Bucknell vs. Penn State

Deciding between Bucknell 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.

Bucknell University
Penn State Main Campus

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Bucknell Lewisburg, PA
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • Bucknell Distant Town
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Bucknell 3,969
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • Bucknell Private 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Bucknell #71
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Bucknell -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • Bucknell Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Bucknell
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Bucknell $67,812
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Bucknell $67,812
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • Bucknell $16,924
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Bucknell $39,003
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Bucknell $44,734
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Bucknell 59%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Bucknell 11,377
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • Bucknell 3,291
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Bucknell 28.9%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Bucknell 30.1%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Bucknell 1390
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Bucknell 31
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Bucknell 3.62
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Bucknell A-
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Bucknell Very High
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Bucknell High
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Bucknell 30/33
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Bucknell 1310/1470
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Bucknell Test optional
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Bucknell Jan 15, 2027
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Bucknell 9:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Bucknell
    • Social Sciences (25%)
    • Engineering (14%)
    • Business (12%)
    • Biology (8%)
    • English and Literature (6%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Bucknell 91%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Bucknell $76,300
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Bucknell 89%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Bucknell $27,000
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Bucknell $279
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Bucknell 48%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • Bucknell 52%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Bucknell Low
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Bucknell No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • Bucknell 77%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • Bucknell 4%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • Bucknell 3%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Bucknell 6%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Bucknell 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Bucknell 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Bucknell 4%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • Bucknell 5%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Bucknell 0%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Bucknell 19%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Bucknell 77%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Bucknell University in Lewisburg, PA 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 Bucknell based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 3,969 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Bucknell University is located in Lewisburg, PA (Distant Town setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • Bucknell University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Bucknell University 9:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

Bucknell vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bucknell 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 Penn State Main Campus than Bucknell ($27,889 vs. $39,003).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 14.5% lower than at Bucknell University ($14,474 vs. $16,924).
  • Bucknell University is 228.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $47,168 more per year; $67,812.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 62.3% higher at Bucknell than at Penn State Main Campus (about $26,022 more per year; $67,812.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Bucknell University than at Penn State Main Campus (59% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bucknell University students is 294.6% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($44,734 vs. $11,336).

Bucknell vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Bucknell 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 Bucknell.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Bucknell University (1390) is 60 points higher than at Penn State (1330).
  • Incoming Bucknell students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (31 vs. 29 at Penn State).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Bucknell University 1310/1470; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Bucknell University 30/33; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Bucknell - Test optional; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Bucknell Jan 15, 2027.
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than Bucknell (28.9%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 30.1% at Bucknell vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

Bucknell vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Bucknell 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).

  • Bucknell University's six-year graduation rate (91%) is higher than Penn State Main Campus's (87%).
  • Graduates from Bucknell University earn a median of about $21,000 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($76,300 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Penn State Main Campus graduates have a $182 lower median loan debt than Bucknell graduates ($26,818 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, Penn State graduates have an estimated $2 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Bucknell graduates ($277 vs. $279).
  • More Bucknell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (89% 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.