Maryland vs. Penn State

Deciding between University of Maryland College Park 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.

University of Maryland College Park
Penn State Main Campus

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Maryland College Park, MD
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • Maryland Large Suburban
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Maryland 41,725
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • Maryland Public 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Maryland #85
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Maryland -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • Maryland Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Maryland
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Maryland $11,809
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Maryland $41,186
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • Maryland $15,958
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Maryland $16,581
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Maryland $12,867
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Maryland 55%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Maryland 60,056
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • Maryland 26,902
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Maryland 44.8%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Maryland 21.6%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Maryland 1470
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Maryland 33
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Maryland 3.84
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Maryland A-
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Maryland Elite
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Maryland Low
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Maryland 32/35
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Maryland 1400/1530
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Maryland Test optional
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Maryland
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Maryland 17:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Maryland
    • Social Sciences (20%)
    • Business (15%)
    • Engineering (9%)
    • Biology (8%)
    • Communication (6%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Maryland 82%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Maryland $68,300
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Maryland 80%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Maryland $19,500
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Maryland $201
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Maryland 51%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • Maryland 49%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Maryland High
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Maryland No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • Maryland 52%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • Maryland 16%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • Maryland 13%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Maryland 9%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Maryland 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Maryland 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Maryland 4%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • Maryland 4%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Maryland 1%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Maryland 70%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Maryland 28%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare University of Maryland College Park in College Park, MD 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 Maryland based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 41,725 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • University of Maryland College Park is located in College Park, MD (Large Suburban setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • University of Maryland College Park is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: University of Maryland College Park 17:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

Maryland vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Maryland 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 University of Maryland College Park than Penn State ($16,581 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 9.3% lower than at University of Maryland College Park ($14,474 vs. $15,958).
  • Penn State Main Campus is 74.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Maryland (about $8,835 more per year; $20,644.00 vs. $11,809.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 1.5% higher at Penn State than at University of Maryland College Park (about $604 more per year; $41,790.00 vs. $41,186.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of Maryland College Park than at Penn State Main Campus (55% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Maryland College Park students is 13.5% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($12,867 vs. $11,336).

Maryland vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Maryland 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 Maryland.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at University of Maryland College Park (1470) is 140 points higher than at Penn State (1330).
  • Incoming Maryland students have a 4 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (33 vs. 29 at Penn State).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of Maryland College Park 1400/1530; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of Maryland College Park 32/35; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Maryland - Test optional; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than Maryland (44.8%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 21.6% at Maryland vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

Maryland vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Maryland 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 University of Maryland College Park's (82%).
  • Graduates from University of Maryland College Park earn a median of about $13,000 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($68,300 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, University of Maryland College Park graduates have a $7,318 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($19,500 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Maryland graduates have an estimated $76 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($201 vs. $277).
  • More Maryland 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.