Sarah Lawrence vs. Penn State Brandywine

Comparable Facts

Compare Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, NY with Penn State Brandywine in Media, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Sarah Lawrence College is larger than Penn State Brandywine based on total student enrollment (1,798 students vs. 1,236 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Sarah Lawrence College is located in Bronxville, NY (Large Suburban setting); Penn State Brandywine is in Media, PA (Large Suburban setting).
• Sarah Lawrence College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Brandywine is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Sarah Lawrence College 10:1; Penn State Brandywine 15:1.

Sarah Lawrence vs. Penn State Brandywine Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Sarah Lawrence or Penn State Brandywine? 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 Brandywine than Sarah Lawrence ($22,710 vs. $43,629).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Brandywine are 21.4% lower than at Sarah Lawrence College ($14,474 vs. $18,426).
• Sarah Lawrence College is 339.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State Brandywine (about $51,654 more per year; $66,862.00 vs. $15,208.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 163.3% higher at Sarah Lawrence than at Penn State Brandywine (about $41,470 more per year; $66,862.00 vs. $25,392.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Sarah Lawrence College than at Penn State Brandywine (90% vs. 73%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Sarah Lawrence College students is 326.2% larger than aid received by Penn State Brandywine students ($38,838 vs. $9,113).

Sarah Lawrence vs. Penn State Brandywine Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Sarah Lawrence or Penn State Brandywine? 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 Brandywine and Sarah Lawrence.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Sarah Lawrence College (1340) is 140 points higher than at Penn State Brandywine (1200).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Sarah Lawrence College 1240/1430; Penn State Brandywine 1080/1310.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Sarah Lawrence College 28/31.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Sarah Lawrence - Test optional; Penn State Brandywine - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: Sarah Lawrence Jan 15, 2027.
• Penn State Brandywine has a higher acceptance rate (98.1%) than Sarah Lawrence (61.7%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 14.6% at Sarah Lawrence vs. 16.8% at Penn State Brandywine.

Sarah Lawrence vs. Penn State Brandywine Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Sarah Lawrence and Penn State Brandywine? 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).

• Sarah Lawrence College's six-year graduation rate (70%) is higher than Penn State Brandywine's (37%).
• Graduates from Penn State Brandywine 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 Brandywine 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 Brandywine graduates ($139 vs. $277).
• More Sarah Lawrence graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Brandywine 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.