Franciscan vs. Penn State

Deciding between Franciscan University of Steubenville 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.

Franciscan University of Steubenville
Penn State Main Campus

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Franciscan Steubenville, OH
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • Franciscan Small City
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Franciscan 3,976
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • Franciscan Private 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Franciscan #473
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Franciscan Roman Catholic
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • Franciscan Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Franciscan
  • Penn State
  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Franciscan $34,100
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Franciscan $34,100
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • Franciscan $10,000
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Franciscan $23,086
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Franciscan $21,522
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Franciscan 99%
  • Penn State 37%
  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Franciscan 2,968
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • Franciscan 1,732
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Franciscan 58.4%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Franciscan 41.7%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Franciscan 1230
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Franciscan 25
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Franciscan 3.78
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Franciscan A-
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Franciscan Difficult
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Franciscan Low
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Franciscan 22/29
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Franciscan 1110/1350
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Franciscan Test optional
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Franciscan
  • Penn State
  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Franciscan 17:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Franciscan
    • Theology and Religious Vvocations (30%)
    • Health Professions (12%)
    • Business (10%)
    • Education (8%)
    • English and Literature (6%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Franciscan 70%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Franciscan $39,800
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Franciscan 78%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Franciscan $22,000
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Franciscan $227
  • Penn State $277
  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Franciscan 47%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • Franciscan 53%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Franciscan Very Low
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Franciscan No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • Franciscan 83%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • Franciscan 2%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • Franciscan 1%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Franciscan 10%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Franciscan 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Franciscan 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Franciscan 2%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • Franciscan 1%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Franciscan 1%
  • Penn State 2%
  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Franciscan 19%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Franciscan 80%
  • Penn State 40%
  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Franciscan University of Steubenville in Steubenville, 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 Franciscan based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 3,976 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Franciscan University of Steubenville is located in Steubenville, OH (Small City setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • Franciscan University of Steubenville is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Franciscan University of Steubenville 17:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

Franciscan vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Franciscan 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 Franciscan University of Steubenville than Penn State ($23,086 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Franciscan University of Steubenville are 30.9% lower than at Penn State Main Campus ($10,000 vs. $14,474).
  • Franciscan University of Steubenville is 65.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $13,456 more per year; $34,100.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 22.6% higher at Penn State than at Franciscan University of Steubenville (about $7,690 more per year; $41,790.00 vs. $34,100.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Franciscan University of Steubenville than at Penn State Main Campus (99% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Franciscan University of Steubenville students is 89.9% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($21,522 vs. $11,336).

Franciscan vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Franciscan 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 Franciscan.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Penn State Main Campus (1330) is 100 points higher than at Franciscan (1230).
  • Incoming Penn State students have a 4 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (29 vs. 25 at Franciscan).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Franciscan University of Steubenville 1110/1350; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Franciscan University of Steubenville 22/29; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Franciscan - Test optional; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than Franciscan (58.4%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 41.7% at Franciscan vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

Franciscan vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Franciscan 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 Franciscan University of Steubenville's (70%).
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn a median of about $15,500 more per year than Franciscan graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $39,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Franciscan University of Steubenville graduates have a $4,818 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($22,000 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Franciscan graduates have an estimated $50 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($227 vs. $277).
  • More Franciscan 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.