MICA vs. Penn State

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

 MICA Penn State
Location Baltimore, MD University Park, PA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 1,952 50,028
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #335 #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mica.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 MICA Penn State
Tuition (In State) $51,870 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $51,870 $35,946
Room & Board $15,290 $12,744
Avg Net Price $43,545 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $25,767 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 44%

Admission

 MICA Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,139 85,784
Admitted 2,498 47,360
Acceptance Rate 79.6% 55.2%
Enrolled % 9.1% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.47 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Moderate Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/23 26/31
SAT Range 967/1362 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 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

 MICA Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (100%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 MICA Penn State
Graduation Rate 71% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,300 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 72% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $279 $277

Diversity

 MICA Penn State
% Men 25% 53%
% Women 75% 47%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 48% 69%
% Black 6% 4%
% Hispanic 7% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 3%
% International 15% 11%
% Unknown Race 5% 2%

Students

 MICA Penn State
% In-State 28% 51%
% Out-of-State 56% 40%

Campus

 MICA 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 MICA based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 1,952 students)

MICA vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MICA or Penn State?

  • Maryland Institute College of Art is 182.4% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($51,870.00 vs. $18,368.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 44.3% higher at MICA than Penn State Main Campus ($51,870.00 vs. $35,946.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Main Campus than MICA ($26,747 vs. $43,545)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 20% lower than costs at Maryland Institute College of Art ($12,744 vs. $15,290)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Maryland Institute College of Art than Penn State Main Campus (100% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Maryland Institute College of Art students is 156% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($25,767 vs. $10,066)

MICA vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Main Campus (1202) is 62 points higher than at MICA (1140)
  • MICA has a higher acceptance rate (79.6%) than Penn State (55.2%)

MICA vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, MICA 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 MICA.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than Maryland Institute College of Art (87% vs. 71%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn on average $15,000 more per year than MICA graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $40,300)
  • Penn State Main Campus students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than MICA graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than MICA graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More MICA 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/