Penn State vs. UW-Seattle

Deciding between Penn State Main Campus and University of Washington Seattle Campus? 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 Washington Seattle Campus

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • UW-Seattle Seattle, WA
  • Setting
  • Penn State Small City
  • UW-Seattle Large City
  • Total enrollment
  • Penn State 50,737
  • UW-Seattle 56,997
  • Type
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • UW-Seattle Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Penn State #185
  • UW-Seattle #90
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Penn State -
  • UW-Seattle -
  • Status
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • UW-Seattle Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Penn State
  • UW-Seattle

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Penn State $20,644
  • UW-Seattle $12,973
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Penn State $41,790
  • UW-Seattle $43,209
  • Room & Board
  • Penn State $14,474
  • UW-Seattle $18,405
  • Average Net Price
  • Penn State $27,889
  • UW-Seattle $11,784
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Penn State $11,336
  • UW-Seattle $16,156
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Penn State 37%
  • UW-Seattle 43%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Penn State 88,478
  • UW-Seattle 69,166
  • Admitted
  • Penn State 53,579
  • UW-Seattle 27,076
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • UW-Seattle 39.1%
  • Enrolled
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • UW-Seattle 26.6%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Penn State 1330
  • UW-Seattle 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Penn State 29
  • UW-Seattle 30
  • Average High School GPA
  • Penn State -
  • UW-Seattle 3.82
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Penn State -
  • UW-Seattle A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Penn State Very High
  • UW-Seattle Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Penn State Low
  • UW-Seattle High
  • ACT Range
  • Penn State 27/32
  • UW-Seattle 27/33
  • SAT Range
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • UW-Seattle 1200/1453
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Penn State Test optional
  • UW-Seattle Test-free
  • Application Deadline
  • Penn State
  • UW-Seattle Nov 16, 2026

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Penn State 16:1
  • UW-Seattle 20:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)
  • UW-Seattle
    • Social Sciences (19%)
    • Business (11%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • Engineering (8%)
    • Communication (6%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Penn State 87%
  • UW-Seattle 80%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Penn State $55,300
  • UW-Seattle $65,800
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Penn State 69%
  • UW-Seattle 76%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Penn State $26,818
  • UW-Seattle $15,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Penn State $277
  • UW-Seattle $155

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Penn State 52%
  • UW-Seattle 52%
  • % Women
  • Penn State 48%
  • UW-Seattle 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Penn State Medium
  • UW-Seattle Very High
  • HBCU
  • Penn State No
  • UW-Seattle No
  • % White
  • Penn State 69%
  • UW-Seattle 42%
  • % Asian
  • Penn State 6%
  • UW-Seattle 24%
  • % Black
  • Penn State 4%
  • UW-Seattle 3%
  • % Hispanic
  • Penn State 6%
  • UW-Seattle 7%
  • % Native American
  • Penn State 0%
  • UW-Seattle 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Penn State 0%
  • UW-Seattle 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Penn State 3%
  • UW-Seattle 7%
  • % International
  • Penn State 11%
  • UW-Seattle 15%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Penn State 2%
  • UW-Seattle 1%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Penn State 53%
  • UW-Seattle 64%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Penn State 40%
  • UW-Seattle 24%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

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

University of Washington Seattle Campus is larger than Penn State based on total student enrollment (56,997 students vs. 50,737 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Penn State Main Campus is located in University Park, PA (Small City setting); University of Washington Seattle Campus is in Seattle, WA (Large City setting).
  • Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. University of Washington Seattle Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Penn State Main Campus 16:1; University of Washington Seattle Campus 20:1.

Penn State vs. UW-Seattle Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State or UW-Seattle? 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 Washington Seattle Campus than Penn State ($11,784 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 21.4% lower than at University of Washington Seattle Campus ($14,474 vs. $18,405).
  • Penn State Main Campus is 59.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than UW-Seattle (about $7,671 more per year; $20,644.00 vs. $12,973.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 3.4% higher at UW-Seattle than at Penn State Main Campus (about $1,419 more per year; $43,209.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of Washington Seattle Campus than at Penn State Main Campus (43% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Washington Seattle Campus students is 42.5% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($16,156 vs. $11,336).

Penn State vs. UW-Seattle Admissions comparison

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

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Penn State Main Campus (1330) is the same as at UW-Seattle (1330).
  • Incoming UW-Seattle 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; University of Washington Seattle Campus 1200/1453.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Main Campus 27/32; University of Washington Seattle Campus 27/33.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Penn State - Test optional; UW-Seattle - Test-free.
  • Typical fall application deadline: UW-Seattle Nov 16, 2026.
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than UW-Seattle (39.1%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.1% at Penn State vs. 26.6% at UW-Seattle.

Penn State vs. UW-Seattle Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Penn State and UW-Seattle? 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 Washington Seattle Campus's (80%).
  • Graduates from University of Washington Seattle Campus earn a median of about $10,500 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($65,800 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, University of Washington Seattle Campus graduates have a $11,818 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($15,000 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, UW-Seattle graduates have an estimated $122 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($155 vs. $277).
  • More UW-Seattle graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (76% 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.