Penn State vs. Washington and Lee

Deciding between Penn State Main Campus and Washington and Lee University? 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
Washington and Lee University

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Washington and Lee Lexington, VA
  • Setting
  • Penn State Small City
  • Washington and Lee Distant Town
  • Total enrollment
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Washington and Lee 2,241
  • Type
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • Washington and Lee Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Penn State #185
  • Washington and Lee #31
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Penn State -
  • Washington and Lee -
  • Status
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Washington and Lee Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Penn State
  • Washington and Lee

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Washington and Lee $68,045
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Washington and Lee $68,045
  • Room & Board
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Washington and Lee $18,685
  • Average Net Price
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Washington and Lee $23,055
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Penn State $11,336
  • Washington and Lee $63,945
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Penn State 37%
  • Washington and Lee 64%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Washington and Lee 8,213
  • Admitted
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Washington and Lee 1,147
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Washington and Lee 14%
  • Enrolled
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Washington and Lee 41.2%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Penn State 1330
  • Washington and Lee 1490
  • Typical ACT score
  • Penn State 29
  • Washington and Lee 33
  • Average High School GPA
  • Penn State -
  • Washington and Lee 3.87
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Penn State -
  • Washington and Lee A
  • Admissions Standards
  • Penn State Very High
  • Washington and Lee Exceptional
  • Applicant Competition
  • Penn State Low
  • Washington and Lee Very High
  • ACT Range
  • Penn State 27/32
  • Washington and Lee 33/34
  • SAT Range
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Washington and Lee 1430/1540
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Washington and Lee Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Penn State
  • Washington and Lee Jan 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Washington and Lee 7:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Washington and Lee
    • Social Sciences (21%)
    • Business (19%)
    • Foreign Languages (9%)
    • History (7%)
    • Biology (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Penn State 87%
  • Washington and Lee 91%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Washington and Lee $89,000
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Penn State 69%
  • Washington and Lee 88%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Washington and Lee $21,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Penn State $277
  • Washington and Lee $222

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Penn State 52%
  • Washington and Lee 50%
  • % Women
  • Penn State 48%
  • Washington and Lee 50%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Penn State Medium
  • Washington and Lee Very Low
  • HBCU
  • Penn State No
  • Washington and Lee No
  • % White
  • Penn State 69%
  • Washington and Lee 82%
  • % Asian
  • Penn State 6%
  • Washington and Lee 3%
  • % Black
  • Penn State 4%
  • Washington and Lee 2%
  • % Hispanic
  • Penn State 6%
  • Washington and Lee 3%
  • % Native American
  • Penn State 0%
  • Washington and Lee 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Penn State 0%
  • Washington and Lee 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Penn State 3%
  • Washington and Lee 3%
  • % International
  • Penn State 11%
  • Washington and Lee 4%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Penn State 2%
  • Washington and Lee 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Penn State 53%
  • Washington and Lee 17%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Penn State 40%
  • Washington and Lee 74%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

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

Penn State Main Campus is larger than Washington and Lee based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 2,241 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Penn State Main Campus is located in University Park, PA (Small City setting); Washington and Lee University is in Lexington, VA (Distant Town setting).
  • Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Washington and Lee University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Penn State Main Campus 16:1; Washington and Lee University 7:1.

Penn State vs. Washington and Lee Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State or Washington and Lee? 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 Washington and Lee University than Penn State ($23,055 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 22.5% lower than at Washington and Lee University ($14,474 vs. $18,685).
  • Washington and Lee University is 229.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $47,401 more per year; $68,045.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 62.8% higher at Washington and Lee than at Penn State Main Campus (about $26,255 more per year; $68,045.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Washington and Lee University than at Penn State Main Campus (64% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Washington and Lee University students is 464.1% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($63,945 vs. $11,336).

Penn State vs. Washington and Lee Admissions comparison

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

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Washington and Lee University (1490) is 160 points higher than at Penn State (1330).
  • Incoming Washington and Lee students have a 4 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (33 vs. 29 at Penn State).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420; Washington and Lee University 1430/1540.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Main Campus 27/32; Washington and Lee University 33/34.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Penn State - Test optional; Washington and Lee - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Washington and Lee Jan 1, 2027.
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than Washington and Lee (14%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.1% at Penn State vs. 41.2% at Washington and Lee.

Penn State vs. Washington and Lee Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Penn State and Washington and Lee? 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).

  • Washington and Lee University's six-year graduation rate (91%) is higher than Penn State Main Campus's (87%).
  • Graduates from Washington and Lee University earn a median of about $33,700 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($89,000 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Washington and Lee University graduates have a $5,318 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($21,500 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Washington and Lee graduates have an estimated $55 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($222 vs. $277).
  • More Washington and Lee graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (88% 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.