Fordham vs. Penn State

Deciding between Fordham 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.

Fordham University
Penn State Main Campus

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Fordham Bronx, NY
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • Fordham Large City
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Fordham 16,150
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • Fordham Private 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Fordham #133
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Fordham Roman Catholic
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • Fordham Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Fordham
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Fordham $64,915
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Fordham $64,915
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • Fordham $24,090
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Fordham $48,190
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Fordham $35,988
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Fordham 95%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Fordham 43,364
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • Fordham 25,719
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Fordham 59.3%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Fordham 9.7%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Fordham 1400
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Fordham 31
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Fordham 3.67
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Fordham A-
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Fordham Exceptional
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Fordham Low
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Fordham 30/33
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Fordham 1320/1480
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Fordham Test optional
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Fordham Jan 1, 2027
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Fordham 14:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Fordham
    • Business (26%)
    • Social Sciences (20%)
    • Communication (13%)
    • Psychology (7%)
    • English and Literature (6%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Fordham 78%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Fordham $64,200
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Fordham 77%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Fordham $26,000
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Fordham $268
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Fordham 39%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • Fordham 61%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Fordham High
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Fordham No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • Fordham 59%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • Fordham 10%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • Fordham 4%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Fordham 14%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Fordham 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Fordham 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Fordham 3%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • Fordham 7%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Fordham 2%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Fordham 38%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Fordham 51%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Fordham University in Bronx, NY 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 Fordham based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 16,150 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Fordham University is located in Bronx, NY (Large City setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • Fordham 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: Fordham University 14:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

Fordham vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Fordham 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 Fordham ($27,889 vs. $48,190).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 39.9% lower than at Fordham University ($14,474 vs. $24,090).
  • Fordham University is 214.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $44,271 more per year; $64,915.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 55.3% higher at Fordham than at Penn State Main Campus (about $23,125 more per year; $64,915.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Fordham University than at Penn State Main Campus (95% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Fordham University students is 217.5% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($35,988 vs. $11,336).

Fordham vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Fordham 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 Fordham.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Fordham University (1400) is 70 points higher than at Penn State (1330).
  • Incoming Fordham 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: Fordham University 1320/1480; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Fordham University 30/33; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Fordham - Test optional; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Fordham Jan 1, 2027.
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than Fordham (59.3%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 9.7% at Fordham vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

Fordham vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Fordham 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 Fordham University's (78%).
  • Graduates from Fordham University earn a median of about $8,900 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($64,200 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Fordham University graduates have a $818 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($26,000 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Fordham graduates have an estimated $9 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($268 vs. $277).
  • More Fordham graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (77% 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.