Penn State vs. Sweet Briar College

Deciding between Penn State Main Campus and Sweet Briar 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

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Sweet Briar College Sweet Briar, VA
  • Setting
  • Penn State Small City
  • Sweet Briar College Small Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Sweet Briar College 444
  • Type
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • Sweet Briar College Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Penn State #185
  • Sweet Briar College
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Penn State -
  • Sweet Briar College -
  • Status
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Sweet Briar College Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Penn State
  • Sweet Briar College

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Sweet Briar College $26,160
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Sweet Briar College $26,160
  • Room & Board
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Sweet Briar College $15,230
  • Average Net Price
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Sweet Briar College $21,322
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Penn State $11,336
  • Sweet Briar College $22,387
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Penn State 37%
  • Sweet Briar College 99%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Sweet Briar College 1,239
  • Admitted
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Sweet Briar College 936
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Sweet Briar College 75.5%
  • Enrolled
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Sweet Briar College 13.2%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Penn State 1330
  • Sweet Briar College 1210
  • Typical ACT score
  • Penn State 29
  • Sweet Briar College
  • Average High School GPA
  • Penn State -
  • Sweet Briar College 3.54
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Penn State -
  • Sweet Briar College A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Penn State Very High
  • Sweet Briar College Challenging
  • Applicant Competition
  • Penn State Low
  • Sweet Briar College
  • ACT Range
  • Penn State 27/32
  • Sweet Briar College
  • SAT Range
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Sweet Briar College 1100/1310
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Sweet Briar College Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Penn State
  • Sweet Briar College

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Sweet Briar College 9:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Sweet Briar College
    • Social Sciences (14%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (14%)
    • Biology (12%)
    • Business (12%)
    • Psychology (9%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Penn State 87%
  • Sweet Briar College 70%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Sweet Briar College $41,700
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Penn State 69%
  • Sweet Briar College 72%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Sweet Briar College $27,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Penn State $277
  • Sweet Briar College $279

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Penn State 52%
  • Sweet Briar College 0%
  • % Women
  • Penn State 48%
  • Sweet Briar College 100%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Penn State Medium
  • Sweet Briar College Medium
  • HBCU
  • Penn State No
  • Sweet Briar College No
  • % White
  • Penn State 69%
  • Sweet Briar College 71%
  • % Asian
  • Penn State 6%
  • Sweet Briar College 3%
  • % Black
  • Penn State 4%
  • Sweet Briar College 9%
  • % Hispanic
  • Penn State 6%
  • Sweet Briar College 9%
  • % Native American
  • Penn State 0%
  • Sweet Briar College 2%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Penn State 0%
  • Sweet Briar College 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Penn State 3%
  • Sweet Briar College 5%
  • % International
  • Penn State 11%
  • Sweet Briar College 0%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Penn State 2%
  • Sweet Briar College 1%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Penn State 53%
  • Sweet Briar College 48%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Penn State 40%
  • Sweet Briar College 52%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

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

Penn State Main Campus is larger than Sweet Briar College based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 444 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Penn State Main Campus is located in University Park, PA (Small City setting); Sweet Briar College is in Sweet Briar, VA (Small Suburban setting).
  • Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Sweet Briar College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Penn State Main Campus 16:1; Sweet Briar College 9:1.

Penn State vs. Sweet Briar College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State or Sweet Briar College? 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 Sweet Briar College than Penn State ($21,322 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 5% lower than at Sweet Briar College ($14,474 vs. $15,230).
  • Sweet Briar College is 26.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $5,516 more per year; $26,160.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 59.7% higher at Penn State than at Sweet Briar College (about $15,630 more per year; $41,790.00 vs. $26,160.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Sweet Briar College than at Penn State Main Campus (99% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Sweet Briar College students is 97.5% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($22,387 vs. $11,336).

Penn State vs. Sweet Briar College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Penn State or Sweet Briar College? 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 Sweet Briar College and Penn State.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Penn State Main Campus (1330) is 120 points higher than at Sweet Briar College (1210).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420; Sweet Briar College 1100/1310.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Penn State - Test optional; Sweet Briar College - Test optional.
  • Sweet Briar College has a higher acceptance rate (75.5%) than Penn State (60.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.1% at Penn State vs. 13.2% at Sweet Briar College.

Penn State vs. Sweet Briar College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Penn State and Sweet Briar College? 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).

  • Penn State Main Campus's six-year graduation rate (87%) is higher than Sweet Briar College's (70%).
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn a median of about $13,600 more per year than Sweet Briar College graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $41,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Penn State Main Campus graduates have a $182 lower median loan debt than Sweet Briar College graduates ($26,818 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, Penn State graduates have an estimated $2 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Sweet Briar College graduates ($277 vs. $279).
  • More Sweet Briar College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (72% 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.