Saint Joseph's University vs. Penn State

Should I go to Saint Joseph's University or Penn State Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Saint Joseph's University 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

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

Virginia Tech UD Rutgers UConn Pitt UMass UB NC State Michigan State Clemson Syracuse Drexel
Saint Joseph's University vs. Penn State Main Campus comparison
Saint Joseph's University Penn State Main Campus College 3 College 4
Saint Joseph's University Penn State Main Campus
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Saint Joseph's University Penn State
Location Philadelphia, PA University Park, PA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 7,861 50,028
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #141 #167
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sju.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Saint Joseph's University Penn State
Tuition (In State) $49,410 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $49,410 $35,946
Room & Board $15,285 $12,744
Avg Net Price $33,777 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $29,822 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 44%

Admission

Saint Joseph's University Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,708 85,784
Admitted 8,609 47,360
Acceptance Rate 88.7% 55.2%
Enrolled % 12.7% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.65 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 26/31 26/31
SAT Range 1150/1330 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 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

Saint Joseph's University Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (46%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

Saint Joseph's University Penn State
Graduation Rate 76% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,000 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,008 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $237 $277

Diversity

Saint Joseph's University Penn State
% Men 41% 53%
% Women 59% 47%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 80% 69%
% Black 7% 4%
% Hispanic 6% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 2% 11%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

Saint Joseph's University Penn State
% In-State 50% 51%
% Out-of-State 48% 40%

Campus

Saint Joseph's University Penn State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than Saint Joseph's University based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 7,861 students)

Saint Joseph's University vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Saint Joseph's University or Penn State?

  • Saint Joseph's University is 169% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($49,410.00 vs. $18,368.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 37.5% higher at Saint Joseph's University than Penn State Main Campus ($49,410.00 vs. $35,946.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Main Campus than Saint Joseph's University ($26,747 vs. $33,777)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 19.9% lower than costs at Saint Joseph's University ($12,744 vs. $15,285)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Saint Joseph's University than Penn State Main Campus (100% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Joseph's University students is 196.3% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($29,822 vs. $10,066)

Saint Joseph's University vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Saint Joseph's University has a higher acceptance rate (88.7%) than Penn State (55.2%)

Saint Joseph's University vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Saint Joseph's University 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 Saint Joseph's University.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than Saint Joseph's University (87% vs. 76%)
  • Graduates from Saint Joseph's University earn on average $8,700 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($64,000 vs. $55,300)
  • Saint Joseph's University students graduate with a $3,810 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($23,008 vs. $26,818)
  • Saint Joseph's University graduates are paying $40 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($237 vs. $277)
  • More Saint Joseph's University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 69%)

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