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Virginia Tech UD UC Riverside Rutgers UConn Pitt UMass UCSB UB UC Davis NC State Michigan State| University of California Santa Cruz | Penn State Main Campus | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
UCSC | Penn State | ||
| Location | Santa Cruz, CA | University Park, PA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 19,478 | 50,028 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #222 | #167 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | ucsc.edu | psu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UCSC | Penn State | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,564 | $18,368 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $41,636 | $35,946 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,185 | $12,744 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $17,975 | $26,747 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $21,202 | $10,066 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 68% | 44% |
Admission |
UCSC | Penn State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 65,912 | 85,784 | ||
| Admitted | 30,926 | 47,360 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 46.9% | 55.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 12.5% | 19.5% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.63 | - | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | - | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 25/33 | 26/31 | ||
| SAT Range | 1160/1360 | 1210/1390 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | Nov 30, 2024 |
Academics |
UCSC | Penn State | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 23:1 | 15:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
UCSC | Penn State | ||
| Graduation Rate | 73% | 87% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $50,400 | $55,300 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 74% | 69% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $19,959 | $26,818 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $206 | $277 |
Diversity |
UCSC | Penn State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 50% | 53% | ||
| % Women | 50% | 47% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 33% | 69% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 31% | 6% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 3% | ||
| % International | 4% | 11% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 2% |
Students |
UCSC | Penn State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 90% | 51% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 7% | 40% | ||
Campus |
UCSC | Penn State | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Penn State Main Campus is larger than than UCSC based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 19,478 students)
UCSC vs. Penn State Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UCSC or Penn State?
- Penn State Main Campus is 58.8% more expensive to attend than UCSC for in-state tuition ($18,368.00 vs. $11,564.00)
- Out of state tuition is 15.8% higher at UCSC than Penn State Main Campus ($41,636.00 vs. $35,946.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Santa Cruz than Penn State ($17,975 vs. $26,747)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 42.7% lower than costs at University of California Santa Cruz ($12,744 vs. $18,185)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Santa Cruz than Penn State Main Campus (68% vs. 44%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Santa Cruz students is 110.6% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($21,202 vs. $10,066)
UCSC vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UCSC or Penn State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Penn State or UCSC .
- The average SAT score at Penn State Main Campus (1202) is 1 points higher than at UCSC (1201)
- Incoming UCSC students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Penn State (27)
- Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (55.2%) than UCSC (46.9%)
UCSC vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UCSC 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 UCSC.
- The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than University of California Santa Cruz (87% vs. 73%)
- Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn on average $4,900 more per year than UCSC graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $50,400)
- University of California Santa Cruz students graduate with a $6,859 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($19,959 vs. $26,818)
- UCSC graduates are paying $71 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($206 vs. $277)
- More UCSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 69%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/