The economy in Pennsylvania is on the road to recovery -- which is good news for students looking for summer jobs.

It is safe to conclude that economic conditions are on the rise in Pennsylvania, said William D. Anderson, assistant director of the Center for Regional Business Analysis in the Smeal College of Business Administration. But college students may not have an easy time finding summer jobs in the area, he said.

Nancy Fine, part-owner of Metro, 324 E. College Ave., said her business has been on the upswing and has been hiring. The clothing store is looking to fill both part-time and full-time positions, she said.

More students are deciding to stay for the summer and work in State College, Fine said.

"We're flooded with applications," she said.

Although summer jobs may be more plentiful than last year, the difference will probably not be enough to satisfy all the students searching for jobs, Anderson said.

Mike DiPippa (sophomore-architectural engineering) said he is worried about finding a good job this summer. Local businesses may be cutting down on employment, he said.

"I think I'll get something, but I think I'll have a hard time getting a job that I enjoy," DiPippa said.

Students may have a better chance of getting a retail position, Anderson said. Business analysts are looking toward a recovery driven by service-related jobs, he said.

But Charles Petnick, chairman of Mr. Charles Shops Inc., 228 E. College Ave., said the retail business in State College is not at its peak. It has been a slow season since December, he said.

"Even the foot traffic in town is much lower," Petnick said.

But the store will interview anyone who is capable of handling the job, Petnick said.

Retail stores are not the only places students are looking for jobs.

Jen Hart (sophomore-special education) was recently hired by the Nittany Lion Inn, 200 W. Park Ave.

"It was necessary to find a job before I decided to stay for the summer," she said.

Jim Perdum , general manager of the Nittany Lion Inn, said the hotel has many employment openings for the summer. The hotel has had a steady flow of applications, he said.

Several downtown businesses owned by Michael Desmond and John Cocolin may also hire students during the summer, said Lee King, human resources manager. These include: the Corner Room, 100 W. College Ave.; the Allen Room Restaurant, 100 W. College Ave.; Player's Sports Bar, 112 W. College Ave.; Take Six, 100 W. College Ave.; Zeno's, 100 W. College Ave., and Chumley's, 108 W. College Ave.

"Students supply an excellent work force," King said.