Penn State vs. Villanova

Deciding between Penn State Main Campus and Villanova University? 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
Villanova University

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Villanova Villanova, PA
  • Setting
  • Penn State Small City
  • Villanova Large Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Villanova 10,041
  • Type
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • Villanova Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Penn State #185
  • Villanova #67
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Penn State -
  • Villanova Roman Catholic
  • Status
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Villanova Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Penn State
  • Villanova

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Villanova $67,776
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Villanova $67,776
  • Room & Board
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Villanova $17,694
  • Average Net Price
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Villanova $37,201
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Penn State $11,336
  • Villanova $47,609
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Penn State 37%
  • Villanova 48%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Villanova 23,256
  • Admitted
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Villanova 6,274
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Villanova 27%
  • Enrolled
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Villanova 27.7%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Penn State 1330
  • Villanova 1450
  • Typical ACT score
  • Penn State 29
  • Villanova 33
  • Average High School GPA
  • Penn State -
  • Villanova 3.87
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Penn State -
  • Villanova A
  • Admissions Standards
  • Penn State Very High
  • Villanova Exceptional
  • Applicant Competition
  • Penn State Low
  • Villanova High
  • ACT Range
  • Penn State 27/32
  • Villanova 32/34
  • SAT Range
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Villanova 1395/1510
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Villanova Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Penn State
  • Villanova Jan 15, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Villanova 10:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Villanova
    • Business (32%)
    • Health Professions (11%)
    • Engineering (11%)
    • Social Sciences (10%)
    • Communication (8%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Penn State 87%
  • Villanova 90%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Villanova $85,100
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Penn State 69%
  • Villanova 90%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Villanova $26,497
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Penn State $277
  • Villanova $273

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Penn State 52%
  • Villanova 46%
  • % Women
  • Penn State 48%
  • Villanova 54%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Penn State Medium
  • Villanova Low
  • HBCU
  • Penn State No
  • Villanova No
  • % White
  • Penn State 69%
  • Villanova 74%
  • % Asian
  • Penn State 6%
  • Villanova 7%
  • % Black
  • Penn State 4%
  • Villanova 5%
  • % Hispanic
  • Penn State 6%
  • Villanova 8%
  • % Native American
  • Penn State 0%
  • Villanova 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Penn State 0%
  • Villanova 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Penn State 3%
  • Villanova 2%
  • % International
  • Penn State 11%
  • Villanova 2%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Penn State 2%
  • Villanova 1%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Penn State 53%
  • Villanova 21%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Penn State 40%
  • Villanova 77%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

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

Penn State Main Campus is larger than Villanova based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 10,041 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Penn State Main Campus is located in University Park, PA (Small City setting); Villanova University is in Villanova, PA (Large Suburban setting).
  • Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Villanova University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Penn State Main Campus 16:1; Villanova University 10:1.

Penn State vs. Villanova Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State or Villanova? 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 Villanova ($27,889 vs. $37,201).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 18.2% lower than at Villanova University ($14,474 vs. $17,694).
  • Villanova University is 228.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $47,132 more per year; $67,776.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 62.2% higher at Villanova than at Penn State Main Campus (about $25,986 more per year; $67,776.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Villanova University than at Penn State Main Campus (48% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Villanova University students is 320% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($47,609 vs. $11,336).

Penn State vs. Villanova Admissions comparison

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

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Villanova University (1450) is 120 points higher than at Penn State (1330).
  • Incoming Villanova students have a 4 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (33 vs. 29 at Penn State).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420; Villanova University 1395/1510.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Main Campus 27/32; Villanova University 32/34.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Penn State - Test optional; Villanova - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Villanova Jan 15, 2027.
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than Villanova (27%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.1% at Penn State vs. 27.7% at Villanova.

Penn State vs. Villanova Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • Villanova University's six-year graduation rate (90%) is higher than Penn State Main Campus's (87%).
  • Graduates from Villanova University earn a median of about $29,800 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($85,100 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Villanova University graduates have a $321 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($26,497 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Villanova graduates have an estimated $4 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($273 vs. $277).
  • More Villanova graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (90% 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.