Penn State vs. Penn State York

Deciding between Penn State Main Campus and Penn State York? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,500 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Penn State Main Campus

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Penn State York York, PA
  • Setting
  • Penn State Small City
  • Penn State York Midsize Suburban
  • Enrollment
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Penn State York 677
  • Type
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • Penn State York Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Penn State #185
  • Penn State York
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Penn State -
  • Penn State York -
  • Status
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Penn State York Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Penn State
  • Penn State York

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Penn State York $15,208
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Penn State York $25,392
  • Room & Board
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Penn State York $15,274
  • Average Net Price
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Penn State York $18,887
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Penn State $11,336
  • Penn State York $8,756
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Penn State 37%
  • Penn State York 80%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Penn State York 1,933
  • Admitted
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Penn State York 1,883
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Penn State York 97.4%
  • Enrolled
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Penn State York 10.7%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Penn State 1330
  • Penn State York 1150
  • Typical ACT score
  • Penn State 29
  • Penn State York 25
  • Average High School GPA
  • Penn State -
  • Penn State York -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Penn State -
  • Penn State York -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Penn State Very High
  • Penn State York Average
  • Applicant Competition
  • Penn State Low
  • Penn State York
  • ACT Range
  • Penn State 27/32
  • Penn State York 22/28
  • SAT Range
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Penn State York 1050/1245
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Penn State Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
  • Penn State York Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
  • Application Deadline
  • Penn State
  • Penn State York

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Penn State York 14:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Penn State York
    • Business (32%)
    • Work and Family Studies (24%)
    • Engineering (11%)
    • Engineering Technology (9%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Penn State 87%
  • Penn State York 45%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Penn State York $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Penn State 69%
  • Penn State York 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Penn State York $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Penn State $277
  • Penn State York $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Penn State 8%
  • Penn State York 0%
  • % Women
  • Penn State 8%
  • Penn State York 0%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Penn State Medium
  • Penn State York Medium
  • HBCU
  • Penn State No
  • Penn State York No
  • % White
  • Penn State 69%
  • Penn State York 63%
  • % Asian
  • Penn State 6%
  • Penn State York 5%
  • % Black
  • Penn State 4%
  • Penn State York 6%
  • % Hispanic
  • Penn State 6%
  • Penn State York 6%
  • % Native American
  • Penn State 0%
  • Penn State York 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Penn State 0%
  • Penn State York 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Penn State 3%
  • Penn State York 3%
  • % International
  • Penn State 11%
  • Penn State York 15%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Penn State 2%
  • Penn State York 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Penn State 53%
  • Penn State York 85%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Penn State 40%
  • Penn State York 13%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Penn State Main Campus in University Park, PA with Penn State York in York, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Penn State Main Campus is larger than Penn State York based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 677 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Penn State Main Campus is located in University Park, PA (Small City setting); Penn State York is in York, PA (Midsize Suburban setting).
  • Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State York is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Penn State Main Campus 16:1; Penn State York 14:1.

Penn State vs. Penn State York Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State or Penn State York? 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 York than Penn State ($18,887 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 5.2% lower than at Penn State York ($14,474 vs. $15,274).
  • Penn State Main Campus is 35.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State York (about $5,436 more per year; $20,644.00 vs. $15,208.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 64.6% higher at Penn State than at Penn State York (about $16,398 more per year; $41,790.00 vs. $25,392.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Penn State York than at Penn State Main Campus (80% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Main Campus students is 29.5% larger than aid received by Penn State York students ($11,336 vs. $8,756).

Penn State vs. Penn State York Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Penn State or Penn State York? 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 York and Penn State.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Penn State Main Campus (1330) is 180 points higher than at Penn State York (1150).
  • Incoming Penn State students have a 4 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (29 vs. 25 at Penn State York).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420; Penn State York 1050/1245.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Main Campus 27/32; Penn State York 22/28.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Penn State - Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional); Penn State York - Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional).
  • Penn State York has a higher acceptance rate (97.4%) than Penn State (60.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.1% at Penn State vs. 10.7% at Penn State York.

Penn State vs. Penn State York Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Penn State and Penn State York? 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 Penn State York's (45%).
  • Graduates of Penn State Main Campus and Penn State York have equivalent median earnings about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $55,300), per the federal College Scorecard cohort (typically among students working and not enrolled).
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Penn State York and Penn State graduates have the same median loan debt ($26,818 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers in the federal data, Penn State York and Penn State graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($277 vs. $277).
  • Federal student loan repayment rates three years after graduation are the same for Penn State York and Penn State graduates (69% 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.