Penn State vs. CNU

Should I go to Penn State Main Campus or Christopher Newport University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Penn State or CNU 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

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

Virginia Tech UD Rutgers UConn Pitt UMass JMU UB NC State Michigan State Mason Clemson
Penn State Main Campus vs. Christopher Newport University comparison
Penn State Main Campus Christopher Newport University College 3 College 4
Penn State Main Campus Christopher Newport University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Penn State CNU
Location University Park, PA Newport News, VA
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 50,028 4,559
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #167 #390
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu cnu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Penn State CNU
Tuition (In State) $18,368 $9,375
Tuition (Out of State) $35,946 $22,613
Room & Board $12,744 $11,990
Avg Net Price $26,747 $23,287
Avg Grant Aid $10,066 $8,022
% Receiving Grant Aid 44% 66%

Admission

 Penn State CNU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 85,784 7,428
Admitted 47,360 6,340
Acceptance Rate 55.2% 85.4%
Enrolled % 19.5% 18.3%
Avg High School GPA - 3.79
Typical High School Grades - A-
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 26/31 22/29
SAT Range 1210/1390 1100/1290
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

 Penn State CNU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)

Outcomes

 Penn State CNU
Graduation Rate 87% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $47,100
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,818 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $277 $258

Diversity

 Penn State CNU
% Men 53% 46%
% Women 47% 54%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 69% 74%
% Black 4% 8%
% Hispanic 6% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 11% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 5%

Students

 Penn State CNU
% In-State 51% 91%
% Out-of-State 40% 6%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than CNU based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 4,559 students)

Penn State vs. CNU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State or CNU?

  • Penn State Main Campus is 95.9% more expensive to attend than CNU for in-state tuition ($18,368.00 vs. $9,375.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 59% higher at Penn State than Christopher Newport University ($35,946.00 vs. $22,613.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Christopher Newport University than Penn State ($23,287 vs. $26,747)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Christopher Newport University are 6.3% lower than costs at Penn State Main Campus ($11,990 vs. $12,744)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Christopher Newport University than Penn State Main Campus (66% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Main Campus students is 25.5% larger than aid received Christopher Newport University ($10,066 vs. $8,022)

Penn State vs. CNU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Main Campus (1202) is 47 points higher than at CNU (1155)
  • Incoming Penn State students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at CNU (25)
  • CNU has a higher acceptance rate (85.4%) than Penn State (55.2%)

Penn State vs. CNU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State or CNU? 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 CNU and Penn State.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than Christopher Newport University (87% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn on average $8,200 more per year than CNU graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $47,100)
  • Christopher Newport University students graduate with a $1,818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,818)
  • CNU graduates are paying $19 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($258 vs. $277)
  • More CNU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 69%)

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