University of Alabama at Birmingham vs. Penn State

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

University of Alabama at Birmingham Penn State
Location Birmingham, AL University Park, PA
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 21,639 50,028
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #427 #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uab.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of Alabama at Birmingham Penn State
Tuition (In State) $8,832 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $21,216 $35,946
Room & Board $13,120 $12,744
Avg Net Price $16,834 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $11,142 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 44%

Admission

University of Alabama at Birmingham Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,947 85,784
Admitted 8,622 47,360
Acceptance Rate 86.7% 55.2%
Enrolled % 25.7% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/30 26/31
SAT Range 1200/1410 1210/1390
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 Jun 1, 2025

Academics

University of Alabama at Birmingham Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (22%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

University of Alabama at Birmingham Penn State
Graduation Rate 45% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,400 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 52% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $222 $277

Diversity

University of Alabama at Birmingham Penn State
% Men 37% 53%
% Women 63% 47%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 59% 69%
% Black 25% 4%
% Hispanic 3% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 2% 11%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

University of Alabama at Birmingham Penn State
% In-State 82% 51%
% Out-of-State 16% 40%

Campus

University of Alabama at Birmingham 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 University of Alabama at Birmingham based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 21,639 students)

University of Alabama at Birmingham vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University of Alabama at Birmingham or Penn State?

  • Penn State Main Campus is 108% more expensive to attend than University of Alabama at Birmingham for in-state tuition ($18,368.00 vs. $8,832.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 69.4% higher at Penn State than University of Alabama at Birmingham ($35,946.00 vs. $21,216.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Alabama at Birmingham than Penn State ($16,834 vs. $26,747)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 3% lower than costs at University of Alabama at Birmingham ($12,744 vs. $13,120)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Alabama at Birmingham than Penn State Main Campus (93% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Alabama at Birmingham students is 10.7% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($11,142 vs. $10,066)

University of Alabama at Birmingham vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Main Campus (1202) is 55 points higher than at University of Alabama at Birmingham (1147)
  • Incoming Penn State students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at University of Alabama at Birmingham (25)
  • University of Alabama at Birmingham has a higher acceptance rate (86.7%) than Penn State (55.2%)

University of Alabama at Birmingham vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University of Alabama at Birmingham 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 University of Alabama at Birmingham.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than University of Alabama at Birmingham (87% vs. 45%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn on average $8,900 more per year than University of Alabama at Birmingham graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $46,400)
  • University of Alabama at Birmingham students graduate with a $5,318 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($21,500 vs. $26,818)
  • University of Alabama at Birmingham graduates are paying $55 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($222 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of Alabama at Birmingham students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 52%)

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