Clemson vs. Penn State

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

 Clemson Penn State
Location Clemson, SC University Park, PA
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 28,466 50,028
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #133 #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website clemson.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Clemson Penn State
Tuition (In State) $14,118 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $38,062 $35,946
Room & Board $12,350 $12,744
Avg Net Price $24,577 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $10,430 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 79% 44%

Admission

 Clemson Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 52,819 85,784
Admitted 22,704 47,360
Acceptance Rate 43% 55.2%
Enrolled % 20.2% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 28/32 26/31
SAT Range 1220/1410 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 May 1, 2025

Academics

 Clemson Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 Clemson Penn State
Graduation Rate 80% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $57,100 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $222 $277

Diversity

 Clemson Penn State
% Men 48% 53%
% Women 52% 47%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 83% 69%
% Black 7% 4%
% Hispanic 3% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 1% 11%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 Clemson Penn State
% In-State 52% 51%
% Out-of-State 46% 40%

Campus

 Clemson 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 Clemson based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 28,466 students)

Clemson vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Clemson or Penn State?

  • Penn State Main Campus is 30.1% more expensive to attend than Clemson for in-state tuition ($18,368.00 vs. $14,118.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5.9% higher at Clemson than Penn State Main Campus ($38,062.00 vs. $35,946.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Clemson University than Penn State ($24,577 vs. $26,747)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Clemson University are 3.2% lower than costs at Penn State Main Campus ($12,350 vs. $12,744)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Clemson University than Penn State Main Campus (79% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Clemson University students is 3.6% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($10,430 vs. $10,066)

Clemson vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Clemson University (1275) is 73 points higher than at Penn State (1202)
  • Incoming Clemson students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Penn State (27)
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (55.2%) than Clemson (43%)

Clemson vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Clemson 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 Clemson.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than Clemson University (87% vs. 80%)
  • Graduates from Clemson University earn on average $1,800 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($57,100 vs. $55,300)
  • Clemson University students graduate with a $5,318 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($21,500 vs. $26,818)
  • Clemson graduates are paying $55 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($222 vs. $277)
  • More Clemson graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 69%)

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