DeSales University vs. Penn State

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

DeSales University Penn State
Location Center Valley, PA University Park, PA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 2,991 50,028
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #262 #167
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website desales.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

DeSales University Penn State
Tuition (In State) $41,100 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $41,100 $35,946
Room & Board $13,500 $12,744
Avg Net Price $29,104 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $27,824 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 44%

Admission

DeSales University Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,662 85,784
Admitted 2,826 47,360
Acceptance Rate 77.2% 55.2%
Enrolled % 18% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.39 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Challenging Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/29 26/31
SAT Range 1100/1280 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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

DeSales University Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (29%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Biology (5%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

DeSales University Penn State
Graduation Rate 69% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,100 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 71% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $268 $277

Diversity

DeSales University Penn State
% Men 34% 53%
% Women 66% 47%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 75% 69%
% Black 4% 4%
% Hispanic 12% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 0% 11%
% Unknown Race 6% 2%

Students

DeSales University Penn State
% In-State 66% 51%
% Out-of-State 34% 40%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than DeSales University based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 2,991 students)

DeSales University vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, DeSales University or Penn State?

  • DeSales University is 123.8% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($41,100.00 vs. $18,368.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 14.3% higher at DeSales University than Penn State Main Campus ($41,100.00 vs. $35,946.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Main Campus than DeSales University ($26,747 vs. $29,104)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 5.9% lower than costs at DeSales University ($12,744 vs. $13,500)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at DeSales University than Penn State Main Campus (100% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by DeSales University students is 176.4% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($27,824 vs. $10,066)

DeSales University vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Main Campus (1202) is 148 points higher than at DeSales University (1054)
  • Incoming Penn State students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at DeSales University (25)
  • DeSales University has a higher acceptance rate (77.2%) than Penn State (55.2%)

DeSales University vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, DeSales University 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 DeSales University.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than DeSales University (87% vs. 69%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn on average $4,200 more per year than DeSales University graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $51,100)
  • DeSales University students graduate with a $818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($26,000 vs. $26,818)
  • DeSales University graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($268 vs. $277)
  • More DeSales University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 69%)

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