Penn State vs. BC

Deciding between Penn State Main Campus and Bridgewater College? 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
Bridgewater College

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • BC Bridgewater, VA
  • Setting
  • Penn State Small City
  • BC Small Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • Penn State 50,737
  • BC 1,448
  • Type
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • BC Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Penn State #185
  • BC #623
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Penn State -
  • BC Church of Brethren
  • Status
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • BC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Penn State
  • BC

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Penn State $20,644
  • BC $16,090
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Penn State $41,790
  • BC $16,090
  • Room & Board
  • Penn State $14,474
  • BC $14,850
  • Average Net Price
  • Penn State $27,889
  • BC $11,316
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Penn State $11,336
  • BC $47,288
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Penn State 37%
  • BC 100%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Penn State 88,478
  • BC 3,938
  • Admitted
  • Penn State 53,579
  • BC 3,612
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • BC 91.7%
  • Enrolled
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • BC 10.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Penn State 1330
  • BC 1190
  • Typical ACT score
  • Penn State 29
  • BC
  • Average High School GPA
  • Penn State -
  • BC 3.61
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Penn State -
  • BC A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Penn State Very High
  • BC Difficult
  • Applicant Competition
  • Penn State Low
  • BC
  • ACT Range
  • Penn State 27/32
  • BC
  • SAT Range
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • BC 1020/1360
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Penn State Test optional
  • BC Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Penn State
  • BC May 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Penn State 16:1
  • BC 13:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)
  • BC
    • Business (17%)
    • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (13%)
    • Biology (9%)
    • Work and Family Studies (8%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Penn State 87%
  • BC 59%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Penn State $55,300
  • BC $43,100
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Penn State 69%
  • BC 77%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Penn State $26,818
  • BC $27,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Penn State $277
  • BC $279

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Penn State 52%
  • BC 52%
  • % Women
  • Penn State 48%
  • BC 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Penn State Medium
  • BC Low
  • HBCU
  • Penn State No
  • BC No
  • % White
  • Penn State 69%
  • BC 73%
  • % Asian
  • Penn State 6%
  • BC 1%
  • % Black
  • Penn State 4%
  • BC 11%
  • % Hispanic
  • Penn State 6%
  • BC 5%
  • % Native American
  • Penn State 0%
  • BC 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Penn State 0%
  • BC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Penn State 3%
  • BC 5%
  • % International
  • Penn State 11%
  • BC 1%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Penn State 2%
  • BC 4%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Penn State 53%
  • BC 80%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Penn State 40%
  • BC 19%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Penn State Main Campus in University Park, PA with Bridgewater College in Bridgewater, VA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Penn State Main Campus is larger than BC based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 1,448 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Penn State Main Campus is located in University Park, PA (Small City setting); Bridgewater College is in Bridgewater, VA (Small Suburban setting).
  • Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Bridgewater College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Penn State Main Campus 16:1; Bridgewater College 13:1.

Penn State vs. BC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State or BC? 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 Bridgewater College than Penn State ($11,316 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 2.5% lower than at Bridgewater College ($14,474 vs. $14,850).
  • Penn State Main Campus is 28.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than BC (about $4,554 more per year; $20,644.00 vs. $16,090.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 159.7% higher at Penn State than at Bridgewater College (about $25,700 more per year; $41,790.00 vs. $16,090.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Bridgewater College than at Penn State Main Campus (100% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bridgewater College students is 317.1% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($47,288 vs. $11,336).

Penn State vs. BC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Penn State or BC? 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 BC and Penn State.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Penn State Main Campus (1330) is 140 points higher than at BC (1190).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420; Bridgewater College 1020/1360.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Penn State - Test optional; BC - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: BC May 1, 2027.
  • BC has a higher acceptance rate (91.7%) than Penn State (60.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.1% at Penn State vs. 10.1% at BC.

Penn State vs. BC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Penn State and BC? 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 Bridgewater College's (59%).
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn a median of about $12,200 more per year than BC graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $43,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Penn State Main Campus graduates have a $182 lower median loan debt than BC graduates ($26,818 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, Penn State graduates have an estimated $2 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than BC graduates ($277 vs. $279).
  • More BC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (77% 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.