Penn State vs. W&J

Should I go to Penn State Main Campus or Washington & Jefferson College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Penn State or W&J 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. Washington & Jefferson College comparison
Penn State Main Campus Washington & Jefferson College College 3 College 4
Penn State Main Campus Washington & Jefferson College
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Overview

Penn State W&J
Location University Park, PA Washington, PA
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 50,028 1,151
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #167 #264
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu washjeff.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Penn State W&J
Tuition (In State) $18,368 $49,612
Tuition (Out of State) $35,946 $49,612
Room & Board $12,744 $13,524
Avg Net Price $26,747 $25,636
Avg Grant Aid $10,066 $38,963
% Receiving Grant Aid 44% 100%

Admission

Penn State W&J
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 85,784 3,414
Admitted 47,360 3,007
Acceptance Rate 55.2% 88.1%
Enrolled % 19.5% 11.6%
Avg High School GPA - 3.54
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Very High Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 26/31 19/28
SAT Range 1210/1390 1010/1250
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

Academics

Penn State W&J
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Business (24%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • English and Literature (8%)

Outcomes

Penn State W&J
Graduation Rate 87% 74%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $56,900
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 79%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,818 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $277 $279

Diversity

Penn State W&J
% Men 53% 52%
% Women 47% 48%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 69% 81%
% Black 4% 5%
% Hispanic 6% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 11% 3%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

Penn State W&J
% In-State 51% 72%
% Out-of-State 40% 28%

Campus

Penn State W&J
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 W&J based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 1,151 students)

Penn State vs. W&J Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State or W&J?

  • Washington & Jefferson College is 170.1% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($49,612.00 vs. $18,368.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 38% higher at W&J than Penn State Main Campus ($49,612.00 vs. $35,946.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Washington & Jefferson College than Penn State ($25,636 vs. $26,747)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 6.1% lower than costs at Washington & Jefferson College ($12,744 vs. $13,524)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Washington & Jefferson College than Penn State Main Campus (100% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Washington & Jefferson College students is 287.1% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($38,963 vs. $10,066)

Penn State vs. W&J Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • W&J has a higher acceptance rate (88.1%) than Penn State (55.2%)

Penn State vs. W&J Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State or W&J? 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 W&J and Penn State.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than Washington & Jefferson College (87% vs. 74%)
  • Graduates from Washington & Jefferson College earn on average $1,600 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($56,900 vs. $55,300)
  • Penn State Main Campus students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than W&J graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than W&J graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More W&J graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (79% vs. 69%)

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