Penn State vs. Utah

Deciding between Penn State Main Campus and University of Utah? 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
University of Utah

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Utah Salt Lake City, UT
  • Setting
  • Penn State Small City
  • Utah Midsize City
  • Total enrollment
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Utah 36,894
  • Type
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • Utah Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Penn State #185
  • Utah #258
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Penn State -
  • Utah -
  • Status
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Utah Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Penn State
  • Utah

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Utah $9,620
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Utah $30,860
  • Room & Board
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Utah $13,315
  • Average Net Price
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Utah $16,583
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Penn State $11,336
  • Utah $12,744
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Penn State 37%
  • Utah 73%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Utah 26,822
  • Admitted
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Utah 23,062
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Utah 86%
  • Enrolled
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Utah 26%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Penn State 1330
  • Utah 1290
  • Typical ACT score
  • Penn State 29
  • Utah 25
  • Average High School GPA
  • Penn State -
  • Utah 3.64
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Penn State -
  • Utah A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Penn State Very High
  • Utah Difficult
  • Applicant Competition
  • Penn State Low
  • Utah
  • ACT Range
  • Penn State 27/32
  • Utah 22/29
  • SAT Range
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Utah 1190/1380
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Utah Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Penn State
  • Utah Apr 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Utah 19:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Utah
    • Social Sciences (17%)
    • Business (13%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Health Professions (8%)
    • Engineering (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Penn State 87%
  • Utah 55%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Utah $61,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Penn State 69%
  • Utah 72%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Utah $15,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Penn State $277
  • Utah $155

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Penn State 52%
  • Utah 51%
  • % Women
  • Penn State 48%
  • Utah 49%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Penn State Medium
  • Utah Medium
  • HBCU
  • Penn State No
  • Utah No
  • % White
  • Penn State 69%
  • Utah 70%
  • % Asian
  • Penn State 6%
  • Utah 6%
  • % Black
  • Penn State 4%
  • Utah 1%
  • % Hispanic
  • Penn State 6%
  • Utah 11%
  • % Native American
  • Penn State 0%
  • Utah 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Penn State 0%
  • Utah 1%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Penn State 3%
  • Utah 4%
  • % International
  • Penn State 11%
  • Utah 6%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Penn State 2%
  • Utah 1%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Penn State 53%
  • Utah 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Penn State 40%
  • Utah 42%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Penn State Main Campus in University Park, PA with University of Utah in Salt Lake City, UT on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Penn State Main Campus is larger than Utah based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 36,894 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Penn State Main Campus is located in University Park, PA (Small City setting); University of Utah is in Salt Lake City, UT (Midsize City setting).
  • Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. University of Utah is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Penn State Main Campus 16:1; University of Utah 19:1.

Penn State vs. Utah Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State or Utah? 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 University of Utah than Penn State ($16,583 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Utah are 8% lower than at Penn State Main Campus ($13,315 vs. $14,474).
  • Penn State Main Campus is 114.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than Utah (about $11,024 more per year; $20,644.00 vs. $9,620.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 35.4% higher at Penn State than at University of Utah (about $10,930 more per year; $41,790.00 vs. $30,860.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of Utah than at Penn State Main Campus (73% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Utah students is 12.4% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($12,744 vs. $11,336).

Penn State vs. Utah Admissions comparison

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

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Penn State Main Campus (1330) is 40 points higher than at Utah (1290).
  • Incoming Penn State students have a 4 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (29 vs. 25 at Utah).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420; University of Utah 1190/1380.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Main Campus 27/32; University of Utah 22/29.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Penn State - Test optional; Utah - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Utah Apr 1, 2027.
  • Utah has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than Penn State (60.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.1% at Penn State vs. 26% at Utah.

Penn State vs. Utah Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Penn State and Utah? 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 University of Utah's (55%).
  • Graduates from University of Utah earn a median of about $6,000 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($61,300 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, University of Utah graduates have a $11,818 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($15,000 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Utah graduates have an estimated $122 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($155 vs. $277).
  • More Utah 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.