Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
Virginia Tech UD Rutgers UConn Pitt UMass UB NC State Michigan State Clemson Syracuse Drexel| Southern Virginia University | Penn State Main Campus | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
SVU | Penn State | ||
| Location | Buena Vista, VA | University Park, PA | ||
| Setting | Distant Town | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 1,053 | 50,028 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #984 | #167 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | svu.edu | psu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
SVU | Penn State | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $18,858 | $18,368 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $18,858 | $35,946 | ||
| Room & Board | $9,150 | $12,744 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $23,274 | $26,747 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $8,188 | $10,066 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 99% | 44% |
Admission |
SVU | Penn State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 1,090 | 85,784 | ||
| Admitted | 1,084 | 47,360 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 99.4% | 55.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 35.1% | 19.5% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.19 | - | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B | - | ||
| Admissions Standards | Moderate | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 18/24 | 26/31 | ||
| SAT Range | 900/1250 | 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 |
SVU | Penn State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 15:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
SVU | Penn State | ||
| Graduation Rate | 25% | 87% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $40,600 | $55,300 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 53% | 69% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $23,654 | $26,818 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $244 | $277 |
Diversity |
SVU | Penn State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 53% | 53% | ||
| % Women | 47% | 47% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 80% | 69% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 4% | 6% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 3% | ||
| % International | 2% | 11% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 2% |
Students |
SVU | Penn State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 12% | 51% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 73% | 40% | ||
Campus |
SVU | Penn State | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Penn State Main Campus is larger than than SVU based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 1,053 students)
SVU vs. Penn State Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, SVU or Penn State?
- Southern Virginia University is 2.7% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($18,858.00 vs. $18,368.00)
- Out of state tuition is 90.6% higher at Penn State than Southern Virginia University ($35,946.00 vs. $18,858.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Southern Virginia University than Penn State ($23,274 vs. $26,747)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southern Virginia University are 39.3% lower than costs at Penn State Main Campus ($9,150 vs. $12,744)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Southern Virginia University than Penn State Main Campus (99% vs. 44%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Main Campus students is 22.9% larger than aid received Southern Virginia University ($10,066 vs. $8,188)
SVU vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, SVU or Penn State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Penn State or SVU .
- The average SAT score at Penn State Main Campus (1202) is 161 points higher than at SVU (1041)
- Incoming Penn State students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at SVU (23)
- SVU has a higher acceptance rate (99.4%) than Penn State (55.2%)
SVU vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, SVU 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 SVU.
- The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than Southern Virginia University (87% vs. 25%)
- Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn on average $14,700 more per year than SVU graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $40,600)
- Southern Virginia University students graduate with a $3,164 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($23,654 vs. $26,818)
- SVU graduates are paying $33 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($244 vs. $277)
- More Penn State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SVU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 53%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/