Alabama vs. Penn State

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

 Alabama Penn State
Location Tuscaloosa, AL University Park, PA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 39,622 50,399
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #403 #171
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ua.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Alabama Penn State
Tuition (In State) $11,100 $19,672
Tuition (Out of State) $32,400 $39,626
Room & Board $14,840 $13,030
Avg Net Price $21,761 $27,450
Avg Grant Aid $16,394 $11,577
% Receiving Grant Aid 72% 36%

Admission

 Alabama Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 58,418 85,956
Admitted 44,295 46,605
Acceptance Rate 75.8% 54.2%
Enrolled % 18.7% 19.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.76 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 24/31 27/32
SAT Range 1170/1400 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 May 1, 2026

Academics

 Alabama Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (29%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (7%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 Alabama Penn State
Graduation Rate 66% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,900 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,750 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $245 $277

Diversity

 Alabama Penn State
% Men 6% 8%
% Women 10% 8%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 78% 69%
% Black 11% 4%
% Hispanic 4% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 11%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

 Alabama Penn State
% In-State 36% 51%
% Out-of-State 63% 40%

Campus

 Alabama 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 Alabama based on total student enrollment (50,399 students vs. 39,622 students)

Alabama vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Alabama or Penn State?

  • Penn State Main Campus is 77.2% more expensive to attend than Alabama for in-state tuition ($19,672.00 vs. $11,100.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 22.3% higher at Penn State than The University of Alabama ($39,626.00 vs. $32,400.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The University of Alabama than Penn State ($21,761 vs. $27,450)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 13.9% lower than costs at The University of Alabama ($13,030 vs. $14,840)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at The University of Alabama than Penn State Main Campus (72% vs. 36%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The University of Alabama students is 41.6% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($16,394 vs. $11,577)

Alabama vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Main Campus (1202) is 21 points higher than at Alabama (1181)
  • Incoming Alabama students have at the same average ACT score (27) as students at Penn State (27)
  • Alabama has a higher acceptance rate (75.8%) than Penn State (54.2%)

Alabama vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Alabama 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 Alabama.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than The University of Alabama (87% vs. 66%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn on average $5,400 more per year than Alabama graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $49,900)
  • The University of Alabama students graduate with a $3,068 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($23,750 vs. $26,818)
  • Alabama graduates are paying $32 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($245 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Alabama students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 59%)

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