How Penn State sports teams’ academic rates compare to the Big Ten, NCAA
Penn State’s sports teams fared well academically overall, based on the NCAA’s recent release of its Academic Progress Rate (APR) scores. But both football and men’s basketball continue to lag behind their peers.
Penn State football ranked last in the Big Ten, 18th out of 18 teams, when it came to last week’s released APR scores, which involved the four years ending in the 2024-25 school year. (The 2025-26 data won’t be available until 2027.) Meanwhile, Nittany Lions men’s basketball ranked third-to-last in the conference when comparing APR scores.
APR, primarily a four-year metric that tracks the academic success and eligibility of student-athletes, is measured out of 1,000 points. Teams earn points based on whether student-athletes stay academically eligible and if they remain enrolled/graduate.
It’s not a perfect metric, but it’s considered an important benchmark in helping keep teams accountable. An APR of 930 is the minimum score needed to avoid penalties.
Penn State football and men’s basketball did take a considerable step forward in 2024-25, based on single-year metrics, and have never approached a 930 APR. But they’re still behind their peers when it comes to the multi-year rate.
Nationally, among the 261 listed FCS and FBS programs, Penn State football tied for No. 177 in multi-year APR alongside programs such as Eastern Kentucky and Western Michigan. Men’s basketball’s APR score of 953 placed it at No. 287 out of 362 NCAA teams.
Ten other Penn State teams earned national recognition for their APR scores ranking within the top 10% of their respective sports, including programs like men’s ice hockey and women’s gymnastics.
Here’s how each Penn State team scored and compared to others in their respective conferences:
| PSU Sport | Single-Year APR | Multi-Year APR | Multi-Year Conference Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Football | 977 | 957 | 18th (of 18) |
| Baseball | 971 | 990 | tied-7th (of 17) |
| Men's Basketball | 977 | 953 | 16th (of 18) |
| Men's Cross Country | 1,000 | 1,000 | tied-1st (of 15) |
| Men's Fencing | 1,000 | 982 | N/A (Independent) |
| Men's Golf | 1,000 | 993 | 10th (of 18) |
| Men's Gymnastics | 1,000 | 991 | 4th (of 5) |
| Men's Ice Hockey | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1st (of 7) |
| Men's Lacrosse | 1,000 | 999 | 2nd (of 6) |
| Men's Soccer | 1,000 | 978 | 10th (of 11) |
| Men's Swimming | 988 | 987 | 5th (of 9) |
| Men's Tennis | 1,000 | 1,000 | tied-1st (of 14) |
| Men's Track | 992 | 978 | tied-12th (of 17) |
| Men's Volleyball | 1,000 | 1,000 | tied-1st (of 6) |
| Men's Wrestling | 984 | 983 | tied-8th (of 14) |
| Women's Basketball | 1,000 | 983 | 16th (of 18) |
| Women's Cross Country | 1,000 | 1,000 | tied-1st (of 18) |
| Women's Fencing | 917 | 979 | N/A (Independent) |
| Women's Field Hockey | 1,000 | 997 | tied-3rd (of 9) |
| Women's Golf | 1,000 | 1,000 | tied-1st (of 18) |
| Women's Gymnastics | 1,000 | 1,000 | tied-1st (of 12) |
| Women's Ice Hockey | 1,000 | 997 | tied-2nd (of 6) |
| Women's Lacrosse | 1,000 | 998 | tied-5th (of 9) |
| Women's Soccer | 1,000 | 994 | 10th (of 18) |
| Softball | 1,000 | 993 | tied-11th (of 17) |
| Women's Swimming | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1st (of 14) |
| Women's Tennis | 1,000 | 1,000 | tied-1st (of 18) |
| Women's Track | 1,000 | 1,000 | tied-1st (of 18) |
| Women's Volleyball | 978 | 989 | tied-16th (of 18) |
PSU overview of APR
Overall, the NCAA lists 29 different Penn State sports — and the Nittany Lions boast 21 with a perfect 1,000 single-year APR.
Ten PSU teams also earned a Public Recognition Award from the NCAA for ranking within the top 10% of multi-year APR scores in their given sport: men’s cross country, women’s cross country, women’s golf, women’s gymnastics, men’s hockey, women’s swimming and diving, men’s tennis, women’s tennis, women’s track and field, and men’s volleyball.
The lowest multi-year APR scores came from men’s basketball (953) and football (957). Somewhat surprisingly, the lowest single-year APR score came from women’s fencing (917). That program would risk penalties if the multi-year APR score falls below 930.
Big Ten Football APR Rankings
Football is the primary revenue generator for Penn State’s athletic department. Here’s a closer look at how its multi-year APR scores from 2024-25 rank against the entire Big Ten:
1. Ohio State (1,000)
2. Michigan (996)
3. Minnesota (995)
4. Northwestern (993)
5. Iowa (992)
6. Wisconsin (987)
t-7. Indiana (982)
t-7. Rutgers (982)
9. Nebraska (979)
10. USC (978)
11. Washington (977)
12. Illinois (973)
13. Purdue (968)
14. Michigan State (967)
15. UCLA (961)
16. Maryland (960)
17. Oregon (958)
18. Penn State (957)
