BGSU vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley

Deciding between Bowling Green State University Main Campus and Penn State Lehigh Valley? 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.

Bowling Green State University Main Campus

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • BGSU Bowling Green, OH
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley Center Valley, PA
  • Setting
  • BGSU Distant Town
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley Large Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • BGSU 17,594
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 867
  • Type
  • BGSU Public 4 Year
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • BGSU #690
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley
  • Religious Affiliation
  • BGSU -
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley -
  • Status
  • BGSU Non-profit
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • BGSU
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley
  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • BGSU $14,460
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley $15,208
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • BGSU $22,448
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley $25,392
  • Room & Board
  • BGSU $14,508
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley $15,274
  • Average Net Price
  • BGSU $24,283
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley $19,066
  • Average Grant Aid
  • BGSU $9,310
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley $9,065
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • BGSU 96%
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 80%
  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • BGSU 21,153
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 1,827
  • Admitted
  • BGSU 17,125
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 1,779
  • Acceptance Rate
  • BGSU 81%
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 97.4%
  • Enrolled
  • BGSU 20.6%
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 14%
  • Typical SAT score
  • BGSU 1110
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 1230
  • Typical ACT score
  • BGSU 22
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley
  • Average High School GPA
  • BGSU 3.6
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 3.42
  • Typical High School Grades
  • BGSU A-
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley B+
  • Admissions Standards
  • BGSU Moderate
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley Challenging
  • Applicant Competition
  • BGSU
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley
  • ACT Range
  • BGSU 19/26
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley
  • SAT Range
  • BGSU 1000/1210
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 1130/1320
  • Submit Test Scores
  • BGSU Test optional
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • BGSU Jul 15, 2027
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley
  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • BGSU 17:1
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 14:1
  • Popular Majors
  • BGSU
    • Education (19%)
    • Business (14%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
    • Health Professions (9%)
    • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley
    • Business (46%)
    • Education (25%)
    • Psychology (18%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (4%)
    • Foreign Languages (3%)
  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • BGSU 58%
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 47%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • BGSU $43,600
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • BGSU 53%
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • BGSU $26,000
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • BGSU $268
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley $277
  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • BGSU 43%
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 59%
  • % Women
  • BGSU 57%
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 41%
  • Racial Diversity
  • BGSU Low
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley Medium
  • HBCU
  • BGSU No
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley No
  • % White
  • BGSU 78%
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 64%
  • % Asian
  • BGSU 1%
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 10%
  • % Black
  • BGSU 10%
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 6%
  • % Hispanic
  • BGSU 4%
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 16%
  • % Native American
  • BGSU 0%
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • BGSU 0%
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • BGSU 3%
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 2%
  • % International
  • BGSU 2%
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 0%
  • % Unknown Race
  • BGSU 2%
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 1%
  • Students

  • % In-State
  • BGSU 84%
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 90%
  • % Out-of-State
  • BGSU 13%
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 9%
  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Bowling Green State University Main Campus in Bowling Green, OH with Penn State Lehigh Valley in Center Valley, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Bowling Green State University Main Campus is larger than Penn State Lehigh Valley based on total student enrollment (17,594 students vs. 867 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Bowling Green State University Main Campus is located in Bowling Green, OH (Distant Town setting); Penn State Lehigh Valley is in Center Valley, PA (Large Suburban setting).
  • Bowling Green State University Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Lehigh Valley is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Bowling Green State University Main Campus 17:1; Penn State Lehigh Valley 14:1.

BGSU vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BGSU or Penn State Lehigh Valley? 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 Lehigh Valley than BGSU ($19,066 vs. $24,283).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bowling Green State University Main Campus are 5% lower than at Penn State Lehigh Valley ($14,508 vs. $15,274).
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley is 5.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than BGSU (about $748 more per year; $15,208.00 vs. $14,460.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 13.1% higher at Penn State Lehigh Valley than at Bowling Green State University Main Campus (about $2,944 more per year; $25,392.00 vs. $22,448.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Bowling Green State University Main Campus than at Penn State Lehigh Valley (96% vs. 80%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bowling Green State University Main Campus students is 2.7% larger than aid received by Penn State Lehigh Valley students ($9,310 vs. $9,065).

BGSU vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, BGSU or Penn State Lehigh Valley? 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 Lehigh Valley and BGSU.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Penn State Lehigh Valley (1230) is 120 points higher than at BGSU (1110).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Bowling Green State University Main Campus 1000/1210; Penn State Lehigh Valley 1130/1320.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Bowling Green State University Main Campus 19/26.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: BGSU - Test optional; Penn State Lehigh Valley - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: BGSU Jul 15, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman BGSU students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at Penn State Lehigh Valley (3.42).
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley has a higher acceptance rate (97.4%) than BGSU (81%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 20.6% at BGSU vs. 14% at Penn State Lehigh Valley.

BGSU vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for BGSU and Penn State Lehigh Valley? 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).

  • Bowling Green State University Main Campus's six-year graduation rate (58%) is higher than Penn State Lehigh Valley's (47%).
  • Graduates from Penn State Lehigh Valley earn a median of about $11,700 more per year than BGSU graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $43,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Bowling Green State University Main Campus graduates have a $818 lower median loan debt than Penn State Lehigh Valley graduates ($26,000 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, BGSU graduates have an estimated $9 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State Lehigh Valley graduates ($268 vs. $277).
  • More Penn State Lehigh Valley graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BGSU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 53%)

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.