Penn State Beaver vs. WVU

Should I go to Penn State Beaver or West Virginia University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Penn State Beaver or WVU 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

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

Marshall University JMU ECU Penn State TU Ohio University WCU Kent State WVSU Kentucky Old Dominion Mason
Penn State Beaver vs. West Virginia University comparison
Penn State Beaver West Virginia University College 3 College 4
West Virginia University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Penn State Beaver WVU
Location Monaca, PA Morgantown, WV
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 522 24,741
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #559
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu wvu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Penn State Beaver WVU
Tuition (In State) $13,824 $9,360
Tuition (Out of State) $23,086 $26,568
Room & Board $12,254 $11,618
Avg Net Price $18,113 $12,202
Avg Grant Aid $9,274 $11,685
% Receiving Grant Aid 87% 94%

Admission

 Penn State Beaver WVU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,707 18,206
Admitted 1,591 16,091
Acceptance Rate 93.2% 88.4%
Enrolled % 10.6% 28.4%
Avg High School GPA - 3.45
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/28 20/26
SAT Range 1050/1260 1000/1220
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 Beaver WVU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (54%)
  • Psychology (24%)
  • Communication (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (3%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (1%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)

Outcomes

 Penn State Beaver WVU
Graduation Rate 47% 57%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $50,600
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,818 $24,001
Median Loan Payment $277 $248

Diversity

 Penn State Beaver WVU
% Men 55% 47%
% Women 45% 53%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 75% 81%
% Black 9% 5%
% Hispanic 5% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 3% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

 Penn State Beaver WVU
% In-State 63% 42%
% Out-of-State 34% 57%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • West Virginia University is larger than than Penn State Beaver based on total student enrollment (24,741 students vs. 522 students)

Penn State Beaver vs. WVU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Beaver or WVU?

  • Penn State Beaver is 47.7% more expensive to attend than WVU for in-state tuition ($13,824.00 vs. $9,360.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 15.1% higher at WVU than Penn State Beaver ($26,568.00 vs. $23,086.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at West Virginia University than Penn State Beaver ($12,202 vs. $18,113)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at West Virginia University are 5.5% lower than costs at Penn State Beaver ($11,618 vs. $12,254)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at West Virginia University than Penn State Beaver (94% vs. 87%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by West Virginia University students is 26% larger than aid received Penn State Beaver ($11,685 vs. $9,274)

Penn State Beaver vs. WVU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at West Virginia University (1078) is 79 points higher than at Penn State Beaver (999)
  • Incoming WVU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Penn State Beaver (21)
  • Penn State Beaver has a higher acceptance rate (93.2%) than WVU (88.4%)

Penn State Beaver vs. WVU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State Beaver or WVU? 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 WVU and Penn State Beaver.

  • The graduation rate at WVU is higher than Penn State Beaver (57% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Beaver earn on average $4,700 more per year than WVU graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $50,600)
  • West Virginia University students graduate with a $2,817 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Beaver graduates. ($24,001 vs. $26,818)
  • WVU graduates are paying $29 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Beaver graduates. ($248 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Beaver graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WVU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 59%)

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