Florida State vs. Penn State

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

 Florida State Penn State
Location Tallahassee, FL University Park, PA
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 44,161 50,028
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #199 #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fsu.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Florida State Penn State
Tuition (In State) $4,022 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $16,540 $35,946
Room & Board $11,592 $12,744
Avg Net Price $14,003 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $10,169 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 44%

Admission

 Florida State Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 78,088 85,784
Admitted 19,552 47,360
Acceptance Rate 25% 55.2%
Enrolled % 30.9% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 26/31 26/31
SAT Range 1210/1370 1210/1390
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Mar 1, 2025

Academics

 Florida State Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (19%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (5%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 Florida State Penn State
Graduation Rate 74% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,400 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,750 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $214 $277

Diversity

 Florida State Penn State
% Men 42% 53%
% Women 58% 47%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 64% 69%
% Black 8% 4%
% Hispanic 19% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 1% 11%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 Florida State Penn State
% In-State 85% 51%
% Out-of-State 14% 40%

Campus

 Florida State 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 Florida State based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 44,161 students)

Florida State vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Florida State or Penn State?

  • Penn State Main Campus is 356.7% more expensive to attend than Florida State for in-state tuition ($18,368.00 vs. $4,022.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 117.3% higher at Penn State than Florida State University ($35,946.00 vs. $16,540.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Florida State University than Penn State ($14,003 vs. $26,747)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Florida State University are 9.9% lower than costs at Penn State Main Campus ($11,592 vs. $12,744)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Florida State University than Penn State Main Campus (89% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Florida State University students is 1% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($10,169 vs. $10,066)

Florida State vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Florida State University (1215) is 13 points higher than at Penn State (1202)
  • Incoming Florida State students have at the same average ACT score (27) as students at Penn State (27)
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (55.2%) than Florida State (25%)

Florida State vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Florida State 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 Florida State.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than Florida State University (87% vs. 74%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn on average $3,900 more per year than Florida State graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $51,400)
  • Florida State University students graduate with a $6,068 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($20,750 vs. $26,818)
  • Florida State graduates are paying $63 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($214 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Florida State students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 63%)

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