Penn State vs. Penn

Deciding between Penn State Main Campus and University of Pennsylvania? 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
University of Pennsylvania

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Penn Philadelphia, PA
  • Setting
  • Penn State Small City
  • Penn Large City
  • Total enrollment
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Penn 29,109
  • Type
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • Penn Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Penn State #185
  • Penn #23
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Penn State -
  • Penn -
  • Status
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Penn Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Penn State
  • Penn

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Penn $68,686
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Penn $68,686
  • Room & Board
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Penn $19,174
  • Average Net Price
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Penn $23,570
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Penn State $11,336
  • Penn $65,458
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Penn State 37%
  • Penn 51%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Penn 65,226
  • Admitted
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Penn 3,523
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Penn 5.4%
  • Enrolled
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Penn 68%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Penn State 1330
  • Penn 1540
  • Typical ACT score
  • Penn State 29
  • Penn 35
  • Average High School GPA
  • Penn State -
  • Penn 3.95
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Penn State -
  • Penn A
  • Admissions Standards
  • Penn State Very High
  • Penn Elite
  • Applicant Competition
  • Penn State Low
  • Penn Extreme
  • ACT Range
  • Penn State 27/32
  • Penn 34/36
  • SAT Range
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Penn 1510/1570
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Penn Required
  • Application Deadline
  • Penn State
  • Penn Jan 5, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Penn 8:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Penn
    • Business (26%)
    • Social Sciences (16%)
    • Biology (8%)
    • Engineering (7%)
    • Health Professions (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Penn State 87%
  • Penn 96%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Penn $123,600
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Penn State 69%
  • Penn 84%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Penn $20,633
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Penn State $277
  • Penn $213

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Penn State 52%
  • Penn 44%
  • % Women
  • Penn State 48%
  • Penn 56%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Penn State Medium
  • Penn Very High
  • HBCU
  • Penn State No
  • Penn No
  • % White
  • Penn State 69%
  • Penn 45%
  • % Asian
  • Penn State 6%
  • Penn 19%
  • % Black
  • Penn State 4%
  • Penn 7%
  • % Hispanic
  • Penn State 6%
  • Penn 10%
  • % Native American
  • Penn State 0%
  • Penn 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Penn State 0%
  • Penn 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Penn State 3%
  • Penn 4%
  • % International
  • Penn State 11%
  • Penn 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Penn State 2%
  • Penn 3%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Penn State 53%
  • Penn 15%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Penn State 40%
  • Penn 70%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Penn State Yes
  • Penn Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Penn State Yes
  • Penn Yes
  • Meal Plan
  • Penn State Yes
  • Penn Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Penn State Yes
  • Penn Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • Penn State Yes
  • Penn Yes

Comparable Facts

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

Penn State Main Campus is larger than Penn based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 29,109 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Penn State Main Campus is located in University Park, PA (Small City setting); University of Pennsylvania is in Philadelphia, PA (Large City setting).
  • Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. University of Pennsylvania is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Penn State Main Campus 16:1; University of Pennsylvania 8:1.

Penn State vs. Penn Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State or Penn? 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 University of Pennsylvania than Penn State ($23,570 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 24.5% lower than at University of Pennsylvania ($14,474 vs. $19,174).
  • University of Pennsylvania is 232.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $48,042 more per year; $68,686.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 64.4% higher at Penn than at Penn State Main Campus (about $26,896 more per year; $68,686.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of Pennsylvania than at Penn State Main Campus (51% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Pennsylvania students is 477.4% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($65,458 vs. $11,336).

Penn State vs. Penn Admissions comparison

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

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at University of Pennsylvania (1540) is 210 points higher than at Penn State (1330).
  • Incoming Penn students have a 6 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (35 vs. 29 at Penn State).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420; University of Pennsylvania 1510/1570.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Main Campus 27/32; University of Pennsylvania 34/36.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Penn State - Test optional; Penn - Required.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Penn Jan 5, 2027.
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than Penn (5.4%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.1% at Penn State vs. 68% at Penn.

Penn State vs. Penn Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Penn State and Penn? 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).

  • University of Pennsylvania's six-year graduation rate (96%) is higher than Penn State Main Campus's (87%).
  • Graduates from University of Pennsylvania earn a median of about $68,300 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($123,600 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, University of Pennsylvania graduates have a $6,185 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($20,633 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Penn graduates have an estimated $64 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($213 vs. $277).
  • More Penn 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.