Thiel College vs. Penn State

Deciding between Thiel College 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.

Penn State Main Campus

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Thiel College Greenville, PA
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • Thiel College Distant Town
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Thiel College 950
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • Thiel College Private 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Thiel College
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Thiel College Evangelical Lutheran Church
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • Thiel College Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Thiel College
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Thiel College $38,344
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Thiel College $38,344
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • Thiel College $15,504
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Thiel College $22,545
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Thiel College $30,356
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Thiel College 100%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Thiel College 2,903
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • Thiel College 2,077
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Thiel College 71.5%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Thiel College 11.4%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Thiel College 1070
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Thiel College 20
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Thiel College 3.1
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Thiel College B
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Thiel College Very Easy
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Thiel College Low
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Thiel College 17/24
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Thiel College 965/1165
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Thiel College Test-free
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Thiel College
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Thiel College 12:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Thiel College
    • Business (33%)
    • Biology (12%)
    • Psychology (9%)
    • Social Sciences (9%)
    • Education (8%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Thiel College 39%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Thiel College $39,800
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Thiel College 62%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Thiel College $27,876
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Thiel College $288
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Thiel College 49%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • Thiel College 51%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Thiel College Low
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Thiel College No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • Thiel College 79%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • Thiel College 2%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • Thiel College 10%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Thiel College 2%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Thiel College 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Thiel College 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Thiel College 3%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • Thiel College 0%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Thiel College 4%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Thiel College 58%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Thiel College 42%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Thiel College in Greenville, PA 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 Thiel College based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 950 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Thiel College is located in Greenville, PA (Distant Town setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • Thiel College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Thiel College 12:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

Thiel College vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Thiel College 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 Thiel College than Penn State ($22,545 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 6.6% lower than at Thiel College ($14,474 vs. $15,504).
  • Thiel College is 85.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $17,700 more per year; $38,344.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 9% higher at Penn State than at Thiel College (about $3,446 more per year; $41,790.00 vs. $38,344.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Thiel College than at Penn State Main Campus (100% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Thiel College students is 167.8% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($30,356 vs. $11,336).

Thiel College vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Thiel College 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 Thiel College.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Penn State Main Campus (1330) is 260 points higher than at Thiel College (1070).
  • Incoming Penn State students have a 9 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (29 vs. 20 at Thiel College).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Thiel College 965/1165; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Thiel College 17/24; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Thiel College - Test-free; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Thiel College has a higher acceptance rate (71.5%) than Penn State (60.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 11.4% at Thiel College vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

Thiel College vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Thiel College 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 Thiel College's (39%).
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn a median of about $15,500 more per year than Thiel College graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $39,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Penn State Main Campus graduates have a $1,058 lower median loan debt than Thiel College graduates ($26,818 vs. $27,876).
  • Among borrowers, Penn State graduates have an estimated $11 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Thiel College graduates ($277 vs. $288).
  • More Penn State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Thiel College students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 62%)

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.