Penn State vs. UVM

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

 Penn State UVM
Location University Park, PA Burlington, VT
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 50,399 14,320
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #171 #205
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu uvm.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Penn State UVM
Tuition (In State) $19,672 $16,280
Tuition (Out of State) $39,626 $41,280
Room & Board $13,030 $13,354
Avg Net Price $27,450 $22,062
Avg Grant Aid $11,577 $19,093
% Receiving Grant Aid 36% 100%

Admission

 Penn State UVM
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 85,956 28,236
Admitted 46,605 16,947
Acceptance Rate 54.2% 60%
Enrolled % 19.4% 17.1%
Avg High School GPA - 3.75
Typical High School Grades - A-
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 27/32 29/32
SAT Range 1220/1400 1250/1420
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 15, 2026

Academics

 Penn State UVM
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (8%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

 Penn State UVM
Graduation Rate 87% 72%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $53,500
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,818 $22,300
Median Loan Payment $277 $230

Diversity

 Penn State UVM
% Men 8% 6%
% Women 8% 9%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 69% 82%
% Black 4% 1%
% Hispanic 6% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 11% 4%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

 Penn State UVM
% In-State 51% 18%
% Out-of-State 40% 79%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than UVM based on total student enrollment (50,399 students vs. 14,320 students)

Penn State vs. UVM Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State or UVM?

  • Penn State Main Campus is 20.8% more expensive to attend than UVM for in-state tuition ($19,672.00 vs. $16,280.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.2% higher at UVM than Penn State Main Campus ($41,280.00 vs. $39,626.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Vermont than Penn State ($22,062 vs. $27,450)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 2.5% lower than costs at University of Vermont ($13,030 vs. $13,354)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Vermont than Penn State Main Campus (100% vs. 36%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Vermont students is 64.9% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($19,093 vs. $11,577)

Penn State vs. UVM Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Vermont (1211) is 9 points higher than at Penn State (1202)
  • Incoming UVM students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Penn State (27)
  • UVM has a higher acceptance rate (60%) than Penn State (54.2%)

Penn State vs. UVM Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State or UVM? 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 UVM and Penn State.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than University of Vermont (87% vs. 72%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn on average $1,800 more per year than UVM graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $53,500)
  • University of Vermont students graduate with a $4,518 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($22,300 vs. $26,818)
  • UVM graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($230 vs. $277)
  • More UVM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 69%)

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