Penn State vs. Westminster College

Deciding between Penn State Main Campus and Westminster 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
Westminster College

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Westminster College New Wilmington, PA
  • Setting
  • Penn State Small City
  • Westminster College Town Fringe
  • Total enrollment
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Westminster College 1,191
  • Type
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • Westminster College Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Penn State #185
  • Westminster College #557
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Penn State -
  • Westminster College Presbyterian Church (USA)
  • Status
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Westminster College Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Penn State
  • Westminster College

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Westminster College $40,290
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Westminster College $40,290
  • Room & Board
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Westminster College $12,880
  • Average Net Price
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Westminster College $20,394
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Penn State $11,336
  • Westminster College $32,553
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Penn State 37%
  • Westminster College 100%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Westminster College 2,392
  • Admitted
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Westminster College 2,214
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Westminster College 92.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Westminster College 12.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Penn State 1330
  • Westminster College 1150
  • Typical ACT score
  • Penn State 29
  • Westminster College 23
  • Average High School GPA
  • Penn State -
  • Westminster College 3.57
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Penn State -
  • Westminster College A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Penn State Very High
  • Westminster College Moderate
  • Applicant Competition
  • Penn State Low
  • Westminster College
  • ACT Range
  • Penn State 27/32
  • Westminster College 20/26
  • SAT Range
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Westminster College 1040/1258
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Westminster College Test-free
  • Application Deadline
  • Penn State
  • Westminster College

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Westminster College 12:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Westminster College
    • Education (20%)
    • Business (18%)
    • Communication (12%)
    • Social Sciences (10%)
    • Biology (10%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Penn State 87%
  • Westminster College 74%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Westminster College $45,700
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Penn State 69%
  • Westminster College 82%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Westminster College $27,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Penn State $277
  • Westminster College $279

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Penn State 52%
  • Westminster College 49%
  • % Women
  • Penn State 48%
  • Westminster College 51%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Penn State Medium
  • Westminster College Very Low
  • HBCU
  • Penn State No
  • Westminster College No
  • % White
  • Penn State 69%
  • Westminster College 77%
  • % Asian
  • Penn State 6%
  • Westminster College 1%
  • % Black
  • Penn State 4%
  • Westminster College 3%
  • % Hispanic
  • Penn State 6%
  • Westminster College 1%
  • % Native American
  • Penn State 0%
  • Westminster College 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Penn State 0%
  • Westminster College 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Penn State 3%
  • Westminster College 2%
  • % International
  • Penn State 11%
  • Westminster College 0%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Penn State 2%
  • Westminster College 15%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Penn State 53%
  • Westminster College 66%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Penn State 40%
  • Westminster College 33%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

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

Penn State Main Campus is larger than Westminster College based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 1,191 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Penn State Main Campus is located in University Park, PA (Small City setting); Westminster College is in New Wilmington, PA (Town Fringe setting).
  • Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Westminster College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Penn State Main Campus 16:1; Westminster College 12:1.

Penn State vs. Westminster College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State or Westminster 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 Westminster College than Penn State ($20,394 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Westminster College are 11% lower than at Penn State Main Campus ($12,880 vs. $14,474).
  • Westminster College is 95.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $19,646 more per year; $40,290.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 3.7% higher at Penn State than at Westminster College (about $1,500 more per year; $41,790.00 vs. $40,290.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Westminster College than at Penn State Main Campus (100% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Westminster College students is 187.2% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($32,553 vs. $11,336).

Penn State vs. Westminster College Admissions comparison

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

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Penn State Main Campus (1330) is 180 points higher than at Westminster College (1150).
  • Incoming Penn State students have a 6 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (29 vs. 23 at Westminster College).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420; Westminster College 1040/1258.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Main Campus 27/32; Westminster College 20/26.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Penn State - Test optional; Westminster College - Test-free.
  • Westminster College has a higher acceptance rate (92.6%) than Penn State (60.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.1% at Penn State vs. 12.1% at Westminster College.

Penn State vs. Westminster College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Penn State and Westminster 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 Westminster College's (74%).
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn a median of about $9,600 more per year than Westminster College graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $45,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Penn State Main Campus graduates have a $182 lower median loan debt than Westminster College graduates ($26,818 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, Penn State graduates have an estimated $2 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Westminster College graduates ($277 vs. $279).
  • More Westminster College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (82% 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.