Union College vs. Penn State

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

 Union College Penn State
Location Schenectady, NY University Park, PA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 2,082 50,399
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #87 #171
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website union.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Union College Penn State
Tuition (In State) $66,105 $19,672
Tuition (Out of State) $66,105 $39,626
Room & Board $16,389 $13,030
Avg Net Price $42,884 $27,450
Avg Grant Aid $38,751 $11,577
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 36%

Admission

 Union College Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,295 85,956
Admitted 4,070 46,605
Acceptance Rate 43.8% 54.2%
Enrolled % 13.5% 19.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 30/33 27/32
SAT Range 1310/1480 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 15, 2026

Academics

 Union College Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 Union College Penn State
Graduation Rate 86% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $74,200 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 86% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $279 $277

Diversity

 Union College Penn State
% Men 0% 8%
% Women 1% 8%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 73% 69%
% Black 4% 4%
% Hispanic 7% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 7% 11%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

 Union College Penn State
% In-State 28% 51%
% Out-of-State 63% 40%

Campus

 Union College Penn State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than Union College based on total student enrollment (50,399 students vs. 2,082 students)

Union College vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Union College or Penn State?

  • Union College is 236% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($66,105.00 vs. $19,672.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 66.8% higher at Union College than Penn State Main Campus ($66,105.00 vs. $39,626.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Main Campus than Union College ($27,450 vs. $42,884)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 25.8% lower than costs at Union College ($13,030 vs. $16,389)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Union College than Penn State Main Campus (94% vs. 36%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Union College students is 234.7% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($38,751 vs. $11,577)

Union College vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (54.2%) than Union College (43.8%)

Union College vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Union College 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 Union College.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than Union College (87% vs. 86%)
  • Graduates from Union College earn on average $18,900 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($74,200 vs. $55,300)
  • Penn State Main Campus students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than Union College graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Union College graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More Union College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 69%)

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