Princeton vs. Penn State

Deciding between Princeton University and Penn State Main 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.

Princeton University
Penn State Main Campus

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Princeton Princeton, NJ
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • Princeton Large Suburban
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Princeton 9,137
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • Princeton Private 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Princeton #1
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Princeton -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • Princeton Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Princeton
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Princeton $62,688
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Princeton $62,688
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • Princeton $20,250
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Princeton $15,313
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Princeton $68,727
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Princeton 67%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Princeton 40,468
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • Princeton 1,868
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Princeton 4.6%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Princeton 75.5%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Princeton 1550
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Princeton 34
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Princeton 3.93
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Princeton A
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Princeton Elite
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Princeton Extreme
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Princeton 34/35
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Princeton 1510/1580
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Princeton Test optional
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Princeton Jan 1, 2027
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Princeton 5:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Princeton
    • Social Sciences (25%)
    • Engineering (17%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • History (7%)
    • Human Services (7%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Princeton 96%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Princeton $113,900
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Princeton 83%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Princeton $7,500
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Princeton $77
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Princeton 52%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • Princeton 48%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Princeton Very High
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Princeton No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • Princeton 45%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • Princeton 22%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • Princeton 8%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Princeton 9%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Princeton 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Princeton 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Princeton 4%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • Princeton 11%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Princeton 2%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Princeton 14%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Princeton 74%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

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

Penn State Main Campus is larger than Princeton based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 9,137 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Princeton University is located in Princeton, NJ (Large Suburban setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • Princeton University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Princeton University 5:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

Princeton vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Princeton or Penn State? 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 Princeton University than Penn State ($15,313 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 28.5% lower than at Princeton University ($14,474 vs. $20,250).
  • Princeton University is 203.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $42,044 more per year; $62,688.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 50% higher at Princeton than at Penn State Main Campus (about $20,898 more per year; $62,688.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Princeton University than at Penn State Main Campus (67% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Princeton University students is 506.3% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($68,727 vs. $11,336).

Princeton vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

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

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Princeton University (1550) is 220 points higher than at Penn State (1330).
  • Incoming Princeton students have a 5 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (34 vs. 29 at Penn State).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Princeton University 1510/1580; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Princeton University 34/35; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Princeton - Test optional; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Princeton Jan 1, 2027.
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than Princeton (4.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 75.5% at Princeton vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

Princeton vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • Princeton University's six-year graduation rate (96%) is higher than Penn State Main Campus's (87%).
  • Graduates from Princeton University earn a median of about $58,600 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($113,900 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Princeton University graduates have a $19,318 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($7,500 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Princeton graduates have an estimated $200 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($77 vs. $277).
  • More Princeton graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (83% 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.