Rutgers vs. Penn State

Deciding between Rutgers University New Brunswick 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.

Rutgers University New Brunswick
Penn State Main Campus

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Rutgers New Brunswick, NJ
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • Rutgers Small City
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Rutgers 52,269
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • Rutgers Public 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Rutgers #114
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Rutgers -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • Rutgers Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Rutgers
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Rutgers $17,929
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Rutgers $37,441
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • Rutgers $15,714
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Rutgers $20,522
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Rutgers $16,742
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Rutgers 50%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Rutgers 68,614
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • Rutgers 39,899
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Rutgers 58.1%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Rutgers 20.5%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Rutgers 1410
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Rutgers 30
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Rutgers 3.3
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Rutgers B+
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Rutgers Exceptional
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Rutgers Low
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Rutgers 28/33
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Rutgers 1310/1500
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Rutgers Test optional
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Rutgers
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Rutgers 16:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Rutgers
    • Social Sciences (16%)
    • Communication (10%)
    • Psychology (10%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • Engineering (8%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Rutgers 77%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Rutgers $66,200
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Rutgers 68%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Rutgers $22,215
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Rutgers $229
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Rutgers 46%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • Rutgers 54%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Rutgers Very High
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Rutgers No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • Rutgers 42%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • Rutgers 26%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • Rutgers 7%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Rutgers 13%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Rutgers 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Rutgers 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Rutgers 3%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • Rutgers 7%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Rutgers 2%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Rutgers 75%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Rutgers 13%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

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

Rutgers University New Brunswick is larger than Penn State based on total student enrollment (52,269 students vs. 50,737 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

Rutgers vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Rutgers 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 Rutgers University New Brunswick than Penn State ($20,522 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 7.9% lower than at Rutgers University New Brunswick ($14,474 vs. $15,714).
  • Penn State Main Campus is 15.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than Rutgers (about $2,715 more per year; $20,644.00 vs. $17,929.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 11.6% higher at Penn State than at Rutgers University New Brunswick (about $4,349 more per year; $41,790.00 vs. $37,441.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Rutgers University New Brunswick than at Penn State Main Campus (50% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rutgers University New Brunswick students is 47.7% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($16,742 vs. $11,336).

Rutgers vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Rutgers 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 Rutgers.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Rutgers University New Brunswick (1410) is 80 points higher than at Penn State (1330).
  • Incoming Rutgers 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: Rutgers University New Brunswick 1310/1500; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Rutgers University New Brunswick 28/33; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Rutgers - Test optional; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than Rutgers (58.1%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 20.5% at Rutgers vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

Rutgers vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Rutgers 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).

  • Penn State Main Campus's six-year graduation rate (87%) is higher than Rutgers University New Brunswick's (77%).
  • Graduates from Rutgers University New Brunswick earn a median of about $10,900 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($66,200 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Rutgers University New Brunswick graduates have a $4,603 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($22,215 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Rutgers graduates have an estimated $48 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($229 vs. $277).
  • More Penn State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Rutgers students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 68%)

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.