philanthropy routed through the development office. The go-to-market motion is sales-led through traditional higher education recruitment: direct admissions, virtual tours, Spend a Summer Day and Admitted Student events, plus a HACC Dual Admission Program serving as a channel/reseller for transfer students. The customer base is segmented across first-time freshmen, transfer students, graduate students, adult learners, veterans, and lifelong learners, with no material concentration in any single account. Recent strategic positioning is anchored on a college-wide AI strategy, faculty research growth, and physical campus modernization including a new 47,000-square-foot Academic Learning Center.

Name

Penn State University - Harrisburg

Legal name

The Pennsylvania State University

Website

https://harrisburg.psu.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Penn State Harrisburg is a public regional campus of The Pennsylvania State University located in Middletown, PA, serving 5,000+ students with 70+ undergraduate and graduate programs across business, education, humanities, public affairs, and STEM disciplines, plus new AI degree programs launching Fall 2026.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Research Universities with Comprehensive Graduate & Professional Schools (EDAHAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) in Education (EDADALAD)

Keywords

• Higher education degrees
• Undergraduate programs
• Graduate programs
• Continuing education
• Research university

Headquarters

HQ city

Harrisburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Primary revenue stream from tuition and mandatory fees charged to undergraduate and graduate students. PA residents pay $16,018 annually; non-PA residents pay $27,534 annually. Additional per-credit pricing for part-time students.
2. Housing and Food Services: On-campus housing (Capital Village, Nittany Village) and meal plans. Housing costs $11,294 annually; meal plans (level 2) cost $5,608 annually.
3. Research Grants and Contracts: Federal, state, and private research funding. In 2025, research expenditures reached $9.8 million, a 32% increase over previous year, contributing to Penn State's $1.44 billion university-wide research expenditures.
4. Philanthropy and Donations: Development office raises funds through donor partnerships, scholarships, and capital campaigns. Notable $4.39 million estate gift from Harrisburg alumnus for business scholarship.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Penn State Harrisburg is a comprehensive undergraduate college and graduate school delivering more than 70 accredited academic programs across five schools (Business Administration, Behavioral Sciences and Education, Humanities, Public Affairs, and Science, Engineering, and Technology). It offers bachelor's, master's, doctoral, graduate certificate, accelerated IUG, fast-track, and continuing education offerings, supported by a research enterprise that generated $9.8 million in expenditures in 2025.

Product overview

Penn State Harrisburg is a comprehensive undergraduate college and graduate school offering over 70 undergraduate and graduate programs across five academic schools: Business Administration, Behavioral Sciences and Education, Humanities, Public Affairs, and Science, Engineering, and Technology. The institution operates a platform-plus-modules architecture with core degree programs (undergraduate majors, graduate degrees including Ph.D. programs), augmented by accelerated pathways (IUG programs enabling bachelor's-to-master's in five years, three-year Fast-Track degrees), professional certificates, and continuing education offerings. The college has launched new AI-focused products including a Bachelor of Science in AI Methods and Applications and an AI Immersive Lab (both launching fall 2026), positioning it as a regional hub for applied and ethical AI education. Research and outreach services support faculty and student research through seed funding programs and industry partnerships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Undergraduate Degree Programs More than 40 bachelor's degree programs offered across five academic schools for first-time freshmen and transfer students seeking an accredited residential college experience.
• Graduate Degree Programs Master's, doctoral, and graduate certificate programs in disciplines including Business Administration (MBA), Public Administration (MPA), Computer Science, Engineering, and Clinical Psychology, with part-time and full-time scheduling options.
• Doctoral Degrees Ph.D. programs in American Studies, Engineering and Computing Systems, and Public Administration supporting advanced research and academic careers.
• Accelerated Degree Programs (Integrated Undergraduate/Graduate) Integrated Undergraduate/Graduate (IUG) programs that allow qualified students to earn both bachelor's and master's degrees in five years of continuous study.
• Fast-Track Three-Year Bachelor's Degrees Three-year bachelor's degree programs combining intensive coursework and flexible scheduling to accelerate workforce entry.
• Graduate Certificates Postbaccalaureate certificates in specialized fields including Accounting, Electrical Engineering, Homeland Security, Healthcare Supply Chain Management, and Public Administration.
• Education Certifications and Endorsements Teacher certifications and endorsements including ESL Program Specialist, Elementary Education (PK-4), Secondary Education in various subjects, and Special Education PK-12.
• Continuing Education Workforce and professional development courses including Project Management, AI Essentials, Design Thinking, Mindfulness, and Spanish language programs for adult learners and working professionals.
• Research and Outreach Services Office supporting faculty research proposal development, seed funding programs (EAGER, GREAT, REU, RED Team, SPEAK), and collaboration with industry and government partners.
• Bachelor of Science in AI Methods and Applications Bachelor of Science degree in Artificial Intelligence Methods and Applications, an interdisciplinary program combining technical rigor with applied, real-world learning, launching Fall 2026.
• Bachelor of Science in AI Engineering Bachelor of Science in AI Engineering planned degree program positioning the college to engage with Penn State's Nittany AI Alliance, launching Fall 2026.

Quantifiable outcome

• 32% increase in research expenditures year-over-year, reaching $9.8 million in 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cocoziello Institute of Real Estate InnovationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 June 2026Co-sponsored seed grant program for Smart and Connected Homes research focus. Penn State Harrisburg contributed over $37,000 to support research in the built environment. Partnership supports faculty research addressing real estate innovation challenges.
• International Partner Institutions (Spain, Ghana, Egypt, Germany, Italy, Brazil, Nigeria)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 February 2026Faculty seed grants funded for interdisciplinary research projects with international partner institutions spanning health, engineering, humanities, and teacher education fields. Travel scheduled for summer research collaborations.
• Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol ProgramscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Life Unites Us campaign, a public health initiative addressing substance use disorder awareness and prevention. The Pollock Center for Addiction Outreach and Research collaborates with the department on data collection and community outreach.
• Penn State College of MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on healthcare AI research including AI-driven tools for Parkinson disease diagnosis and prognosis prediction. Also partnering on Smart Medical Technology Hub expansion and graduate certificate in healthcare innovation and entrepreneurship.
• Technology Council of Central PennsylvaniaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity engagement partnership focused on AI workforce development and regional technology initiatives to foster dialogue around AI and expand workforce partnerships.
• National Center for Women and Information Technology (NCWIT)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipation in NCWIT Higher Ed Learning Circles for Undergraduate Programs to improve student success in computing and strengthen the AI talent pipeline.
• Nittany AI AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlanned Bachelor of Science in AI Engineering positions the college to engage with Penn State's Nittany AI Alliance and broader AI education and research community.
• Institute of Computational and Data SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on AI Immersive Lab aligned with the Institute's work; cluster hire of five tenure-track faculty positions includes partnership with this Penn State unit.
• Harrisburg Area Community College (HACC)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHACC Dual Admission Program provides seamless transfer pathway for students completing associate degrees at HACC to continue at Penn State Harrisburg. Walk-in appointments available at HACC Harrisburg and Lancaster locations.
• Ben Franklin Technology PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity research resource partner supporting technology transfer and innovation ecosystem development alongside Penn State's Office of Technology Management and Innovation Park.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Temple University: Larger Pennsylvania public R1 university operating a Harrisburg-area branch. Temple's Harrisburg campus directly competes with Penn State Harrisburg for Capital Region adult learners and graduate students, while Temple Main competes for the broader Pennsylvania applicant pool at scale.

Direct peers

• Penn State Behrend: Penn State's flagship Commonwealth Campus located in Erie, PA. Operates as a comprehensive undergraduate college and graduate school within the same Penn State system as Harrisburg, with similar enrollment scale, four-year residential model, and AI/business/engineering program mix. The most directly comparable peer in the Penn State network.
• Penn State Berks: Reading-area Penn State Commonwealth Campus offering undergraduate degrees and selected graduate programs. Comparable scale and program portfolio as Harrisburg within the same Penn State system, sharing accreditation, GTM motion, and tuition structure.
• Indiana University of Pennsylvania (Commonwealth University): Pennsylvania state-system comprehensive doctoral university with a 100+ program portfolio and R3-equivalent research classification. Comparable to Penn State Harrisburg in scale, program breadth, and adult-learner/continuing-education offerings across Pennsylvania.
• Penn State Altoona: Penn State Commonwealth Campus in central Pennsylvania offering four-year programs plus first-two-years of 200+ Penn State majors. Directly comparable to Harrisburg in scale, residency model, division III athletics, and mix of business/engineering/humanities programs, with shared Penn State brand and accreditation.
• West Chester University of Pennsylvania: PASSHE comprehensive university near Philadelphia with similar Carnegie Master's/Doctoral classification, full accreditation stack, and broad undergraduate/graduate program mix. Indirect direct competitor for mid-Atlantic and Pennsylvania residents considering regional state universities.
• Millersville University: Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) comprehensive university located in Lancaster County, ~30 miles from Harrisburg. Directly competes for the same southcentral Pennsylvania undergraduate pool with similar Carnegie classification, accreditation portfolio, and tuition positioning.
• Shippensburg University: PASSHE comprehensive university in south-central Pennsylvania competing for similar regional undergraduate and graduate students. Offers comparable comprehensive program portfolio with business, education, and engineering programs; competes with Penn State Harrisburg in the Harrisburg-anchored labor market.

Emerging players

• Carnegie Mellon University: Premier Pittsburgh-based R1 research university with global leadership in AI and computer science. Increasingly relevant as Penn State Harrisburg launches AI programs and competes for AI talent and research dollars in Pennsylvania, though CMU operates at vastly larger scale and prestige.

Regional players

• Harrisburg Area Community College (HACC): Local community college serving Harrisburg region as the dominant associate-degree and continuing-education provider. HACC is both a feeder (via Dual Admission Program) and indirect competitor for adult learners and price-sensitive students in the same Capital Region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/PennStateHarrisburg
• Facebookfacebook.com/pennstateharrisburg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/penn-state-harrisburg
• Instagraminstagram.com/pennstateharrisburg
• Xx.com/PSUHarrisburg

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Penn State University - Harrisburg