Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
Clemson UNC Chapel Hill Virginia Tech UNC Charlotte Princeton Duke UofSC Cornell Harvard Penn State ASU ECU| North Carolina State University at Raleigh | University of Pennsylvania | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
NC State | Penn | ||
| Location | Raleigh, NC | Philadelphia, PA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 36,700 | 28,201 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #123 | #23 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | ncsu.edu | upenn.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
NC State | Penn | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $6,535 | $56,212 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $28,276 | $56,212 | ||
| Room & Board | $12,748 | $17,888 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $14,852 | $26,123 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $9,181 | $57,175 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 71% | 46% |
Admission |
NC State | Penn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 35,568 | 54,588 | ||
| Admitted | 16,779 | 3,549 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 47.2% | 6.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 33.5% | 67.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.83 | 3.95 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 28/33 | 34/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1280/1460 | 1500/1570 | ||
| 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 | Jan 5, 2025 |
Academics |
NC State | Penn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 16:1 | 8:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
NC State | Penn | ||
| Graduation Rate | 72% | 96% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $57,200 | $123,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 76% | 84% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $20,782 | $20,633 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $214 | $213 |
Diversity |
NC State | Penn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 51% | 44% | ||
| % Women | 49% | 56% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 74% | 45% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 7% | ||
| % Hispanic | 5% | 10% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 4% | ||
| % International | 4% | 11% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 3% |
Students |
NC State | Penn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 83% | 16% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 14% | 67% | ||
Campus |
NC State | Penn | ||
| 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
- North Carolina State University at Raleigh is larger than than Penn based on total student enrollment (36,700 students vs. 28,201 students)
NC State vs. Penn Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, NC State or Penn?
- University of Pennsylvania is 760.2% more expensive to attend than NC State for in-state tuition ($56,212.00 vs. $6,535.00)
- Out of state tuition is 98.8% higher at Penn than North Carolina State University at Raleigh ($56,212.00 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 ($14,852 vs. $26,123)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at North Carolina State University at Raleigh are 40.3% lower than costs at University of Pennsylvania ($12,748 vs. $17,888)
- More students receive financial grant aid at North Carolina State University at Raleigh than University of Pennsylvania (71% vs. 46%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Pennsylvania students is 522.8% larger than aid received North Carolina State University at Raleigh ($57,175 vs. $9,181)
NC State vs. Penn Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, NC State or Penn? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Penn or NC State .
- The average SAT score at University of Pennsylvania (1457) is 193 points higher than at NC State (1264)
- Incoming Penn students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at NC State (29)
- Accepted freshman Penn students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at NC State (3.83)
- NC State has a higher acceptance rate (47.2%) than Penn (6.5%)
NC State vs. Penn Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, NC State or Penn? 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 and NC State.
- The graduation rate at Penn is higher than North Carolina State University at Raleigh (96% vs. 72%)
- Graduates from University of Pennsylvania earn on average $66,400 more per year than NC State graduates after ten years. ($123,600 vs. $57,200)
- University of Pennsylvania students graduate with a $149 lower median federal student loan debt than NC State graduates. ($20,633 vs. $20,782)
- Penn graduates are paying $1 less per month on federal student loans than NC State graduates. ($213 vs. $214)
- More Penn graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NC State students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 76%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/