MHC vs. Penn State

Deciding between Mount Holyoke 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.

Mount Holyoke College
Penn State Main Campus

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • MHC South Hadley, MA
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • MHC Large Suburban
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • MHC 2,275
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • MHC Private 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • MHC #81
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • MHC -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • MHC Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • MHC
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • MHC $67,018
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • MHC $67,018
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • MHC $19,684
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • MHC $32,526
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • MHC $52,418
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • MHC 77%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • MHC 5,226
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • MHC 1,883
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • MHC 36%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • MHC 27.2%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • MHC 1460
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • MHC 33
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • MHC 3.87
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • MHC A
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • MHC Elite
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • MHC High
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • MHC 32/35
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • MHC 1380/1530
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • MHC Test optional
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • MHC Jan 15, 2027
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • MHC 9:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • MHC
    • Social Sciences (27%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • English and Literature (9%)
    • Psychology (8%)
    • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • MHC 85%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • MHC $50,000
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • MHC 77%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • MHC $21,206
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • MHC $219
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • MHC 1%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • MHC 99%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • MHC Very High
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • MHC No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • MHC 45%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • MHC 10%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • MHC 6%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • MHC 8%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • MHC 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • MHC 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • MHC 4%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • MHC 26%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • MHC 1%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • MHC 19%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • MHC 63%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, MA 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 MHC based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 2,275 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Mount Holyoke College is located in South Hadley, MA (Large Suburban setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • Mount Holyoke 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: Mount Holyoke College 9:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

MHC vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MHC 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 MHC ($27,889 vs. $32,526).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 26.5% lower than at Mount Holyoke College ($14,474 vs. $19,684).
  • Mount Holyoke College is 224.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $46,374 more per year; $67,018.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 60.4% higher at MHC than at Penn State Main Campus (about $25,228 more per year; $67,018.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Mount Holyoke College than at Penn State Main Campus (77% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mount Holyoke College students is 362.4% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($52,418 vs. $11,336).

MHC vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, MHC 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 MHC.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Mount Holyoke College (1460) is 130 points higher than at Penn State (1330).
  • Incoming MHC students have a 4 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (33 vs. 29 at Penn State).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Mount Holyoke College 1380/1530; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Mount Holyoke College 32/35; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: MHC - Test optional; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: MHC Jan 15, 2027.
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than MHC (36%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 27.2% at MHC vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

MHC vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for MHC 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 Mount Holyoke College's (85%).
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn a median of about $5,300 more per year than MHC graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $50,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Mount Holyoke College graduates have a $5,612 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($21,206 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, MHC graduates have an estimated $58 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($219 vs. $277).
  • More MHC 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.