Ithaca College vs. Penn State

Deciding between Ithaca College 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.

Ithaca College
Penn State Main Campus

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Ithaca College Ithaca, NY
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • Ithaca College Small Suburban
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Ithaca College 4,767
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • Ithaca College Private 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Ithaca College #163
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Ithaca College -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • Ithaca College Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Ithaca College
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Ithaca College $53,540
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Ithaca College $53,540
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • Ithaca College $16,192
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Ithaca College $35,253
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Ithaca College $33,450
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Ithaca College 100%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Ithaca College 12,400
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • Ithaca College 8,557
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Ithaca College 69%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Ithaca College 12.3%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Ithaca College 1310
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Ithaca College 28
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Ithaca College -
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Ithaca College -
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Ithaca College Difficult
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Ithaca College Low
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Ithaca College 27/30
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Ithaca College 1230/1390
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Ithaca College Test optional
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Ithaca College Feb 1, 2027
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Ithaca College 10:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Ithaca College
    • Communication (19%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (17%)
    • Health Professions (14%)
    • Business (12%)
    • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Ithaca College 74%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Ithaca College $56,100
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Ithaca College 84%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Ithaca College $25,750
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Ithaca College $266
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Ithaca College 43%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • Ithaca College 57%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Ithaca College Low
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Ithaca College No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • Ithaca College 71%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • Ithaca College 4%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • Ithaca College 6%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Ithaca College 8%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Ithaca College 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Ithaca College 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Ithaca College 3%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • Ithaca College 2%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Ithaca College 7%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Ithaca College 43%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Ithaca College 55%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Ithaca College in Ithaca, 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 Ithaca College based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 4,767 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Ithaca College is located in Ithaca, NY (Small Suburban setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • Ithaca College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Ithaca College 10:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

Ithaca College vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Ithaca College 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 Ithaca College ($27,889 vs. $35,253).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 10.6% lower than at Ithaca College ($14,474 vs. $16,192).
  • Ithaca College is 159.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $32,896 more per year; $53,540.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 28.1% higher at Ithaca College than at Penn State Main Campus (about $11,750 more per year; $53,540.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Ithaca College than at Penn State Main Campus (100% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ithaca College students is 195.1% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($33,450 vs. $11,336).

Ithaca College vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Ithaca College 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 Ithaca College.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Penn State Main Campus (1330) is 20 points higher than at Ithaca College (1310).
  • Incoming Penn State students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (29 vs. 28 at Ithaca College).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Ithaca College 1230/1390; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Ithaca College 27/30; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Ithaca College - Test optional; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Ithaca College Feb 1, 2027.
  • Ithaca College has a higher acceptance rate (69%) than Penn State (60.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 12.3% at Ithaca College vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

Ithaca College vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Ithaca College 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 Ithaca College's (74%).
  • Graduates from Ithaca College earn a median of about $800 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($56,100 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Ithaca College graduates have a $1,068 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($25,750 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Ithaca College graduates have an estimated $11 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($266 vs. $277).
  • More Ithaca College 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.