ONU vs. Penn State

Deciding between Ohio Northern University 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.

Ohio Northern University
Penn State Main Campus

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • ONU Ada, OH
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • ONU Distant Town
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • ONU 3,140
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • ONU Private 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • ONU #228
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • ONU United Methodist
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • ONU Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • ONU
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • ONU $39,800
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • ONU $39,800
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • ONU $14,604
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • ONU $25,941
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • ONU $27,696
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • ONU 97%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • ONU 4,640
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • ONU 3,452
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • ONU 74.4%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • ONU 19.9%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • ONU 1290
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • ONU 26
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • ONU 3.78
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • ONU A-
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • ONU Difficult
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • ONU Low
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • ONU 24/29
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • ONU 1175/1400
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • ONU Test optional
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • ONU Aug 15, 2027
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • ONU 13:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • ONU
    • Business (19%)
    • Engineering (16%)
    • Health Professions (11%)
    • Biology (7%)
    • Education (7%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • ONU 65%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • ONU $71,200
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • ONU 82%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • ONU $27,000
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • ONU $279
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • ONU 53%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • ONU 47%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • ONU Very Low
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • ONU No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • ONU 84%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • ONU 1%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • ONU 3%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • ONU 1%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • ONU 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • ONU 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • ONU 4%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • ONU 4%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • ONU 3%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • ONU 85%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • ONU 13%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Ohio Northern University in Ada, 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 ONU based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 3,140 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Ohio Northern University is located in Ada, OH (Distant Town setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • Ohio Northern University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Ohio Northern University 13:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

ONU vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ONU 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 Ohio Northern University than Penn State ($25,941 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 0.9% lower than at Ohio Northern University ($14,474 vs. $14,604).
  • Ohio Northern University is 92.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $19,156 more per year; $39,800.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 5% higher at Penn State than at Ohio Northern University (about $1,990 more per year; $41,790.00 vs. $39,800.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Ohio Northern University than at Penn State Main Campus (97% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ohio Northern University students is 144.3% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($27,696 vs. $11,336).

ONU vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ONU 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 ONU.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Penn State Main Campus (1330) is 40 points higher than at ONU (1290).
  • Incoming Penn State students have a 3 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (29 vs. 26 at ONU).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Ohio Northern University 1175/1400; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Ohio Northern University 24/29; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: ONU - Test optional; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: ONU Aug 15, 2027.
  • ONU has a higher acceptance rate (74.4%) than Penn State (60.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 19.9% at ONU vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

ONU vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ONU 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).

  • Penn State Main Campus's six-year graduation rate (87%) is higher than Ohio Northern University's (65%).
  • Graduates from Ohio Northern University earn a median of about $15,900 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($71,200 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Penn State Main Campus graduates have a $182 lower median loan debt than ONU graduates ($26,818 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, Penn State graduates have an estimated $2 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than ONU graduates ($277 vs. $279).
  • More ONU 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.