OSU vs. Penn State

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

 OSU Penn State
Location Corvallis, OR University Park, PA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 35,622 50,399
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #379 #171
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website oregonstate.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 OSU Penn State
Tuition (In State) $11,145 $19,672
Tuition (Out of State) $33,315 $39,626
Room & Board $15,075 $13,030
Avg Net Price $21,868 $27,450
Avg Grant Aid $9,922 $11,577
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 36%

Admission

 OSU Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 29,025 85,956
Admitted 22,886 46,605
Acceptance Rate 78.8% 54.2%
Enrolled % 20.5% 19.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.61 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/28 27/32
SAT Range 1120/1370 1220/1400
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2026

Academics

 OSU Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Engineering (15%)
  • Work and Family Studies (11%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (6%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 OSU Penn State
Graduation Rate 61% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,900 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,500 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $242 $277

Diversity

 OSU Penn State
% Men 7% 8%
% Women 8% 8%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 67% 69%
% Black 1% 4%
% Hispanic 9% 6%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 3%
% International 6% 11%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

 OSU Penn State
% In-State 57% 51%
% Out-of-State 40% 40%

Campus

 OSU 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

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than OSU based on total student enrollment (50,399 students vs. 35,622 students)

OSU vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, OSU or Penn State?

  • Penn State Main Campus is 76.5% more expensive to attend than OSU for in-state tuition ($19,672.00 vs. $11,145.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 18.9% higher at Penn State than Oregon State University ($39,626.00 vs. $33,315.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Oregon State University than Penn State ($21,868 vs. $27,450)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 15.7% lower than costs at Oregon State University ($13,030 vs. $15,075)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Oregon State University than Penn State Main Campus (89% vs. 36%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Main Campus students is 16.7% larger than aid received Oregon State University ($11,577 vs. $9,922)

OSU vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Main Campus (1202) is 89 points higher than at OSU (1113)
  • Incoming Penn State students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at OSU (25)
  • OSU has a higher acceptance rate (78.8%) than Penn State (54.2%)

OSU vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, OSU 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 OSU.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than Oregon State University (87% vs. 61%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn on average $1,400 more per year than OSU graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $53,900)
  • Oregon State University students graduate with a $3,318 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($23,500 vs. $26,818)
  • OSU graduates are paying $35 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($242 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former OSU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 66%)

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