Connecticut College vs. Penn State

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

 Connecticut College Penn State
Location New London, CT University Park, PA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 1,948 50,028
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #74 #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website connecticutcollege.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Connecticut College Penn State
Tuition (In State) $62,620 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $62,620 $35,946
Room & Board $17,280 $12,744
Avg Net Price $43,220 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $36,355 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 44%

Admission

 Connecticut College Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,744 85,784
Admitted 3,533 47,360
Acceptance Rate 40.4% 55.2%
Enrolled % 17.8% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 30/33 26/31
SAT Range 1360/1490 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 1, 2025

Academics

 Connecticut College Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (33%)
  • Biology (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Ethnic Studies (6%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 Connecticut College Penn State
Graduation Rate 84% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $60,700 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,550 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $243 $277

Diversity

 Connecticut College Penn State
% Men 38% 53%
% Women 62% 47%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 71% 69%
% Black 4% 4%
% Hispanic 9% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 6% 11%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

 Connecticut College Penn State
% In-State 11% 51%
% Out-of-State 84% 40%

Campus

 Connecticut College Penn State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than Connecticut College based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 1,948 students)

Connecticut College vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Connecticut College or Penn State?

  • Connecticut College is 240.9% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($62,620.00 vs. $18,368.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 74.2% higher at Connecticut College than Penn State Main Campus ($62,620.00 vs. $35,946.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Main Campus than Connecticut College ($26,747 vs. $43,220)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 35.6% lower than costs at Connecticut College ($12,744 vs. $17,280)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Connecticut College than Penn State Main Campus (99% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Connecticut College students is 261.2% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($36,355 vs. $10,066)

Connecticut College vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (55.2%) than Connecticut College (40.4%)

Connecticut College vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Connecticut College 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 Connecticut College.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than Connecticut College (87% vs. 84%)
  • Graduates from Connecticut College earn on average $5,400 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($60,700 vs. $55,300)
  • Connecticut College students graduate with a $3,268 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($23,550 vs. $26,818)
  • Connecticut College graduates are paying $34 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($243 vs. $277)
  • More Connecticut College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 69%)

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