Colgate vs. Penn State

Deciding between Colgate University and Penn State Main Campus? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Colgate University
Penn State Main Campus

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Colgate Hamilton, NY
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • Colgate Distant Town
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Colgate 3,211
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • Colgate Private 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Colgate #30
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Colgate -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • Colgate Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Colgate
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Colgate $70,306
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Colgate $70,306
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • Colgate $17,610
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Colgate $28,736
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Colgate $58,334
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Colgate 43%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Colgate 20,682
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • Colgate 2,871
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Colgate 13.9%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Colgate 28.7%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Colgate 1490
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Colgate 33
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Colgate 3.77
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Colgate A-
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Colgate Exceptional
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Colgate Very High
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Colgate 33/34
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Colgate 1430/1540
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Colgate Test optional
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Colgate Jan 15, 2027
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Colgate 9:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Colgate
    • Social Sciences (33%)
    • English and Literature (11%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • Foreign Languages (7%)
    • Philosophy and Religious Studies (7%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Colgate 92%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Colgate $75,300
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Colgate 86%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Colgate $16,125
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Colgate $166
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Colgate 43%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • Colgate 57%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Colgate Medium
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Colgate No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • Colgate 67%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • Colgate 4%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • Colgate 4%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Colgate 9%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Colgate 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Colgate 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Colgate 3%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • Colgate 9%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Colgate 4%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Colgate 25%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Colgate 66%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Colgate Yes
  • Penn State Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Colgate Yes
  • Penn State Yes
  • Meal Plan
  • Colgate Yes
  • Penn State Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Colgate No
  • Penn State Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • Colgate No
  • Penn State Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare Colgate University in Hamilton, NY with Penn State Main Campus in University Park, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Penn State Main Campus is larger than Colgate based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 3,211 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Colgate University is located in Hamilton, NY (Distant Town setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • Colgate University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Colgate University 9:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

Colgate vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Colgate or Penn State? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Main Campus than Colgate ($27,889 vs. $28,736).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 17.8% lower than at Colgate University ($14,474 vs. $17,610).
  • Colgate University is 240.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $49,662 more per year; $70,306.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 68.2% higher at Colgate than at Penn State Main Campus (about $28,516 more per year; $70,306.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Colgate University than at Penn State Main Campus (43% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Colgate University students is 414.6% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($58,334 vs. $11,336).

Colgate vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Colgate or Penn State? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Penn State and Colgate.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Colgate University (1490) is 160 points higher than at Penn State (1330).
  • Incoming Colgate students have a 4 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (33 vs. 29 at Penn State).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Colgate University 1430/1540; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Colgate University 33/34; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Colgate - Test optional; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Colgate Jan 15, 2027.
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than Colgate (13.9%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 28.7% at Colgate vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

Colgate vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Colgate and Penn State? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Colgate University's six-year graduation rate (92%) is higher than Penn State Main Campus's (87%).
  • Graduates from Colgate University earn a median of about $20,000 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($75,300 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Colgate University graduates have a $10,693 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($16,125 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Colgate graduates have an estimated $111 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($166 vs. $277).
  • More Colgate graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 69%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.