University at Albany- SUNY vs. Penn State

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

University at Albany- SUNY Penn State
Location Albany, NY University Park, PA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 16,658 50,028
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #242 #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website albany.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University at Albany- SUNY Penn State
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $24,910 $35,946
Room & Board $15,598 $12,744
Avg Net Price $17,714 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $11,485 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 44%

Admission

University at Albany- SUNY Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,976 85,784
Admitted 17,639 47,360
Acceptance Rate 67.9% 55.2%
Enrolled % 15% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 22/31 26/31
SAT Range 1120/1320 1210/1390
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2025

Academics

University at Albany- SUNY Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • English and Literature (14%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

University at Albany- SUNY Penn State
Graduation Rate 64% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,800 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,065 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $217 $277

Diversity

University at Albany- SUNY Penn State
% Men 43% 53%
% Women 57% 47%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 49% 69%
% Black 16% 4%
% Hispanic 15% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 6% 11%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

University at Albany- SUNY Penn State
% In-State 92% 51%
% Out-of-State 4% 40%

Campus

University at Albany- SUNY Penn State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than University at Albany- SUNY based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 16,658 students)

University at Albany- SUNY vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University at Albany- SUNY or Penn State?

  • Penn State Main Campus is 159.8% more expensive to attend than University at Albany- SUNY for in-state tuition ($18,368.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 44.3% higher at Penn State than SUNY at Albany ($35,946.00 vs. $24,910.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY at Albany than Penn State ($17,714 vs. $26,747)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 22.4% lower than costs at SUNY at Albany ($12,744 vs. $15,598)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY at Albany than Penn State Main Campus (95% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by SUNY at Albany students is 14.1% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($11,485 vs. $10,066)

University at Albany- SUNY vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Main Campus (1202) is 111 points higher than at University at Albany- SUNY (1091)
  • Incoming Penn State students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at University at Albany- SUNY (24)
  • University at Albany- SUNY has a higher acceptance rate (67.9%) than Penn State (55.2%)

University at Albany- SUNY vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University at Albany- SUNY 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 University at Albany- SUNY.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than SUNY at Albany (87% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from SUNY at Albany earn on average $500 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($55,800 vs. $55,300)
  • SUNY at Albany students graduate with a $5,753 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($21,065 vs. $26,818)
  • University at Albany- SUNY graduates are paying $60 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($217 vs. $277)
  • More University at Albany- SUNY graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 69%)

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