Ohio State vs. Penn State

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

 Ohio State Penn State
Location Columbus, OH University Park, PA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 60,540 50,028
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #134 #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website osu.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Ohio State Penn State
Tuition (In State) $11,525 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $35,762 $35,946
Room & Board $14,006 $12,744
Avg Net Price $19,582 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $10,993 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 44%

Admission

 Ohio State Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 65,189 85,784
Admitted 34,370 47,360
Acceptance Rate 52.7% 55.2%
Enrolled % 23.5% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.76 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 29/32 26/31
SAT Range 1310/1480 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 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

 Ohio State Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Work and Family Studies (7%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 Ohio State Penn State
Graduation Rate 80% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,600 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $222 $277

Diversity

 Ohio State Penn State
% Men 48% 53%
% Women 52% 47%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 71% 69%
% Black 6% 4%
% Hispanic 4% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 7% 11%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

 Ohio State Penn State
% In-State 66% 51%
% Out-of-State 23% 40%

Campus

 Ohio State Penn State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Ohio State University is larger than than Penn State based on total student enrollment (60,540 students vs. 50,028 students)

Ohio State vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

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

  • Penn State Main Campus is 59.4% more expensive to attend than Ohio State for in-state tuition ($18,368.00 vs. $11,525.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.5% higher at Penn State than Ohio State University ($35,946.00 vs. $35,762.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ohio State University than Penn State ($19,582 vs. $26,747)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 9.9% lower than costs at Ohio State University ($12,744 vs. $14,006)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ohio State University than Penn State Main Campus (74% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ohio State University students is 9.2% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($10,993 vs. $10,066)

Ohio State vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Ohio State University (1295) is 93 points higher than at Penn State (1202)
  • Incoming Ohio 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 Ohio State (52.7%)

Ohio State vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Ohio 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 Ohio State.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than Ohio State University (87% vs. 80%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn on average $4,700 more per year than Ohio State graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $50,600)
  • Ohio State University students graduate with a $5,318 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($21,500 vs. $26,818)
  • Ohio State graduates are paying $55 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($222 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Ohio State students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 63%)

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