SUNY-ESF vs. Penn State

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

SUNY-ESF Penn State
Location Syracuse, NY University Park, PA
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 1,976 50,028
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #206 #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website esf.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SUNY-ESF Penn State
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $18,720 $35,946
Room & Board $17,300 $12,744
Avg Net Price $20,928 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $8,713 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 44%

Admission

SUNY-ESF Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,466 85,784
Admitted 1,714 47,360
Acceptance Rate 69.5% 55.2%
Enrolled % 20.8% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 24/30 26/31
SAT Range 1130/1300 1210/1390
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2025

Academics

SUNY-ESF Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Biology (38%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (37%)
  • Architecture (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Construction Trades (4%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

SUNY-ESF Penn State
Graduation Rate 66% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,200 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,750 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $204 $277

Diversity

SUNY-ESF Penn State
% Men 49% 53%
% Women 51% 47%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 82% 69%
% Black 1% 4%
% Hispanic 5% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 2% 11%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

SUNY-ESF Penn State
% In-State 76% 51%
% Out-of-State 23% 40%

Campus

SUNY-ESF Penn State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No 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 SUNY-ESF based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 1,976 students)

SUNY-ESF vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SUNY-ESF or Penn State?

  • Penn State Main Campus is 159.8% more expensive to attend than SUNY-ESF for in-state tuition ($18,368.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 92% higher at Penn State than SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry ($35,946.00 vs. $18,720.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry than Penn State ($20,928 vs. $26,747)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 35.8% lower than costs at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry ($12,744 vs. $17,300)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry than Penn State Main Campus (89% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Main Campus students is 15.5% larger than aid received SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry ($10,066 vs. $8,713)

SUNY-ESF vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (1215) is 13 points higher than at Penn State (1202)
  • Incoming SUNY-ESF students have at the same average ACT score (27) as students at Penn State (27)
  • SUNY-ESF has a higher acceptance rate (69.5%) than Penn State (55.2%)

SUNY-ESF vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SUNY-ESF 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 SUNY-ESF.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (87% vs. 66%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn on average $9,100 more per year than SUNY-ESF graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $46,200)
  • SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry students graduate with a $7,068 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($19,750 vs. $26,818)
  • SUNY-ESF graduates are paying $73 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($204 vs. $277)
  • More SUNY-ESF graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 69%)

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