Penn State vs. Middlebury

Deciding between Penn State Main Campus and Middlebury 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
Middlebury College

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Middlebury Middlebury, VT
  • Setting
  • Penn State Small City
  • Middlebury Rural Fringe
  • Total enrollment
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Middlebury 2,803
  • Type
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • Middlebury Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Penn State #185
  • Middlebury #24
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Penn State -
  • Middlebury -
  • Status
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Middlebury Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Penn State
  • Middlebury

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Middlebury $67,600
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Middlebury $67,600
  • Room & Board
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Middlebury $19,250
  • Average Net Price
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Middlebury $26,233
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Penn State $11,336
  • Middlebury $59,647
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Penn State 37%
  • Middlebury 47%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Middlebury 12,540
  • Admitted
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Middlebury 1,348
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Middlebury 10.7%
  • Enrolled
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Middlebury 44.4%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Penn State 1330
  • Middlebury 1500
  • Typical ACT score
  • Penn State 29
  • Middlebury 34
  • Average High School GPA
  • Penn State -
  • Middlebury 3.89
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Penn State -
  • Middlebury A
  • Admissions Standards
  • Penn State Very High
  • Middlebury Elite
  • Applicant Competition
  • Penn State Low
  • Middlebury Very High
  • ACT Range
  • Penn State 27/32
  • Middlebury 33/35
  • SAT Range
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Middlebury 1445/1550
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Middlebury Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Penn State
  • Middlebury Jan 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Middlebury 8:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Middlebury
    • Social Sciences (29%)
    • Foreign Languages (12%)
    • Biology (9%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
    • English and Literature (8%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Penn State 87%
  • Middlebury 90%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Middlebury $72,400
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Penn State 69%
  • Middlebury 88%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Middlebury $15,889
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Penn State $277
  • Middlebury $164

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Penn State 52%
  • Middlebury 46%
  • % Women
  • Penn State 48%
  • Middlebury 54%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Penn State Medium
  • Middlebury Medium
  • HBCU
  • Penn State No
  • Middlebury No
  • % White
  • Penn State 69%
  • Middlebury 65%
  • % Asian
  • Penn State 6%
  • Middlebury 6%
  • % Black
  • Penn State 4%
  • Middlebury 3%
  • % Hispanic
  • Penn State 6%
  • Middlebury 9%
  • % Native American
  • Penn State 0%
  • Middlebury 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Penn State 0%
  • Middlebury 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Penn State 3%
  • Middlebury 5%
  • % International
  • Penn State 11%
  • Middlebury 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Penn State 2%
  • Middlebury 1%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Penn State 53%
  • Middlebury 5%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Penn State 40%
  • Middlebury 77%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

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

Penn State Main Campus is larger than Middlebury based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 2,803 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Penn State Main Campus is located in University Park, PA (Small City setting); Middlebury College is in Middlebury, VT (Rural Fringe setting).
  • Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Middlebury College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Penn State Main Campus 16:1; Middlebury College 8:1.

Penn State vs. Middlebury Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State or Middlebury? 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 Middlebury College than Penn State ($26,233 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 24.8% lower than at Middlebury College ($14,474 vs. $19,250).
  • Middlebury College is 227.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $46,956 more per year; $67,600.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 61.8% higher at Middlebury than at Penn State Main Campus (about $25,810 more per year; $67,600.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Middlebury College than at Penn State Main Campus (47% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Middlebury College students is 426.2% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($59,647 vs. $11,336).

Penn State vs. Middlebury Admissions comparison

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

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Middlebury College (1500) is 170 points higher than at Penn State (1330).
  • Incoming Middlebury 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; Middlebury College 1445/1550.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Main Campus 27/32; Middlebury College 33/35.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Penn State - Test optional; Middlebury - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Middlebury Jan 1, 2027.
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than Middlebury (10.7%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.1% at Penn State vs. 44.4% at Middlebury.

Penn State vs. Middlebury Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • Middlebury College's six-year graduation rate (90%) is higher than Penn State Main Campus's (87%).
  • Graduates from Middlebury College earn a median of about $17,100 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($72,400 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Middlebury College graduates have a $10,929 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($15,889 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Middlebury graduates have an estimated $113 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($164 vs. $277).
  • More Middlebury graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (88% 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.