Penn State vs. Providence

Deciding between Penn State Main Campus and Providence College? 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.

Penn State Main Campus
Providence College

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Providence Providence, RI
  • Setting
  • Penn State Small City
  • Providence Midsize City
  • Total enrollment
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Providence 4,666
  • Type
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • Providence Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Penn State #185
  • Providence #125
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Penn State -
  • Providence Roman Catholic
  • Status
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Providence Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Penn State
  • Providence

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Providence $63,550
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Providence $63,550
  • Room & Board
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Providence $17,840
  • Average Net Price
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Providence $48,618
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Penn State $11,336
  • Providence $31,873
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Penn State 37%
  • Providence 83%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Providence 12,521
  • Admitted
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Providence 6,372
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Providence 50.9%
  • Enrolled
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Providence 19.2%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Penn State 1330
  • Providence 1320
  • Typical ACT score
  • Penn State 29
  • Providence 30
  • Average High School GPA
  • Penn State -
  • Providence 3.47
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Penn State -
  • Providence B+
  • Admissions Standards
  • Penn State Very High
  • Providence Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Penn State Low
  • Providence Low
  • ACT Range
  • Penn State 27/32
  • Providence 29/32
  • SAT Range
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Providence 1250/1390
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Providence Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Penn State
  • Providence Jan 15, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Providence 11:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Providence
    • Business (33%)
    • Social Sciences (13%)
    • Education (9%)
    • Biology (6%)
    • English and Literature (6%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Penn State 87%
  • Providence 85%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Providence $68,000
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Penn State 69%
  • Providence 80%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Providence $27,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Penn State $277
  • Providence $279

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Penn State 52%
  • Providence 45%
  • % Women
  • Penn State 48%
  • Providence 55%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Penn State Medium
  • Providence Low
  • HBCU
  • Penn State No
  • Providence No
  • % White
  • Penn State 69%
  • Providence 77%
  • % Asian
  • Penn State 6%
  • Providence 1%
  • % Black
  • Penn State 4%
  • Providence 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Penn State 6%
  • Providence 9%
  • % Native American
  • Penn State 0%
  • Providence 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Penn State 0%
  • Providence 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Penn State 3%
  • Providence 2%
  • % International
  • Penn State 11%
  • Providence 2%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Penn State 2%
  • Providence 5%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Penn State 53%
  • Providence 9%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Penn State 40%
  • Providence 90%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

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

Penn State Main Campus is larger than Providence based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 4,666 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Penn State Main Campus is located in University Park, PA (Small City setting); Providence College is in Providence, RI (Midsize City setting).
  • Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Providence College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Penn State Main Campus 16:1; Providence College 11:1.

Penn State vs. Providence Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State or Providence? 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 Providence ($27,889 vs. $48,618).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 18.9% lower than at Providence College ($14,474 vs. $17,840).
  • Providence College is 207.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $42,906 more per year; $63,550.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 52.1% higher at Providence than at Penn State Main Campus (about $21,760 more per year; $63,550.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Providence College than at Penn State Main Campus (83% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Providence College students is 181.2% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($31,873 vs. $11,336).

Penn State vs. Providence Admissions comparison

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

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Penn State Main Campus (1330) is 10 points higher than at Providence (1320).
  • Incoming Providence students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (30 vs. 29 at Penn State).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420; Providence College 1250/1390.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Main Campus 27/32; Providence College 29/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Penn State - Test optional; Providence - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Providence Jan 15, 2027.
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than Providence (50.9%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.1% at Penn State vs. 19.2% at Providence.

Penn State vs. Providence Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Penn State and Providence? 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 Providence College's (85%).
  • Graduates from Providence College earn a median of about $12,700 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($68,000 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Penn State Main Campus graduates have a $182 lower median loan debt than Providence graduates ($26,818 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, Penn State graduates have an estimated $2 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Providence graduates ($277 vs. $279).
  • More Providence graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (80% 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.