Penn State vs. Ursinus College

Deciding between Penn State Main Campus and Ursinus 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
Ursinus College

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Ursinus College Collegeville, PA
  • Setting
  • Penn State Small City
  • Ursinus College Large Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Ursinus College 1,502
  • Type
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • Ursinus College Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Penn State #185
  • Ursinus College #249
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Penn State -
  • Ursinus College -
  • Status
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Ursinus College Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Penn State
  • Ursinus College

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Ursinus College $61,210
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Ursinus College $61,210
  • Room & Board
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Ursinus College $17,028
  • Average Net Price
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Ursinus College $32,158
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Penn State $11,336
  • Ursinus College $44,754
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Penn State 37%
  • Ursinus College 100%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Ursinus College 3,304
  • Admitted
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Ursinus College 3,032
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Ursinus College 91.8%
  • Enrolled
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Ursinus College 12.5%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Penn State 1330
  • Ursinus College 1290
  • Typical ACT score
  • Penn State 29
  • Ursinus College 30
  • Average High School GPA
  • Penn State -
  • Ursinus College 3.53
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Penn State -
  • Ursinus College A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Penn State Very High
  • Ursinus College Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Penn State Low
  • Ursinus College
  • ACT Range
  • Penn State 27/32
  • Ursinus College 28/32
  • SAT Range
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Ursinus College 1200/1385
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Ursinus College Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Penn State
  • Ursinus College May 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Ursinus College 10:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Ursinus College
    • Social Sciences (24%)
    • Biology (17%)
    • Psychology (9%)
    • English and Literature (7%)
    • Foreign Languages (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Penn State 87%
  • Ursinus College 80%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Ursinus College $58,000
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Penn State 69%
  • Ursinus College 83%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Ursinus College $27,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Penn State $277
  • Ursinus College $279

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Penn State 52%
  • Ursinus College 52%
  • % Women
  • Penn State 48%
  • Ursinus College 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Penn State Medium
  • Ursinus College Low
  • HBCU
  • Penn State No
  • Ursinus College No
  • % White
  • Penn State 69%
  • Ursinus College 74%
  • % Asian
  • Penn State 6%
  • Ursinus College 5%
  • % Black
  • Penn State 4%
  • Ursinus College 6%
  • % Hispanic
  • Penn State 6%
  • Ursinus College 6%
  • % Native American
  • Penn State 0%
  • Ursinus College 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Penn State 0%
  • Ursinus College 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Penn State 3%
  • Ursinus College 4%
  • % International
  • Penn State 11%
  • Ursinus College 2%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Penn State 2%
  • Ursinus College 3%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Penn State 53%
  • Ursinus College 56%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Penn State 40%
  • Ursinus College 43%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

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

Penn State Main Campus is larger than Ursinus College based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 1,502 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Penn State Main Campus is located in University Park, PA (Small City setting); Ursinus College is in Collegeville, PA (Large Suburban setting).
  • Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Ursinus College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Penn State Main Campus 16:1; Ursinus College 10:1.

Penn State vs. Ursinus College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State or Ursinus 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 Penn State Main Campus than Ursinus College ($27,889 vs. $32,158).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 15% lower than at Ursinus College ($14,474 vs. $17,028).
  • Ursinus College is 196.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $40,566 more per year; $61,210.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 46.5% higher at Ursinus College than at Penn State Main Campus (about $19,420 more per year; $61,210.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Ursinus College than at Penn State Main Campus (100% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ursinus College students is 294.8% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($44,754 vs. $11,336).

Penn State vs. Ursinus College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Penn State or Ursinus 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 Ursinus College and Penn State.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Penn State Main Campus (1330) is 40 points higher than at Ursinus College (1290).
  • Incoming Ursinus College students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (30 vs. 29 at Penn State).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420; Ursinus College 1200/1385.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Main Campus 27/32; Ursinus College 28/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Penn State - Test optional; Ursinus College - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Ursinus College May 1, 2027.
  • Ursinus College has a higher acceptance rate (91.8%) than Penn State (60.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.1% at Penn State vs. 12.5% at Ursinus College.

Penn State vs. Ursinus College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Penn State and Ursinus 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 Ursinus College's (80%).
  • Graduates from Ursinus College earn a median of about $2,700 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($58,000 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Penn State Main Campus graduates have a $182 lower median loan debt than Ursinus College graduates ($26,818 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, Penn State graduates have an estimated $2 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Ursinus College graduates ($277 vs. $279).
  • More Ursinus College 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.