Auburn vs. Penn State

Should I go to Auburn University or Penn State Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Auburn 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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Auburn University vs. Penn State Main Campus comparison
Auburn University Penn State Main Campus College 3 College 4
Auburn University Penn State Main Campus
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Overview

 Auburn Penn State
Location Auburn University, AL University Park, PA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 31,764 50,028
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #307 #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website auburn.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Auburn Penn State
Tuition (In State) $10,392 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $31,176 $35,946
Room & Board $14,998 $12,744
Avg Net Price $25,271 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $9,791 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 44%

Admission

 Auburn Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 45,693 85,784
Admitted 19,988 47,360
Acceptance Rate 43.7% 55.2%
Enrolled % 26.5% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 24/30 26/31
SAT Range 1220/1380 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 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

 Auburn Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 Auburn Penn State
Graduation Rate 66% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,100 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $222 $277

Diversity

 Auburn Penn State
% Men 49% 53%
% Women 51% 47%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 84% 69%
% Black 7% 4%
% Hispanic 3% 6%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 1% 11%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 Auburn Penn State
% In-State 57% 51%
% Out-of-State 41% 40%

Campus

 Auburn Penn State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than Auburn based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 31,764 students)

Auburn vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Auburn or Penn State?

  • Penn State Main Campus is 76.8% more expensive to attend than Auburn for in-state tuition ($18,368.00 vs. $10,392.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 15.3% higher at Penn State than Auburn University ($35,946.00 vs. $31,176.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Auburn University than Penn State ($25,271 vs. $26,747)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 17.7% lower than costs at Auburn University ($12,744 vs. $14,998)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Auburn University than Penn State Main Campus (74% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Main Campus students is 2.8% larger than aid received Auburn University ($10,066 vs. $9,791)

Auburn vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Auburn University (1218) is 16 points higher than at Penn State (1202)
  • Incoming Auburn students have at the same average ACT score (27) as students at Penn State (27)
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (55.2%) than Auburn (43.7%)

Auburn vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Auburn 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 Auburn.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than Auburn University (87% vs. 66%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn on average $1,200 more per year than Auburn graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $54,100)
  • Auburn University students graduate with a $5,318 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($21,500 vs. $26,818)
  • Auburn graduates are paying $55 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($222 vs. $277)
  • More Auburn graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 69%)

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