Dickinson College vs. Penn State

Deciding between Dickinson 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.

Dickinson College
Penn State Main Campus

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Dickinson College Carlisle, PA
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • Dickinson College Distant Town
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Dickinson College 2,314
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • Dickinson College Private 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Dickinson College #76
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Dickinson College -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • Dickinson College Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Dickinson College
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Dickinson College $65,650
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Dickinson College $65,650
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • Dickinson College $17,100
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Dickinson College $38,483
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Dickinson College $44,479
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Dickinson College 96%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Dickinson College 7,258
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • Dickinson College 3,055
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Dickinson College 42.1%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Dickinson College 21.1%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Dickinson College 1390
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Dickinson College 31
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Dickinson College -
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Dickinson College -
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Dickinson College Very High
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Dickinson College Low
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Dickinson College 30/33
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Dickinson College 1310/1460
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Dickinson College Test optional
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Dickinson College Jan 15, 2027
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Dickinson College 11:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Dickinson College
    • Social Sciences (25%)
    • Business (12%)
    • Ethnic Studies (11%)
    • Biology (9%)
    • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Dickinson College 84%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Dickinson College $62,000
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Dickinson College 89%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Dickinson College $21,000
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Dickinson College $217
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Dickinson College 40%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • Dickinson College 60%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Dickinson College Medium
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Dickinson College No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • Dickinson College 72%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • Dickinson College 3%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • Dickinson College 4%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Dickinson College 6%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Dickinson College 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Dickinson College 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Dickinson College 4%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • Dickinson College 10%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Dickinson College 2%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Dickinson College 26%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Dickinson College 67%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA 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 Dickinson College based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 2,314 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Dickinson College is located in Carlisle, PA (Distant Town setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • Dickinson College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Dickinson College 11:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

Dickinson College vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Dickinson College 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 Dickinson College ($27,889 vs. $38,483).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 15.4% lower than at Dickinson College ($14,474 vs. $17,100).
  • Dickinson College is 218% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $45,006 more per year; $65,650.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 57.1% higher at Dickinson College than at Penn State Main Campus (about $23,860 more per year; $65,650.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Dickinson College than at Penn State Main Campus (96% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Dickinson College students is 292.4% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($44,479 vs. $11,336).

Dickinson College vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Dickinson College 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 Dickinson College.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Dickinson College (1390) is 60 points higher than at Penn State (1330).
  • Incoming Dickinson College 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: Dickinson College 1310/1460; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Dickinson College 30/33; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Dickinson College - Test optional; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Dickinson College Jan 15, 2027.
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than Dickinson College (42.1%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 21.1% at Dickinson College vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

Dickinson College vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Dickinson College 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 Dickinson College's (84%).
  • Graduates from Dickinson College earn a median of about $6,700 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($62,000 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Dickinson College graduates have a $5,818 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($21,000 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Dickinson College graduates have an estimated $60 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($217 vs. $277).
  • More Dickinson College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (89% 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.