Chatham vs. Penn State

Should I go to Chatham University or Penn State Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Chatham 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 UD Rutgers UConn Pitt UMass UB NC State Michigan State Clemson Syracuse Drexel
Chatham University vs. Penn State Main Campus comparison
Chatham University Penn State Main Campus College 3 College 4
Chatham University Penn State Main Campus
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Chatham Penn State
Location Pittsburgh, PA University Park, PA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 2,387 50,028
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #288 #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website chatham.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Chatham Penn State
Tuition (In State) $40,625 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $40,625 $35,946
Room & Board $12,719 $12,744
Avg Net Price $28,322 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $27,330 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 44%

Admission

 Chatham Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,514 85,784
Admitted 2,331 47,360
Acceptance Rate 66.3% 55.2%
Enrolled % 13.1% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Challenging Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 21/29 26/31
SAT Range 1060/1270 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

Academics

 Chatham Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 Chatham Penn State
Graduation Rate 60% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,700 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $211 $277

Diversity

 Chatham Penn State
% Men 25% 53%
% Women 75% 47%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 72% 69%
% Black 10% 4%
% Hispanic 5% 6%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 3% 11%
% Unknown Race 5% 2%

Students

 Chatham Penn State
% In-State 70% 51%
% Out-of-State 26% 40%

Campus

 Chatham 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 Chatham based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 2,387 students)

Chatham vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Chatham or Penn State?

  • Chatham University is 121.2% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($40,625.00 vs. $18,368.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 13% higher at Chatham than Penn State Main Campus ($40,625.00 vs. $35,946.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Main Campus than Chatham ($26,747 vs. $28,322)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Chatham University are 0.2% lower than costs at Penn State Main Campus ($12,719 vs. $12,744)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Chatham University than Penn State Main Campus (100% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Chatham University students is 171.5% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($27,330 vs. $10,066)

Chatham vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Chatham has a higher acceptance rate (66.3%) than Penn State (55.2%)

Chatham vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Chatham 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 Chatham.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than Chatham University (87% vs. 60%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn on average $18,600 more per year than Chatham graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $36,700)
  • Chatham University students graduate with a $6,318 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($20,500 vs. $26,818)
  • Chatham graduates are paying $66 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($211 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Chatham students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 62%)

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