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Virginia Tech UD UT Dallas Rutgers UConn UNT Pitt UMass Texas Tech UT Arlington UB NC State| Penn State Main Campus | University of Houston | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Penn State | UH | ||
| Location | University Park, PA | Houston, TX | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 50,028 | 46,700 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #167 | #452 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | psu.edu | uh.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Penn State | UH | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $18,368 | $8,685 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $35,946 | $20,877 | ||
| Room & Board | $12,744 | $10,418 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $26,747 | $14,056 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,066 | $11,457 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 44% | 75% |
Admission |
Penn State | UH | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 85,784 | 29,783 | ||
| Admitted | 47,360 | 19,728 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 55.2% | 66.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 19.5% | 28.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | - | 3.46 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | - | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 26/31 | 23/29 | ||
| SAT Range | 1210/1390 | 1160/1330 | ||
| 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 | May 31, 2024 |
Academics |
Penn State | UH | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 15:1 | 21:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Penn State | UH | ||
| Graduation Rate | 87% | 46% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $55,300 | $59,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 69% | 61% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $26,818 | $19,750 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $277 | $204 |
Diversity |
Penn State | UH | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 53% | 48% | ||
| % Women | 47% | 52% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 69% | 26% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 10% | ||
| % Hispanic | 6% | 32% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 3% | ||
| % International | 11% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 1% |
Students |
Penn State | UH | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 51% | 93% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 40% | 3% | ||
Campus |
Penn State | UH | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | Yes | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Penn State Main Campus is larger than than UH based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 46,700 students)
Penn State vs. UH Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Penn State or UH?
- Penn State Main Campus is 111.5% more expensive to attend than UH for in-state tuition ($18,368.00 vs. $8,685.00)
- Out of state tuition is 72.2% higher at Penn State than University of Houston ($35,946.00 vs. $20,877.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Houston than Penn State ($14,056 vs. $26,747)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Houston are 22.3% lower than costs at Penn State Main Campus ($10,418 vs. $12,744)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Houston than Penn State Main Campus (75% vs. 44%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Houston students is 13.8% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($11,457 vs. $10,066)
Penn State vs. UH Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Penn State or UH? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UH or Penn State .
- The average SAT score at Penn State Main Campus (1202) is 48 points higher than at UH (1154)
- Incoming Penn State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at UH (26)
- UH has a higher acceptance rate (66.2%) than Penn State (55.2%)
Penn State vs. UH Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Penn State or UH? 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 UH and Penn State.
- The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than University of Houston (87% vs. 46%)
- Graduates from University of Houston earn on average $3,700 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($59,000 vs. $55,300)
- University of Houston students graduate with a $7,068 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($19,750 vs. $26,818)
- UH graduates are paying $73 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($204 vs. $277)
- More Penn State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UH students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 61%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/