Purchase College vs. Penn State

Should I go to SUNY at Purchase College or Penn State Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Purchase 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.

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SUNY at Purchase College vs. Penn State Main Campus comparison
SUNY at Purchase College Penn State Main Campus College 3 College 4
SUNY at Purchase College Penn State Main Campus
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Overview

Purchase College Penn State
Location Purchase, NY University Park, PA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 3,182 50,028
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #319 #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website purchase.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Purchase College Penn State
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $16,980 $35,946
Room & Board $14,948 $12,744
Avg Net Price $19,434 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $10,312 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 73% 44%

Admission

Purchase College Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,747 85,784
Admitted 4,292 47,360
Acceptance Rate 74.7% 55.2%
Enrolled % 16% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 29/31 26/31
SAT Range 1190/1350 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 Jul 1, 2025

Academics

Purchase College Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (37%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

Purchase College Penn State
Graduation Rate 56% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,200 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $232 $277

Diversity

Purchase College Penn State
% Men 42% 53%
% Women 58% 47%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 55% 69%
% Black 10% 4%
% Hispanic 18% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 2% 11%
% Unknown Race 7% 2%

Students

Purchase College Penn State
% In-State 85% 51%
% Out-of-State 14% 40%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than Purchase College based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 3,182 students)

Purchase College vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

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

  • Penn State Main Campus is 159.8% more expensive to attend than Purchase College for in-state tuition ($18,368.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 111.7% higher at Penn State than SUNY at Purchase College ($35,946.00 vs. $16,980.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY at Purchase College than Penn State ($19,434 vs. $26,747)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 17.3% lower than costs at SUNY at Purchase College ($12,744 vs. $14,948)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY at Purchase College than Penn State Main Campus (73% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by SUNY at Purchase College students is 2.4% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($10,312 vs. $10,066)

Purchase College vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Main Campus (1202) is 120 points higher than at Purchase College (1082)
  • Incoming Penn State students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Purchase College (25)
  • Purchase College has a higher acceptance rate (74.7%) than Penn State (55.2%)

Purchase College vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Purchase 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 Purchase College.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than SUNY at Purchase College (87% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn on average $15,100 more per year than Purchase College graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $40,200)
  • SUNY at Purchase College students graduate with a $4,318 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($22,500 vs. $26,818)
  • Purchase College graduates are paying $45 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($232 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purchase College students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 65%)

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