Penn State vs. Brown

Deciding between Penn State Main Campus and Brown University? 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
Brown University

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Brown Providence, RI
  • Setting
  • Penn State Small City
  • Brown Midsize City
  • Total enrollment
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Brown 11,956
  • Type
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • Brown Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Penn State #185
  • Brown #11
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Penn State -
  • Brown -
  • Status
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Brown Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Penn State
  • Brown

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Brown $71,412
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Brown $71,412
  • Room & Board
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Brown $17,444
  • Average Net Price
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Brown $26,256
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Penn State $11,336
  • Brown $61,392
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Penn State 37%
  • Brown 52%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Brown 48,904
  • Admitted
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Brown 2,638
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Brown 5.4%
  • Enrolled
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Brown 65.2%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Penn State 1330
  • Brown 1550
  • Typical ACT score
  • Penn State 29
  • Brown 34
  • Average High School GPA
  • Penn State -
  • Brown 3.94
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Penn State -
  • Brown A
  • Admissions Standards
  • Penn State Very High
  • Brown Elite
  • Applicant Competition
  • Penn State Low
  • Brown Extreme
  • ACT Range
  • Penn State 27/32
  • Brown 34/35
  • SAT Range
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Brown 1510/1580
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Brown Required
  • Application Deadline
  • Penn State
  • Brown Jan 5, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Brown 6:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Brown
    • Social Sciences (28%)
    • Biology (9%)
    • English and Literature (6%)
    • General Studies (6%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Penn State 87%
  • Brown 95%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Brown $87,600
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Penn State 69%
  • Brown 89%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Brown $15,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Penn State $277
  • Brown $155

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Penn State 52%
  • Brown 48%
  • % Women
  • Penn State 48%
  • Brown 52%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Penn State Medium
  • Brown Very High
  • HBCU
  • Penn State No
  • Brown No
  • % White
  • Penn State 69%
  • Brown 43%
  • % Asian
  • Penn State 6%
  • Brown 13%
  • % Black
  • Penn State 4%
  • Brown 7%
  • % Hispanic
  • Penn State 6%
  • Brown 11%
  • % Native American
  • Penn State 0%
  • Brown 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Penn State 0%
  • Brown 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Penn State 3%
  • Brown 6%
  • % International
  • Penn State 11%
  • Brown 12%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Penn State 2%
  • Brown 7%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Penn State 53%
  • Brown 3%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Penn State 40%
  • Brown 79%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

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

Penn State Main Campus is larger than Brown based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 11,956 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Penn State Main Campus is located in University Park, PA (Small City setting); Brown University is in Providence, RI (Midsize City setting).
  • Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Brown University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Penn State Main Campus 16:1; Brown University 6:1.

Penn State vs. Brown Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State or Brown? 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 Brown University than Penn State ($26,256 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 17% lower than at Brown University ($14,474 vs. $17,444).
  • Brown University is 245.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $50,768 more per year; $71,412.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 70.9% higher at Brown than at Penn State Main Campus (about $29,622 more per year; $71,412.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Brown University than at Penn State Main Campus (52% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Brown University students is 441.6% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($61,392 vs. $11,336).

Penn State vs. Brown Admissions comparison

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

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Brown University (1550) is 220 points higher than at Penn State (1330).
  • Incoming Brown students have a 5 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (34 vs. 29 at Penn State).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420; Brown University 1510/1580.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Main Campus 27/32; Brown University 34/35.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Penn State - Test optional; Brown - Required.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Brown Jan 5, 2027.
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than Brown (5.4%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.1% at Penn State vs. 65.2% at Brown.

Penn State vs. Brown Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Penn State and Brown? 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).

  • Brown University's six-year graduation rate (95%) is higher than Penn State Main Campus's (87%).
  • Graduates from Brown University earn a median of about $32,300 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($87,600 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Brown University graduates have a $11,818 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($15,000 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Brown graduates have an estimated $122 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($155 vs. $277).
  • More Brown graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (89% 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.