U of A vs. Penn State

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

 U of A Penn State
Location Tucson, AZ University Park, PA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 49,403 50,028
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #294 #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website arizona.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 U of A Penn State
Tuition (In State) $11,525 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $37,827 $35,946
Room & Board $13,650 $12,744
Avg Net Price $17,075 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $15,279 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 44%

Admission

 U of A Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 52,091 85,784
Admitted 45,194 47,360
Acceptance Rate 86.8% 55.2%
Enrolled % 20% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.48 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/29 26/31
SAT Range 1140/1370 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

Academics

 U of A Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (5%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 U of A Penn State
Graduation Rate 61% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,000 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $196 $277

Diversity

 U of A Penn State
% Men 45% 53%
% Women 55% 47%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 52% 69%
% Black 4% 4%
% Hispanic 25% 6%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 6% 11%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 U of A Penn State
% In-State 47% 51%
% Out-of-State 48% 40%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than U of A based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 49,403 students)

U of A vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, U of A or Penn State?

  • Penn State Main Campus is 59.4% more expensive to attend than U of A for in-state tuition ($18,368.00 vs. $11,525.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5.2% higher at U of A than Penn State Main Campus ($37,827.00 vs. $35,946.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Arizona than Penn State ($17,075 vs. $26,747)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 7.1% lower than costs at University of Arizona ($12,744 vs. $13,650)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Arizona than Penn State Main Campus (98% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Arizona students is 51.8% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($15,279 vs. $10,066)

U of A vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • U of A has a higher acceptance rate (86.8%) than Penn State (55.2%)

U of A vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, U of A 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 U of A.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than University of Arizona (87% vs. 61%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn on average $1,300 more per year than U of A graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $54,000)
  • University of Arizona students graduate with a $7,818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($19,000 vs. $26,818)
  • U of A graduates are paying $81 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($196 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former U of A students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 66%)

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