LSU vs. Penn State

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

 LSU Penn State
Location Baton Rouge, LA University Park, PA
Setting Rural Fringe Small City
Enrollment 39,418 50,399
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #287 #171
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lsu.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 LSU Penn State
Tuition (In State) $8,038 $19,672
Tuition (Out of State) $8,038 $39,626
Room & Board $14,296 $13,030
Avg Net Price $21,808 $27,450
Avg Grant Aid $13,509 $11,577
% Receiving Grant Aid 88% 36%

Admission

 LSU Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 42,558 85,956
Admitted 31,491 46,605
Acceptance Rate 74% 54.2%
Enrolled % 23.9% 19.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.77 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 24/29 27/32
SAT Range 1150/1330 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 Jul 15, 2026

Academics

 LSU Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 LSU Penn State
Graduation Rate 60% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,900 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,900 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $216 $277

Diversity

 LSU Penn State
% Men 7% 8%
% Women 11% 8%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 73% 69%
% Black 12% 4%
% Hispanic 6% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 2% 11%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

 LSU Penn State
% In-State 61% 51%
% Out-of-State 37% 40%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than LSU based on total student enrollment (50,399 students vs. 39,418 students)

LSU vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, LSU or Penn State?

  • Penn State Main Campus is 144.7% more expensive to attend than LSU for in-state tuition ($19,672.00 vs. $8,038.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 393% higher at Penn State than Louisiana State University ($39,626.00 vs. $8,038.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Louisiana State University than Penn State ($21,808 vs. $27,450)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 9.7% lower than costs at Louisiana State University ($13,030 vs. $14,296)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Louisiana State University than Penn State Main Campus (88% vs. 36%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Louisiana State University students is 16.7% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($13,509 vs. $11,577)

LSU vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Main Campus (1202) is 39 points higher than at LSU (1163)
  • Incoming Penn State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at LSU (26)
  • LSU has a higher acceptance rate (74%) than Penn State (54.2%)

LSU vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, LSU 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 LSU.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than Louisiana State University (87% vs. 60%)
  • Graduates from Louisiana State University earn on average $1,600 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($56,900 vs. $55,300)
  • Louisiana State University students graduate with a $5,918 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($20,900 vs. $26,818)
  • LSU graduates are paying $61 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($216 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former LSU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 67%)

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