Syracuse vs. Penn State

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

 Syracuse Penn State
Location Syracuse, NY University Park, PA
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 22,948 50,399
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #160 #171
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website syr.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Syracuse Penn State
Tuition (In State) $61,310 $19,672
Tuition (Out of State) $61,310 $39,626
Room & Board $18,444 $13,030
Avg Net Price $51,520 $27,450
Avg Grant Aid $29,110 $11,577
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 36%

Admission

 Syracuse Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 42,089 85,956
Admitted 17,545 46,605
Acceptance Rate 41.7% 54.2%
Enrolled % 20.9% 19.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.69 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 28/32 27/32
SAT Range 1260/1430 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 1, 2026

Academics

 Syracuse Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Communication (17%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 Syracuse Penn State
Graduation Rate 80% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $65,900 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $279 $277

Diversity

 Syracuse Penn State
% Men 14% 8%
% Women 17% 8%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 55% 69%
% Black 8% 4%
% Hispanic 11% 6%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 12% 11%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

 Syracuse Penn State
% In-State 32% 51%
% Out-of-State 57% 40%

Campus

 Syracuse 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 Syracuse based on total student enrollment (50,399 students vs. 22,948 students)

Syracuse vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Syracuse or Penn State?

  • Syracuse University is 211.7% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($61,310.00 vs. $19,672.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 54.7% higher at Syracuse than Penn State Main Campus ($61,310.00 vs. $39,626.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Main Campus than Syracuse ($27,450 vs. $51,520)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 41.6% lower than costs at Syracuse University ($13,030 vs. $18,444)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Syracuse University than Penn State Main Campus (82% vs. 36%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Syracuse University students is 151.4% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($29,110 vs. $11,577)

Syracuse vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Main Campus (1202) is 7 points higher than at Syracuse (1195)
  • Incoming Syracuse students have at the same average ACT score (27) as students at Penn State (27)
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (54.2%) than Syracuse (41.7%)

Syracuse vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Syracuse 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 Syracuse.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than Syracuse University (87% vs. 80%)
  • Graduates from Syracuse University earn on average $10,600 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($65,900 vs. $55,300)
  • Penn State Main Campus students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than Syracuse graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Syracuse graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More Syracuse graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 69%)

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