Penn State vs. William & Mary

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

 Penn State William & Mary
Location University Park, PA Williamsburg, VA
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 50,028 9,654
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #167 #61
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu wm.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Penn State William & Mary
Tuition (In State) $18,368 $17,434
Tuition (Out of State) $35,946 $40,089
Room & Board $12,744 $13,828
Avg Net Price $26,747 $25,688
Avg Grant Aid $10,066 $15,134
% Receiving Grant Aid 44% 66%

Admission

 Penn State William & Mary
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 85,784 18,087
Admitted 47,360 6,059
Acceptance Rate 55.2% 33.5%
Enrolled % 19.5% 27.1%
Avg High School GPA - 3.85
Typical High School Grades - A-
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low High
ACT Range 26/31 32/34
SAT Range 1210/1390 1375/1520
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 Jan 2, 2025

Academics

 Penn State William & Mary
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (24%)
  • Business (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • History (7%)

Outcomes

 Penn State William & Mary
Graduation Rate 87% 91%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $68,700
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 85%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,818 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $277 $201

Diversity

 Penn State William & Mary
% Men 53% 42%
% Women 47% 58%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 69% 59%
% Black 4% 7%
% Hispanic 6% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 11% 6%
% Unknown Race 2% 6%

Students

 Penn State William & Mary
% In-State 51% 58%
% Out-of-State 40% 36%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than William & Mary based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 9,654 students)

Penn State vs. William & Mary Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State or William & Mary?

  • Penn State Main Campus is 5.4% more expensive to attend than William & Mary for in-state tuition ($18,368.00 vs. $17,434.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11.5% higher at William & Mary than Penn State Main Campus ($40,089.00 vs. $35,946.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at College of William and Mary than Penn State ($25,688 vs. $26,747)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 8.5% lower than costs at College of William and Mary ($12,744 vs. $13,828)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at College of William and Mary than Penn State Main Campus (66% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by College of William and Mary students is 50.3% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($15,134 vs. $10,066)

Penn State vs. William & Mary Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at College of William and Mary (1353) is 151 points higher than at Penn State (1202)
  • Incoming William & Mary students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at Penn State (27)
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (55.2%) than William & Mary (33.5%)

Penn State vs. William & Mary Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State or William & Mary? 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 William & Mary and Penn State.

  • The graduation rate at William & Mary is higher than Penn State Main Campus (91% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from College of William and Mary earn on average $13,400 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($68,700 vs. $55,300)
  • College of William and Mary students graduate with a $7,318 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($19,500 vs. $26,818)
  • William & Mary graduates are paying $76 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($201 vs. $277)
  • More William & Mary graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 69%)

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