Drexel vs. Penn State

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

 Drexel Penn State
Location Philadelphia, PA University Park, PA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 22,344 50,028
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #124 #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website drexel.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Drexel Penn State
Tuition (In State) $56,595 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $56,595 $35,946
Room & Board $16,980 $12,744
Avg Net Price $39,267 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $33,861 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 44%

Admission

 Drexel Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 37,040 85,784
Admitted 29,487 47,360
Acceptance Rate 79.6% 55.2%
Enrolled % 10% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.67 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 27/32 26/31
SAT Range 1230/1430 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 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

 Drexel Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (22%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 Drexel Penn State
Graduation Rate 68% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $77,400 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,243 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $271 $277

Diversity

 Drexel Penn State
% Men 46% 53%
% Women 54% 47%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 54% 69%
% Black 7% 4%
% Hispanic 6% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 13% 11%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

 Drexel Penn State
% In-State 44% 51%
% Out-of-State 47% 40%

Campus

 Drexel 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 Drexel based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 22,344 students)

Drexel vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Drexel or Penn State?

  • Drexel University is 208.1% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($56,595.00 vs. $18,368.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 57.4% higher at Drexel than Penn State Main Campus ($56,595.00 vs. $35,946.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Main Campus than Drexel ($26,747 vs. $39,267)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 33.2% lower than costs at Drexel University ($12,744 vs. $16,980)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Drexel University than Penn State Main Campus (100% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Drexel University students is 236.4% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($33,861 vs. $10,066)

Drexel vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Drexel University (1214) is 12 points higher than at Penn State (1202)
  • Incoming Drexel students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Penn State (27)
  • Drexel has a higher acceptance rate (79.6%) than Penn State (55.2%)

Drexel vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Drexel 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 Drexel.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than Drexel University (87% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Drexel University earn on average $22,100 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($77,400 vs. $55,300)
  • Drexel University students graduate with a $575 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($26,243 vs. $26,818)
  • Drexel graduates are paying $6 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($271 vs. $277)
  • More Drexel graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 69%)

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