Union College vs. Penn State

Deciding between Union 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.

Union College
Penn State Main Campus

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Union College Schenectady, NY
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • Union College Small City
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Union College 2,065
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • Union College Private 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Union College #84
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Union College -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • Union College Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Union College
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Union College $69,039
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Union College $69,039
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • Union College $17,010
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Union College $42,137
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Union College $42,534
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Union College 96%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Union College 8,210
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • Union College 3,606
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Union College 43.9%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Union College 13.9%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Union College 1400
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Union College 31
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Union College 3.5
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Union College A-
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Union College Exceptional
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Union College Low
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Union College 29/33
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Union College 1310/1480
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Union College Test optional
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Union College Jan 15, 2027
  • Penn State

  • Academics

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

  • Outcomes

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

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Union College 53%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • Union College 47%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Union College Medium
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Union College No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • Union College 73%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • Union College 6%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • Union College 4%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Union College 7%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Union College 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Union College 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Union College 2%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • Union College 7%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Union College 0%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Union College 28%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Union College 57%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Union College in Schenectady, NY 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 Union College based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 2,065 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Union College is located in Schenectady, NY (Small City setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • Union 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: Union College 9:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

Union College vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Union 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 Penn State Main Campus than Union College ($27,889 vs. $42,137).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 14.9% lower than at Union College ($14,474 vs. $17,010).
  • Union College is 234.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $48,395 more per year; $69,039.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 65.2% higher at Union College than at Penn State Main Campus (about $27,249 more per year; $69,039.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Union College than at Penn State Main Campus (96% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Union College students is 275.2% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($42,534 vs. $11,336).

Union College vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

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

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Union College (1400) is 70 points higher than at Penn State (1330).
  • Incoming Union College students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (31 vs. 29 at Penn State).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Union College 1310/1480; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Union College 29/33; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Union College - Test optional; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Union College Jan 15, 2027.
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than Union College (43.9%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 13.9% at Union College vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

Union College vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Union 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 Union College's (86%).
  • Graduates from Union College earn a median of about $18,900 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($74,200 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Penn State Main Campus graduates have a $182 lower median loan debt than Union College graduates ($26,818 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, Penn State graduates have an estimated $2 lower median monthly federal student loan payment 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.