Sarah Lawrence vs. Penn State

Deciding between Sarah Lawrence College 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.

Sarah Lawrence College
Penn State Main Campus

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Sarah Lawrence Bronxville, NY
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • Sarah Lawrence Large Suburban
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Sarah Lawrence 1,798
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • Sarah Lawrence Private 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Sarah Lawrence #144
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Sarah Lawrence -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • Sarah Lawrence Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Sarah Lawrence
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Sarah Lawrence $66,862
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Sarah Lawrence $66,862
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • Sarah Lawrence $18,426
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Sarah Lawrence $43,629
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Sarah Lawrence $38,838
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Sarah Lawrence 90%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Sarah Lawrence 4,617
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • Sarah Lawrence 2,850
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Sarah Lawrence 61.7%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Sarah Lawrence 14.6%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Sarah Lawrence 1340
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Sarah Lawrence 29
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Sarah Lawrence 3.75
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Sarah Lawrence A-
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Sarah Lawrence Very High
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Sarah Lawrence Low
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Sarah Lawrence 28/31
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Sarah Lawrence 1240/1430
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Sarah Lawrence Test optional
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Sarah Lawrence Jan 15, 2027
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Sarah Lawrence 10:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Sarah Lawrence
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (100%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Sarah Lawrence 70%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Sarah Lawrence $44,100
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Sarah Lawrence 83%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Sarah Lawrence $13,500
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Sarah Lawrence $139
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Sarah Lawrence 20%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • Sarah Lawrence 80%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Sarah Lawrence High
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Sarah Lawrence No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • Sarah Lawrence 53%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • Sarah Lawrence 5%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • Sarah Lawrence 4%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Sarah Lawrence 10%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Sarah Lawrence 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Sarah Lawrence 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Sarah Lawrence 7%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • Sarah Lawrence 13%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Sarah Lawrence 8%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Sarah Lawrence 15%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Sarah Lawrence 78%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, NY 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 Sarah Lawrence based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 1,798 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Sarah Lawrence College is located in Bronxville, NY (Large Suburban setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • Sarah Lawrence College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Sarah Lawrence College 10:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

Sarah Lawrence vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Sarah Lawrence 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 Sarah Lawrence ($27,889 vs. $43,629).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 21.4% lower than at Sarah Lawrence College ($14,474 vs. $18,426).
  • Sarah Lawrence College is 223.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $46,218 more per year; $66,862.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 60% higher at Sarah Lawrence than at Penn State Main Campus (about $25,072 more per year; $66,862.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Sarah Lawrence College than at Penn State Main Campus (90% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Sarah Lawrence College students is 242.6% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($38,838 vs. $11,336).

Sarah Lawrence vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Sarah Lawrence 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 Sarah Lawrence.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Sarah Lawrence College (1340) is 10 points higher than at Penn State (1330).
  • Incoming Sarah Lawrence students have the same typical ACT composite (median estimate; 29) as students at Penn State (29).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Sarah Lawrence College 1240/1430; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Sarah Lawrence College 28/31; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Sarah Lawrence - Test optional; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Sarah Lawrence Jan 15, 2027.
  • Sarah Lawrence has a higher acceptance rate (61.7%) than Penn State (60.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 14.6% at Sarah Lawrence vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

Sarah Lawrence vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Sarah Lawrence 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 Sarah Lawrence College's (70%).
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn a median of about $11,200 more per year than Sarah Lawrence graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $44,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Sarah Lawrence College graduates have a $13,318 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($13,500 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Sarah Lawrence graduates have an estimated $138 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($139 vs. $277).
  • More Sarah Lawrence 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.