Student Housing near Pennsylvania State University, University Park

Established in 1855, the Pennsylvania State University, also known as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with 24 campuses throughout Pennsylvania and Penn State World Campus. Penn State is regarded as a public Ivy and ranked #60 in the 2024 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities.

Pennsylvania State University is a Top 6% word-class university according to QS World University Rankings, 2025. With 24 campuses across Pennsylvania and an online World Campus, students can enjoy Penn State resources no matter where they are. PSU offers over 275 undergraduate and 300 graduate degree programs, including top-ranked programs like engineering, business, medical and legal studies. Pursuing a Penn State degree means access to faculty experts and state-of-the-art resources to help you impact the world.

Penn State is also famous for its Nittany Lions sports teams, which won 82 national collegiate team champions in the NCAA Division I Big Ten Conference. PSU also has over 800 student organizations, 44 fraternities, and 27 sororities to improve students' living experience. And most students will choose Penn State off campus housing with various options of apartments near Penn State and a university-sponsored Office of Off-Campus Living.

Located at State College, Penn State University dominates this small college town in terms of economy, culture, and demography. Most housing at State College serves as Penn State off campus housing, providing students with various options and convenient access to campus. With uhomes.com, students can filter their preferences by price, room type, amenity, location, etc, to find the best Penn State housing. 

Here are some of the best apartments near Penn State for you to refer to:

The Standard at State College

State College Collective

Alight State College

The Yards at Old State

Rise at State College

Haus State College

Aspen State College

The Towers on State

Finding cheap Penn State off campus housing is easy with uhomes.com. We offer plenty of affordable Penn State housing with no service fee, high cashback, bills included, and new amenities.

Here are some cheap Penn State apartments that you should not miss:

Alight State College

State College Collective

The Yards at Old State

Aspen State College

The Standard at State College

University Park Penn State is located at the heart of a small college town State College.  Most neighborhoods are not far away from the Penn State campus, but living in Penn State off-campus housing in different areas will also allow for various life experiences.

The following are some of the best areas for Penn State housing:

Downtown State College

Downtown State College is located close to Penn State in the east. There is a wide range of PSU apartments downtown, with just a short walk or bike ride to Penn State, making it easier to attend early morning lectures. Living at Penn State downtown apartments, it becomes easy to find a plethora of restaurants, cafes, bars, clubs, and shops right at your doorstep. After class, enjoy your meals at Allen Street Grill and Bagel Crust, grab a cup of coffee at Cafe Alina and Abba Java Coffeehouse, shop at College Mart and Diplo-MART, and head to your Penn State apartments downtown within just minutes.

College Heights

Nestled west of Penn State, College Heights is a suburban area in State College. This neighborhood boasts plenty of green spaces for jogging, picnics, and outdoor studies. With the beautiful settings and its proximity to Penn State, it is a perfect area to choose your Penn State off campus housing if you prefer residential serenity and scenic views.

Highlands

Highlands is located just south of Downtown State College. It is a historic, tree-lined neighborhoods in State College, known for its safety and walkability. Compared to downtown, this area is much bigger, has more options for Penn State apartments, and has more affordable prices.  Within walking distance to Penn State campus and its tranquility, Highlands becomes one of the best areas for Penn State Off Campus Housing.

Holmes-Foster

Holmes-Foster is next to Penn State in the south. It is one of the oldest neighborhoods in State College and has a blend of residential comfort and accessibility. Holmes-Foster is a historic district with many Penn State housing in early 20th-century architectural styles, including Colonial Revival, Tudor Revival, and Bungalow. You can also wander in the Holmes-Foster Park and enjoy the review after class if you choose your PSU off campus housing in this area.

Before going to university, you must want to get an overview of the cost of living there to manage your budget better. Overall, the cost of living at Penn State is relatively low in the United States but also varies depending on personal habits and lifestyle. The average cost of living at Penn State University is:

Tuition

$20,644 for undergraduate admission University Park Penn State 2024-25

$34,300 to $50,200 for graduate admission, varies from different programs

Penn State Housing

Penn State dorms: 

Undergraduate

Single: $5,093 to $6,695 per person per semester

Double: $2,939 to $6,434 per person per semester

Triple: $3,532 to $4,035 per person per semester

4-8 Occupancy: $3,137 to $5,584 per person per semester

Graduate

$938 to $1,534 per person per month

Off-campus apartments PSU:

$500 to $1500, varies from location, room types, amenities, and more

Food

On campus: $2,567 to $3,019 per semester

Off-campus: $300 to $600 per month, depending on personal lifestyle and eating habits

Utilities

$150 a month for a standard Penn State off campus housing, including electricity, heating, cooling, water, and garbage disposal and internet services typically cost around $60 per month.

With uhomes.com, students can choose Penn State apartments with bills included, such as Parkway Plaza, which will save a lot of money.

Transportation

Around $60 per month for public transportation

Depart from your Penn State off campus housing, you can choose from a wide range of transportation options to the campus or anywhere in this vibrant town. Exploring here will be much easier and more fantastic than you can imagine.

Campus Shuttle

Penn State provides a free campus shuttle for students, faculty, staff, visitors, and also community members. The Blue and While Loops, Red Link, and Campus Shuttles are free, making commuting from your Penn State housing to the campus easy.

Public Transport

CATA (Centre Area Transportation Authority) operates several bus routes throughout State College and the Penn State campus. With this reliable and cost-effective system, you can easily travel to major destinations from your PSU off campus housing.

Biking

Both the Penn State campus and State College are bicycle-friendly. Riding a bike from Penn State apartments, you will find numerous bike paths and lanes and take just a few minutes to get to your destinations. Penn State has also partnered with the nation's largest bike registration and recovery service to ensure the safety of bikes.

Walking

With a wide range of apartments near Penn State, students can walk to school every day without worrying about missing early classes or late campus activities any more.

Penn State University is also named Happy Valley, indicating a colorful and exciting campus with a myriad of things to do and explore. The small college town is dominated by Penn State and serves the needs of students; your life will be gorgeous whether you choose Penn State dorms or Penn State off campus housing.

For freshmen, the Arboretum, Pattee Library, and Law Library are the best places to sit quietly and study. Penn State also offers various opportunities for students to experience the arts, from classical concerts to famous artists, fine art galleries to LateNight crafts, and performance art to theater productions. There are also hundreds of student organizations for you to choose from, as well as free career services in different ways to help students achieve career success.

Stepping out of the Penn State campus, you will find State College an excellent place to live and have fun. Depart from your Penn State off campus housing, you can stop by Lane downtown to shop at the outdoor farmer's market, visit the Meats Laboratory for some protein, go hiking at Mt. Nittany or skiing at Tussey Mountain, or have a weekend trip for new scenery at nearby cities like Pittsburgh, NYC, Philadelphia, or Washington.

Living at apartments near Penn State will give you much convenience and more opportunities to explore areas near Penn State and also this lively little college town. Whether you're a student, a resident, or just visiting, there's always something exciting to do.

Here are some of the best activities and attractions near Penn State:

• The State Theatre
• The Field Burger & Tap
• Rothrock State Forest
• Tussey Mountain
• Mt. Nittany
• Spring Creek Park
• First Night State College
• Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts
• Farmer's Markets

Pennsylvania State University has 24 campuses throughout Pennsylvania and an online Penn State World Campus. With a campus near almost every Pennsylvania resident and global online options, Penn State's world-class education is available to meet students where they are.

University Park Penn State: University Park Penn State is the main campus we mention here. It is the largest and also the flagship Penn State campus, which offers academics, activities, and recreation in the classic college town of State College. The Penn State University Park address is 201 Old Main, University Park, PA 16802.

Penn State World Campus: Penn State World Campus has more than 175 career-focused programs taught by world-renowned faculty in a flexible, online course environment.

Other 23 Penn State Campuses: Abington, Altoona, Beaver, Behrend, Berks, Brandywine, Carlisle, Dubios, Fayette, Great Valley, Greater Allegheny, Harrisburg, Hazleton, Hershey, Lehigh Valley, Mont Alto, New Kensington, Schuylkill, Scranton, Shenango, Wilkes-Barre, Williamsport, York.

The student-faculty ratio at Pennsylvania State University, University Park is 15:1, and the school has 30.2% of its classes with fewer than 20 students. Penn State tied for #19 out of 208 ranked institutions in "Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs" and ranked #9 in Materials Engineering. 

The most popular majors at Penn State are:

• Engineering
• Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
• Computer and Information Sciences and Supportive Services
• Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs
• Social Sciences
• Biological and Biomedical Sciences
• Health Professions and Related Programs
• Psychology

Yes, first-year students at University Park Penn State are guaranteed Penn State dormitories and are required to live on campus. Other students can apply for housing assignments at the rental office PSU or choose Penn State off-campus housing.

At the Pennsylvania State University University Park campus, 66% of the students choose to live at Penn State off campus housing, and the other 34% choose to live in college-owned, -operated or -affiliated Penn State housing.

Penn State dorms: 

Undergraduate dorm:

Single: $5,093 to $6,695 per person per semester

Double: $2,939 to $6,434 per person per semester

Triple: $3,532 to $4,035 per person per semester

4-8 Occupancy: $3,137 to $5,584 per person per semester

Graduate dorm:

$938 to $1,534 per person per month

Penn State off campus housing on uhomes.com:

Single room: 1,087/month

Shared room: $1,187/month

Studio: $1,677/month

1B: $1,226/month

2B: $1,411/month

3B: $1,003/month

4B: $1,413/month

5B+: $1,503/month

Yes, it is. It usually will be cheaper and more cost-effective to choose Penn State off campus housing than Penn State dorms. For example, the average cost of Penn State single dorms is $1,273 to $1673 per month, and on uhomes.com the cost of a single room Penn State off campus housing is $1,087.

Compared with Penn State dorms, Penn State off campus housing is the choice of more students for the following advantages:

1. More affordable: On uhomes.com, students can expect to pay as little as $619  to rent a Penn State off campus housing, and there are also bills-included Penn State apartments for students to save the utility fees.
2. More options: There are plenty of Penn State off campus housing options with different locations, prices, floor plans, and amenities on uhomes.com. Students are given more choices to meet their preferences and ensure they live comfortably at Penn State housing.
3. More Privacy and freedom: If you choose Penn State off campus housing, you will not have to share the room, bathroom, or facilities with roommates, and you will not have to follow the Penn State dorm rules or regulations.
4. More access to off-campus life: Living at Penn State off campus housing will provide more convenience for students who want to explore the local community and surrounding cities. The convenient public transportation systems also make it easier to live in apartments near Penn State University.

The earlier, the better. It is always better to plan in advance and compare various Penn State apartments to ensure you find the perfect one that meets all your needs. Besides, many students will move out at the end of the last semester, and there will be plenty of Penn State housing options. Or at least, you should start looking for Penn State off-campus housing a month before your planned move-in date to ensure you will not make hurried decisions.