Penn State vs. Pitt

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

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Pitt Pittsburgh, PA
  • Setting
  • Penn State Small City
  • Pitt Large City
  • Enrollment
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Pitt 35,724
  • Type
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • Pitt Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Penn State #185
  • Pitt #138
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Penn State -
  • Pitt -
  • Status
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Pitt Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Penn State
  • Pitt

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Pitt $21,926
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Pitt $41,430
  • Room & Board
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Pitt $13,620
  • Average Net Price
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Pitt $25,223
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Penn State $11,336
  • Pitt $16,494
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Penn State 37%
  • Pitt 53%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Pitt 60,898
  • Admitted
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Pitt 35,372
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Pitt 58.1%
  • Enrolled
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Pitt 13%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Penn State 1330
  • Pitt 1370
  • Typical ACT score
  • Penn State 29
  • Pitt 31
  • Average High School GPA
  • Penn State -
  • Pitt 3.79
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Penn State -
  • Pitt A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Penn State Very High
  • Pitt Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Penn State Low
  • Pitt Low
  • ACT Range
  • Penn State 27/32
  • Pitt 29/33
  • SAT Range
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Pitt 1280/1460
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Penn State Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
  • Pitt Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
  • Application Deadline
  • Penn State
  • Pitt

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Pitt 13:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Pitt
    • Business (15%)
    • Social Sciences (12%)
    • Health Professions (11%)
    • English and Literature (9%)
    • Engineering (9%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Penn State 87%
  • Pitt 79%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Pitt $58,000
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Penn State 69%
  • Pitt 75%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Pitt $26,909
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Penn State $277
  • Pitt $278

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Penn State 8%
  • Pitt 11%
  • % Women
  • Penn State 8%
  • Pitt 16%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Penn State Medium
  • Pitt Low
  • HBCU
  • Penn State No
  • Pitt No
  • % White
  • Penn State 69%
  • Pitt 74%
  • % Asian
  • Penn State 6%
  • Pitt 9%
  • % Black
  • Penn State 4%
  • Pitt 5%
  • % Hispanic
  • Penn State 6%
  • Pitt 3%
  • % Native American
  • Penn State 0%
  • Pitt 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Penn State 0%
  • Pitt 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Penn State 3%
  • Pitt 3%
  • % International
  • Penn State 11%
  • Pitt 4%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Penn State 2%
  • Pitt 1%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Penn State 53%
  • Pitt 64%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Penn State 40%
  • Pitt 33%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

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

Penn State Main Campus is larger than Pitt based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 35,724 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Penn State Main Campus is located in University Park, PA (Small City setting); University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus is in Pittsburgh, PA (Large City setting).
  • Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Penn State Main Campus 16:1; University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus 13:1.

Penn State vs. Pitt Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State or Pitt? 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 Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus than Penn State ($25,223 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus are 5.9% lower than at Penn State Main Campus ($13,620 vs. $14,474).
  • University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus is 6.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $1,282 more per year; $21,926.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 0.9% higher at Penn State than at University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus (about $360 more per year; $41,790.00 vs. $41,430.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus than at Penn State Main Campus (53% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus students is 45.5% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($16,494 vs. $11,336).

Penn State vs. Pitt Admissions comparison

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

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus (1370) is 40 points higher than at Penn State (1330).
  • Incoming Pitt students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (31 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 Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus 1280/1460.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Main Campus 27/32; University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus 29/33.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Penn State - Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional); Pitt - Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional).
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than Pitt (58.1%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.1% at Penn State vs. 13% at Pitt.

Penn State vs. Pitt Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Penn State and Pitt? 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 University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus's (79%).
  • Graduates from University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus earn a median of about $2,700 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($58,000 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Penn State Main Campus graduates have a $91 lower median loan debt than Pitt graduates ($26,818 vs. $26,909).
  • Among borrowers, Penn State graduates have an estimated $1 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Pitt graduates ($277 vs. $278).
  • More Pitt graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (75% 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.