Syracuse vs. Penn State York

Deciding between Syracuse University and Penn State York? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Syracuse University

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Syracuse Syracuse, NY
  • Penn State York York, PA
  • Setting
  • Syracuse Midsize City
  • Penn State York Midsize Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • Syracuse 22,589
  • Penn State York 677
  • Type
  • Syracuse Private 4 Year
  • Penn State York Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Syracuse #158
  • Penn State York
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Syracuse -
  • Penn State York -
  • Status
  • Syracuse Non-profit
  • Penn State York Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Syracuse
  • Penn State York

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Syracuse $65,528
  • Penn State York $15,208
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Syracuse $65,528
  • Penn State York $25,392
  • Room & Board
  • Syracuse $19,188
  • Penn State York $15,274
  • Average Net Price
  • Syracuse $48,215
  • Penn State York $18,887
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Syracuse $36,417
  • Penn State York $8,756
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Syracuse 76%
  • Penn State York 80%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Syracuse 44,480
  • Penn State York 1,933
  • Admitted
  • Syracuse 20,427
  • Penn State York 1,883
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Syracuse 45.9%
  • Penn State York 97.4%
  • Enrolled
  • Syracuse 18.8%
  • Penn State York 10.7%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Syracuse 1360
  • Penn State York 1150
  • Typical ACT score
  • Syracuse 30
  • Penn State York 25
  • Average High School GPA
  • Syracuse 3.69
  • Penn State York -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Syracuse A-
  • Penn State York -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Syracuse Very High
  • Penn State York Average
  • Applicant Competition
  • Syracuse Low
  • Penn State York
  • ACT Range
  • Syracuse 29/32
  • Penn State York 22/28
  • SAT Range
  • Syracuse 1270/1440
  • Penn State York 1050/1245
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Syracuse Test optional
  • Penn State York Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Syracuse Jan 1, 2027
  • Penn State York

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Syracuse 15:1
  • Penn State York 14:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Syracuse
    • Business (18%)
    • Communication (17%)
    • Social Sciences (13%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
    • Psychology (5%)
  • Penn State York
    • Business (32%)
    • Work and Family Studies (24%)
    • Engineering (11%)
    • Engineering Technology (9%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Syracuse 80%
  • Penn State York 45%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Syracuse $65,900
  • Penn State York $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Syracuse 80%
  • Penn State York 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Syracuse $27,000
  • Penn State York $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Syracuse $279
  • Penn State York $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Syracuse 44%
  • Penn State York 62%
  • % Women
  • Syracuse 56%
  • Penn State York 38%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Syracuse High
  • Penn State York Medium
  • HBCU
  • Syracuse No
  • Penn State York No
  • % White
  • Syracuse 55%
  • Penn State York 63%
  • % Asian
  • Syracuse 8%
  • Penn State York 5%
  • % Black
  • Syracuse 8%
  • Penn State York 6%
  • % Hispanic
  • Syracuse 11%
  • Penn State York 6%
  • % Native American
  • Syracuse 1%
  • Penn State York 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Syracuse 0%
  • Penn State York 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Syracuse 3%
  • Penn State York 3%
  • % International
  • Syracuse 12%
  • Penn State York 15%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Syracuse 2%
  • Penn State York 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Syracuse 31%
  • Penn State York 85%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Syracuse 63%
  • Penn State York 13%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Syracuse Yes
  • Penn State York No
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Syracuse No
  • Penn State York No
  • Meal Plan
  • Syracuse Yes
  • Penn State York No
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Syracuse Yes
  • Penn State York Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • Syracuse Yes
  • Penn State York No

Comparable Facts

Compare Syracuse University in Syracuse, NY with Penn State York in York, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Syracuse University is larger than Penn State York based on total student enrollment (22,589 students vs. 677 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Syracuse University is located in Syracuse, NY (Midsize City setting); Penn State York is in York, PA (Midsize Suburban setting).
  • Syracuse University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State York is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Syracuse University 15:1; Penn State York 14:1.

Syracuse vs. Penn State York Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Syracuse or Penn State York? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State York than Syracuse ($18,887 vs. $48,215).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State York are 20.4% lower than at Syracuse University ($15,274 vs. $19,188).
  • Syracuse University is 330.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State York (about $50,320 more per year; $65,528.00 vs. $15,208.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 158.1% higher at Syracuse than at Penn State York (about $40,136 more per year; $65,528.00 vs. $25,392.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Penn State York than at Syracuse University (80% vs. 76%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Syracuse University students is 315.9% larger than aid received by Penn State York students ($36,417 vs. $8,756).

Syracuse vs. Penn State York Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Syracuse or Penn State York? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Penn State York and Syracuse.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Syracuse University (1360) is 210 points higher than at Penn State York (1150).
  • Incoming Syracuse students have a 5 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (30 vs. 25 at Penn State York).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Syracuse University 1270/1440; Penn State York 1050/1245.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Syracuse University 29/32; Penn State York 22/28.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Syracuse - Test optional; Penn State York - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Syracuse Jan 1, 2027.
  • Penn State York has a higher acceptance rate (97.4%) than Syracuse (45.9%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 18.8% at Syracuse vs. 10.7% at Penn State York.

Syracuse vs. Penn State York Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Syracuse and Penn State York? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Syracuse University's six-year graduation rate (80%) is higher than Penn State York's (45%).
  • Graduates from Syracuse University earn a median of about $10,600 more per year than Penn State York graduates about ten years after starting college ($65,900 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Penn State York graduates have a $182 lower median loan debt than Syracuse graduates ($26,818 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, Penn State York graduates have an estimated $2 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Syracuse graduates ($277 vs. $279).
  • More Syracuse graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State York 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.