Best Online Education Programs in State College, PA (2026)

State College, Pennsylvania has a population of about 40,669. The city’s median household income is $47,132 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 70.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. Our directory has 45 accredited schools offering education programs near State College, with tuition ranging from $13,544 to $72,563 per year for indexed programs. In the State College, PA metro area, the top-earning education-related role is Education Administrator, K-12 at a median $104,520 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).


Closest Education Schools to State College

The 10 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 45 schools in our directory that offer education programs near State College. Distances are calculated from State College city center.

SchoolCityDistanceTuitionOnline
Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusUniversity Park, PA0.5 miContact school for pricing
Pennsylvania State University-World CampusUniversity Park, PA0.5 miContact school for pricing
Juniata CollegeHuntingdon, PA21.8 miContact school for pricing
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State AltoonaAltoona, PA33.7 miContact school for pricing
Mount Aloysius CollegeCresson, PA45.2 miContact school for pricing
Saint Francis UniversityLoretto, PA45.5 miContact school for pricing
Susquehanna UniversitySelinsgrove, PA51.3 mi$57,400 - $72,563
Bucknell UniversityLewisburg, PA52.1 miContact school for pricing
Dickinson CollegeCarlisle, PA53.4 miContact school for pricing
Shippensburg University of PennsylvaniaShippensburg, PA53.6 mi$13,544 - $29,480

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Pennsylvania schools on the Pennsylvania education page.


Education Wages Near State College

State College is part of the State College, PA metro area (BLS area code 44300). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Pennsylvania statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Secondary School Teacher$77,510State College, PA$80,072
Elementary School Teacher$75,890State College, PA$78,399
Middle School Teacher$71,790State College, PA$74,163
Education Teacher, Postsecondary$64,310PA statewide$66,436
Education Administrator, K-12$104,520State College, PA$107,975
Education Administrator, Postsecondary$100,320PA statewide$103,636
Tutor$29,290State College, PA$30,258
Educational and Career Counselor$69,070State College, PA$71,353

Source: BLS, May 2024 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.


State College at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population40,669Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$47,132Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+70.7%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)96.8 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Education-related employment in Centre County552 workers, 50 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other State College-Area Cities With Education Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited education schools are near State College, PA?

Our directory has 45 accredited schools offering education programs near State College. The closest is Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus in University Park, PA (0.5 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania (53.6 miles). 0 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying education roles near State College?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying education-related roles near State College are: Education Administrator, K-12 ($104,520), Education Administrator, Postsecondary ($100,320), Secondary School Teacher ($77,510). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Pennsylvania statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Lewistown instead of State College?

Lewistown, PA is 20.0 miles from State College and has its own set of local education programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is State College an affordable place to study education?

State College’s median household income of $47,132 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in State College while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Pennsylvania public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.


Data verified: May 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2024; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.