UNC Chapel Hill vs. Penn State

Deciding between University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 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 North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Penn State Main Campus

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • UNC Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • UNC Chapel Hill Small City
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • UNC Chapel Hill 32,438
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • UNC Chapel Hill Public 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • UNC Chapel Hill #59
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • UNC Chapel Hill -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • UNC Chapel Hill Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • UNC Chapel Hill
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • UNC Chapel Hill $8,994
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • UNC Chapel Hill $41,203
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • UNC Chapel Hill $13,804
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • UNC Chapel Hill $10,154
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • UNC Chapel Hill $17,814
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • UNC Chapel Hill 38%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • UNC Chapel Hill 66,535
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • UNC Chapel Hill 10,209
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • UNC Chapel Hill 15.3%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • UNC Chapel Hill 45.5%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • UNC Chapel Hill 1460
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • UNC Chapel Hill 31
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • UNC Chapel Hill 3.83
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • UNC Chapel Hill A-
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • UNC Chapel Hill Exceptional
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • UNC Chapel Hill Very High
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • UNC Chapel Hill 28/34
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • UNC Chapel Hill 1390/1530
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • UNC Chapel Hill Test optional
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • UNC Chapel Hill Jan 15, 2027
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • UNC Chapel Hill 15:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • UNC Chapel Hill
    • Social Sciences (17%)
    • Communication (11%)
    • Biology (8%)
    • Business (8%)
    • Psychology (8%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • UNC Chapel Hill 89%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • UNC Chapel Hill $66,100
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • UNC Chapel Hill 82%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • UNC Chapel Hill $16,479
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • UNC Chapel Hill $170
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • UNC Chapel Hill 40%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • UNC Chapel Hill 60%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • UNC Chapel Hill Medium
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • UNC Chapel Hill No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • UNC Chapel Hill 64%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • UNC Chapel Hill 10%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • UNC Chapel Hill 8%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • UNC Chapel Hill 8%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • UNC Chapel Hill 1%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • UNC Chapel Hill 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • UNC Chapel Hill 4%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • UNC Chapel Hill 2%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • UNC Chapel Hill 3%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • UNC Chapel Hill 84%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • UNC Chapel Hill 11%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in Chapel Hill, NC 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 UNC Chapel Hill based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 32,438 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is located in Chapel Hill, NC (Small City setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 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 North Carolina at Chapel Hill 15:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

UNC Chapel Hill vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNC Chapel Hill 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 North Carolina at Chapel Hill than Penn State ($10,154 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are 4.6% lower than at Penn State Main Campus ($13,804 vs. $14,474).
  • Penn State Main Campus is 129.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than UNC Chapel Hill (about $11,650 more per year; $20,644.00 vs. $8,994.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 1.4% higher at Penn State than at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (about $587 more per year; $41,790.00 vs. $41,203.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill than at Penn State Main Campus (38% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill students is 57.1% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($17,814 vs. $11,336).

UNC Chapel Hill vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UNC Chapel Hill 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 UNC Chapel Hill.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1460) is 130 points higher than at Penn State (1330).
  • Incoming UNC Chapel Hill students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (31 vs. 29 at Penn State).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 1390/1530; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 28/34; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UNC Chapel Hill - Test optional; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: UNC Chapel Hill Jan 15, 2027.
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than UNC Chapel Hill (15.3%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 45.5% at UNC Chapel Hill vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

UNC Chapel Hill vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for UNC Chapel Hill 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).

  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's six-year graduation rate (89%) is higher than Penn State Main Campus's (87%).
  • Graduates from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill earn a median of about $10,800 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($66,100 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill graduates have a $10,339 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($16,479 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, UNC Chapel Hill graduates have an estimated $107 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($170 vs. $277).
  • More UNC Chapel Hill graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (82% 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.