Peirce College vs. Penn State

Deciding between Peirce 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.

Penn State Main Campus

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Peirce College Philadelphia, PA
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • Peirce College Large City
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Peirce College 929
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • Peirce College Private 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Peirce College
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Peirce College -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • Peirce College Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Peirce College
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Peirce College $15,060
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Peirce College $15,060
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • Peirce College $8,800
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Peirce College $13,290
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Peirce College $5,370
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Peirce College 100%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Peirce College -
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • Peirce College -
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Peirce College Open
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Peirce College Open
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Peirce College
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Peirce College
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Peirce College -
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Peirce College -
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Peirce College Unavailable
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Peirce College
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Peirce College
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Peirce College
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Peirce College Open admission
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Peirce College
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Peirce College 13:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Peirce College
    • Business (56%)
    • Legal Professions (27%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (16%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Peirce College 27%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Peirce College $51,800
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Peirce College 32%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Peirce College $36,125
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Peirce College $373
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Peirce College 24%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • Peirce College 76%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Peirce College Medium
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Peirce College No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • Peirce College 20%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • Peirce College 2%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • Peirce College 69%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Peirce College 8%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Peirce College 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Peirce College 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Peirce College 0%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • Peirce College 0%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Peirce College 1%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Peirce College 50%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Peirce College 50%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Peirce College in Philadelphia, PA 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 Peirce College based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 929 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Peirce College is located in Philadelphia, PA (Large City setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • Peirce 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: Peirce College 13:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

Peirce College vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Peirce College 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 Peirce College than Penn State ($13,290 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Peirce College are 39.2% lower than at Penn State Main Campus ($8,800 vs. $14,474).
  • Penn State Main Campus is 37.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than Peirce College (about $5,584 more per year; $20,644.00 vs. $15,060.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 177.5% higher at Penn State than at Peirce College (about $26,730 more per year; $41,790.00 vs. $15,060.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Peirce College than at Penn State Main Campus (100% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Main Campus students is 111.1% larger than aid received by Peirce College students ($11,336 vs. $5,370).

Peirce College vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Peirce College 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 Peirce College.

  • Peirce College reports an open admissions policy.
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsPenn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsPenn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Peirce College - Open admission; Penn State - Test optional.

Peirce College vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Peirce College 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 Peirce College's (27%).
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn a median of about $3,500 more per year than Peirce College graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $51,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Penn State Main Campus graduates have a $9,307 lower median loan debt than Peirce College graduates ($26,818 vs. $36,125).
  • Among borrowers, Penn State graduates have an estimated $96 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Peirce College graduates ($277 vs. $373).
  • More Penn State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Peirce College students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 32%)

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.