Syracuse vs. Penn State

Deciding between Syracuse 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.

Syracuse University
Penn State Main Campus

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Syracuse Syracuse, NY
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • Syracuse Midsize City
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Syracuse 22,589
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • Syracuse Private 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Syracuse #158
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Syracuse -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • Syracuse Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Syracuse
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Syracuse $65,528
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Syracuse $65,528
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • Syracuse $19,188
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Syracuse $48,215
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Syracuse $36,417
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Syracuse 76%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Syracuse 44,480
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • Syracuse 20,427
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Syracuse 45.9%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Syracuse 18.8%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Syracuse 1360
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Syracuse 30
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Syracuse 3.69
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Syracuse A-
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Syracuse Very High
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Syracuse Low
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Syracuse 29/32
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Syracuse 1270/1440
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Syracuse Test optional
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Syracuse Jan 1, 2027
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Syracuse 15:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Syracuse
    • Business (18%)
    • Communication (17%)
    • Social Sciences (13%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
    • Psychology (5%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Syracuse 80%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Syracuse $65,900
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Syracuse 80%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Syracuse $27,000
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Syracuse $279
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Syracuse 44%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • Syracuse 56%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Syracuse High
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Syracuse No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • Syracuse 55%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • Syracuse 8%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • Syracuse 8%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Syracuse 11%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Syracuse 1%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Syracuse 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Syracuse 3%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • Syracuse 12%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Syracuse 2%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Syracuse 31%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Syracuse 63%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Syracuse University in Syracuse, 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 Syracuse based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 22,589 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Syracuse University is located in Syracuse, NY (Midsize City setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • Syracuse 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: Syracuse University 15:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

Syracuse vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Syracuse 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 Penn State Main Campus than Syracuse ($27,889 vs. $48,215).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 24.6% lower than at Syracuse University ($14,474 vs. $19,188).
  • Syracuse University is 217.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $44,884 more per year; $65,528.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 56.8% higher at Syracuse than at Penn State Main Campus (about $23,738 more per year; $65,528.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Syracuse University than at Penn State Main Campus (76% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Syracuse University students is 221.3% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($36,417 vs. $11,336).

Syracuse vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Syracuse 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 Syracuse.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Syracuse University (1360) is 30 points higher than at Penn State (1330).
  • Incoming Syracuse 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: Syracuse University 1270/1440; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Syracuse University 29/32; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Syracuse - Test optional; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Syracuse Jan 1, 2027.
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than Syracuse (45.9%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 18.8% at Syracuse vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

Syracuse vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Syracuse 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 Syracuse University's (80%).
  • Graduates from Syracuse University earn a median of about $10,600 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($65,900 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Penn State Main Campus graduates have a $182 lower median loan debt than Syracuse graduates ($26,818 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, Penn State graduates have an estimated $2 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Syracuse graduates ($277 vs. $279).
  • More Syracuse graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (80% 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.