NC State vs. Penn State

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

NC State Penn State
Location Raleigh, NC University Park, PA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 36,700 50,028
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #123 #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ncsu.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NC State Penn State
Tuition (In State) $6,535 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $28,276 $35,946
Room & Board $12,748 $12,744
Avg Net Price $14,852 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $9,181 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 71% 44%

Admission

NC State Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 35,568 85,784
Admitted 16,779 47,360
Acceptance Rate 47.2% 55.2%
Enrolled % 33.5% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.83 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 28/33 26/31
SAT Range 1280/1460 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 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

NC State Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (22%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

NC State Penn State
Graduation Rate 72% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $57,200 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,782 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $214 $277

Diversity

NC State Penn State
% Men 51% 53%
% Women 49% 47%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 74% 69%
% Black 6% 4%
% Hispanic 5% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 4% 11%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

NC State Penn State
% In-State 83% 51%
% Out-of-State 14% 40%

Campus

NC State 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 NC State based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 36,700 students)

NC State vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NC State or Penn State?

  • Penn State Main Campus is 181.1% more expensive to attend than NC State for in-state tuition ($18,368.00 vs. $6,535.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 27.1% higher at Penn State than North Carolina State University at Raleigh ($35,946.00 vs. $28,276.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at North Carolina State University at Raleigh than Penn State ($14,852 vs. $26,747)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 0% lower than costs at North Carolina State University at Raleigh ($12,744 vs. $12,748)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at North Carolina State University at Raleigh than Penn State Main Campus (71% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Main Campus students is 9.6% larger than aid received North Carolina State University at Raleigh ($10,066 vs. $9,181)

NC State vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at North Carolina State University at Raleigh (1264) is 62 points higher than at Penn State (1202)
  • Incoming NC State students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Penn State (27)
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (55.2%) than NC State (47.2%)

NC State vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NC State 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 NC State.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than North Carolina State University at Raleigh (87% vs. 72%)
  • Graduates from North Carolina State University at Raleigh earn on average $1,900 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($57,200 vs. $55,300)
  • North Carolina State University at Raleigh students graduate with a $6,036 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($20,782 vs. $26,818)
  • NC State graduates are paying $63 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($214 vs. $277)
  • More NC State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 69%)

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