CNU vs. Penn State

Should I go to Christopher Newport University or Penn State Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CNU or Penn State is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Christopher Newport University vs. Penn State Main Campus comparison
Christopher Newport University Penn State Main Campus College 3 College 4
Christopher Newport University Penn State Main Campus
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Overview

CNU Penn State
Location Newport News, VA University Park, PA
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 4,559 50,028
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #390 #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cnu.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CNU Penn State
Tuition (In State) $9,375 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $22,613 $35,946
Room & Board $11,990 $12,744
Avg Net Price $23,287 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $8,022 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 66% 44%

Admission

CNU Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,428 85,784
Admitted 6,340 47,360
Acceptance Rate 85.4% 55.2%
Enrolled % 18.3% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Challenging Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/29 26/31
SAT Range 1100/1290 1210/1390
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2024

Academics

CNU Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

CNU Penn State
Graduation Rate 63% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,100 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $258 $277

Diversity

CNU Penn State
% Men 46% 53%
% Women 54% 47%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 74% 69%
% Black 8% 4%
% Hispanic 5% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 0% 11%
% Unknown Race 5% 2%

Students

CNU Penn State
% In-State 91% 51%
% Out-of-State 6% 40%

Campus

CNU Penn State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than CNU based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 4,559 students)

CNU vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CNU or Penn State?

  • Penn State Main Campus is 95.9% more expensive to attend than CNU for in-state tuition ($18,368.00 vs. $9,375.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 59% higher at Penn State than Christopher Newport University ($35,946.00 vs. $22,613.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Christopher Newport University than Penn State ($23,287 vs. $26,747)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Christopher Newport University are 6.3% lower than costs at Penn State Main Campus ($11,990 vs. $12,744)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Christopher Newport University than Penn State Main Campus (66% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Main Campus students is 25.5% larger than aid received Christopher Newport University ($10,066 vs. $8,022)

CNU vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CNU or Penn State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Penn State or CNU .

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Main Campus (1202) is 47 points higher than at CNU (1155)
  • Incoming Penn State students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at CNU (25)
  • CNU has a higher acceptance rate (85.4%) than Penn State (55.2%)

CNU vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CNU or Penn State? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Penn State and CNU.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than Christopher Newport University (87% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn on average $8,200 more per year than CNU graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $47,100)
  • Christopher Newport University students graduate with a $1,818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,818)
  • CNU graduates are paying $19 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($258 vs. $277)
  • More CNU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 69%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/