Youngstown State University's average undergraduate tuition is $15,807 USD, and the average graduate tuition is $14,241 USD.

Cafaro House, Kilcawley House, Lyden House, Wick House, and Weller House are the university's five residence halls. The university also prepares for staff members to stay in each residence hall to assist resident students in the event of an emergency. The annual rental and meal costs range from 9,400 USD to 10,800 USD, depending on the kind of housing and meal plans chosen by the students. Off-campus accommodation costs roughly 1000 to 1500 USD per month on average.

The university has a total of 12756 students enrolled. According to Youngstown State University, overseas students account for around 3.6 percent of the student body. Youngstown State University applications are competitive, with a 70% acceptance rate.

The main campus of the university is set across 145 acres and houses Administration Buildings, Classroom Buildings, Housing, 30+ eating facilities, a library, and a bookstore. Outside of class, there are around 140 student organisations to join, including fraternities and sororities, as well as the Youngstown State Penguins sports teams, which compete in the NCAA Division I Horizon League. On-campus housing and food are also available. Vehicles are permitted on campus for students.

Youngstown State University is accredited by the “Higher Learning Commission.”

The university also subscribes to many online employment portals, such as the Handshake/Penguin portal, and services that allow students to upload their resumes and search for relevant open opportunities. The portal also assists in honing and obtaining job-related skills. 87 percent of college students are able to find work within two years of graduation, earning roughly USD 35,900 per year, compared to the national average of USD 33,028. The University's career outcome rate is 65.7 percent.