Oberlin vs. Penn State

Should I go to Oberlin College or Penn State Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Oberlin 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 Kenyon Rutgers UConn Pitt UMass UB NC State Michigan State Clemson Syracuse
Oberlin College vs. Penn State Main Campus comparison
Oberlin College Penn State Main Campus College 3 College 4
Oberlin College Penn State Main Campus
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Oberlin Penn State
Location Oberlin, OH University Park, PA
Setting Midsize Suburban Small City
Enrollment 2,976 50,399
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #155 #171
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website oberlin.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Oberlin Penn State
Tuition (In State) $63,700 $19,672
Tuition (Out of State) $63,700 $39,626
Room & Board $18,942 $13,030
Avg Net Price $50,484 $27,450
Avg Grant Aid $33,746 $11,577
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 36%

Admission

 Oberlin Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,039 85,956
Admitted 3,641 46,605
Acceptance Rate 33% 54.2%
Enrolled % 21.4% 19.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.67 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 30/33 27/32
SAT Range 1370/1510 1220/1400
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, 2026

Academics

 Oberlin Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (26%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Ethnic Studies (9%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 Oberlin Penn State
Graduation Rate 88% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,900 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,579 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $274 $277

Diversity

 Oberlin Penn State
% Men 0% 8%
% Women 0% 8%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 68% 69%
% Black 5% 4%
% Hispanic 8% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 3%
% International 8% 11%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 Oberlin Penn State
% In-State 6% 51%
% Out-of-State 84% 40%

Campus

 Oberlin 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 Oberlin based on total student enrollment (50,399 students vs. 2,976 students)

Oberlin vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Oberlin or Penn State?

  • Oberlin College is 223.8% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($63,700.00 vs. $19,672.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 60.8% higher at Oberlin than Penn State Main Campus ($63,700.00 vs. $39,626.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Main Campus than Oberlin ($27,450 vs. $50,484)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 45.4% lower than costs at Oberlin College ($13,030 vs. $18,942)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Oberlin College than Penn State Main Campus (99% vs. 36%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Oberlin College students is 191.5% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($33,746 vs. $11,577)

Oberlin vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Oberlin College (1357) is 155 points higher than at Penn State (1202)
  • Incoming Oberlin students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Penn State (27)
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (54.2%) than Oberlin (33%)

Oberlin vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Oberlin 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 Oberlin.

  • The graduation rate at Oberlin is higher than Penn State Main Campus (88% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn on average $11,400 more per year than Oberlin graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $43,900)
  • Oberlin College students graduate with a $239 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($26,579 vs. $26,818)
  • Oberlin graduates are paying $3 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($274 vs. $277)
  • More Oberlin graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 69%)

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