Bryn Mawr vs. Penn State

Deciding between Bryn Mawr 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.

Bryn Mawr College
Penn State Main Campus

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Bryn Mawr Bryn Mawr, PA
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • Bryn Mawr Large Suburban
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Bryn Mawr 1,679
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • Bryn Mawr Private 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Bryn Mawr #83
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Bryn Mawr -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • Bryn Mawr Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Bryn Mawr
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Bryn Mawr $65,920
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Bryn Mawr $65,920
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • Bryn Mawr $19,400
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Bryn Mawr $33,221
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Bryn Mawr $50,029
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Bryn Mawr 72%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Bryn Mawr 4,094
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • Bryn Mawr 1,205
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Bryn Mawr 29.4%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Bryn Mawr 31.5%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Bryn Mawr 1400
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Bryn Mawr 31
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Bryn Mawr 3.85
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Bryn Mawr A
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Bryn Mawr Exceptional
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Bryn Mawr High
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Bryn Mawr 29/33
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Bryn Mawr 1280/1510
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Bryn Mawr Test optional
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Bryn Mawr Jan 15, 2027
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Bryn Mawr 8:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Bryn Mawr
    • Social Sciences (26%)
    • Foreign Languages (16%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
    • Biology (8%)
    • Mathematics (8%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Bryn Mawr 87%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Bryn Mawr $61,500
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Bryn Mawr 79%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Bryn Mawr $26,000
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Bryn Mawr $268
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Bryn Mawr 4%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • Bryn Mawr 96%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Bryn Mawr Very High
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Bryn Mawr No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • Bryn Mawr 36%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • Bryn Mawr 12%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • Bryn Mawr 6%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Bryn Mawr 9%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Bryn Mawr 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Bryn Mawr 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Bryn Mawr 5%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • Bryn Mawr 23%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Bryn Mawr 8%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Bryn Mawr 10%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Bryn Mawr 76%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Bryn Mawr College in Bryn Mawr, PA 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 Bryn Mawr based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 1,679 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Bryn Mawr College is located in Bryn Mawr, PA (Large Suburban setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • Bryn Mawr 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: Bryn Mawr College 8:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

Bryn Mawr vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bryn Mawr 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 Penn State Main Campus than Bryn Mawr ($27,889 vs. $33,221).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 25.4% lower than at Bryn Mawr College ($14,474 vs. $19,400).
  • Bryn Mawr College is 219.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $45,276 more per year; $65,920.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 57.7% higher at Bryn Mawr than at Penn State Main Campus (about $24,130 more per year; $65,920.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Bryn Mawr College than at Penn State Main Campus (72% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bryn Mawr College students is 341.3% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($50,029 vs. $11,336).

Bryn Mawr vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Bryn Mawr 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 Bryn Mawr.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Bryn Mawr College (1400) is 70 points higher than at Penn State (1330).
  • Incoming Bryn Mawr students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (31 vs. 29 at Penn State).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Bryn Mawr College 1280/1510; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Bryn Mawr College 29/33; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Bryn Mawr - Test optional; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Bryn Mawr Jan 15, 2027.
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than Bryn Mawr (29.4%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 31.5% at Bryn Mawr vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

Bryn Mawr vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Bryn Mawr 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).

  • The graduation rate at Bryn Mawr is the same as at Penn State Main Campus (87% vs. 87%).
  • Graduates from Bryn Mawr College earn a median of about $6,200 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($61,500 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Bryn Mawr College graduates have a $818 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($26,000 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Bryn Mawr graduates have an estimated $9 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($268 vs. $277).
  • More Bryn Mawr graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (79% 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.