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JMU UD NC State Rutgers UConn Pitt UMass Purdue Clemson UofSC UVA UB| Penn State Main Campus | Virginia Tech | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Penn State | Virginia Tech | ||
| Location | University Park, PA | Blacksburg, VA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 50,028 | 38,170 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #167 | #142 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | psu.edu | vt.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Penn State | Virginia Tech | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $18,368 | $12,104 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $35,946 | $31,754 | ||
| Room & Board | $12,744 | $12,680 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $26,747 | $19,301 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,066 | $7,649 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 44% | 57% |
Admission |
Penn State | Virginia Tech | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 85,784 | 45,321 | ||
| Admitted | 47,360 | 25,825 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 55.2% | 57% | ||
| Enrolled % | 19.5% | 27.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | - | 3.97 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | - | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 26/31 | 27/32 | ||
| SAT Range | 1210/1390 | 1240/1430 | ||
| 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 | Jan 15, 2024 |
Academics |
Penn State | Virginia Tech | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 15:1 | 17:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Penn State | Virginia Tech | ||
| Graduation Rate | 87% | 82% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $55,300 | $65,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 69% | 81% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $26,818 | $23,966 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $277 | $247 |
Diversity |
Penn State | Virginia Tech | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 53% | 57% | ||
| % Women | 47% | 43% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 69% | 68% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 6% | 5% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 4% | ||
| % International | 11% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 3% |
Students |
Penn State | Virginia Tech | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 51% | 64% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 40% | 32% | ||
Campus |
Penn State | Virginia Tech | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | Yes | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Penn State Main Campus is larger than than Virginia Tech based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 38,170 students)
Penn State vs. Virginia Tech Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Penn State or Virginia Tech?
- Penn State Main Campus is 51.8% more expensive to attend than Virginia Tech for in-state tuition ($18,368.00 vs. $12,104.00)
- Out of state tuition is 13.2% higher at Penn State than Virginia Tech ($35,946.00 vs. $31,754.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Tech than Penn State ($19,301 vs. $26,747)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Tech are 0.5% lower than costs at Penn State Main Campus ($12,680 vs. $12,744)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia Tech than Penn State Main Campus (57% vs. 44%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Main Campus students is 31.6% larger than aid received Virginia Tech ($10,066 vs. $7,649)
Penn State vs. Virginia Tech Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Penn State or Virginia Tech? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Virginia Tech or Penn State .
- The average SAT score at Virginia Tech (1210) is 8 points higher than at Penn State (1202)
- Virginia Tech has a higher acceptance rate (57%) than Penn State (55.2%)
Penn State vs. Virginia Tech Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Penn State or Virginia Tech? 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 Virginia Tech and Penn State.
- The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than Virginia Tech (87% vs. 82%)
- Graduates from Virginia Tech earn on average $9,700 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($65,000 vs. $55,300)
- Virginia Tech students graduate with a $2,852 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($23,966 vs. $26,818)
- Virginia Tech graduates are paying $30 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($247 vs. $277)
- More Virginia Tech graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 69%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/