Rutgers vs. Penn State

Should I go to Rutgers University New Brunswick or Penn State Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Rutgers or Penn State 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.
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Rutgers University New Brunswick vs. Penn State Main Campus comparison
Rutgers University New Brunswick Penn State Main Campus College 3 College 4
Rutgers University New Brunswick Penn State Main Campus
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Overview

 Rutgers Penn State
Location New Brunswick, NJ University Park, PA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 50,637 50,028
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #112 #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website rutgers.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Rutgers Penn State
Tuition (In State) $12,900 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $30,600 $35,946
Room & Board $13,909 $12,744
Avg Net Price $17,535 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $12,785 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 44%

Admission

 Rutgers Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 41,654 85,784
Admitted 27,612 47,360
Acceptance Rate 66.3% 55.2%
Enrolled % 28.2% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 28/33 26/31
SAT Range 1270/1480 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

Academics

 Rutgers Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 Rutgers Penn State
Graduation Rate 77% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,200 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,215 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $229 $277

Diversity

 Rutgers Penn State
% Men 46% 53%
% Women 54% 47%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 42% 69%
% Black 7% 4%
% Hispanic 13% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 7% 11%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

 Rutgers Penn State
% In-State 85% 51%
% Out-of-State 8% 40%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Rutgers University New Brunswick is larger than than Penn State based on total student enrollment (50,637 students vs. 50,028 students)

Rutgers vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Rutgers or Penn State?

  • Penn State Main Campus is 42.4% more expensive to attend than Rutgers for in-state tuition ($18,368.00 vs. $12,900.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 17.5% higher at Penn State than Rutgers University New Brunswick ($35,946.00 vs. $30,600.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rutgers University New Brunswick than Penn State ($17,535 vs. $26,747)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 9.1% lower than costs at Rutgers University New Brunswick ($12,744 vs. $13,909)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rutgers University New Brunswick than Penn State Main Campus (57% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rutgers University New Brunswick students is 27% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($12,785 vs. $10,066)

Rutgers vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Rutgers University New Brunswick (1225) is 23 points higher than at Penn State (1202)
  • Rutgers has a higher acceptance rate (66.3%) than Penn State (55.2%)

Rutgers vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Rutgers 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 Rutgers.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than Rutgers University New Brunswick (87% vs. 77%)
  • Graduates from Rutgers University New Brunswick earn on average $10,900 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($66,200 vs. $55,300)
  • Rutgers University New Brunswick students graduate with a $4,603 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($22,215 vs. $26,818)
  • Rutgers graduates are paying $48 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($229 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Rutgers students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 68%)

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