Amherst vs. Penn State

Deciding between Amherst College 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.

Amherst College
Penn State Main Campus

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Amherst Amherst, MA
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • Amherst Town Fringe
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Amherst 1,914
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • Amherst Private 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Amherst #13
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Amherst -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • Amherst Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Amherst
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Amherst $70,480
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Amherst $70,480
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • Amherst $18,390
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Amherst $19,049
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Amherst $68,591
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Amherst 59%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Amherst 13,743
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • Amherst 1,238
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Amherst 9%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Amherst 38.8%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Amherst 1540
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Amherst 34
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Amherst 3.91
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Amherst A
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Amherst Elite
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Amherst Extreme
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Amherst 33/35
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Amherst 1490/1580
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Amherst Test optional
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Amherst Jan 2, 2027
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Amherst 6:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Amherst
    • Social Sciences (26%)
    • English and Literature (12%)
    • Foreign Languages (7%)
    • Biology (7%)
    • Psychology (7%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Amherst 96%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Amherst $82,000
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Amherst 83%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Amherst $12,975
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Amherst $134
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Amherst 45%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • Amherst 55%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Amherst Very High
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Amherst No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • Amherst 42%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • Amherst 14%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • Amherst 12%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Amherst 13%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Amherst 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Amherst 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Amherst 5%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • Amherst 10%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Amherst 4%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Amherst 13%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Amherst 70%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Amherst College in Amherst, MA 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 Amherst based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 1,914 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Amherst College is located in Amherst, MA (Town Fringe setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • Amherst College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Amherst College 6:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

Amherst vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Amherst 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 Amherst College than Penn State ($19,049 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 21.3% lower than at Amherst College ($14,474 vs. $18,390).
  • Amherst College is 241.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $49,836 more per year; $70,480.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 68.7% higher at Amherst than at Penn State Main Campus (about $28,690 more per year; $70,480.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Amherst College than at Penn State Main Campus (59% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Amherst College students is 505.1% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($68,591 vs. $11,336).

Amherst vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Amherst 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 Amherst.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Amherst College (1540) is 210 points higher than at Penn State (1330).
  • Incoming Amherst students have a 5 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (34 vs. 29 at Penn State).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Amherst College 1490/1580; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Amherst College 33/35; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Amherst - Test optional; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Amherst Jan 2, 2027.
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than Amherst (9%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 38.8% at Amherst vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

Amherst vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Amherst 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).

  • Amherst College's six-year graduation rate (96%) is higher than Penn State Main Campus's (87%).
  • Graduates from Amherst College earn a median of about $26,700 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($82,000 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Amherst College graduates have a $13,843 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($12,975 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Amherst graduates have an estimated $143 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($134 vs. $277).
  • More Amherst graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (83% 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.