Case Western vs. Penn State

Deciding between Case Western Reserve 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.

Case Western Reserve University
Penn State Main Campus

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Case Western Cleveland, OH
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • Case Western Large City
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Case Western 12,475
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • Case Western Private 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Case Western #51
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Case Western -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • Case Western Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Case Western
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Case Western $66,608
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Case Western $66,608
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • Case Western $18,762
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Case Western $44,000
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Case Western $41,913
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Case Western 88%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Case Western 37,082
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • Case Western 13,550
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Case Western 36.5%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Case Western 11.9%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Case Western 1490
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Case Western 33
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Case Western 3.86
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Case Western A
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Case Western Exceptional
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Case Western High
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Case Western 32/34
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Case Western 1430/1540
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Case Western Test optional
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Case Western Jan 15, 2027
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Case Western 9:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Case Western
    • Engineering (28%)
    • Biology (12%)
    • Social Sciences (11%)
    • Business (9%)
    • Health Professions (8%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Case Western 78%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Case Western $84,700
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Case Western 84%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Case Western $24,066
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Case Western $248
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Case Western 48%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • Case Western 52%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Case Western High
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Case Western No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • Case Western 52%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • Case Western 20%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • Case Western 5%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Case Western 6%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Case Western 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Case Western 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Case Western 4%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • Case Western 11%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Case Western 2%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Case Western 13%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Case Western 75%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH 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 Case Western based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 12,475 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Case Western Reserve University is located in Cleveland, OH (Large City setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • Case Western Reserve 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: Case Western Reserve University 9:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

Case Western vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Case Western 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 Case Western ($27,889 vs. $44,000).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 22.9% lower than at Case Western Reserve University ($14,474 vs. $18,762).
  • Case Western Reserve University is 222.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $45,964 more per year; $66,608.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 59.4% higher at Case Western than at Penn State Main Campus (about $24,818 more per year; $66,608.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Case Western Reserve University than at Penn State Main Campus (88% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Case Western Reserve University students is 269.7% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($41,913 vs. $11,336).

Case Western vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Case Western 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 Case Western.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Case Western Reserve University (1490) is 160 points higher than at Penn State (1330).
  • Incoming Case Western students have a 4 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (33 vs. 29 at Penn State).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Case Western Reserve University 1430/1540; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Case Western Reserve University 32/34; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Case Western - Test optional; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Case Western Jan 15, 2027.
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than Case Western (36.5%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 11.9% at Case Western vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

Case Western vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Case Western 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 Case Western Reserve University's (78%).
  • Graduates from Case Western Reserve University earn a median of about $29,400 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($84,700 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Case Western Reserve University graduates have a $2,752 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($24,066 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Case Western graduates have an estimated $29 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($248 vs. $277).
  • More Case Western graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (84% 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.