LVC vs. Penn State

Deciding between Lebanon Valley 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.

Lebanon Valley College
Penn State Main Campus

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • LVC Annville, PA
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • LVC Small Suburban
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • LVC 2,146
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • LVC Private 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • LVC #331
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • LVC United Methodist
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • LVC Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • LVC
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • LVC $52,080
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • LVC $52,080
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • LVC $16,576
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • LVC $27,995
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • LVC $38,653
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • LVC 100%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • LVC 2,729
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • LVC 2,286
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • LVC 83.8%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • LVC 19.4%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • LVC 1220
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • LVC
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • LVC 3.79
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • LVC A-
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • LVC Challenging
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • LVC
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • LVC
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • LVC 1140/1302
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • LVC Test optional
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • LVC
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • LVC 11:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • LVC
    • Education (19%)
    • Business (18%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
    • Health Professions (8%)
    • Psychology (7%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • LVC 73%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • LVC $47,500
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • LVC 83%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • LVC $27,000
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • LVC $279
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • LVC 41%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • LVC 59%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • LVC Very Low
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • LVC No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • LVC 84%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • LVC 2%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • LVC 3%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • LVC 5%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • LVC 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • LVC 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • LVC 2%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • LVC 0%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • LVC 3%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • LVC 83%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • LVC 17%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Lebanon Valley College in Annville, 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 LVC based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 2,146 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Lebanon Valley College is located in Annville, PA (Small Suburban setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • Lebanon Valley 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: Lebanon Valley College 11:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

LVC vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, LVC 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 LVC ($27,889 vs. $27,995).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 12.7% lower than at Lebanon Valley College ($14,474 vs. $16,576).
  • Lebanon Valley College is 152.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $31,436 more per year; $52,080.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 24.6% higher at LVC than at Penn State Main Campus (about $10,290 more per year; $52,080.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Lebanon Valley College than at Penn State Main Campus (100% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lebanon Valley College students is 241% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($38,653 vs. $11,336).

LVC vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, LVC 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 LVC.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Penn State Main Campus (1330) is 110 points higher than at LVC (1220).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Lebanon Valley College 1140/1302; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsPenn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: LVC - Test optional; Penn State - Test optional.
  • LVC has a higher acceptance rate (83.8%) than Penn State (60.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 19.4% at LVC vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

LVC vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for LVC 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 Lebanon Valley College's (73%).
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn a median of about $7,800 more per year than LVC graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $47,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Penn State Main Campus graduates have a $182 lower median loan debt than LVC graduates ($26,818 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, Penn State graduates have an estimated $2 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than LVC graduates ($277 vs. $279).
  • More LVC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (83% 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.