Nearly 70% of graduates earn degrees for STEM, health care, business and other jobs in high demand
PASSHE universities serve the most Pennsylvania students of any four-year college or university system

Harrisburg, PA – Approximately 21,000 students graduated from universities in Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) in the 2024-25 academic year, including over 14,000 graduates in the spring semester. The graduates join alumni who are helping to close workforce gaps and strengthen the state’s economy.

Nearly 70% of recent PASSHE graduates have earned degrees that prepare them for careers in high-demand fields such as STEM, health care, business, education and law enforcement—all jobs vital to the state’s long-term prosperity.

“These graduates are both broadly educated and specifically prepared to enter roles with talent shortages, from hospitals and classrooms to law enforcement, growing businesses and the high-tech STEM economy,” said PASSHE Chancellor Christopher Fiorentino. “As state-owned public universities, we have a responsibility to equip students to be critical thinkers, good communicators, and creative problem solvers as we help provide the talent that Pennsylvania needs. These graduates exemplify that students are overwhelmingly choosing majors to get jobs that are in high demand, and they are ready for rewarding careers that help drive Pennsylvania’s economy.”

Fueling the future of Pennsylvania’s economy
PASSHE’s 10 state-owned universities work closely with regional employers to align academic programs with workforce needs. This coordination creates a strong college-to-career pipeline that benefits students, communities and the state’s economy.

Spring bachelor’s degree graduation highlights include:

• STEM: Approximately 2,100 graduates are receiving degrees in science, technology, engineering and math. STEM occupations are expected to grow more than 10% between 2023 and 2033, nearly three times faster than non-STEM fields, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
• Health Care: Over 1,500 graduates are projected to earn health care degrees, providing a significant number of students prepared to enter the health care workforce, helping to alleviate staffing shortages that strain patient care. Rural hospitals in Pennsylvania reported vacancy rates last year, including 23% for physician assistants, 21% for registered nurses and 18% for nurse practitioners.
• Business: With more than 2,000 business graduates anticipated this spring, PASSHE universities are supplying talent for both small and large companies, strengthening the backbone of Pennsylvania’s economy.
• Education: Nearly 1,800 graduates are earning education degrees, helping to fill critical teacher shortages and support the future of Pennsylvania’s schools. Education remains one of the most popular programs across the State System.

Retaining talent in the commonwealth
PASSHE universities enroll more than 82,000 students, nearly 90% of whom are Pennsylvania residents, the most of any four-year college or university system in the state.

“PASSHE graduates are prepared, driven and essential to Pennsylvania’s future,” said Chancellor Fiorentino. “Their education opens doors not only for personal advancement but also for community and statewide progress. These students are not only filling roles that keep our hospitals, schools and businesses thriving, they are the next generation of civic leaders who will take Pennsylvania into the future.”

A substantial majority of PASSHE university graduates remain in Pennsylvania after earning their degrees, contributing to their communities and bolstering the state’s long-term economic resilience.

Prioritizing student affordability
Affordability directly affects access to higher education for many students, and controlling costs is a top priority for the State System. PASSHE has frozen tuition at $7,716 a year since 2018, helping students receive a high-quality, high-value education.

The sustained freezes are saving students nearly 25% in tuition costs, equivalent to a full year of college, compared to the price if tuition had kept pace with inflation.

To continue that momentum, PASSHE is requesting a state appropriation of $661.1 million, an increase of $40.3 million, or 6.5%, for the 2025-26 fiscal year.to enable the Board of Governors to freeze tuition for an unprecedented eighth consecutive year. Governor Josh Shapiro has included this increase in his proposed state budget.

Beyond tuition, the net cost for new students to live and learn on campus, including tuition, fees, housing, meals, books, and other expenses, has declined over the past two years, underscoring the system’s strong commitment to affordability.

About PASSHE
Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) is the public university system of the commonwealth with a mission to provide a high-quality education at the lowest possible cost to students. The State System annually confers more than 20,000 degrees and has more than 800,000 living alumni, most of whom live in Pennsylvania. The State System universities are Cheyney, Commonwealth (Bloomsburg, Lock Haven and Mansfield), East Stroudsburg, Indiana, Kutztown, Millersville, PennWest (California, Clarion and Edinboro), Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester universities of Pennsylvania.