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Virginia Tech UD Rutgers UConn Pitt UMass Princeton Duke UB Cornell Harvard NC State| University of Pennsylvania | Penn State Main Campus | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Penn | Penn State | ||
| Location | Philadelphia, PA | University Park, PA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 28,711 | 50,399 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #23 | #171 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | upenn.edu | psu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Penn | Penn State | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $58,620 | $19,672 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $58,620 | $39,626 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,496 | $13,030 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $26,017 | $27,450 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $59,721 | $11,577 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 48% | 36% |
Admission |
Penn | Penn State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 59,465 | 85,956 | ||
| Admitted | 3,489 | 46,605 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 5.9% | 54.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 69.2% | 19.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.95 | - | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | - | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 34/35 | 27/32 | ||
| SAT Range | 1500/1570 | 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 | Jan 5, 2026 |
Academics |
Penn | Penn State | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 8:1 | 15:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Penn | Penn State | ||
| Graduation Rate | 96% | 87% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $123,600 | $55,300 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 84% | 69% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $20,633 | $26,818 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $213 | $277 |
Diversity |
Penn | Penn State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 26% | 8% | ||
| % Women | 33% | 8% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 45% | 69% | ||
| % Black | 7% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 10% | 6% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 3% | ||
| % International | 11% | 11% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 2% |
Students |
Penn | Penn State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 14% | 51% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 69% | 40% | ||
Campus |
Penn | Penn State | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | Yes | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Penn State Main Campus is larger than than Penn based on total student enrollment (50,399 students vs. 28,711 students)
Penn vs. Penn State Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Penn or Penn State?
- University of Pennsylvania is 198% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($58,620.00 vs. $19,672.00)
- Out of state tuition is 47.9% higher at Penn than Penn State Main Campus ($58,620.00 vs. $39,626.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Pennsylvania than Penn State ($26,017 vs. $27,450)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 41.9% lower than costs at University of Pennsylvania ($13,030 vs. $18,496)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Pennsylvania than Penn State Main Campus (48% vs. 36%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Pennsylvania students is 415.9% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($59,721 vs. $11,577)
Penn vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Penn or Penn State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Penn State or Penn .
- The average SAT score at University of Pennsylvania (1457) is 255 points higher than at Penn State (1202)
- Incoming Penn students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Penn State (27)
- Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (54.2%) than Penn (5.9%)
Penn vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Penn 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 Penn.
- The graduation rate at Penn is higher than Penn State Main Campus (96% vs. 87%)
- Graduates from University of Pennsylvania earn on average $68,300 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($123,600 vs. $55,300)
- University of Pennsylvania students graduate with a $6,185 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($20,633 vs. $26,818)
- Penn graduates are paying $64 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($213 vs. $277)
- More Penn graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 69%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/