Label

Element

Value

Risk/Return:

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Registrant Name

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PENN SERIES FUNDS INC

Prospectus Date

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May 01, 2015

Penn Series Mid Cap Value Fund

Risk/Return:

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Risk/Return [Heading]

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FUND SUMMARY:  MID CAP VALUE FUND

Objective [Heading]

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Investment Objective

Objective, Primary [Text Block]

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The investment objective of the Mid Cap Value Fund (the “Fund”) is to achieve growth of capital.

Expense [Heading]

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Fund Fees and Expenses

Expense Narrative [Text Block]

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This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. Additional fees and expenses will be applied at the variable contract level. Those fees and expenses are described in your variable contract prospectus. If the information below were to reflect the deduction of variable contract charges, fees and expenses would be higher.

Operating Expenses Caption [Text]

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Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Portfolio Turnover [Heading]

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Portfolio Turnover

Portfolio Turnover [Text Block]

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The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover may indicate higher transaction costs. These costs, which are not reflected in the annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 32% of the average value of its portfolio.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate

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32.00%

Expense Example [Heading]

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Example

Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]

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This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs and returns might be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Strategy [Heading]

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Principal Investment Strategy

Strategy Narrative [Text Block]

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Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in equity securities of mid-cap companies. For purposes of this policy, mid capitalization companies have market capitalizations that fall within the market capitalization range of companies in the Russell Midcap^® Index at the time of purchase (as of March 31, 2015, this range was between $212 million and $37.33 billion). Because the Fund's definition of mid-cap companies is dynamic, the lower and upper limits on market capitalization will change with the markets. In selecting individual securities, the Sub-Adviser uses bottom-up, fundamental research to identify high quality companies that are trading at a substantial discount to their intrinsic value, defined as the Sub-Adviser's estimate of a company's true long-term economic worth, where there is a strategic plan or event that is expected to both enhance value and narrow the value/price gap. Intrinsic value reflects the Sub-Adviser's analysis and estimates. There is no guarantee that any intrinsic value will be realized; security prices may decrease regardless of intrinsic values. Applying a consistent, private equity-style investment framework, the Sub-Adviser focuses its research efforts on a company's long-term outlook and strategic catalysts that can potentially unlock value. Their approach emphasizes asset values and cash flows, directly engaging a company's management team to evaluate its strategic direction, execution abilities and direct incentive compensation.

The Sub-Adviser will consider reducing or eliminating a position when the gap between its price and its intrinsic value has narrowed or been eliminated or when other opportunities appear more attractive. Changes in management or corporate strategy may also result in the reduction or elimination of a position. The Sub-Adviser does not have an automatic sell decision when a holding increases to a certain market capitalization level based on underperformance. They would continue to hold a stock if they believed that it could ultimately contribute to performance.

Risk [Heading]

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Principal Risks of Investing

Risk Narrative [Text Block]

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Liquidity Risk.  The possibility that the market for certain of the Fund’s investments may become illiquid under adverse or volatile market or economic conditions, making those investments difficult to sell at an advantageous price. The market price of certain investments may fall dramatically if there is no liquid trading market for the investments. It also may be difficult for the Fund to purchase a desired investment at an advantageous price under such circumstances.

Management Risk.  The possibility that the investment decisions, techniques, analyses or models implemented by the Fund’s Sub-Adviser in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may not produce the returns expected, may cause the Fund’s shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform relevant benchmarks or other funds with similar investment objectives.

Market Risk.  The possibility that the values of, and/or the income generated by, securities held by the Fund may decline, sometimes unpredictably, due to general market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Security markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such developments.

Mid-Cap Securities Risk.  The possibility that the return on the Fund’s investments in mid-cap companies may be less than the return on investments in stocks of larger or smaller companies or the stock market as a whole. Mid-cap companies may be more vulnerable to market volatility and adverse business or economic events than larger, more established companies. The securities of mid-cap companies are more likely to trade in lower volumes and are generally subject to greater and less predictable price changes than the securities of larger capitalization companies.

“Value” Investing Risk.  The possibility that the Fund’s investments in securities believed by the Sub-Adviser to be undervalued may not realize their perceived value for extended periods of time or may never realize their perceived value. The securities in which the Fund invests may respond differently to market and other developments than other types of securities, and may underperform growth stocks and/or the market as a whole.

An investment in the Fund may be appropriate for investors who are willing to accept the risks and uncertainties of investing in mid-cap stocks in the hope of achieving above-average growth of capital.

Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]

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Performance Information

Performance Narrative [Text Block]

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The bar chart and table below show the performance of the Fund both year-by-year and as an average over different periods of time. The bar chart and table demonstrate the variability of performance over time and provide an indication of the risks and volatility of an investment in the Fund by showing how the Fund’s average annual total returns for various periods compare with those of a broad-based securities market index. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. This performance information does not include the impact of any charges deducted under your variable contract. If it did, returns would be lower.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]

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The bar chart and table below show the performance of the Fund both year-by-year and as an average over different periods of time. The bar chart and table demonstrate the variability of performance over time and provide an indication of the risks and volatility of an investment in the Fund by showing how the Fund's average annual total returns for various periods compare with those of a broad-based securities market index.

Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]

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Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future.

Bar Chart Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text]

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This performance information does not include the impact of any charges deducted under your variable contract. If it did, returns would be lower.

Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]

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Best Quarter	Worst Quarter
25.30%	-28.74%
9/30/2009	12/31/2008

Performance Table Heading

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Average Annual Total Return (for Periods Ended December 31, 2014)

Penn Series Mid Cap Value Fund | Mid Cap Value Fund

Risk/Return:

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Investment Advisory Fees

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0.55%

Distribution (12b-1) Fees

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none

Other Expenses

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0.26%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

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0.81%

1 Year

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83

3 Years

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259

5 Years

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450

10 Years

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1,002

2005

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12.33%

2006

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11.41%

2007

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3.77%

2008

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(47.26%)

2009

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46.99%

2010

rr_AnnualReturn2010

25.77%

2011

rr_AnnualReturn2011

(6.27%)

2012

rr_AnnualReturn2012

15.17%

2013

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36.20%

2014

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13.67%

Highest Quarterly Return, Label

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Best Quarter

Highest Quarterly Return, Date

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Sep. 30, 2009

Highest Quarterly Return

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25.30%

Lowest Quarterly Return, Label

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Worst Quarter

Lowest Quarterly Return, Date

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Dec. 31, 2008

Lowest Quarterly Return

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(28.74%)

1 Year

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13.67%

5 Years

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16.02%

10 Years

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7.78%

Penn Series Mid Cap Value Fund | Russell Midcap® Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

Risk/Return:

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1 Year

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14.75%

5 Years

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17.43%

10 Years

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9.43%