NYU vs. Penn State

Should I go to New York University or Penn State Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if NYU 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

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

Virginia Tech UD BU Rutgers UConn Pitt UMass Barnard UB Cornell NC State Michigan State
New York University vs. Penn State Main Campus comparison
New York University Penn State Main Campus College 3 College 4
New York University Penn State Main Campus
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 NYU Penn State
Location New York, NY University Park, PA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 59,144 50,028
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #38 #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nyu.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 NYU Penn State
Tuition (In State) $55,384 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $55,384 $35,946
Room & Board $20,272 $12,744
Avg Net Price $29,499 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $47,096 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 45% 44%

Admission

 NYU Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 100,662 85,784
Admitted 12,539 47,360
Acceptance Rate 12.5% 55.2%
Enrolled % 49.3% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 33/35 26/31
SAT Range 1470/1570 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

Academics

 NYU Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (18%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 NYU Penn State
Graduation Rate 86% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $76,000 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,250 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $240 $277

Diversity

 NYU Penn State
% Men 41% 53%
% Women 59% 47%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 34% 69%
% Black 5% 4%
% Hispanic 12% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 17% 11%
% Unknown Race 8% 2%

Students

 NYU Penn State
% In-State 26% 51%
% Out-of-State 52% 40%

Campus

 NYU 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

  • New York University is larger than than Penn State based on total student enrollment (59,144 students vs. 50,028 students)

NYU vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NYU or Penn State?

  • New York University is 201.5% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($55,384.00 vs. $18,368.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 54.1% higher at NYU than Penn State Main Campus ($55,384.00 vs. $35,946.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Main Campus than NYU ($26,747 vs. $29,499)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 59.1% lower than costs at New York University ($12,744 vs. $20,272)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at New York University than Penn State Main Campus (45% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by New York University students is 367.9% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($47,096 vs. $10,066)

NYU vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at New York University (1360) is 158 points higher than at Penn State (1202)
  • Incoming NYU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Penn State (27)
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (55.2%) than NYU (12.5%)

NYU vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NYU 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 NYU.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than New York University (87% vs. 86%)
  • Graduates from New York University earn on average $20,700 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($76,000 vs. $55,300)
  • New York University students graduate with a $3,568 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($23,250 vs. $26,818)
  • NYU graduates are paying $37 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($240 vs. $277)
  • More NYU 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/