SUNY Poly vs. Penn State

Deciding between SUNY Polytechnic Institute 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.

SUNY Polytechnic Institute
Penn State Main Campus

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • SUNY Poly Utica, NY
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • SUNY Poly Rural Fringe
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • SUNY Poly 2,733
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • SUNY Poly Public 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • SUNY Poly #327
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • SUNY Poly -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • SUNY Poly Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • SUNY Poly
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • SUNY Poly $8,625
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • SUNY Poly $21,215
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • SUNY Poly $16,584
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • SUNY Poly $14,782
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • SUNY Poly $8,357
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • SUNY Poly 100%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • SUNY Poly 5,329
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • SUNY Poly 4,335
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • SUNY Poly 81.3%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • SUNY Poly 8.7%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • SUNY Poly 1200
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • SUNY Poly 26
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • SUNY Poly 3.7
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • SUNY Poly A-
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • SUNY Poly Difficult
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • SUNY Poly
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • SUNY Poly 22/30
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • SUNY Poly 1025/1370
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • SUNY Poly Test optional
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • SUNY Poly Aug 1, 2027
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • SUNY Poly 13:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • SUNY Poly
    • Business (24%)
    • Engineering Technology (20%)
    • Health Professions (20%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (13%)
    • Psychology (10%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • SUNY Poly 47%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • SUNY Poly $53,200
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • SUNY Poly 63%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • SUNY Poly $16,585
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • SUNY Poly $171
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • SUNY Poly 57%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • SUNY Poly 43%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • SUNY Poly Low
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • SUNY Poly No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • SUNY Poly 79%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • SUNY Poly 4%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • SUNY Poly 6%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • SUNY Poly 7%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • SUNY Poly 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • SUNY Poly 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • SUNY Poly 2%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • SUNY Poly 1%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • SUNY Poly 0%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • SUNY Poly 95%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • SUNY Poly 3%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare SUNY Polytechnic Institute in Utica, NY 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 SUNY Poly based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 2,733 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • SUNY Polytechnic Institute is located in Utica, NY (Rural Fringe setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • SUNY Polytechnic Institute is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: SUNY Polytechnic Institute 13:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

SUNY Poly vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SUNY Poly 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 SUNY Polytechnic Institute than Penn State ($14,782 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 12.7% lower than at SUNY Polytechnic Institute ($14,474 vs. $16,584).
  • Penn State Main Campus is 139.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than SUNY Poly (about $12,019 more per year; $20,644.00 vs. $8,625.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 97% higher at Penn State than at SUNY Polytechnic Institute (about $20,575 more per year; $41,790.00 vs. $21,215.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at SUNY Polytechnic Institute than at Penn State Main Campus (100% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Main Campus students is 35.6% larger than aid received by SUNY Polytechnic Institute students ($11,336 vs. $8,357).

SUNY Poly vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SUNY Poly 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 SUNY Poly.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Penn State Main Campus (1330) is 130 points higher than at SUNY Poly (1200).
  • Incoming Penn State students have a 3 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (29 vs. 26 at SUNY Poly).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: SUNY Polytechnic Institute 1025/1370; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: SUNY Polytechnic Institute 22/30; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: SUNY Poly - Test optional; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: SUNY Poly Aug 1, 2027.
  • SUNY Poly has a higher acceptance rate (81.3%) than Penn State (60.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 8.7% at SUNY Poly vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

SUNY Poly vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SUNY Poly 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 SUNY Polytechnic Institute's (47%).
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn a median of about $2,100 more per year than SUNY Poly graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $53,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, SUNY Polytechnic Institute graduates have a $10,233 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($16,585 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, SUNY Poly graduates have an estimated $106 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($171 vs. $277).
  • More Penn State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SUNY Poly students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 63%)

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.