George Washington vs. Penn State

Should I go to George Washington University or Penn State Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if George Washington 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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George Washington University vs. Penn State Main Campus comparison
George Washington University Penn State Main Campus College 3 College 4
George Washington University Penn State Main Campus
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Overview

George Washington Penn State
Location Washington, DC University Park, PA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 25,939 50,028
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #73 #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website gwu.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

George Washington Penn State
Tuition (In State) $62,110 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $62,110 $35,946
Room & Board $15,720 $12,744
Avg Net Price $42,723 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $35,257 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 78% 44%

Admission

George Washington Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 27,266 85,784
Admitted 13,354 47,360
Acceptance Rate 49% 55.2%
Enrolled % 22% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 31/34 26/31
SAT Range 1330/1490 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 Jan 5, 2024

Academics

George Washington Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (34%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Communication (4%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

George Washington Penn State
Graduation Rate 81% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $80,500 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,962 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $258 $277

Diversity

George Washington Penn State
% Men 38% 53%
% Women 62% 47%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 56% 69%
% Black 6% 4%
% Hispanic 8% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 10% 11%
% Unknown Race 5% 2%

Students

George Washington Penn State
% In-State 1% 51%
% Out-of-State 89% 40%

Campus

George Washington 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 George Washington based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 25,939 students)

George Washington vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, George Washington or Penn State?

  • George Washington University is 238.1% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($62,110.00 vs. $18,368.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 72.8% higher at George Washington than Penn State Main Campus ($62,110.00 vs. $35,946.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Main Campus than George Washington ($26,747 vs. $42,723)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 23.4% lower than costs at George Washington University ($12,744 vs. $15,720)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at George Washington University than Penn State Main Campus (78% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by George Washington University students is 250.3% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($35,257 vs. $10,066)

George Washington vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at George Washington University (1294) is 92 points higher than at Penn State (1202)
  • Incoming George Washington students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Penn State (27)
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (55.2%) than George Washington (49%)

George Washington vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, George Washington 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 George Washington.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than George Washington University (87% vs. 81%)
  • Graduates from George Washington University earn on average $25,200 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($80,500 vs. $55,300)
  • George Washington University students graduate with a $1,856 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($24,962 vs. $26,818)
  • George Washington graduates are paying $19 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($258 vs. $277)
  • More George Washington graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 69%)

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