Case Western vs. Penn State

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

 Case Western Penn State
Location Cleveland, OH University Park, PA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 12,266 50,399
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #49 #171
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website case.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Case Western Penn State
Tuition (In State) $64,100 $19,672
Tuition (Out of State) $64,100 $39,626
Room & Board $18,202 $13,030
Avg Net Price $41,351 $27,450
Avg Grant Aid $40,197 $11,577
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 36%

Admission

 Case Western Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 39,033 85,956
Admitted 11,193 46,605
Acceptance Rate 28.7% 54.2%
Enrolled % 13.8% 19.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 32/35 27/32
SAT Range 1430/1540 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

 Case Western Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (28%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 Case Western Penn State
Graduation Rate 78% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $84,700 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 84% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,066 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $248 $277

Diversity

 Case Western Penn State
% Men 22% 8%
% Women 28% 8%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 52% 69%
% Black 5% 4%
% Hispanic 6% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 11% 11%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

 Case Western Penn State
% In-State 14% 51%
% Out-of-State 69% 40%

Campus

 Case Western 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 Case Western based on total student enrollment (50,399 students vs. 12,266 students)

Case Western vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Case Western or Penn State?

  • Case Western Reserve University is 225.8% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($64,100.00 vs. $19,672.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 61.8% higher at Case Western than Penn State Main Campus ($64,100.00 vs. $39,626.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Main Campus than Case Western ($27,450 vs. $41,351)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 39.7% lower than costs at Case Western Reserve University ($13,030 vs. $18,202)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Case Western Reserve University than Penn State Main Campus (86% vs. 36%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Case Western Reserve University students is 247.2% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($40,197 vs. $11,577)

Case Western vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Case Western Reserve University (1398) is 196 points higher than at Penn State (1202)
  • Incoming Case Western students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Penn State (27)
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (54.2%) than Case Western (28.7%)

Case Western vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Case Western 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 Case Western.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than Case Western Reserve University (87% vs. 78%)
  • Graduates from Case Western Reserve University earn on average $29,400 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($84,700 vs. $55,300)
  • Case Western Reserve University students graduate with a $2,752 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($24,066 vs. $26,818)
  • Case Western graduates are paying $29 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($248 vs. $277)
  • More Case Western graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 69%)

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