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.
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Bucknell University vs. Penn State Main Campus comparison
Bucknell University Penn State Main Campus College 3 College 4
Bucknell University Penn State Main Campus
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Overview

 Bucknell Penn State
Location Lewisburg, PA University Park, PA
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 3,892 50,399
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #73 #171
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bucknell.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Bucknell Penn State
Tuition (In State) $64,418 $19,672
Tuition (Out of State) $64,418 $39,626
Room & Board $16,118 $13,030
Avg Net Price $38,486 $27,450
Avg Grant Aid $41,211 $11,577
% Receiving Grant Aid 56% 36%

Admission

 Bucknell Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,010 85,956
Admitted 3,524 46,605
Acceptance Rate 32% 54.2%
Enrolled % 29.2% 19.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 31/33 27/32
SAT Range 1300/1450 1220/1400
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, 2026

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 0% 8%
% Women 1% 8%
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 (50,399 students vs. 3,892 students)

Bucknell vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bucknell or Penn State?

  • Bucknell University is 227.5% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($64,418.00 vs. $19,672.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 62.6% higher at Bucknell than Penn State Main Campus ($64,418.00 vs. $39,626.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Main Campus than Bucknell ($27,450 vs. $38,486)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 23.7% lower than costs at Bucknell University ($13,030 vs. $16,118)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bucknell University than Penn State Main Campus (56% vs. 36%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bucknell University students is 256% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($41,211 vs. $11,577)

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 (54.2%) than Bucknell (32%)

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/