Penn State vs. Roger Williams University

Should I go to Penn State Main Campus or Roger Williams University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Penn State or Roger Williams University 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. Roger Williams University comparison
Penn State Main Campus Roger Williams University College 3 College 4
Penn State Main Campus Roger Williams University
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Overview

Penn State Roger Williams University
Location University Park, PA Bristol, RI
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 50,399 4,344
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #171 #336
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu rwu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Penn State Roger Williams University
Tuition (In State) $19,672 $42,336
Tuition (Out of State) $39,626 $42,336
Room & Board $13,030 $16,690
Avg Net Price $27,450 $37,936
Avg Grant Aid $11,577 $22,491
% Receiving Grant Aid 36% 99%

Admission

Penn State Roger Williams University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 85,956 8,238
Admitted 46,605 7,231
Acceptance Rate 54.2% 87.8%
Enrolled % 19.4% 14.1%
Avg High School GPA - 3.43
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 27/32 24/30
SAT Range 1220/1400 1130/1300
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 Roger Williams University
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (11%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Architecture (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

Penn State Roger Williams University
Graduation Rate 87% 59%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $53,000
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,818 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $277 $279

Diversity

Penn State Roger Williams University
% Men 8% 3%
% Women 8% 4%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 69% 75%
% Black 4% 2%
% Hispanic 6% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 11% 5%
% Unknown Race 2% 9%

Students

Penn State Roger Williams University
% In-State 51% 16%
% Out-of-State 40% 82%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than Roger Williams University based on total student enrollment (50,399 students vs. 4,344 students)

Penn State vs. Roger Williams University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State or Roger Williams University?

  • Roger Williams University is 115.2% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($42,336.00 vs. $19,672.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6.8% higher at Roger Williams University than Penn State Main Campus ($42,336.00 vs. $39,626.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Main Campus than Roger Williams University ($27,450 vs. $37,936)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 28.1% lower than costs at Roger Williams University ($13,030 vs. $16,690)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Roger Williams University than Penn State Main Campus (99% vs. 36%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Roger Williams University students is 94.3% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($22,491 vs. $11,577)

Penn State vs. Roger Williams University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Roger Williams University has a higher acceptance rate (87.8%) than Penn State (54.2%)

Penn State vs. Roger Williams University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State or Roger Williams University? 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 Roger Williams University and Penn State.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than Roger Williams University (87% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn on average $2,300 more per year than Roger Williams University graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $53,000)
  • Penn State Main Campus students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than Roger Williams University graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Roger Williams University graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More Roger Williams University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 69%)

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