Skidmore College vs. Penn State

Should I go to Skidmore College or Penn State Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Skidmore College 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 Vassar Clemson Syracuse
Skidmore College vs. Penn State Main Campus comparison
Skidmore College Penn State Main Campus College 3 College 4
Skidmore College Penn State Main Campus
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Skidmore College Penn State
Location Saratoga Springs, NY University Park, PA
Setting Small Suburban Small City
Enrollment 2,776 50,399
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #52 #171
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website skidmore.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Skidmore College Penn State
Tuition (In State) $63,730 $19,672
Tuition (Out of State) $63,730 $39,626
Room & Board $17,340 $13,030
Avg Net Price $32,368 $27,450
Avg Grant Aid $49,522 $11,577
% Receiving Grant Aid 52% 36%

Admission

 Skidmore College Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,144 85,956
Admitted 2,784 46,605
Acceptance Rate 22.9% 54.2%
Enrolled % 26.4% 19.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 30/33 27/32
SAT Range 1300/1460 1220/1400
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 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

 Skidmore College Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (19%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (16%)
  • Business (10%)
  • English and Literature (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 Skidmore College Penn State
Graduation Rate 84% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,400 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 88% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $201 $277

Diversity

 Skidmore College Penn State
% Men 0% 8%
% Women 0% 8%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 64% 69%
% Black 4% 4%
% Hispanic 8% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 10% 11%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

 Skidmore College Penn State
% In-State 33% 51%
% Out-of-State 58% 40%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than Skidmore College based on total student enrollment (50,399 students vs. 2,776 students)

Skidmore College vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Skidmore College or Penn State?

  • Skidmore College is 224% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($63,730.00 vs. $19,672.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 60.8% higher at Skidmore College than Penn State Main Campus ($63,730.00 vs. $39,626.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Main Campus than Skidmore College ($27,450 vs. $32,368)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 33.1% lower than costs at Skidmore College ($13,030 vs. $17,340)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Skidmore College than Penn State Main Campus (52% vs. 36%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Skidmore College students is 327.8% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($49,522 vs. $11,577)

Skidmore College vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Skidmore College (1239) is 37 points higher than at Penn State (1202)
  • Incoming Skidmore College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Penn State (27)
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (54.2%) than Skidmore College (22.9%)

Skidmore College vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Skidmore College 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 Skidmore College.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than Skidmore College (87% vs. 84%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn on average $900 more per year than Skidmore College graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $54,400)
  • Skidmore College students graduate with a $7,318 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($19,500 vs. $26,818)
  • Skidmore College graduates are paying $76 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($201 vs. $277)
  • More Skidmore College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 69%)

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