Saint Francis University vs. Penn State

Should I go to Saint Francis University or Penn State Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Saint Francis University or Penn State is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Saint Francis University vs. Penn State Main Campus comparison
Saint Francis University Penn State Main Campus College 3 College 4
Saint Francis University Penn State Main Campus
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Overview

Saint Francis University Penn State
Location Loretto, PA University Park, PA
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 2,857 50,028
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #510 #167
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website francis.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Saint Francis University Penn State
Tuition (In State) $39,820 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $39,820 $35,946
Room & Board $13,452 $12,744
Avg Net Price $27,459 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $28,453 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 44%

Admission

Saint Francis University Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,167 85,784
Admitted 1,583 47,360
Acceptance Rate 73.1% 55.2%
Enrolled % 21.2% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.69 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Average Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 20/26 26/31
SAT Range 1030/1240 1210/1390
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

Academics

Saint Francis University Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (28%)
  • Health Professions (28%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

Saint Francis University Penn State
Graduation Rate 64% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,000 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $279 $277

Diversity

Saint Francis University Penn State
% Men 37% 53%
% Women 63% 47%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 46% 69%
% Black 7% 4%
% Hispanic 1% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 2% 11%
% Unknown Race 41% 2%

Students

Saint Francis University Penn State
% In-State 71% 51%
% Out-of-State 27% 40%

Campus

Saint Francis University Penn State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than Saint Francis University based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 2,857 students)

Saint Francis University vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Saint Francis University or Penn State?

  • Saint Francis University is 116.8% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($39,820.00 vs. $18,368.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 10.8% higher at Saint Francis University than Penn State Main Campus ($39,820.00 vs. $35,946.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Main Campus than Saint Francis University ($26,747 vs. $27,459)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 5.6% lower than costs at Saint Francis University ($12,744 vs. $13,452)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Saint Francis University than Penn State Main Campus (100% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Francis University students is 182.7% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($28,453 vs. $10,066)

Saint Francis University vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Saint Francis University or Penn State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Penn State or Saint Francis University .

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Main Campus (1202) is 142 points higher than at Saint Francis University (1060)
  • Incoming Penn State students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Saint Francis University (24)
  • Saint Francis University has a higher acceptance rate (73.1%) than Penn State (55.2%)

Saint Francis University vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Saint Francis University or Penn State? 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 Penn State and Saint Francis University.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than Saint Francis University (87% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn on average $1,300 more per year than Saint Francis University graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $54,000)
  • Penn State Main Campus students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than Saint Francis University graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Saint Francis University graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More Saint Francis University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 69%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/