Bucknell vs. Penn State

Should I go to Bucknell University or Penn State Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Bucknell 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

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

Virginia Tech Lafayette College UD Rutgers Lehigh UConn Pitt UMass Villanova UB NC State Michigan State
Bucknell University vs. Penn State Main Campus comparison
Bucknell University Penn State Main Campus College 3 College 4
Bucknell University Penn State Main Campus
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Bucknell Penn State
Location Lewisburg, PA University Park, PA
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 3,787 50,028
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #71 #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bucknell.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Bucknell Penn State
Tuition (In State) $61,408 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $61,408 $35,946
Room & Board $15,358 $12,744
Avg Net Price $39,965 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $37,775 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 56% 44%

Admission

 Bucknell Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,707 85,784
Admitted 3,811 47,360
Acceptance Rate 32.6% 55.2%
Enrolled % 27.1% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 30/33 26/31
SAT Range 1310/1470 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

 Bucknell Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 Bucknell Penn State
Graduation Rate 91% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $76,300 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 89% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $279 $277

Diversity

 Bucknell Penn State
% Men 48% 53%
% Women 52% 47%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 77% 69%
% Black 3% 4%
% Hispanic 6% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 5% 11%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

 Bucknell Penn State
% In-State 21% 51%
% Out-of-State 74% 40%

Campus

 Bucknell Penn State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes 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 Bucknell based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 3,787 students)

Bucknell vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bucknell or Penn State?

  • Bucknell University is 234.3% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($61,408.00 vs. $18,368.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 70.8% higher at Bucknell than Penn State Main Campus ($61,408.00 vs. $35,946.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Main Campus than Bucknell ($26,747 vs. $39,965)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 20.5% lower than costs at Bucknell University ($12,744 vs. $15,358)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bucknell University than Penn State Main Campus (56% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bucknell University students is 275.3% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($37,775 vs. $10,066)

Bucknell vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Bucknell University (1315) is 113 points higher than at Penn State (1202)
  • Incoming Bucknell students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at Penn State (27)
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (55.2%) than Bucknell (32.6%)

Bucknell vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Bucknell 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 Bucknell.

  • The graduation rate at Bucknell is higher than Penn State Main Campus (91% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from Bucknell University earn on average $21,000 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($76,300 vs. $55,300)
  • Penn State Main Campus students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than Bucknell graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Bucknell graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More Bucknell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 69%)

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