Drew University vs. Penn State

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

 Drew University Penn State
Location Madison, NJ University Park, PA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 2,092 50,028
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #391 #167
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website drew.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Drew University Penn State
Tuition (In State) $43,074 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $43,074 $35,946
Room & Board $16,402 $12,744
Avg Net Price $28,183 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $31,901 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 44%

Admission

 Drew University Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,855 85,784
Admitted 2,801 47,360
Acceptance Rate 72.7% 55.2%
Enrolled % 11% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.1 -
Typical High School Grades B -
Admissions Standards Challenging Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 26/28 26/31
SAT Range 1120/1340 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 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

 Drew University Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (30%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (15%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 Drew University Penn State
Graduation Rate 68% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,500 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $279 $277

Diversity

 Drew University Penn State
% Men 44% 53%
% Women 56% 47%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 56% 69%
% Black 10% 4%
% Hispanic 10% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 5% 11%
% Unknown Race 9% 2%

Students

 Drew University Penn State
% In-State 67% 51%
% Out-of-State 27% 40%

Campus

 Drew University Penn State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No 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 Drew University based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 2,092 students)

Drew University vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

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

  • Drew University is 134.5% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($43,074.00 vs. $18,368.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 19.8% higher at Drew University than Penn State Main Campus ($43,074.00 vs. $35,946.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Main Campus than Drew University ($26,747 vs. $28,183)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 28.7% lower than costs at Drew University ($12,744 vs. $16,402)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Drew University than Penn State Main Campus (99% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Drew University students is 216.9% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($31,901 vs. $10,066)

Drew University vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Drew University has a higher acceptance rate (72.7%) than Penn State (55.2%)

Drew University vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Drew 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 Drew University.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than Drew University (87% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Drew University earn on average $200 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($55,500 vs. $55,300)
  • Penn State Main Campus students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than Drew University graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Drew University graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More Drew University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 69%)

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