Quinnipiac vs. Penn State

Deciding between Quinnipiac University and Penn State Main Campus? 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.

Quinnipiac University
Penn State Main Campus

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Quinnipiac Hamden, CT
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • Quinnipiac Large Suburban
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Quinnipiac 9,424
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • Quinnipiac Private 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Quinnipiac #179
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Quinnipiac -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • Quinnipiac Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Quinnipiac
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Quinnipiac $55,480
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Quinnipiac $55,480
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • Quinnipiac $17,260
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Quinnipiac $40,632
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Quinnipiac $31,568
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Quinnipiac 100%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Quinnipiac 23,949
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • Quinnipiac 17,280
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Quinnipiac 72.2%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Quinnipiac 11.1%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Quinnipiac 1240
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Quinnipiac 27
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Quinnipiac 3.39
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Quinnipiac B+
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Quinnipiac Difficult
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Quinnipiac Low
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Quinnipiac 25/30
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Quinnipiac 1150/1320
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Quinnipiac Test optional
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Quinnipiac Feb 1, 2027
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Quinnipiac 12:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Quinnipiac
    • Health Professions (26%)
    • Business (25%)
    • Communication (19%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)
    • Psychology (6%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Quinnipiac 77%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Quinnipiac $65,500
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Quinnipiac 82%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Quinnipiac $26,000
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Quinnipiac $268
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Quinnipiac 38%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • Quinnipiac 62%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Quinnipiac Low
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Quinnipiac No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • Quinnipiac 77%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • Quinnipiac 3%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • Quinnipiac 5%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Quinnipiac 9%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Quinnipiac 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Quinnipiac 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Quinnipiac 2%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • Quinnipiac 2%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Quinnipiac 3%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Quinnipiac 32%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Quinnipiac 66%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Quinnipiac University in Hamden, CT with Penn State Main Campus in University Park, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Penn State Main Campus is larger than Quinnipiac based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 9,424 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Quinnipiac University is located in Hamden, CT (Large Suburban setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • Quinnipiac University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Quinnipiac University 12:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

Quinnipiac vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Quinnipiac or Penn State? 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 Penn State Main Campus than Quinnipiac ($27,889 vs. $40,632).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 16.1% lower than at Quinnipiac University ($14,474 vs. $17,260).
  • Quinnipiac University is 168.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $34,836 more per year; $55,480.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 32.8% higher at Quinnipiac than at Penn State Main Campus (about $13,690 more per year; $55,480.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Quinnipiac University than at Penn State Main Campus (100% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Quinnipiac University students is 178.5% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($31,568 vs. $11,336).

Quinnipiac vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

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

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Penn State Main Campus (1330) is 90 points higher than at Quinnipiac (1240).
  • Incoming Penn State students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (29 vs. 27 at Quinnipiac).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Quinnipiac University 1150/1320; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Quinnipiac University 25/30; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Quinnipiac - Test optional; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Quinnipiac Feb 1, 2027.
  • Quinnipiac has a higher acceptance rate (72.2%) than Penn State (60.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 11.1% at Quinnipiac vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

Quinnipiac vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Quinnipiac and Penn State? 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 Quinnipiac University's (77%).
  • Graduates from Quinnipiac University earn a median of about $10,200 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($65,500 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Quinnipiac University graduates have a $818 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($26,000 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Quinnipiac graduates have an estimated $9 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($268 vs. $277).
  • More Quinnipiac 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.