AU vs. Penn State

Should I go to American University or Penn State Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if AU or Penn State is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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American University vs. Penn State Main Campus comparison
American University Penn State Main Campus College 3 College 4
American University Penn State Main Campus
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Overview

 AU Penn State
Location Washington, DC University Park, PA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 13,885 50,028
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #93 #167
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website american.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 AU Penn State
Tuition (In State) $53,070 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $53,070 $35,946
Room & Board $15,706 $12,744
Avg Net Price $41,369 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $27,138 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 66% 44%

Admission

 AU Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,510 85,784
Admitted 7,926 47,360
Acceptance Rate 40.6% 55.2%
Enrolled % 22.2% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 29/32 26/31
SAT Range 1290/1430 1210/1390
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 15, 2025

Academics

 AU Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (43%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Psychology (3%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 AU Penn State
Graduation Rate 77% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,800 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $250 $277

Diversity

 AU Penn State
% Men 37% 53%
% Women 63% 47%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 58% 69%
% Black 7% 4%
% Hispanic 12% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 7% 11%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

 AU Penn State
% In-State 2% 51%
% Out-of-State 94% 40%

Campus

 AU Penn State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No 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 AU based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 13,885 students)

AU vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, AU or Penn State?

  • American University is 188.9% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($53,070.00 vs. $18,368.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 47.6% higher at AU than Penn State Main Campus ($53,070.00 vs. $35,946.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Main Campus than AU ($26,747 vs. $41,369)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 23.2% lower than costs at American University ($12,744 vs. $15,706)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at American University than Penn State Main Campus (66% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by American University students is 169.6% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($27,138 vs. $10,066)

AU vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, AU or Penn State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Penn State or AU .

  • The average SAT score at American University (1252) is 50 points higher than at Penn State (1202)
  • Incoming AU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Penn State (27)
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (55.2%) than AU (40.6%)

AU vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, AU 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 AU.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than American University (87% vs. 77%)
  • Graduates from American University earn on average $9,500 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($64,800 vs. $55,300)
  • American University students graduate with a $2,568 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($24,250 vs. $26,818)
  • AU graduates are paying $27 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($250 vs. $277)
  • More AU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 69%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/