Auburn vs. Penn State

Deciding between Auburn University and Penn State Main Campus? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Auburn University
Penn State Main Campus

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Auburn Auburn, AL
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • Auburn Small City
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Auburn 34,145
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • Auburn Public 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Auburn #301
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Auburn -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • Auburn Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Auburn
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Auburn $12,890
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Auburn $34,922
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • Auburn $16,626
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Auburn $25,242
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Auburn $10,872
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Auburn 80%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Auburn 55,056
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • Auburn 25,284
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Auburn 45.9%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Auburn 24.1%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Auburn 1330
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Auburn 28
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Auburn 3.97
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Auburn A
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Auburn Very High
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Auburn Low
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Auburn 26/31
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Auburn 1260/1390
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Auburn Required
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Auburn Feb 1, 2027
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Auburn 21:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Auburn
    • Business (22%)
    • Engineering (14%)
    • Education (10%)
    • Communication (6%)
    • Biology (6%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Auburn 66%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Auburn $54,100
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Auburn 73%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Auburn $21,500
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Auburn $222
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Auburn 49%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • Auburn 51%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Auburn Very Low
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Auburn No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • Auburn 84%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • Auburn 2%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • Auburn 7%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Auburn 3%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Auburn 1%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Auburn 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Auburn 1%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • Auburn 1%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Auburn 1%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Auburn 53%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Auburn 46%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Auburn Yes
  • Penn State Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Auburn No
  • Penn State Yes
  • Meal Plan
  • Auburn Yes
  • Penn State Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Auburn No
  • Penn State Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • Auburn No
  • Penn State Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare Auburn University in Auburn, AL with Penn State Main Campus in University Park, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Penn State Main Campus is larger than Auburn based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 34,145 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Auburn University is located in Auburn, AL (Small City setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • Auburn University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Auburn University 21:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

Auburn vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Auburn or Penn State? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Auburn University than Penn State ($25,242 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 12.9% lower than at Auburn University ($14,474 vs. $16,626).
  • Penn State Main Campus is 60.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than Auburn (about $7,754 more per year; $20,644.00 vs. $12,890.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 19.7% higher at Penn State than at Auburn University (about $6,868 more per year; $41,790.00 vs. $34,922.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Auburn University than at Penn State Main Campus (80% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Main Campus students is 4.3% larger than aid received by Auburn University students ($11,336 vs. $10,872).

Auburn vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Auburn or Penn State? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Penn State and Auburn.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Auburn University (1330) is the same as at Penn State (1330).
  • Incoming Penn State students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (29 vs. 28 at Auburn).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Auburn University 1260/1390; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Auburn University 26/31; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Auburn - Required; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Auburn Feb 1, 2027.
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than Auburn (45.9%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 24.1% at Auburn vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

Auburn vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Auburn and Penn State? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Penn State Main Campus's six-year graduation rate (87%) is higher than Auburn University's (66%).
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn a median of about $1,200 more per year than Auburn graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $54,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Auburn University graduates have a $5,318 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($21,500 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Auburn graduates have an estimated $55 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($222 vs. $277).
  • More Auburn graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 69%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.