Harrisburg, PA – Secretary of Administration Neil Weaver today announced a new tuition discount with Penn State Harrisburg to make higher education more affordable for Commonwealth employees and their families. The new benefit is part of a broader effort by the Shapiro Administration to improve the recruitment and retention of high-performing employees to serve in our state agencies and deliver the services that Pennsylvanians rely on each day.
Penn State Harrisburg is now offering a 15 percent discount on tuition for all graduate programs at the university’s campus in Middletown, Dauphin County and online. The discount applies to Commonwealth employees and their eligible dependents.
“Access to education empowers our workforce to grow, innovate, and lead with excellence. We’re proud to offer benefits that support our employees and their families in every area of their lives, including opportunities to pursue higher education,” said Secretary of Administration Neil Weaver. “Offering competitive benefits helps us attract and retain talented individuals by supporting their ongoing development and growth. We appreciate the support of Penn State Harrisburg in helping us build a more skilled and forward-thinking workforce that will drive our Commonwealth to new heights.”
“As one of the largest employers in Pennsylvania, the Commonwealth has an immense influence on the state’s economic vitality and workforce strength,” said Penn State Harrisburg Chancellor David Callejo Pérez. “By making graduate education more affordable for Commonwealth employees and their families, we are not only expanding opportunities for personal and professional growth, we also are strengthening the talent pipeline that drives innovation and economic impact across the state. Penn State Harrisburg is proud to play a role in preparing a workforce that will help Pennsylvania continue to thrive.”
Under the Shapiro Administration, OA has worked to enhance and add employee benefits to make higher education more affordable for Commonwealth employees and their families. The Commonwealth currently offers the following higher education benefits:
Education Benefits
- Elizabethtown College offers a 15 percent discount on all undergraduate and graduate programs for Commonwealth employees and their dependents.
- Peirce College offers a 25 percent discount on all undergraduate and graduate programs for Commonwealth employees.
- Holy Family University offers a 25 percent tuition discount and waives application fees for Commonwealth employees and their spouses.
- Harrisburg University of Science and Technology offers a 25 percent discount on tuition for on-campus graduate and certificate programs for Commonwealth employees, a 10 percent discount off the tuition rate or training fee for on-campus graduate degree or certificate programs for dependents of Commonwealth employees, and a 10 percent discount for undergraduate or graduate online degree programs for both.
- Pennsylvania Western University (PennWest) Global Online offers a 20 percent discount on tuition for their online undergraduate, master’s and certificate degree programs to eligible Commonwealth employees.
- Central Penn College offers a one-time $1,000 scholarship, distributed over the first three academic terms, to eligible Commonwealth employees who enroll in a program and complete three terms of study.
- The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) offers an interest rate discount of 0.25 percent for Commonwealth employees who are a borrower or co-signer on new PA Forward loans.
- Commonwealth employees may qualify for loan forgiveness through the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, or PSLF.
To learn more about working for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, visit Employment.pa.gov to view and apply to current job openings, receive notifications about new vacancies in their field, and see all the Commonwealth benefits available to employees.
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