Haverford College vs. Penn State

Deciding between Haverford College 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.

Haverford College
Penn State Main Campus

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Haverford College Haverford, PA
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • Haverford College Large Suburban
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Haverford College 1,431
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • Haverford College Private 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Haverford College #42
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Haverford College -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • Haverford College Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Haverford College
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Haverford College $70,688
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Haverford College $70,688
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • Haverford College $19,548
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Haverford College $26,535
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Haverford College $63,742
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Haverford College 48%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Haverford College 7,341
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • Haverford College 908
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Haverford College 12.4%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Haverford College 42.6%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Haverford College 1510
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Haverford College 34
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Haverford College 3.9
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Haverford College A
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Haverford College Elite
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Haverford College Very High
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Haverford College 33/35
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Haverford College 1460/1550
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Haverford College Test optional
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Haverford College Jan 15, 2027
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Haverford College 8:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Haverford College
    • Social Sciences (24%)
    • English and Literature (12%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • Physical Sciences (9%)
    • Psychology (9%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Haverford College 92%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Haverford College $68,800
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Haverford College 88%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Haverford College $13,000
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Haverford College $134
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Haverford College 43%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • Haverford College 57%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Haverford College High
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Haverford College No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • Haverford College 61%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • Haverford College 10%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • Haverford College 7%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Haverford College 10%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Haverford College 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Haverford College 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Haverford College 4%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • Haverford College 7%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Haverford College 2%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Haverford College 12%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Haverford College 76%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Haverford College in Haverford, PA 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 Haverford College based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 1,431 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Haverford College is located in Haverford, PA (Large Suburban setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • Haverford College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Haverford College 8:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

Haverford College vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Haverford College 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 Haverford College than Penn State ($26,535 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 26% lower than at Haverford College ($14,474 vs. $19,548).
  • Haverford College is 242.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $50,044 more per year; $70,688.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 69.2% higher at Haverford College than at Penn State Main Campus (about $28,898 more per year; $70,688.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Haverford College than at Penn State Main Campus (48% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Haverford College students is 462.3% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($63,742 vs. $11,336).

Haverford College vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Haverford College 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 Haverford College.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Haverford College (1510) is 180 points higher than at Penn State (1330).
  • Incoming Haverford College students have a 5 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (34 vs. 29 at Penn State).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Haverford College 1460/1550; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Haverford College 33/35; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Haverford College - Test optional; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Haverford College Jan 15, 2027.
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than Haverford College (12.4%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 42.6% at Haverford College vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

Haverford College vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Haverford College 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).

  • Haverford College's six-year graduation rate (92%) is higher than Penn State Main Campus's (87%).
  • Graduates from Haverford College earn a median of about $13,500 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($68,800 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Haverford College graduates have a $13,818 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($13,000 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Haverford College graduates have an estimated $143 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($134 vs. $277).
  • More Haverford College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (88% 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.