Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania (CU) is a public university formed in 2022 by merging Bloomsburg, Lock Haven and Mansfield universities. It had 11,092 students, 9,847 of them undergraduates, in fall 2024. Its pros are accessible admission, grant aid for nearly every freshman and three distinct small-town campuses; its cons are a high net price for a public school, heavy borrowing, a 56% six-year graduation rate and ongoing consolidation, including a planned campus closure.
Below is each pro and con in detail, followed by cost, outcome and accreditation figures from the federal College Navigator database, so you can decide whether Commonwealth University is a good school for you.
Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania at a Glance
- Type: 4-year public university in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE).
- Campuses: Bloomsburg, Lock Haven and Mansfield. The federal record lists the main address in Bloomsburg (“Town: Distant”).
- Formed: 2022; first students arrived in August 2022 and the three curricula were integrated by August 2024.
- Enrollment (fall 2024): 11,092 total, 9,847 undergraduate.
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 19 to 1.
- Admission: 93% of applicants were admitted for fall 2024.
- Athletics: NCAA Division II, Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference; each campus keeps its own mascot (Huskies, Bald Eagles, Mountaineers).
Pros: What Commonwealth University Does Well
- Accessible admission. CU admitted 93% of applicants for fall 2024.
- Grants for almost everyone. In 2023-2024, 98% of full-time beginning students received financial aid and 95% received grants or scholarships, averaging $9,214.
- Net price is falling. The average net price after grants dropped from $18,004 in 2022-2023 to $16,111 in 2023-2024, and for families earning up to $30,000 it fell to $11,374.
- A choice of campus. Each former university became a campus with its own identity and mascot, so students can choose the setting that suits them. Over 80 undergraduate and graduate programs are offered across the campuses.
- Retention is steady. 78% of full-time freshmen who started in fall 2023 returned in fall 2024.
- Mostly full-time, traditional students. 90% of undergraduates attend full-time, so campus life is built around students who live and study on site.
Cons: What to Weigh Before You Enroll at Commonwealth University
- A high net price for a public university. Even after the drop, the average net price was $16,111 in 2023-2024, and the estimated total in-state cost of living on campus was $27,454 in 2024-2025.
- Most students borrow. 60% of full-time beginning students took out student loans in 2023-2024, averaging $8,032.
- Middling completion. Of the fall 2018 cohort, 42% finished a bachelor’s degree in four years and 56% in six, and 24% transferred out.
- Programs depend on the campus. Availability of each academic program depends on the campus, and 67% of undergraduates take at least some courses online, so check where and how your major is taught.
- Still consolidating. The merger was a response to declining enrollment and rising tuition, and in January 2025 CU announced that its Clearfield campus would close by the end of the 2026-27 academic year.
- Expensive for non-residents. Out-of-state tuition and fees were $22,870 in 2024-2025, about double the in-state rate, and 92% of first-time undergraduates are Pennsylvania residents.
What Commonwealth University Costs: Tuition, Housing and Net Price
| Item (2024-2025 unless noted) | Amount |
|---|---|
| In-state tuition and fees | $11,046 |
| Out-of-state tuition and fees | $22,870 |
| On-campus food and housing | $11,868 |
| Total in-state cost, living on campus | $27,454 |
| Total out-of-state cost, living on campus | $39,278 |
| Average net price (2023-2024) | $16,111 |
By income, the 2023-2024 average net price ranged from $11,374 for families earning up to $30,000 to $20,099 for families earning more than $110,000.
Is Commonwealth University a Good School? What the Numbers Say
Commonwealth University is a solid regional option for Pennsylvania residents who want a traditional residential experience at a public university, particularly on a campus close to home, and whose aid package brings the price down.
The weaker points are cost and completion. A 54% overall graduation rate for the fall 2018 cohort, a 60% borrowing rate and a net price of $16,111 mean students should compare offers from other PASSHE universities and confirm that their program is taught in person on their chosen campus.
Who Accredits Commonwealth University?
Commonwealth University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. College Navigator dates the institutional accreditation from 1921 and lists an estimated next review in 2026.
Who Commonwealth University Suits, and Who Should Look Elsewhere
A good fit for: Pennsylvania students who want a small-town residential campus, students who need accessible admission, and athletes interested in Division II sports.
Worth comparing alternatives if: you are an out-of-state student, need a low net price, or want a program that is only offered at a campus you do not want to attend.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What schools make up Commonwealth University? Bloomsburg University, Lock Haven University and Mansfield University, merged in 2022.
- Is Commonwealth University the same as Bloomsburg University? Bloomsburg is now one of CU’s campuses.
- Is Commonwealth University hard to get into? No. It admitted 93% of applicants for fall 2024.
- Is the Clearfield campus closing? Yes. CU announced in January 2025 that it would close by the end of the 2026-27 academic year.