Hofstra vs. Penn State

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

 Hofstra Penn State
Location Hempstead, NY University Park, PA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 10,238 50,028
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #194 #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hofstra.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Hofstra Penn State
Tuition (In State) $52,215 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $52,215 $35,946
Room & Board $17,168 $12,744
Avg Net Price $35,036 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $30,958 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 44%

Admission

 Hofstra Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 23,577 85,784
Admitted 16,346 47,360
Acceptance Rate 69.3% 55.2%
Enrolled % 10.5% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.74 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 26/31 26/31
SAT Range 1190/1370 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

Academics

 Hofstra Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (30%)
  • Communication (16%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 Hofstra Penn State
Graduation Rate 58% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,200 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 72% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,500 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $242 $277

Diversity

 Hofstra Penn State
% Men 40% 53%
% Women 60% 47%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 57% 69%
% Black 8% 4%
% Hispanic 14% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 4% 11%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

 Hofstra Penn State
% In-State 64% 51%
% Out-of-State 32% 40%

Campus

 Hofstra Penn State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than Hofstra based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 10,238 students)

Hofstra vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Hofstra or Penn State?

  • Hofstra University is 184.3% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($52,215.00 vs. $18,368.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 45.3% higher at Hofstra than Penn State Main Campus ($52,215.00 vs. $35,946.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Main Campus than Hofstra ($26,747 vs. $35,036)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 34.7% lower than costs at Hofstra University ($12,744 vs. $17,168)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Hofstra University than Penn State Main Campus (99% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Hofstra University students is 207.6% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($30,958 vs. $10,066)

Hofstra vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Hofstra has a higher acceptance rate (69.3%) than Penn State (55.2%)

Hofstra vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Hofstra 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 Hofstra.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than Hofstra University (87% vs. 58%)
  • Graduates from Hofstra University earn on average $3,900 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($59,200 vs. $55,300)
  • Hofstra University students graduate with a $3,318 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($23,500 vs. $26,818)
  • Hofstra graduates are paying $35 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($242 vs. $277)
  • More Hofstra graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (72% vs. 69%)

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