Oberlin vs. Penn State

Deciding between Oberlin College 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.

Oberlin College
Penn State Main Campus

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Oberlin Oberlin, OH
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • Oberlin Midsize Suburban
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Oberlin 2,909
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • Oberlin Private 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Oberlin #153
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Oberlin -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • Oberlin Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Oberlin
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Oberlin $67,366
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Oberlin $67,366
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • Oberlin $19,510
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Oberlin $51,624
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Oberlin $35,780
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Oberlin 99%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Oberlin 10,536
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • Oberlin 3,601
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Oberlin 34.2%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Oberlin 19.5%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Oberlin 1440
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Oberlin 32
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Oberlin 3.67
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Oberlin A-
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Oberlin Exceptional
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Oberlin High
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Oberlin 31/34
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Oberlin 1360/1520
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Oberlin Test optional
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Oberlin Jan 15, 2027
  • Penn State

  • Academics

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

  • Outcomes

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

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Oberlin 41%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • Oberlin 59%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Oberlin Medium
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Oberlin No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • Oberlin 68%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • Oberlin 4%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • Oberlin 5%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Oberlin 8%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Oberlin 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Oberlin 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Oberlin 6%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • Oberlin 8%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Oberlin 1%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Oberlin 6%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Oberlin 82%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Oberlin College in Oberlin, OH 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 Oberlin based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 2,909 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Oberlin College is located in Oberlin, OH (Midsize Suburban setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • Oberlin College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Oberlin College 9:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

Oberlin vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Oberlin 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 Penn State Main Campus than Oberlin ($27,889 vs. $51,624).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 25.8% lower than at Oberlin College ($14,474 vs. $19,510).
  • Oberlin College is 226.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $46,722 more per year; $67,366.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 61.2% higher at Oberlin than at Penn State Main Campus (about $25,576 more per year; $67,366.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Oberlin College than at Penn State Main Campus (99% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Oberlin College students is 215.6% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($35,780 vs. $11,336).

Oberlin vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Oberlin 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 Oberlin.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Oberlin College (1440) is 110 points higher than at Penn State (1330).
  • Incoming Oberlin students have a 3 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (32 vs. 29 at Penn State).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Oberlin College 1360/1520; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Oberlin College 31/34; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Oberlin - Test optional; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Oberlin Jan 15, 2027.
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than Oberlin (34.2%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 19.5% at Oberlin vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

Oberlin vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Oberlin 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).

  • Oberlin College's six-year graduation rate (88%) is higher than Penn State Main Campus's (87%).
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn a median of about $11,400 more per year than Oberlin graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $43,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Oberlin College graduates have a $239 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($26,579 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Oberlin graduates have an estimated $3 lower median monthly federal student loan payment 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.