NJIT vs. Penn State

Deciding between New Jersey Institute of Technology 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.

New Jersey Institute of Technology
Penn State Main Campus

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • NJIT Newark, NJ
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • NJIT Large City
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • NJIT 13,247
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • NJIT Public 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • NJIT #195
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • NJIT -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • NJIT Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • NJIT
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • NJIT $19,974
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • NJIT $37,664
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • NJIT $16,450
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • NJIT $17,313
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • NJIT $18,084
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • NJIT 91%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • NJIT 15,607
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • NJIT 10,156
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • NJIT 65.1%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • NJIT 17.2%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • NJIT 1340
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • NJIT 30
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • NJIT 3.72
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • NJIT A-
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • NJIT Exceptional
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • NJIT Low
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • NJIT 27/34
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • NJIT 1210/1460
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • NJIT Test optional
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • NJIT Mar 1, 2027
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • NJIT 17:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • NJIT
    • Engineering (38%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (16%)
    • Engineering Technology (14%)
    • Architecture (13%)
    • Business (10%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • NJIT 54%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • NJIT $67,200
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • NJIT 69%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • NJIT $23,000
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • NJIT $237
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • NJIT 69%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • NJIT 31%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • NJIT Very High
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • NJIT No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • NJIT 33%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • NJIT 22%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • NJIT 9%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • NJIT 22%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • NJIT 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • NJIT 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • NJIT 3%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • NJIT 4%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • NJIT 6%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • NJIT 87%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • NJIT 6%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark, NJ 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 NJIT based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 13,247 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • New Jersey Institute of Technology is located in Newark, NJ (Large City setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • New Jersey Institute of Technology is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: New Jersey Institute of Technology 17:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

NJIT vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NJIT 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 New Jersey Institute of Technology than Penn State ($17,313 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 12% lower than at New Jersey Institute of Technology ($14,474 vs. $16,450).
  • Penn State Main Campus is 3.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than NJIT (about $670 more per year; $20,644.00 vs. $19,974.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 11% higher at Penn State than at New Jersey Institute of Technology (about $4,126 more per year; $41,790.00 vs. $37,664.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at New Jersey Institute of Technology than at Penn State Main Campus (91% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by New Jersey Institute of Technology students is 59.5% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($18,084 vs. $11,336).

NJIT vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, NJIT 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 NJIT.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at New Jersey Institute of Technology (1340) is 10 points higher than at Penn State (1330).
  • Incoming NJIT students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (30 vs. 29 at Penn State).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: New Jersey Institute of Technology 1210/1460; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: New Jersey Institute of Technology 27/34; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: NJIT - Test optional; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: NJIT Mar 1, 2027.
  • NJIT has a higher acceptance rate (65.1%) than Penn State (60.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.2% at NJIT vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

NJIT vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for NJIT 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 New Jersey Institute of Technology's (54%).
  • Graduates from New Jersey Institute of Technology earn a median of about $11,900 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($67,200 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, New Jersey Institute of Technology graduates have a $3,818 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($23,000 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, NJIT graduates have an estimated $40 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($237 vs. $277).
  • More NJIT graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (69% 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.