UB vs. Penn State

Should I go to University at Buffalo or Penn State Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UB 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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University at Buffalo vs. Penn State Main Campus comparison
University at Buffalo Penn State Main Campus College 3 College 4
University at Buffalo Penn State Main Campus
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Overview

 UB Penn State
Location Buffalo, NY University Park, PA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 32,099 50,028
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #103 #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website buffalo.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UB Penn State
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $24,990 $35,946
Room & Board $16,212 $12,744
Avg Net Price $18,524 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $8,521 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 44%

Admission

 UB Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 30,939 85,784
Admitted 20,948 47,360
Acceptance Rate 67.7% 55.2%
Enrolled % 20.1% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 25/32 26/31
SAT Range 1190/1380 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

 UB Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 UB Penn State
Graduation Rate 71% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $58,400 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $201 $277

Diversity

 UB Penn State
% Men 52% 53%
% Women 48% 47%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 48% 69%
% Black 7% 4%
% Hispanic 6% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 16% 11%
% Unknown Race 5% 2%

Students

 UB Penn State
% In-State 88% 51%
% Out-of-State 3% 40%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than UB based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 32,099 students)

UB vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UB or Penn State?

  • Penn State Main Campus is 159.8% more expensive to attend than UB for in-state tuition ($18,368.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 43.8% higher at Penn State than University at Buffalo ($35,946.00 vs. $24,990.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University at Buffalo than Penn State ($18,524 vs. $26,747)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 27.2% lower than costs at University at Buffalo ($12,744 vs. $16,212)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University at Buffalo than Penn State Main Campus (74% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Main Campus students is 18.1% larger than aid received University at Buffalo ($10,066 vs. $8,521)

UB vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Main Campus (1202) is 29 points higher than at UB (1173)
  • Incoming UB students have at the same average ACT score (27) as students at Penn State (27)
  • UB has a higher acceptance rate (67.7%) than Penn State (55.2%)

UB vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UB 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 UB.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than University at Buffalo (87% vs. 71%)
  • Graduates from University at Buffalo earn on average $3,100 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($58,400 vs. $55,300)
  • University at Buffalo students graduate with a $7,318 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($19,500 vs. $26,818)
  • UB graduates are paying $76 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($201 vs. $277)
  • More UB graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 69%)

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