Hunter vs. Penn State

Deciding between CUNY Hunter College 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.

CUNY Hunter College
Penn State Main Campus

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Hunter New York, NY
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • Hunter Large City
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Hunter 22,538
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • Hunter Public 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Hunter #297
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Hunter -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • Hunter Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Hunter
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Hunter $7,382
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Hunter $15,332
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • Hunter $11,832
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Hunter $4,431
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Hunter $9,755
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Hunter 87%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Hunter 32,271
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • Hunter 17,362
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Hunter 53.8%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Hunter 16.7%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Hunter 1260
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Hunter
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Hunter 3.7
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Hunter A-
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Hunter Very High
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Hunter Low
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Hunter
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Hunter 1100/1420
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Hunter Test optional
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Hunter
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Hunter 14:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Hunter
    • Social Sciences (20%)
    • Psychology (16%)
    • English and Literature (13%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
    • Health Professions (9%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Hunter 46%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Hunter $48,800
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Hunter 56%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Hunter $11,548
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Hunter $119
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Hunter 33%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • Hunter 67%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Hunter Very High
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Hunter No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • Hunter 27%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • Hunter 26%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • Hunter 10%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Hunter 29%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Hunter 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Hunter 1%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Hunter 2%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • Hunter 6%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Hunter 0%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Hunter 82%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Hunter 0%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare CUNY Hunter College in New York, 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 Hunter based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 22,538 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • CUNY Hunter College is located in New York, NY (Large City setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • CUNY Hunter College is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: CUNY Hunter College 14:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

Hunter vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Hunter 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 CUNY Hunter College than Penn State ($4,431 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at CUNY Hunter College are 18.3% lower than at Penn State Main Campus ($11,832 vs. $14,474).
  • Penn State Main Campus is 179.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Hunter (about $13,262 more per year; $20,644.00 vs. $7,382.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 172.6% higher at Penn State than at CUNY Hunter College (about $26,458 more per year; $41,790.00 vs. $15,332.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at CUNY Hunter College than at Penn State Main Campus (87% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Main Campus students is 16.2% larger than aid received by CUNY Hunter College students ($11,336 vs. $9,755).

Hunter vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Hunter 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 Hunter.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Penn State Main Campus (1330) is 70 points higher than at Hunter (1260).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: CUNY Hunter College 1100/1420; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsPenn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Hunter - Test optional; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than Hunter (53.8%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 16.7% at Hunter vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

Hunter vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Hunter 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).

  • Penn State Main Campus's six-year graduation rate (87%) is higher than CUNY Hunter College's (46%).
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn a median of about $6,500 more per year than Hunter graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $48,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, CUNY Hunter College graduates have a $15,270 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($11,548 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Hunter graduates have an estimated $158 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($119 vs. $277).
  • More Penn State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Hunter students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 56%)

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.