Villanova vs. Penn State

Deciding between Villanova University 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.

Villanova University
Penn State Main Campus

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Villanova Villanova, PA
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • Villanova Large Suburban
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Villanova 10,041
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • Villanova Private 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Villanova #67
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Villanova Roman Catholic
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • Villanova Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Villanova
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Villanova $67,776
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Villanova $67,776
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • Villanova $17,694
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Villanova $37,201
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Villanova $47,609
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Villanova 48%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Villanova 23,256
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • Villanova 6,274
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Villanova 27%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Villanova 27.7%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Villanova 1450
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Villanova 33
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Villanova 3.87
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Villanova A
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Villanova Exceptional
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Villanova High
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Villanova 32/34
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Villanova 1395/1510
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Villanova Test optional
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Villanova Jan 15, 2027
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Villanova 10:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Villanova
    • Business (32%)
    • Health Professions (11%)
    • Engineering (11%)
    • Social Sciences (10%)
    • Communication (8%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Villanova 90%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Villanova $85,100
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Villanova 90%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Villanova $26,497
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Villanova $273
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Villanova 46%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • Villanova 54%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Villanova Low
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Villanova No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • Villanova 74%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • Villanova 7%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • Villanova 5%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Villanova 8%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Villanova 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Villanova 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Villanova 2%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • Villanova 2%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Villanova 1%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Villanova 21%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Villanova 77%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Villanova University in Villanova, PA 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 Villanova based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 10,041 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Villanova University is located in Villanova, PA (Large Suburban setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • Villanova University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Villanova University 10:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

Villanova vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Villanova 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 Penn State Main Campus than Villanova ($27,889 vs. $37,201).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 18.2% lower than at Villanova University ($14,474 vs. $17,694).
  • Villanova University is 228.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $47,132 more per year; $67,776.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 62.2% higher at Villanova than at Penn State Main Campus (about $25,986 more per year; $67,776.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Villanova University than at Penn State Main Campus (48% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Villanova University students is 320% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($47,609 vs. $11,336).

Villanova vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Villanova 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 Villanova.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Villanova University (1450) is 120 points higher than at Penn State (1330).
  • Incoming Villanova 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: Villanova University 1395/1510; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Villanova University 32/34; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Villanova - Test optional; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Villanova Jan 15, 2027.
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than Villanova (27%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 27.7% at Villanova vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

Villanova vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Villanova 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).

  • Villanova University's six-year graduation rate (90%) is higher than Penn State Main Campus's (87%).
  • Graduates from Villanova University earn a median of about $29,800 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($85,100 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Villanova University graduates have a $321 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($26,497 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Villanova graduates have an estimated $4 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($273 vs. $277).
  • More Villanova graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (90% 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.