University of Missouri-Columbia vs. Penn State

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

University of Missouri-Columbia Penn State
Location Columbia, MO University Park, PA
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 31,013 50,399
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #274 #171
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website missouri.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of Missouri-Columbia Penn State
Tuition (In State) $13,008 $19,672
Tuition (Out of State) $33,216 $39,626
Room & Board $13,550 $13,030
Avg Net Price $20,006 $27,450
Avg Grant Aid $11,734 $11,577
% Receiving Grant Aid 84% 36%

Admission

University of Missouri-Columbia Penn State
Applied 21,669 85,956
Admitted 16,690 46,605
Acceptance Rate 77% 54.2%
Enrolled % 30.8% 19.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.61 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/29 27/32
SAT Range 1150/1330 1220/1400
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

University of Missouri-Columbia Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

University of Missouri-Columbia Penn State
Graduation Rate 69% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,200 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,883 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $226 $277

Diversity

University of Missouri-Columbia Penn State
% Men 9% 8%
% Women 15% 8%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 79% 69%
% Black 8% 4%
% Hispanic 4% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 4% 11%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

University of Missouri-Columbia Penn State
% In-State 66% 51%
% Out-of-State 33% 40%

Campus

University of Missouri-Columbia Penn State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than University of Missouri-Columbia based on total student enrollment (50,399 students vs. 31,013 students)

University of Missouri-Columbia vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University of Missouri-Columbia or Penn State?

  • Penn State Main Campus is 51.2% more expensive to attend than University of Missouri-Columbia for in-state tuition ($19,672.00 vs. $13,008.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 19.3% higher at Penn State than University of Missouri Columbia ($39,626.00 vs. $33,216.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Missouri Columbia than Penn State ($20,006 vs. $27,450)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 4% lower than costs at University of Missouri Columbia ($13,030 vs. $13,550)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Missouri Columbia than Penn State Main Campus (84% vs. 36%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Missouri Columbia students is 1.4% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($11,734 vs. $11,577)

University of Missouri-Columbia vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Missouri Columbia (1203) is 1 points higher than at Penn State (1202)
  • Incoming University of Missouri-Columbia students have at the same average ACT score (27) as students at Penn State (27)
  • University of Missouri-Columbia has a higher acceptance rate (77%) than Penn State (54.2%)

University of Missouri-Columbia vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University of Missouri-Columbia 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 University of Missouri-Columbia.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than University of Missouri Columbia (87% vs. 69%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn on average $1,100 more per year than University of Missouri-Columbia graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $54,200)
  • University of Missouri Columbia students graduate with a $4,935 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($21,883 vs. $26,818)
  • University of Missouri-Columbia graduates are paying $51 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($226 vs. $277)
  • More University of Missouri-Columbia graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 69%)

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