Muhlenberg College vs. Penn State

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

 Muhlenberg College Penn State
Location Allentown, PA University Park, PA
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 1,959 50,028
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #88 #167
Religious Affiliation Evangelical Lutheran Church - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website muhlenberg.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Muhlenberg College Penn State
Tuition (In State) $57,270 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $57,270 $35,946
Room & Board $13,440 $12,744
Avg Net Price $32,926 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $38,412 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 44%

Admission

 Muhlenberg College Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,329 85,784
Admitted 2,836 47,360
Acceptance Rate 65.5% 55.2%
Enrolled % 14.8% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.44 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 29/33 26/31
SAT Range 1200/1400 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

 Muhlenberg College Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 Muhlenberg College Penn State
Graduation Rate 86% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $63,700 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 84% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,490 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $273 $277

Diversity

 Muhlenberg College Penn State
% Men 39% 53%
% Women 61% 47%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 75% 69%
% Black 3% 4%
% Hispanic 7% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 3% 11%
% Unknown Race 8% 2%

Students

 Muhlenberg College Penn State
% In-State 31% 51%
% Out-of-State 68% 40%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than Muhlenberg College based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 1,959 students)

Muhlenberg College vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Muhlenberg College or Penn State?

  • Muhlenberg College is 211.8% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($57,270.00 vs. $18,368.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 59.3% higher at Muhlenberg College than Penn State Main Campus ($57,270.00 vs. $35,946.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Main Campus than Muhlenberg College ($26,747 vs. $32,926)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 5.5% lower than costs at Muhlenberg College ($12,744 vs. $13,440)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Muhlenberg College than Penn State Main Campus (98% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Muhlenberg College students is 281.6% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($38,412 vs. $10,066)

Muhlenberg College vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Muhlenberg College has a higher acceptance rate (65.5%) than Penn State (55.2%)

Muhlenberg College vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Muhlenberg College 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 Muhlenberg College.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than Muhlenberg College (87% vs. 86%)
  • Graduates from Muhlenberg College earn on average $8,400 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($63,700 vs. $55,300)
  • Muhlenberg College students graduate with a $328 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($26,490 vs. $26,818)
  • Muhlenberg College graduates are paying $4 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($273 vs. $277)
  • More Muhlenberg College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 69%)

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