The Graduate School at Penn State
Materials Science and Engineering (MATSC)
University Park
Intercollege
Materials Science and Engineering – Admissions Data
| PHD | 2015/16 | 2016/17 | 2017/18 | 2018/19 | 2019/20 | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applications | 405 | 402 | 416 | 393 | 300 | 321 | 291 | 244 | 342 | 284 |
| Offers (% selectivity) | 31 (8%) | 46 (11%) | 56 (13%) | 54 (14%) | 51 (17%) | 57 (18%) | 62 (21%) | 50 (20%) | 56 (16%) | 46 (16%) |
| Accepts (% yield) | 27 (87%) | 28 (61%) | 34 (61%) | 39 (72%) | 29 (57%) | 34 (60%) | 42 (68%) | 36 (72%) | 24 (43%) | 25 (54%) |
| MS | 2015/16 | 2016/17 | 2017/18 | 2018/19 | 2019/20 | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applications | 224 | 250 | 184 | 182 | 198 | 141 | 130 | 97 | 117 | 97 |
| Offers (% selectivity) | 7 (3%) | 2 (1%) | 21 (11%) | 52 (29%) | 62 (31%) | 93 (66%) | 44 (34%) | 30 (31%) | 22 (19%) | 10 (10%) |
| Accepts (% yield) | 6 (86%) | 2 (100%) | 15 (71%) | 25 (48%) | 22 (35%) | 30 (32%) | 24 (55%) | 7 (23%) | 10 (45%) | 2 (20%) |
Materials Science and Engineering – Average GRE Scores for New Enrollees*
| PHD | 2015/16 | 2016/17 | 2017/18 | 2018/19 | 2019/20 | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Analytical (P) † | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | TBD | - |
| Verbal (P) † | 155.00
(64%)
n=26 |
154.36
(63%)
n=28 |
154.15
(63%)
n=34 |
156.56
(72%)
n=36 |
154.29
(63%)
n=28 |
154.68
(64%)
n=28 |
157.00
(72%)
n=14 |
154.80
(66%)
n=5 |
160.83
(80%)
n=6 |
TBD | - |
| Quantitative (P) † | 162.34
(82%)
n=26 |
161.96
(81%)
n=28 |
162.53
(80%)
n=34 |
162.72
(81%)
n=36 |
161.93
(78%)
n=28 |
163.29
(80%)
n=28 |
165.14
(84%)
n=14 |
165.60
(86%)
n=5 |
166.33
(85%)
n=6 |
TBD | - |
| Analyt Writing (P) † | 3.70
(46%)
n=26 |
3.91
(52%)
n=28 |
3.66
(47%)
n=34 |
3.94
(57%)
n=36 |
3.79
(50%)
n=28 |
3.89
(52%)
n=28 |
3.82
(49%)
n=14 |
4.00
(57%)
n=5 |
4.00
(55%)
n=6 |
TBD | - |
| MS | 2015/16 | 2016/17 | 2017/18 | 2018/19 | 2019/20 | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Analytical (P) † | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | TBD | - |
| Verbal (P) † | 153.20
(55%)
n=5 |
c | 149.42
(45%)
n=12 |
152.88
(57%)
n=17 |
152.44
(59%)
n=9 |
c | 148.17
(39%)
n=6 |
- | c | TBD | - |
| Quantitative (P) † | 162.00
(80%)
n=5 |
c | 160.83
(76%)
n=12 |
163.06
(82%)
n=17 |
160.56
(73%)
n=9 |
c | 166.83
(90%)
n=6 |
- | c | TBD | - |
| Analyt Writing (P) † | 4.10
(61%)
n=5 |
c | 3.25
(29%)
n=12 |
3.62
(44%)
n=17 |
3.83
(48%)
n=9 |
c | 3.00
(18%)
n=6 |
- | c | TBD | - |
*GRE tests taken on or after August 1st, 2011 are scored according the following scale:
Verbal Reasoning: 130 - 170, 1 point increments
Quantitative Reasoning: 130 - 170, 1 point increments
Analytical Writing: 0 - 6, half point increments
For tests taken prior to August 1st, 2011, scores were converted to the new scale accordingly.
†P = Percentile Ranking
c = data not displayed because n is too small to protect confidentiality of the student data
"-" indicates n=0
Materials Science and Engineering – Jr/Sr GPA for New Enrollees
| PHD | 2015/16 | 2016/17 | 2017/18 | 2018/19 | 2019/20 | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GPA | 3.66
n=24 |
3.61
n=27 |
3.71
n=30 |
3.70
n=36 |
3.61
n=27 |
3.68
n=34 |
3.63
n=40 |
3.64
n=36 |
3.57
n=25 |
TBD | - |
| MS | 2015/16 | 2016/17 | 2017/18 | 2018/19 | 2019/20 | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GPA | 3.67
n=6 |
c | 3.57
n=11 |
3.45
n=17 |
3.44
n=10 |
3.43
n=9 |
3.41
n=19 |
3.66
n=7 |
3.37
n=10 |
TBD | - |
c = data not displayed because n is too small to protect confidentiality of the student data
"-" indicates n=0
Materials Science and Engineering – Demographics for New Enrollees
| PHD | 2015/16 | 2016/17 | 2017/18 | 2018/19 | 2019/20 | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total New Enrl | 27 | 28 | 34 | 36 | 28 | 34 | 40 | 36 | 25 | TBD |
| Domestic | 15 (56%) | 21 (75%) | 21 (62%) | 26 (72%) | 15 (54%) | 20 (59%) | 23 (57%) | 20 (56%) | 13 (52%) | TBD |
| Total URM * | 4 (15%) | 1 (4%) | 4 (12%) | 3 (8%) | 5 (18%) | 1 (3%) | 2 (5%) | 1 (3%) | 2 (8%) | TBD |
| Black/Afr. Amer. | 1 (4%) | - | 2 (6%) | 1 (3%) | 1 (4%) | - | - | 1 (3%) | - | TBD |
| Am. Ind./AK Native | 1 (4%) | - | - | 1 (3%) | - | - | - | - | - | TBD |
| Hawaiian/Pac. Is. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | TBD |
| Hispanic/Latino | 2 (7%) | 1 (4%) | 2 (6%) | 1 (3%) | 4 (14%) | 1 (3%) | 2 (5%) | - | 2 (8%) | TBD |
| Asian | 3 (11%) | 1 (4%) | 1 (3%) | 1 (3%) | 1 (4%) | 3 (9%) | - | 3 (8%) | 2 (8%) | TBD |
| White | 8 (30%) | 18 (64%) | 15 (44%) | 21 (58%) | 9 (32%) | 16 (47%) | 21 (53%) | 16 (44%) | 8 (32%) | TBD |
| Two or More † | - | 1 (4%) | 1 (3%) | 1 (3%) | - | - | - | - | 1 (4%) | TBD |
| Unknown ‡ | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | TBD |
| International | 12 (44%) | 7 (25%) | 13 (38%) | 10 (28%) | 13 (46%) | 14 (41%) | 17 (43%) | 16 (44%) | 12 (48%) | TBD |
| MS | 2015/16 | 2016/17 | 2017/18 | 2018/19 | 2019/20 | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total New Enrl | 6 | 2 | 12 | 17 | 10 | 9 | 19 | 7 | 10 | TBD |
| Domestic | 4 (67%) | c | 3 (25%) | 7 (41%) | 5 (50%) | 7 (78%) | 10 (53%) | 3 (43%) | 1 (10%) | TBD |
| Total URM * | - | c | - | 1 (6%) | 1 (10%) | 1 (11%) | 2 (11%) | - | - | TBD |
| Black/Afr. Amer. | - | c | - | - | 1 (10%) | - | 1 (5%) | - | - | TBD |
| Am. Ind./AK Native | - | c | - | - | - | 1 (11%) | - | - | - | TBD |
| Hawaiian/Pac. Is. | - | c | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | TBD |
| Hispanic/Latino | - | c | - | 1 (6%) | - | - | 1 (5%) | - | - | TBD |
| Asian | - | c | 1 (8%) | 2 (12%) | - | 1 (11%) | 1 (5%) | - | - | TBD |
| White | 4 (67%) | c | 2 (17%) | 4 (24%) | 4 (40%) | 4 (44%) | 7 (37%) | 3 (43%) | 1 (10%) | TBD |
| Two or More † | - | c | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | TBD |
| Unknown ‡ | - | c | - | - | - | 1 (11%) | - | - | - | TBD |
| International | 2 (33%) | c | 9 (75%) | 10 (59%) | 5 (50%) | 2 (22%) | 9 (47%) | 4 (57%) | 9 (90%) | TBD |
*URM: Underrepresented Minorities
†Two or More: Applicant selected more than one race/ethnicity.
‡Unknown: Applicant chose not to disclose race/ethnicity information.
c = data not displayed because n is too small to protect confidentiality of the student data
"-" indicates n=0
| PHD | 2015/16 | 2016/17 | 2017/18 | 2018/19 | 2019/20 | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 12 (44%) | 5 (18%) | 10 (29%) | 6 (17%) | 11 (39%) | 10 (29%) | 16 (40%) | 13 (36%) | 6 (24%) | 55 (30%) |
| Male | 15 (56%) | 23 (82%) | 24 (71%) | 30 (83%) | 17 (61%) | 24 (71%) | 24 (60%) | 23 (64%) | 19 (76%) | 127 (70%) |
| Nonbinary or other legal identity | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Total | 27 | 28 | 34 | 36 | 28 | 34 | 40 | 36 | 25 | 182 |
| MS | 2015/16 | 2016/17 | 2017/18 | 2018/19 | 2019/20 | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 1 (17%) | c | 3 (25%) | 2 (12%) | 2 (20%) | 3 (33%) | 3 (16%) | 2 (29%) | 2 (20%) | 3 (18%) |
| Male | 5 (83%) | c | 9 (75%) | 15 (88%) | 8 (80%) | 6 (67%) | 16 (84%) | 5 (71%) | 8 (80%) | 14 (82%) |
| Nonbinary or other legal identity | - | c | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Total | 6 | 2 | 12 | 17 | 10 | 9 | 19 | 7 | 10 | 17 |
c = data not displayed because n is too small to protect confidentiality of the student data
"-" indicates n=0
Materials Science and Engineering – Total Enrollments by Demographic
| PHD | 2015/16 | 2016/17 | 2017/18 | 2018/19 | 2019/20 | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Enrl | 148 | 157 | 168 | 175 | 183 | 187 | 193 | 189 | 186 | 182 |
| Domestic | 72 (49%) | 79 (50%) | 88 (52%) | 104 (59%) | 106 (58%) | 109 (58%) | 113 (59%) | 106 (56%) | 100 (54%) | 102 (56%) |
| Total URM * | 13 (9%) | 13 (8%) | 16 (10%) | 16 (9%) | 19 (10%) | 15 (8%) | 15 (8%) | 11 (6%) | 11 (6%) | 10 (5%) |
| Black/Afr. Amer. | 4 (3%) | 4 (3%) | 5 (3%) | 5 (3%) | 6 (3%) | 4 (2%) | 3 (2%) | 4 (2%) | 4 (2%) | 4 (2%) |
| Am. Ind./AK Native | 1 (1%) | 1 (1%) | 1 (1%) | 2 (1%) | 2 (1%) | 2 (1%) | 1 (1%) | 1 (1%) | 1 (1%) | 1 (1%) |
| Hawaiian/Pac. Is. | 1 (1%) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Hispanic/Latino | 7 (5%) | 8 (5%) | 10 (6%) | 9 (5%) | 11 (6%) | 9 (5%) | 11 (6%) | 6 (3%) | 6 (3%) | 5 (3%) |
| Asian | 8 (5%) | 7 (4%) | 7 (4%) | 9 (5%) | 7 (4%) | 11 (6%) | 10 (5%) | 11 (6%) | 11 (6%) | 11 (6%) |
| White | 49 (33%) | 58 (37%) | 63 (38%) | 76 (43%) | 77 (42%) | 81 (43%) | 85 (44%) | 83 (44%) | 77 (41%) | 80 (44%) |
| Two or More † | - | 1 (1%) | 2 (1%) | 3 (2%) | 3 (2%) | 2 (1%) | 2 (1%) | 1 (1%) | 1 (1%) | 1 (1%) |
| Unknown ‡ | 2 (1%) | - | - | - | - | - | 1 (1%) | - | - | - |
| International | 76 (51%) | 78 (50%) | 80 (48%) | 71 (41%) | 77 (42%) | 78 (42%) | 80 (41%) | 83 (44%) | 86 (46%) | 80 (44%) |
| MS | 2015/16 | 2016/17 | 2017/18 | 2018/19 | 2019/20 | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Enrl | 20 | 13 | 21 | 32 | 34 | 27 | 32 | 34 | 27 | 17 |
| Domestic | 12 (60%) | 11 (85%) | 8 (38%) | 11 (34%) | 17 (50%) | 19 (70%) | 19 (59%) | 18 (53%) | 10 (37%) | 4 (24%) |
| Total URM * | 1 (5%) | 1 (8%) | 1 (5%) | 1 (3%) | 3 (9%) | 3 (11%) | 3 (9%) | 2 (6%) | - | - |
| Black/Afr. Amer. | - | - | - | - | 1 (3%) | 2 (7%) | 1 (3%) | 1 (3%) | - | - |
| Am. Ind./AK Native | - | - | - | - | - | 1 (4%) | 1 (3%) | - | - | - |
| Hawaiian/Pac. Is. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Hispanic/Latino | 1 (5%) | 1 (8%) | 1 (5%) | 1 (3%) | 2 (6%) | - | 1 (3%) | 1 (3%) | - | - |
| Asian | 1 (5%) | 1 (8%) | 1 (5%) | 4 (13%) | 2 (6%) | 1 (4%) | 2 (6%) | 1 (3%) | - | - |
| White | 8 (40%) | 7 (54%) | 6 (29%) | 6 (19%) | 12 (35%) | 14 (52%) | 13 (41%) | 15 (44%) | 10 (37%) | 4 (24%) |
| Two or More † | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Unknown ‡ | 2 (10%) | 2 (15%) | - | - | - | 1 (4%) | 1 (3%) | - | - | - |
| International | 8 (40%) | 2 (15%) | 13 (62%) | 21 (66%) | 17 (50%) | 8 (30%) | 13 (41%) | 16 (47%) | 17 (63%) | 13 (76%) |
*URM: Underrepresented Minorities
†Two or More: Applicant selected more than one race/ethnicity.
‡Unknown: Applicant chose not to disclose race/ethnicity information.
"-" indicates n=0
| PHD | 2015/16 | 2016/17 | 2017/18 | 2018/19 | 2019/20 | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 40 (27%) | 38 (24%) | 43 (26%) | 41 (23%) | 45 (25%) | 50 (27%) | 52 (27%) | 54 (29%) | 58 (31%) | 55 (30%) |
| Male | 108 (73%) | 119 (76%) | 125 (74%) | 134 (77%) | 138 (75%) | 137 (73%) | 141 (73%) | 135 (71%) | 128 (69%) | 127 (70%) |
| Nonbinary or other legal identity | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Total | 148 | 157 | 168 | 175 | 183 | 187 | 193 | 189 | 186 | 182 |
| MS | 2015/16 | 2016/17 | 2017/18 | 2018/19 | 2019/20 | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 3 (15%) | 1 (8%) | 6 (29%) | 6 (19%) | 6 (18%) | 6 (22%) | 8 (25%) | 7 (21%) | 4 (15%) | 3 (18%) |
| Male | 17 (85%) | 12 (92%) | 15 (71%) | 26 (81%) | 28 (82%) | 21 (78%) | 24 (75%) | 27 (79%) | 23 (85%) | 14 (82%) |
| Nonbinary or other legal identity | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Total | 20 | 13 | 21 | 32 | 34 | 27 | 32 | 34 | 27 | 17 |
"-" indicates n=0
"-" indicates n=0
Please note that 2024/25 Median Time To Degree values are being recalculated and should be published here soon.
Materials Science and Engineering – Median Time to Degree (years)
| PHD | 2015/16 | 2016/17 | 2017/18 | 2018/19 | 2019/20 | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In Major/Degree * | 5.3 | 4.7 | 5 | 5.3 | 5 | 5 | 5.3 | 5 | 5 |
| First Enrollment † | 5.3 | 5 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5 | 5 |
| Number (n) | n=20 | n=20 | n=25 | n=15 | n=31 | n=31 | n=30 | n=27 | n=24 |
| MS | 2015/16 | 2016/17 | 2017/18 | 2018/19 | 2019/20 | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In Major/Degree * | 2.4 | 2.3 | 2 | 1.4 | 1 | 2.1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| First Enrollment † | 2.4 | 2.3 | 2 | 1.4 | 1 | 2.1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Number (n) | n=9 | n=7 | n=11 | n=16 | n=20 | n=18 | n=11 | n=23 | n=11 |
*In Major/Degree: The median time to degree in graduating major and degree at Penn State.
†First Enrollment: The median time to degree based on the first enrollment as a graduate student at Penn State.
Materials Science and Engineering – Degree Completion, UP Campus
| PHD | #Started | 1 year | 2 years | 3 years | 4 years | 5 years | 6 years | 7 years | 8 years | 9 years | Total Completed | % Completed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015/16 Cohort | 31 | - | 1 | - | 9 | 12 | 4 | 1 | - | - | 27 | 87% |
| 2016/17 Cohort | 34 | - | - | 1 | 8 | 17 | 2 | - | - | 28 | 82% | |
| 2017/18 Cohort | 35 | - | - | 2 | 7 | 13 | 3 | - | 25 | 71% | ||
| 2018/19 Cohort | 39 | - | 1 | - | 9 | 12 | - | 22 | 56% | |||
| 2019/20 Cohort | 31 | - | 1 | 1 | 8 | - | 10 | 32% | ||||
| 2020/21 Cohort | 40 | - | 1 | - | - | 1 | 3% | |||||
| 2021/22 Cohort | 44 | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||
| 2022/23 Cohort | 39 | - | - | - | - | |||||||
| 2023/24 Cohort | 32 | - | - | - | ||||||||
| 2024/25 Cohort | - |
| MS | #Started | 1 year | 2 years | 3 years | 4 years | 5 years | 6 years | 7 years | 8 years | 9 years | Total Completed | % Completed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015/16 Cohort | 15 | 9 | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 13 | 87% |
| 2016/17 Cohort | 5 | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 | 80% | |
| 2017/18 Cohort | 19 | 16 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 18 | 95% | ||
| 2018/19 Cohort | 22 | 20 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 21 | 95% | |||
| 2019/20 Cohort | 16 | 13 | 2 | - | - | - | 15 | 94% | ||||
| 2020/21 Cohort | 15 | 12 | 1 | - | - | 13 | 87% | |||||
| 2021/22 Cohort | 22 | 18 | 1 | - | 19 | 86% | ||||||
| 2022/23 Cohort | 16 | 14 | - | 14 | 88% | |||||||
| 2023/24 Cohort | 18 | 2 | 2 | 11% | ||||||||
| 2024/25 Cohort | - |
"-" indicates n=0
Logic for Program Review Metrics
(Last updated 10/16/2025)