Denison vs. Penn State

Deciding between Denison 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.

Denison University
Penn State Main Campus

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Denison Granville, OH
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • Denison Rural Fringe
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Denison 2,394
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • Denison Private 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Denison #95
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Denison -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • Denison Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Denison
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Denison $67,000
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Denison $67,000
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • Denison $16,400
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Denison $43,721
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Denison $38,179
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Denison 94%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Denison 15,012
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • Denison 2,611
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Denison 17.4%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Denison 23.8%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Denison 1410
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Denison 31
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Denison 3.76
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Denison A-
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Denison Exceptional
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Denison Very High
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Denison 30/33
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Denison 1320/1490
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Denison Test optional
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Denison Jan 15, 2027
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Denison 9:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Denison
    • Social Sciences (28%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • English and Literature (9%)
    • Psychology (9%)
    • Communication (7%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Denison 79%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Denison $56,100
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Denison 83%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Denison $26,000
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Denison $268
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Denison 48%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • Denison 52%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Denison Medium
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Denison No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • Denison 66%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • Denison 4%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • Denison 7%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Denison 10%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Denison 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Denison 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Denison 4%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • Denison 8%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Denison 2%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Denison 23%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Denison 58%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Denison University in Granville, OH 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 Denison based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 2,394 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Denison University is located in Granville, OH (Rural Fringe setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • Denison 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: Denison University 9:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

Denison vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Denison 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 Denison ($27,889 vs. $43,721).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 11.7% lower than at Denison University ($14,474 vs. $16,400).
  • Denison University is 224.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $46,356 more per year; $67,000.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 60.3% higher at Denison than at Penn State Main Campus (about $25,210 more per year; $67,000.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Denison University than at Penn State Main Campus (94% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Denison University students is 236.8% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($38,179 vs. $11,336).

Denison vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Denison 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 Denison.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Denison University (1410) is 80 points higher than at Penn State (1330).
  • Incoming Denison students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (31 vs. 29 at Penn State).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Denison University 1320/1490; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Denison University 30/33; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Denison - Test optional; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Denison Jan 15, 2027.
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than Denison (17.4%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 23.8% at Denison vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

Denison vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Denison 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 Denison University's (79%).
  • Graduates from Denison University earn a median of about $800 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($56,100 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Denison University graduates have a $818 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($26,000 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Denison graduates have an estimated $9 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($268 vs. $277).
  • More Denison graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (83% 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.