UNCG vs. Penn State

Deciding between University of North Carolina at Greensboro 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 Greensboro
Penn State Main Campus

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • UNCG Greensboro, NC
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • UNCG Large City
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • UNCG 18,012
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • UNCG Public 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • UNCG #646
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • UNCG -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • UNCG Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • UNCG
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • UNCG $7,661
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • UNCG $24,012
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • UNCG $10,688
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • UNCG $11,404
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • UNCG $9,863
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • UNCG 87%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • UNCG 12,948
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • UNCG 11,460
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • UNCG 88.5%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • UNCG 21.2%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • UNCG 1250
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • UNCG 24
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • UNCG 3.59
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • UNCG A-
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • UNCG Challenging
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • UNCG
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • UNCG 22/27
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • UNCG 1150/1355
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • UNCG Test optional
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • UNCG Mar 1, 2027
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • UNCG 18:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • UNCG
    • Business (17%)
    • Education (11%)
    • Health Professions (10%)
    • Social Sciences (9%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • UNCG 53%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • UNCG $39,100
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • UNCG 56%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • UNCG $22,737
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • UNCG $235
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • UNCG 33%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • UNCG 67%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • UNCG High
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • UNCG No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • UNCG 52%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • UNCG 5%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • UNCG 28%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • UNCG 8%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • UNCG 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • UNCG 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • UNCG 4%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • UNCG 2%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • UNCG 0%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • UNCG 93%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • UNCG 5%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare University of North Carolina at Greensboro in Greensboro, 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 UNCG based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 18,012 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • University of North Carolina at Greensboro is located in Greensboro, NC (Large City setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • University of North Carolina at Greensboro 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 Greensboro 18:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

UNCG vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNCG 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 Greensboro than Penn State ($11,404 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of North Carolina at Greensboro are 26.2% lower than at Penn State Main Campus ($10,688 vs. $14,474).
  • Penn State Main Campus is 169.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than UNCG (about $12,983 more per year; $20,644.00 vs. $7,661.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 74% higher at Penn State than at University of North Carolina at Greensboro (about $17,778 more per year; $41,790.00 vs. $24,012.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of North Carolina at Greensboro than at Penn State Main Campus (87% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Main Campus students is 14.9% larger than aid received by University of North Carolina at Greensboro students ($11,336 vs. $9,863).

UNCG vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UNCG 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 UNCG.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Penn State Main Campus (1330) is 80 points higher than at UNCG (1250).
  • Incoming Penn State students have a 5 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (29 vs. 24 at UNCG).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of North Carolina at Greensboro 1150/1355; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of North Carolina at Greensboro 22/27; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UNCG - Test optional; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: UNCG Mar 1, 2027.
  • UNCG has a higher acceptance rate (88.5%) than Penn State (60.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 21.2% at UNCG vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

UNCG vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for UNCG 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 North Carolina at Greensboro's (53%).
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn a median of about $16,200 more per year than UNCG graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $39,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, University of North Carolina at Greensboro graduates have a $4,081 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($22,737 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, UNCG graduates have an estimated $42 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($235 vs. $277).
  • More Penn State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNCG students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 56%)

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.