Colgate vs. Penn State

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

 Colgate Penn State
Location Hamilton, NY University Park, PA
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 3,141 50,028
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #27 #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colgate.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Colgate Penn State
Tuition (In State) $63,904 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $63,904 $35,946
Room & Board $16,106 $12,744
Avg Net Price $27,074 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $54,647 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 41% 44%

Admission

 Colgate Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,109 85,784
Admitted 2,624 47,360
Acceptance Rate 12.4% 55.2%
Enrolled % 30.9% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.77 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 32/34 26/31
SAT Range 1410/1530 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 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

 Colgate Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (33%)
  • English and Literature (11%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (7%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

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

Diversity

 Colgate Penn State
% Men 44% 53%
% Women 56% 47%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 67% 69%
% Black 4% 4%
% Hispanic 9% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 9% 11%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

 Colgate Penn State
% In-State 19% 51%
% Out-of-State 71% 40%

Campus

 Colgate 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 Colgate based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 3,141 students)

Colgate vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Colgate or Penn State?

  • Colgate University is 247.9% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($63,904.00 vs. $18,368.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 77.8% higher at Colgate than Penn State Main Campus ($63,904.00 vs. $35,946.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Main Campus than Colgate ($26,747 vs. $27,074)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 26.4% lower than costs at Colgate University ($12,744 vs. $16,106)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Main Campus than Colgate University (44% vs. 41%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Colgate University students is 442.9% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($54,647 vs. $10,066)

Colgate vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Colgate University (1374) is 172 points higher than at Penn State (1202)
  • Incoming Colgate students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Penn State (27)
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (55.2%) than Colgate (12.4%)

Colgate vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Colgate 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 Colgate.

  • The graduation rate at Colgate is higher than Penn State Main Campus (92% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from Colgate University earn on average $20,000 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($75,300 vs. $55,300)
  • Colgate University students graduate with a $10,693 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($16,125 vs. $26,818)
  • Colgate graduates are paying $111 less per month on federal student loans 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/