Wooster vs. Penn State

Deciding between The College of Wooster and Penn State Main Campus? 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.

The College of Wooster
Penn State Main Campus

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Wooster Wooster, OH
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • Wooster Distant Town
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Wooster 1,738
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • Wooster Private 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Wooster #187
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Wooster -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • Wooster Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Wooster
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Wooster $61,640
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Wooster $61,640
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • Wooster $14,490
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Wooster $28,004
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Wooster $47,672
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Wooster 100%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Wooster 5,473
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • Wooster 3,258
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Wooster 59.5%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Wooster 11.4%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Wooster 1340
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Wooster 30
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Wooster 3.76
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Wooster A-
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Wooster Very High
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Wooster Low
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Wooster 27/33
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Wooster 1220/1460
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Wooster Test optional
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Wooster Feb 15, 2027
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Wooster 10:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Wooster
    • Social Sciences (26%)
    • English and Literature (9%)
    • History (9%)
    • Biology (9%)
    • Psychology (8%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Wooster 75%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Wooster $51,200
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Wooster 76%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Wooster $26,000
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Wooster $268
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Wooster 47%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • Wooster 53%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Wooster Medium
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Wooster No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • Wooster 69%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • Wooster 5%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • Wooster 8%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Wooster 5%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Wooster 1%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Wooster 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Wooster 0%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • Wooster 9%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Wooster 3%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Wooster 41%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Wooster 47%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare The College of Wooster in Wooster, OH with Penn State Main Campus in University Park, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Penn State Main Campus is larger than Wooster based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 1,738 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • The College of Wooster is located in Wooster, OH (Distant Town setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • The College of Wooster is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: The College of Wooster 10:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

Wooster vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Wooster or Penn State? 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 Main Campus than Wooster ($27,889 vs. $28,004).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 0.1% lower than at The College of Wooster ($14,474 vs. $14,490).
  • The College of Wooster is 198.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $40,996 more per year; $61,640.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 47.5% higher at Wooster than at Penn State Main Campus (about $19,850 more per year; $61,640.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at The College of Wooster than at Penn State Main Campus (100% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The College of Wooster students is 320.5% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($47,672 vs. $11,336).

Wooster vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Wooster or Penn State? 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 and Wooster.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at The College of Wooster (1340) is 10 points higher than at Penn State (1330).
  • Incoming Wooster students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (30 vs. 29 at Penn State).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: The College of Wooster 1220/1460; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: The College of Wooster 27/33; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Wooster - Test optional; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Wooster Feb 15, 2027.
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than Wooster (59.5%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 11.4% at Wooster vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

Wooster vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Wooster and Penn State? 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).

  • Penn State Main Campus's six-year graduation rate (87%) is higher than The College of Wooster's (75%).
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn a median of about $4,100 more per year than Wooster graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $51,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, The College of Wooster graduates have a $818 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($26,000 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Wooster graduates have an estimated $9 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($268 vs. $277).
  • More Wooster graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (76% 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.