Penn State Comparisons

8/10 Overall Rating
4 Year
University Park, PA
4.2 12 reviews

#2 Best Public Universities in Pennsylvania

Overview Admission Cost Majors Diversity Outcomes Salaries Location Compare Reviews Admission Calculator

Curious how Penn State Main Campus stacks up against other colleges? Compare Penn State to any three other US colleges using the College Simply compare tool, or compare with some of the pre-selected schools below.

Frequently Compared

These similar colleges are most often compared with Penn State Main Campus by students and parents using CollegeSimply.

vs.

Compare Virginia Tech and Penn State Main Campus

Compare

vs.

Compare University of Delaware and Penn State Main Campus

Compare

vs.

Compare Rutgers University New Brunswick and Penn State Main Campus

Compare

vs.

Compare University of Connecticut and Penn State Main Campus

Compare

vs.

Compare University of Massachusetts Amherst and Penn State Main Campus

Compare

vs.

Compare University at Buffalo and Penn State Main Campus

Compare

vs.

Compare University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus and Penn State Main Campus

Compare

vs.

Compare North Carolina State University at Raleigh and Penn State Main Campus

Compare

vs.

Compare Michigan State University and Penn State Main Campus

Compare

vs.

Compare Syracuse University and Penn State Main Campus

Compare

vs.

Compare Drexel University and Penn State Main Campus

Compare

vs.

Compare University of Vermont and Penn State Main Campus

Compare

vs.

Compare Clemson University and Penn State Main Campus

Compare

vs.

Compare University of Maryland Baltimore County and Penn State Main Campus

Compare

vs.

Compare CUNY Bernard M Baruch College and Penn State Main Campus

Compare

vs.

Compare Binghamton University and Penn State Main Campus

Compare

vs.

Compare University of South Carolina Columbia and Penn State Main Campus

Compare

vs.

Compare Villanova University and Penn State Main Campus

Compare

vs.

Compare University of Colorado Boulder and Penn State Main Campus

Compare

vs.

Compare University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Penn State Main Campus

Compare

vs.

Compare The College of New Jersey and Penn State Main Campus

Compare

vs.

Compare Miami University Oxford and Penn State Main Campus

Compare

vs.

Compare New Jersey Institute of Technology and Penn State Main Campus

Compare

vs.

Compare Lehigh University and Penn State Main Campus

Compare

Compare with Pennsylvania Public Colleges

Compare with Pennsylvania Public Colleges for Penn State Main Campus
College	In-state tuition	Acceptance rate	Compare
University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh, PA	$1,282 higher in-state tuition	3% lower acceptance rate	Compare
West Chester University of Pennsylvania West Chester, PA	$9,869 lower in-state tuition	17% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania Kutztown, PA	$9,330 lower in-state tuition	30% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania Shippensburg, PA	$6,924 lower in-state tuition	26% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Penn State Abington Abington, PA	$5,376 lower in-state tuition	36% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Millersville University of Pennsylvania Millersville, PA	$9,516 lower in-state tuition	25% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Penn State Harrisburg Middletown, PA	$4,672 lower in-state tuition	37% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Penn State Altoona Altoona, PA	$4,672 lower in-state tuition	37% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Penn State Brandywine Media, PA	$5,436 lower in-state tuition	37% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Penn State Erie Behrend College Erie, PA	$4,672 lower in-state tuition	36% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Penn State Lehigh Valley Center Valley, PA	$5,436 lower in-state tuition	36% higher acceptance rate	Compare
University of Pittsburgh Johnstown Johnstown, PA	$5,738 lower in-state tuition	34% higher acceptance rate	Compare
University of Pittsburgh Bradford Bradford, PA	$5,874 lower in-state tuition	28% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Penn State Berks Reading, PA	$4,672 lower in-state tuition	38% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Penn State Scranton Dunmore, PA	$5,436 lower in-state tuition	38% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Penn State Schuylkill Schuylkill Haven, PA	$5,436 lower in-state tuition	36% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Penn State York York, PA	$5,436 lower in-state tuition	36% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Penn State Hazleton Hazleton, PA	$5,436 lower in-state tuition	35% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Penn State Shenango Sharon, PA	$6,620 lower in-state tuition	31% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Penn State Greater Allegheny McKeesport, PA	$6,236 lower in-state tuition	35% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Penn State New Kensington New Kensington, PA	$6,236 lower in-state tuition	34% higher acceptance rate	Compare
University of Pittsburgh Greensburg Greensburg, PA	$5,934 lower in-state tuition	34% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Penn State Beaver Monaca, PA	$6,236 lower in-state tuition	35% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Penn State Mont Alto Mont Alto, PA	$6,236 lower in-state tuition	37% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Penn State Wilkes Barre Dallas, PA	$6,364 lower in-state tuition	36% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Penn State DuBois DuBois, PA	$6,236 lower in-state tuition	36% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Penn State Fayette Eberly Lemont Furnace, PA	$6,236 lower in-state tuition	34% higher acceptance rate	Compare

Compare with Pennsylvania Private Colleges

Compare with Pennsylvania Private Colleges for Penn State Main Campus
College	In-state tuition	Acceptance rate	Compare
University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA	$48,042 higher in-state tuition	56% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Villanova University Villanova, PA	$47,132 higher in-state tuition	34% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA	$45,602 higher in-state tuition	49% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Drexel University Philadelphia, PA	$41,768 higher in-state tuition	18% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Bucknell University Lewisburg, PA	$47,168 higher in-state tuition	32% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Lehigh University Bethlehem, PA	$44,336 higher in-state tuition	35% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Lafayette College Easton, PA	$44,754 higher in-state tuition	30% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Swarthmore College Swarthmore, PA	$44,850 higher in-state tuition	54% lower acceptance rate	Compare
University of Scranton Scranton, PA	$33,339 higher in-state tuition	20% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Haverford College Haverford, PA	$50,044 higher in-state tuition	49% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Duquesne University Pittsburgh, PA	$28,342 higher in-state tuition	23% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Muhlenberg College Allentown, PA	$42,161 higher in-state tuition	11% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Gettysburg College Gettysburg, PA	$45,996 higher in-state tuition	22% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Saint Joseph's University Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA	$32,616 higher in-state tuition	28% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Dickinson College Carlisle, PA	$45,006 higher in-state tuition	19% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Franklin and Marshall College Lancaster, PA	$50,150 higher in-state tuition	33% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Bryn Mawr College Bryn Mawr, PA	$45,276 higher in-state tuition	32% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Allegheny College Meadville, PA	$35,906 higher in-state tuition	6% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Ursinus College Collegeville, PA	$40,566 higher in-state tuition	31% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Messiah University Mechanicsburg, PA	$21,596 higher in-state tuition	18% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Immaculata University Immaculata, PA	$8,686 higher in-state tuition	25% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Elizabethtown College Elizabethtown, PA	$17,306 higher in-state tuition	17% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Juniata College Huntingdon, PA	$37,936 higher in-state tuition	18% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Moore College of Art and Design Philadelphia, PA	$32,168 higher in-state tuition	5% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Grove City College Grove City, Pennsylvania	$1,056 higher in-state tuition	11% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Thomas Jefferson University Philadelphia, PA	$26,861 higher in-state tuition	20% higher acceptance rate	Compare

Compare with Regional Public Colleges

Compare with Regional Public Colleges for Penn State Main Campus
College	In-state tuition	Acceptance rate	Compare
University of Michigan Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI	$2,908 lower in-state tuition	45% lower acceptance rate	Compare
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC	$11,650 lower in-state tuition	46% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Virginia Tech Blacksburg, VA	$4,696 lower in-state tuition	6% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Ohio State University Main Campus Columbus, OH	$7,400 lower in-state tuition	0% higher acceptance rate	Compare
University of Maryland College Park College Park, MD	$8,835 lower in-state tuition	16% lower acceptance rate	Compare
North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh, NC	$11,845 lower in-state tuition	19% lower acceptance rate	Compare
University of Virginia Main Campus Charlottesville, VA	$1,159 higher in-state tuition	44% lower acceptance rate	Compare
University of Delaware Newark, DE	$3,834 lower in-state tuition	10% higher acceptance rate	Compare
George Mason University Fairfax, VA	$6,424 lower in-state tuition	26% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Stony Brook University Stony Brook, NY	$9,713 lower in-state tuition	12% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Binghamton University Vestal, NY	$10,077 lower in-state tuition	22% lower acceptance rate	Compare
University of Massachusetts Amherst Amherst, MA	$2,872 lower in-state tuition	1% lower acceptance rate	Compare
James Madison University Harrisonburg, VA	$6,394 lower in-state tuition	11% higher acceptance rate	Compare
University at Albany Albany, NY	$9,778 lower in-state tuition	8% higher acceptance rate	Compare
William & Mary Williamsburg, VA	$5,270 higher in-state tuition	27% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Rutgers University New Brunswick New Brunswick, NJ	$2,715 lower in-state tuition	3% lower acceptance rate	Compare
University at Buffalo Buffalo, NY	$9,708 lower in-state tuition	13% higher acceptance rate	Compare
CUNY Hunter College New York, NY	$13,262 lower in-state tuition	7% lower acceptance rate	Compare
University of Connecticut Storrs, CT	$400 higher in-state tuition	9% lower acceptance rate	Compare
United States Naval Academy Annapolis, Maryland	$20,644 lower in-state tuition	52% lower acceptance rate	Compare
University of Vermont Burlington, VT	$1,586 lower in-state tuition	4% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Rowan University Glassboro, NJ	$4,070 lower in-state tuition	17% higher acceptance rate	Compare
The College of New Jersey Ewing, NJ	$1,012 lower in-state tuition	1% higher acceptance rate	Compare
University of Maryland Baltimore County Baltimore, MD	$7,388 lower in-state tuition	11% higher acceptance rate	Compare
New Jersey Institute of Technology Newark, NJ	$670 lower in-state tuition	4% higher acceptance rate	Compare
CUNY City College New York, NY	$13,304 lower in-state tuition	1% lower acceptance rate	Compare
CUNY Bernard M Baruch College New York, NY	$13,180 lower in-state tuition	13% lower acceptance rate	Compare
University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, NC	$12,983 lower in-state tuition	28% higher acceptance rate	Compare
University of Mary Washington Fredericksburg, VA	$6,004 lower in-state tuition	19% higher acceptance rate	Compare
United States Military Academy West Point, New York	$20,644 lower in-state tuition	49% lower acceptance rate	Compare
SUNY at Purchase College Purchase, NY	$11,691 lower in-state tuition	13% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Salisbury University Salisbury, MD	$9,560 lower in-state tuition	26% higher acceptance rate	Compare
SUNY College at Geneseo Geneseo, NY	$11,645 lower in-state tuition	5% higher acceptance rate	Compare
CUNY Brooklyn College Brooklyn, NY	$13,192 lower in-state tuition	3% lower acceptance rate	Compare
SUNY Oneonta Oneonta, NY	$11,813 lower in-state tuition	9% higher acceptance rate	Compare
State University of New York at New Paltz New Paltz, NY	$12,072 lower in-state tuition	1% higher acceptance rate	Compare
William Paterson University of New Jersey Wayne, NJ	$4,940 lower in-state tuition	29% higher acceptance rate	Compare
University of Baltimore Baltimore, MD	$10,652 lower in-state tuition	18% higher acceptance rate	Compare
SUNY at Fredonia Fredonia, NY	$11,813 lower in-state tuition	17% higher acceptance rate	Compare
United States Coast Guard Academy New London, Connecticut	$20,644 lower in-state tuition	39% lower acceptance rate	Compare
St. Mary's College of Maryland St. Mary's City, MD	$5,346 lower in-state tuition	8% higher acceptance rate	Compare
SUNY Polytechnic Institute Utica, NY	$12,019 lower in-state tuition	20% higher acceptance rate	Compare

Compare with Regional Private Colleges

Compare with Regional Private Colleges for Penn State Main Campus
College	In-state tuition	Acceptance rate	Compare
New York University New York, NY	$42,152 higher in-state tuition	52% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Duke University Durham, NC	$48,114 higher in-state tuition	55% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Princeton University Princeton, NJ	$42,044 higher in-state tuition	56% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD	$44,586 higher in-state tuition	55% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Yale University New Haven, CT	$46,606 higher in-state tuition	57% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Cornell University Ithaca, NY	$48,670 higher in-state tuition	52% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Georgetown University Washington, DC	$47,373 higher in-state tuition	48% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Howard University Washington, DC	$15,166 higher in-state tuition	20% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Syracuse University Syracuse, NY	$44,884 higher in-state tuition	15% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Brown University Providence, RI	$50,768 higher in-state tuition	56% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY	$51,201 higher in-state tuition	57% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Fordham University Bronx, NY	$44,271 higher in-state tuition	2% lower acceptance rate	Compare
George Washington University Washington, DC	$47,066 higher in-state tuition	14% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Dartmouth College Hanover, NH	$47,624 higher in-state tuition	56% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Quinnipiac University Hamden, CT	$34,836 higher in-state tuition	11% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Rhode Island School of Design Providence, RI	$42,044 higher in-state tuition	42% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Colgate University Hamilton, NY	$49,662 higher in-state tuition	47% lower acceptance rate	Compare
University of Rochester Rochester, NY	$46,436 higher in-state tuition	21% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Barnard College New York, NY	$49,244 higher in-state tuition	52% lower acceptance rate	Compare
American University Washington, DC	$38,127 higher in-state tuition	1% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Vassar College Poughkeepsie, NY	$50,386 higher in-state tuition	42% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Wake Forest University Winston-Salem, NC	$46,998 higher in-state tuition	39% lower acceptance rate	Compare
St. John's University New York Queens, NY	$32,376 higher in-state tuition	22% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Amherst College Amherst, MA	$49,836 higher in-state tuition	52% lower acceptance rate	Compare
University of Dayton Dayton, OH	$28,496 higher in-state tuition	4% higher acceptance rate	Compare
University of Richmond University of Richmond, VA	$44,586 higher in-state tuition	39% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy, NY	$43,437 higher in-state tuition	2% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Pace University New York, NY	$32,646 higher in-state tuition	15% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Hofstra University Hempstead, NY	$37,016 higher in-state tuition	7% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Seton Hall University South Orange, NJ	$32,526 higher in-state tuition	12% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Williams College Williamstown, MA	$47,916 higher in-state tuition	53% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, OH	$45,964 higher in-state tuition	24% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Providence College Providence, RI	$42,906 higher in-state tuition	10% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Oberlin College Oberlin, OH	$46,722 higher in-state tuition	27% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Monmouth University West Long Branch, NJ	$25,908 higher in-state tuition	28% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Marist University Poughkeepsie, NY	$27,106 higher in-state tuition	4% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester, NY	$38,630 higher in-state tuition	6% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Wesleyan University Middletown, CT	$49,698 higher in-state tuition	45% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Washington and Lee University Lexington, VA	$47,401 higher in-state tuition	47% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Skidmore College Saratoga Springs, NY	$46,646 higher in-state tuition	40% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Adelphi University Garden City, NY	$28,466 higher in-state tuition	5% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Manhattan University Riverdale, NY	$32,756 higher in-state tuition	18% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Fairfield University Fairfield, CT	$37,706 higher in-state tuition	28% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Pratt Institute Main Brooklyn, NY	$41,201 higher in-state tuition	12% higher acceptance rate	Compare
The New School New York, NY	$38,050 higher in-state tuition	2% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Middlebury College Middlebury, VT	$46,956 higher in-state tuition	50% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Ithaca College Ithaca, NY	$32,896 higher in-state tuition	8% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Denison University Granville, OH	$46,356 higher in-state tuition	44% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Hamilton College Clinton, NY	$48,316 higher in-state tuition	47% lower acceptance rate	Compare

Compare with National Colleges

Compare with National Colleges for Penn State Main Campus
College	In-state tuition	Acceptance rate	Compare
University of Florida Gainesville, FL	$14,263 lower in-state tuition	37% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Florida State University Tallahassee, FL	$14,988 lower in-state tuition	37% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Clemson University Clemson, SC	$5,090 lower in-state tuition	23% lower acceptance rate	Compare
University of Georgia Athens, GA	$9,194 lower in-state tuition	23% lower acceptance rate	Compare
The University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL	$8,464 lower in-state tuition	16% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Auburn University Auburn, AL	$7,754 lower in-state tuition	15% lower acceptance rate	Compare
University of California Irvine Irvine, CA	$4,922 lower in-state tuition	32% lower acceptance rate	Compare
University of Washington Seattle Campus Seattle, WA	$7,671 lower in-state tuition	22% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Purdue University Main Campus West Lafayette, IN	$10,652 lower in-state tuition	11% lower acceptance rate	Compare
University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA	$4,230 lower in-state tuition	28% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Texas A&M University College Station College Station, TX	$7,490 lower in-state tuition	4% lower acceptance rate	Compare
University of Arizona Tucson, AZ	$6,718 lower in-state tuition	25% higher acceptance rate	Compare
University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, CO	$4,978 lower in-state tuition	17% higher acceptance rate	Compare
University of California Davis Davis, CA	$3,870 lower in-state tuition	19% lower acceptance rate	Compare
University of California San Diego La Jolla, CA	$3,886 lower in-state tuition	34% lower acceptance rate	Compare
Indiana University Bloomington Bloomington, IN	$8,500 lower in-state tuition	17% higher acceptance rate	Compare
Oregon State University Corvallis, OR	$6,244 lower in-state tuition	16% higher acceptance rate	Compare
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, CA	$7,048 lower in-state tuition	30% lower acceptance rate	Compare
The University of Texas at Dallas Richardson, TX	$6,000 lower in-state tuition	4% higher acceptance rate	Compare
University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT	$11,024 lower in-state tuition	25% higher acceptance rate	Compare
University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham, AL	$11,546 lower in-state tuition	27% higher acceptance rate	Compare

Data source: NCES / IPEDS https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=214777.

Last updated: August 2026