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Virginia Tech UD Harvard Rutgers Yale UConn Pitt UMass Penn Duke Cornell UB| Princeton University | Penn State Main Campus | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Princeton | Penn State | ||
| Location | Princeton, NJ | University Park, PA | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 8,842 | 50,028 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #1 | #167 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | princeton.edu | psu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Princeton | Penn State | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $57,410 | $18,368 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $57,410 | $35,946 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,630 | $12,744 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $18,698 | $26,747 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $59,792 | $10,066 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 61% | 44% |
Admission |
Princeton | Penn State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 38,019 | 85,784 | ||
| Admitted | 2,167 | 47,360 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 5.7% | 55.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 69.2% | 19.5% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.93 | - | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | - | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 33/35 | 26/31 | ||
| SAT Range | 1490/1580 | 1210/1390 | ||
| 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 | Jan 1, 2025 |
Academics |
Princeton | Penn State | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 5:1 | 15:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Princeton | Penn State | ||
| Graduation Rate | 96% | 87% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $113,900 | $55,300 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 83% | 69% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $7,500 | $26,818 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $77 | $277 |
Diversity |
Princeton | Penn State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 53% | 53% | ||
| % Women | 47% | 47% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 45% | 69% | ||
| % Black | 8% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 9% | 6% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 3% | ||
| % International | 11% | 11% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 2% |
Students |
Princeton | Penn State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 16% | 51% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 69% | 40% | ||
Campus |
Princeton | Penn State | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | Yes | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Penn State Main Campus is larger than than Princeton based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 8,842 students)
Princeton vs. Penn State Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Princeton or Penn State?
- Princeton University is 212.6% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($57,410.00 vs. $18,368.00)
- Out of state tuition is 59.7% higher at Princeton than Penn State Main Campus ($57,410.00 vs. $35,946.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Princeton University than Penn State ($18,698 vs. $26,747)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 46.2% lower than costs at Princeton University ($12,744 vs. $18,630)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Princeton University than Penn State Main Campus (61% vs. 44%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Princeton University students is 494% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($59,792 vs. $10,066)
Princeton vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Princeton or Penn State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Penn State or Princeton .
- The average SAT score at Princeton University (1490) is 288 points higher than at Penn State (1202)
- Incoming Princeton students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Penn State (27)
- Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (55.2%) than Princeton (5.7%)
Princeton vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Princeton or Penn State? 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 Penn State and Princeton.
- The graduation rate at Princeton is higher than Penn State Main Campus (96% vs. 87%)
- Graduates from Princeton University earn on average $58,600 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($113,900 vs. $55,300)
- Princeton University students graduate with a $19,318 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($7,500 vs. $26,818)
- Princeton graduates are paying $200 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($77 vs. $277)
- More Princeton 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/