UC Davis vs. Penn State

Deciding between University of California Davis 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.

University of California Davis
Penn State Main Campus

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • UC Davis Davis, CA
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • UC Davis Small Suburban
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • UC Davis 40,065
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • UC Davis Public 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • UC Davis #100
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • UC Davis -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • UC Davis Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • UC Davis
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • UC Davis $16,774
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • UC Davis $50,974
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • UC Davis $19,426
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • UC Davis $17,270
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • UC Davis $24,591
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • UC Davis 60%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • UC Davis 98,864
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • UC Davis 41,353
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • UC Davis 41.8%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • UC Davis 16.4%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • UC Davis 1280
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • UC Davis 29
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • UC Davis 4.0
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • UC Davis A/A+
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • UC Davis Very High
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • UC Davis Low
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • UC Davis 25/33
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • UC Davis 1160/1400
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • UC Davis Test-free
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • UC Davis Nov 30, 2026
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • UC Davis 22:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • UC Davis
    • Biology (19%)
    • Social Sciences (19%)
    • Psychology (10%)
    • Engineering (7%)
    • Foreign Languages (5%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • UC Davis 82%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • UC Davis $65,200
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • UC Davis 82%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • UC Davis $14,676
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • UC Davis $151
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • UC Davis 42%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • UC Davis 58%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • UC Davis Very High
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • UC Davis No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • UC Davis 28%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • UC Davis 32%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • UC Davis 2%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • UC Davis 19%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • UC Davis 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • UC Davis 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • UC Davis 5%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • UC Davis 11%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • UC Davis 1%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • UC Davis 78%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • UC Davis 5%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare University of California Davis in Davis, CA 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 UC Davis based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 40,065 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • University of California Davis is located in Davis, CA (Small Suburban setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • University of California Davis is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: University of California Davis 22:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

UC Davis vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UC Davis 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 University of California Davis than Penn State ($17,270 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 25.5% lower than at University of California Davis ($14,474 vs. $19,426).
  • Penn State Main Campus is 23.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than UC Davis (about $3,870 more per year; $20,644.00 vs. $16,774.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 22% higher at UC Davis than at Penn State Main Campus (about $9,184 more per year; $50,974.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of California Davis than at Penn State Main Campus (60% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Davis students is 116.9% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($24,591 vs. $11,336).

UC Davis vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UC Davis 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 UC Davis.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Penn State Main Campus (1330) is 50 points higher than at UC Davis (1280).
  • Incoming UC Davis students have the same typical ACT composite (median estimate; 29) as students at Penn State (29).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of California Davis 1160/1400; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of California Davis 25/33; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UC Davis - Test-free; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: UC Davis Nov 30, 2026.
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than UC Davis (41.8%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 16.4% at UC Davis vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

UC Davis vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for UC Davis 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 University of California Davis's (82%).
  • Graduates from University of California Davis earn a median of about $9,900 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($65,200 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, University of California Davis graduates have a $12,142 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($14,676 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, UC Davis graduates have an estimated $126 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($151 vs. $277).
  • More UC Davis graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (82% 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.