Fordham vs. Penn State

Should I go to Fordham University or Penn State Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Fordham 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

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

Virginia Tech UD Rutgers UConn Pitt UMass UB NC State Michigan State NYU Clemson Syracuse
Fordham University vs. Penn State Main Campus comparison
Fordham University Penn State Main Campus College 3 College 4
Fordham University Penn State Main Campus
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Fordham Penn State
Location Bronx, NY University Park, PA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 16,556 50,028
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #118 #167
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fordham.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Fordham Penn State
Tuition (In State) $56,920 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $56,920 $35,946
Room & Board $21,060 $12,744
Avg Net Price $43,943 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $33,129 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 44%

Admission

 Fordham Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 47,203 85,784
Admitted 25,550 47,360
Acceptance Rate 54.1% 55.2%
Enrolled % 10.2% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.67 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 30/33 26/31
SAT Range 1320/1480 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 1, 2025

Academics

 Fordham Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 Fordham Penn State
Graduation Rate 78% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,200 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $268 $277

Diversity

 Fordham Penn State
% Men 38% 53%
% Women 62% 47%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 59% 69%
% Black 4% 4%
% Hispanic 14% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 7% 11%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

 Fordham Penn State
% In-State 35% 51%
% Out-of-State 56% 40%

Campus

 Fordham 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 Fordham based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 16,556 students)

Fordham vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Fordham or Penn State?

  • Fordham University is 209.9% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($56,920.00 vs. $18,368.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 58.3% higher at Fordham than Penn State Main Campus ($56,920.00 vs. $35,946.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Main Campus than Fordham ($26,747 vs. $43,943)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 65.3% lower than costs at Fordham University ($12,744 vs. $21,060)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Fordham University than Penn State Main Campus (96% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Fordham University students is 229.1% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($33,129 vs. $10,066)

Fordham vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Fordham University (1273) is 71 points higher than at Penn State (1202)
  • Incoming Fordham students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Penn State (27)
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (55.2%) than Fordham (54.1%)

Fordham vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Fordham 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 Fordham.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than Fordham University (87% vs. 78%)
  • Graduates from Fordham University earn on average $8,900 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($64,200 vs. $55,300)
  • Fordham University students graduate with a $818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($26,000 vs. $26,818)
  • Fordham graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($268 vs. $277)
  • More Fordham 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/