Beaver Stadium Parking Guide

Penn State prices Beaver Stadium parking by how big the game is, which means the same patch of grass costs $60 one Saturday and $100 the next. That single fact is worth more than any other tip on this page, because it means the decision to prepay is worth $50 on a marquee game and nothing at all on a soft one. Here is the full opponent grid, where day-of sales actually happen, and the shuttle timings that matter if you need accessible parking.

How much does it cost to park at Beaver Stadium?

Penn State publishes a day-of-game general lot price for each home opponent. There is no single rate.

Advance single-game passes are sold for Lots 11, 25, 33 and 34, with variable pricing that starts at $50. Advance sales run online until 15 days before the game, then move to the Bryce Jordan Center box office, Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., while supplies last.

Original research: what a full season of Beaver Stadium parking costs

Method: we took Penn State's published day-of-game price for each of the seven listed home opponents and summed them, then compared that against the advance-pass floor. Every competing page we checked lists the price range but none totals the season.

Nobody publishes the season total, so here it is. Paying at the gate for all seven listed home games costs $540. Three games carry the $100 premium and four sit at $60.

The practical read: prepaying is worth real money on the three premium games, where the gap between a $50 advance pass and a $100 gate price is the largest single saving available at this stadium. On the $60 games the advance discount is thin enough that turning up is a defensible choice, provided you accept the availability risk.

Day-of sales happen in exactly two lots

If you arrive without a pass, traffic personnel direct you to Lot 25 or Lot 36, if space remains. Follow the E Zone signage until Park Ave., then follow the day-of parking sales signs.

Payment is by card at those lots. Penn State runs a broadly cashless operation across garages, the ticket office, merchandise and most concessions, and strongly encourages card for day-of parking permits. All major cards plus Apple Pay and Google Pay are accepted.

When the lots open, and when you have to be gone

Day-of-game lots open at 7 a.m. for noon kickoffs and 8 a.m. for every other kickoff time.

Overnight RV holders get a longer window: Thursdays before home games from 6 p.m. to midnight, Fridays from 6 a.m. to midnight, and Saturdays from 7 a.m. or 8 a.m. depending on kickoff. Everyone must be out of all lots by noon on the Sunday after the game.

Accessible parking and the shuttle windows

Season ADA parking in the West zone is sold out, so single-game ADA sales are issued for the East Deck. Tailgating is not permitted in the East Deck.

Shuttle timings differ by lot, and the gap is wide enough to plan around:

Passes are valid only alongside a disabled licence plate or handicap placard, and ADA parking is reachable travelling via Atherton Street only — there is no access from Curtin Road.

Who can buy season parking

General season parking is restricted: fans need football season tickets to be eligible to buy new general season parking. Everyone else is buying single-game, either in advance for Lots 11, 25, 33 and 34, or at the gate in Lot 25 or Lot 36.

Foul weather changes the plan

Beaver Stadium's outer lots are grass. Penn State communicates foul weather parking plans in advance through gopsusports.com/gameday, the athletics social accounts including @beaver_stadium, and notifications in the official Penn State Athletics app. If rain is forecast in the days before a game, check before you set off; the lot on your pass may not be the lot you end up in.

Beaver Stadium: a stadium that was physically moved

Beaver Stadium is unusual: it was not built on its site so much as relocated to it. During the 1959–60 offseason Penn State dismantled the entire 30,000-seat New Beaver Field, moved it half a mile east, reassembled it and bolted it onto a new upper grandstand. The result opened on September 17, 1960 seating 46,284, at a cost of $1.6 million.

Six expansions later the official capacity is 106,304, second-largest in the Western Hemisphere, with a record crowd of 111,019 against Oregon on September 27, 2025. The stadium is named for James A. Beaver, governor of Pennsylvania from 1887 to 1891 and president of the university's board of trustees. A further renovation by Populous runs from 2024 to 2027.

Because the stadium was dropped onto the east end of campus rather than grown into a city, the parking is overwhelmingly grass field rather than structured deck. That single fact explains the foul weather plans, the Sunday-noon clearance deadline and why the lot on your pass is not guaranteed to be the lot you use.

Not driving: transit, rideshare and the alternatives

State College is served by CATA, the Centre Area Transportation Authority, which runs football game-day service to Beaver Stadium. Check CATA's current game-day routes and fares before travelling, as service differs from the regular timetable.

Uber and Lyft operate in State College but the supply pool is far smaller than in a major metro, and 106,000 people leaving at once overwhelms it. On a $100 premium game, a round trip may well undercut the gate price for one or two people. On a $60 game with four in the car, driving wins comfortably.

The genuine advantage of not driving is weather. If foul weather plans reroute the grass lots, riders are unaffected while drivers are re-directed on arrival.

Frequently asked questions

How much is parking at Beaver Stadium?
It depends on the opponent. Day-of-game general lot parking is $100 for West Virginia, Iowa and Michigan, and $60 for Delaware, UMass, Indiana and Rutgers. Advance single-game passes start at $50.

Is it cheaper to buy Penn State parking in advance?
Yes, and the saving is largest on premium games. Advance passes start at $50 against a $100 gate price for West Virginia, Iowa and Michigan. Advance pricing is variable and rises with demand.

Where do I buy parking on game day?
Lot 25 or Lot 36 only, subject to availability. Follow the E Zone signage to Park Ave., then the day-of parking sales signs. Card payment.

What time do the lots open?
7 a.m. for noon kickoffs and 8 a.m. for all other kickoff times.

When do I have to leave?
All lots must be vacated by noon on the Sunday after the game.

Where is accessible parking at Beaver Stadium?
Single-game ADA parking is at the East Deck, where tailgating is prohibited. Shuttles run from Shields, Wagner, IM Building and Nittany Lion Softball Park from 2.5 hours before kickoff, Katz Building from 4 hours, and East Deck from 2 hours, all dropping on Curtin Road by Gate B. Access is via Atherton Street only.

Can anyone buy season parking?
No. Fans must hold football season tickets to be eligible to purchase new general season parking.

Official sources

• Penn State Athletics: Guest Services — day-of-game price by opponent, advance sale windows
• Beaver Stadium A-Z Guide — advance pricing floor, cashless policy, ADA shuttle timings
• Penn State Athletics: Football Parking FAQ — lot opening times, day-of sale locations, ORV hours
• Football Parking Zones — 2026 Beaver Stadium parking map

Prices verified against the sources above on August 31, 2026. Penn State prices parking by opponent and updates it each season; confirm before travelling.

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