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Virginia Tech UD Rutgers UConn Pitt UMass Princeton UB Georgetown Penn NYU NC State| Penn State Main Campus | Cornell University | Carnegie Mellon University | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Penn State | Cornell | Carnegie Mellon | |
| Location | University Park, PA | Ithaca, NY | Pittsburgh, PA | |
| Setting | Small City | Small City | Large City | |
| Enrollment | 50,399 | 26,264 | 15,596 | |
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | |
| National Ranking | #171 | #19 | #43 | |
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | Non-profit | |
| Website | psu.edu | cornell.edu | cmu.edu | |
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Penn State | Cornell | Carnegie Mellon | |
| Tuition (In State) | $19,672 | $65,204 | $62,260 | |
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $39,626 | $65,204 | $62,260 | |
| Room & Board | $13,030 | $18,554 | $17,468 | |
| Avg Net Price | $27,450 | $26,455 | $32,964 | |
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,577 | $56,741 | $47,550 | |
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 36% | 51% | 49% |
Admission |
Penn State | Cornell | Carnegie Mellon | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 85,956 | 65,635 | 33,707 | |
| Admitted | 46,605 | 5,358 | 3,843 | |
| Acceptance Rate | 54.2% | 8.2% | 11.4% | |
| Enrolled % | 19.4% | 66% | 44.4% | |
| Avg High School GPA | - | 3.9 | 3.89 | |
| Typical High School Grades | - | A- | A- | |
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Elite | Elite | |
| Applicant Competition | Low | Extreme | Very High | |
| ACT Range | 27/32 | 33/35 | 34/35 | |
| SAT Range | 1220/1400 | 1480/1560 | 1500/1570 | |
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | |
| Application Deadline | Jan 2, 2026 | Jan 1, 2026 |
Academics |
Penn State | Cornell | Carnegie Mellon | |
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 15:1 | 9:1 | 5:1 | |
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Outcomes |
Penn State | Cornell | Carnegie Mellon | |
| Graduation Rate | 87% | 93% | 87% | |
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $55,300 | $98,400 | $102,700 | |
| Making Student Loan Payments | 69% | 87% | 91% | |
| Median Student Loan Debt | $26,818 | $12,000 | $26,250 | |
| Median Loan Payment | $277 | $124 | $271 |
Diversity |
Penn State | Cornell | Carnegie Mellon | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 8% | 19% | 32% | |
| % Women | 8% | 20% | 21% | |
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Very High | Very High | |
| HBCU | No | No | No | |
| % White | 69% | 41% | 32% | |
| % Black | 4% | 6% | 5% | |
| % Hispanic | 6% | 12% | 8% | |
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | 0% | |
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% | |
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 4% | 4% | |
| % International | 11% | 10% | 18% | |
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 8% | 5% |
Students |
Penn State | Cornell | Carnegie Mellon | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 51% | 32% | 9% | |
| % Out-of-State | 40% | 55% | 71% | |
Campus |
Penn State | Cornell | Carnegie Mellon | |
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Freshman Dorm Required | Yes | No | Yes | |
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | No | |
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | No | |
| Learn More | Details | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Penn State Main Campus is larger than than Cornell based on total student enrollment (50,399 students vs. 26,264 students)
Penn State vs. Cornell Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Penn State or Cornell?
- Cornell University is 231.5% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($65,204.00 vs. $19,672.00)
- Out of state tuition is 64.5% higher at Cornell than Penn State Main Campus ($65,204.00 vs. $39,626.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cornell University than Penn State ($26,455 vs. $27,450)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 42.4% lower than costs at Cornell University ($13,030 vs. $18,554)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Cornell University than Penn State Main Campus (51% vs. 36%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Cornell University students is 390.1% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($56,741 vs. $11,577)
Penn State vs. Cornell Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Penn State or Cornell? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Cornell or Penn State .
- The average SAT score at Cornell University (1428) is 226 points higher than at Penn State (1202)
- Incoming Cornell students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Penn State (27)
- Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (54.2%) than Cornell (8.2%)
Penn State vs. Cornell Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Penn State or Cornell? 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 Cornell and Penn State.
- The graduation rate at Cornell is higher than Penn State Main Campus (93% vs. 87%)
- Graduates from Cornell University earn on average $43,100 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($98,400 vs. $55,300)
- Cornell University students graduate with a $14,818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($12,000 vs. $26,818)
- Cornell graduates are paying $153 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($124 vs. $277)
- More Cornell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 69%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/