Houghton University vs. Penn State

Deciding between Houghton 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.

Houghton University
Penn State Main Campus

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Houghton University Houghton, NY
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • Houghton University Remote Rural
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Houghton University 1,200
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • Houghton University Private 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Houghton University #432
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Houghton University Wesleyan
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • Houghton University Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Houghton University
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Houghton University $18,430
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Houghton University $18,430
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • Houghton University $11,360
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Houghton University $21,274
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Houghton University $9,902
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Houghton University 100%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Houghton University 1,041
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • Houghton University 923
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Houghton University 88.7%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Houghton University 23.2%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Houghton University 1270
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Houghton University 28
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Houghton University 3.25
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Houghton University B+
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Houghton University Difficult
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Houghton University
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Houghton University 26/31
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Houghton University 1170/1375
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Houghton University Test optional
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Houghton University
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Houghton University 12:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Houghton University
    • Business (23%)
    • Education (15%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
    • Biology (7%)
    • Psychology (7%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Houghton University 68%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Houghton University $44,300
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Houghton University 77%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Houghton University $25,500
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Houghton University $263
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Houghton University 41%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • Houghton University 59%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Houghton University Low
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Houghton University No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • Houghton University 78%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • Houghton University 2%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • Houghton University 3%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Houghton University 2%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Houghton University 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Houghton University 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Houghton University 4%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • Houghton University 11%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Houghton University 1%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Houghton University 59%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Houghton University 33%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Houghton University in Houghton, NY 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 Houghton University based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 1,200 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Houghton University is located in Houghton, NY (Remote Rural setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • Houghton 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: Houghton University 12:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

Houghton University vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Houghton University 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 Houghton University than Penn State ($21,274 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Houghton University are 21.5% lower than at Penn State Main Campus ($11,360 vs. $14,474).
  • Penn State Main Campus is 12% more expensive for in-state tuition than Houghton University (about $2,214 more per year; $20,644.00 vs. $18,430.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 126.7% higher at Penn State than at Houghton University (about $23,360 more per year; $41,790.00 vs. $18,430.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Houghton University than at Penn State Main Campus (100% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Main Campus students is 14.5% larger than aid received by Houghton University students ($11,336 vs. $9,902).

Houghton University vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Houghton University 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 Houghton University.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Penn State Main Campus (1330) is 60 points higher than at Houghton University (1270).
  • Incoming Penn State students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (29 vs. 28 at Houghton University).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Houghton University 1170/1375; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Houghton University 26/31; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Houghton University - Test optional; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Houghton University has a higher acceptance rate (88.7%) than Penn State (60.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 23.2% at Houghton University vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

Houghton University vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Houghton University 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).

  • Penn State Main Campus's six-year graduation rate (87%) is higher than Houghton University's (68%).
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn a median of about $11,000 more per year than Houghton University graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $44,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Houghton University graduates have a $1,318 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($25,500 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Houghton University graduates have an estimated $14 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($263 vs. $277).
  • More Houghton University 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.