JCU vs. Penn State

Should I go to John Carroll University or Penn State Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if JCU 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 Clemson Syracuse Drexel
John Carroll University vs. Penn State Main Campus comparison
John Carroll University Penn State Main Campus College 3 College 4
John Carroll University Penn State Main Campus
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 JCU Penn State
Location University Heights, OH University Park, PA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 2,773 50,399
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #247 #171
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website jcu.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 JCU Penn State
Tuition (In State) $47,300 $19,672
Tuition (Out of State) $47,300 $39,626
Room & Board $14,160 $13,030
Avg Net Price $30,790 $27,450
Avg Grant Aid $32,359 $11,577
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 36%

Admission

 JCU Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,238 85,956
Admitted 3,437 46,605
Acceptance Rate 81.1% 54.2%
Enrolled % 16.2% 19.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.66 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 25/30 27/32
SAT Range 1190/1350 1220/1400
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

 JCU Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (34%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 JCU Penn State
Graduation Rate 71% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $57,600 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,939 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $278 $277

Diversity

 JCU Penn State
% Men 6% 8%
% Women 12% 8%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 86% 69%
% Black 4% 4%
% Hispanic 3% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 2% 11%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 JCU Penn State
% In-State 69% 51%
% Out-of-State 30% 40%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than JCU based on total student enrollment (50,399 students vs. 2,773 students)

JCU vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, JCU or Penn State?

  • John Carroll University is 140.4% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($47,300.00 vs. $19,672.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 19.4% higher at JCU than Penn State Main Campus ($47,300.00 vs. $39,626.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Main Campus than JCU ($27,450 vs. $30,790)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 8.7% lower than costs at John Carroll University ($13,030 vs. $14,160)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at John Carroll University than Penn State Main Campus (100% vs. 36%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by John Carroll University students is 179.5% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($32,359 vs. $11,577)

JCU vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Main Campus (1202) is 75 points higher than at JCU (1127)
  • Incoming Penn State students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at JCU (25)
  • JCU has a higher acceptance rate (81.1%) than Penn State (54.2%)

JCU vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, JCU 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 JCU.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than John Carroll University (87% vs. 71%)
  • Graduates from John Carroll University earn on average $2,300 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($57,600 vs. $55,300)
  • Penn State Main Campus students graduate with a $121 lower median federal student loan debt than JCU graduates. ($26,818 vs. $26,939)
  • Penn State graduates are paying $1 less per month on federal student loans than JCU graduates. ($277 vs. $278)
  • More JCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 69%)

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