Georgetown vs. Penn State

Deciding between Georgetown University 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.

Georgetown University
Penn State Main Campus

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Georgetown Washington, DC
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • Georgetown Large City
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Georgetown 20,031
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • Georgetown Private 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Georgetown #29
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Georgetown Roman Catholic
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • Georgetown Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Georgetown
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Georgetown $68,017
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Georgetown $68,017
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • Georgetown $20,596
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Georgetown $39,083
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Georgetown $49,658
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Georgetown 33%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Georgetown 26,131
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • Georgetown 3,374
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Georgetown 12.9%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Georgetown 46.7%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Georgetown 1470
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Georgetown 33
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Georgetown 3.89
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Georgetown A
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Georgetown Elite
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Georgetown Very High
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Georgetown 31/35
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Georgetown 1390/1550
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Georgetown Required
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Georgetown
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Georgetown 11:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Georgetown
    • Social Sciences (30%)
    • Business (26%)
    • Health Professions (9%)
    • English and Literature (7%)
    • Foreign Languages (6%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Georgetown 94%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Georgetown $118,900
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Georgetown 87%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Georgetown $15,500
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Georgetown $160
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Georgetown 44%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • Georgetown 56%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Georgetown High
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Georgetown No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • Georgetown 58%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • Georgetown 10%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • Georgetown 6%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Georgetown 8%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Georgetown 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Georgetown 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Georgetown 5%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • Georgetown 12%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Georgetown 2%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Georgetown 2%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Georgetown 87%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Georgetown University in Washington, DC 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 Georgetown based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 20,031 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

Georgetown vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Georgetown 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 Georgetown ($27,889 vs. $39,083).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 29.7% lower than at Georgetown University ($14,474 vs. $20,596).
  • Georgetown University is 229.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $47,373 more per year; $68,017.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 62.8% higher at Georgetown than at Penn State Main Campus (about $26,227 more per year; $68,017.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Penn State Main Campus than at Georgetown University (37% vs. 33%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Georgetown University students is 338.1% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($49,658 vs. $11,336).

Georgetown vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Georgetown 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 Georgetown.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Georgetown University (1470) is 140 points higher than at Penn State (1330).
  • Incoming Georgetown students have a 4 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (33 vs. 29 at Penn State).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Georgetown University 1390/1550; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Georgetown University 31/35; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Georgetown - Required; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than Georgetown (12.9%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 46.7% at Georgetown vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

Georgetown vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Georgetown 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).

  • Georgetown University's six-year graduation rate (94%) is higher than Penn State Main Campus's (87%).
  • Graduates from Georgetown University earn a median of about $63,600 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($118,900 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Georgetown University graduates have a $11,318 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($15,500 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Georgetown graduates have an estimated $117 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($160 vs. $277).
  • More Georgetown graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (87% 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.