UConn vs. Penn State

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

 UConn Penn State
Location Storrs, CT University Park, PA
Setting Town Fringe Small City
Enrollment 27,364 50,399
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #100 #171
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uconn.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UConn Penn State
Tuition (In State) $16,332 $19,672
Tuition (Out of State) $39,000 $39,626
Room & Board $13,996 $13,030
Avg Net Price $22,324 $27,450
Avg Grant Aid $16,989 $11,577
% Receiving Grant Aid 75% 36%

Admission

 UConn Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 46,645 85,956
Admitted 25,164 46,605
Acceptance Rate 53.9% 54.2%
Enrolled % 16.6% 19.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.74 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 29/33 27/32
SAT Range 1210/1420 1220/1400
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2026

Academics

 UConn Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 UConn Penn State
Graduation Rate 83% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $62,000 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $222 $277

Diversity

 UConn Penn State
% Men 13% 8%
% Women 16% 8%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 61% 69%
% Black 5% 4%
% Hispanic 9% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 5% 11%
% Unknown Race 7% 2%

Students

 UConn Penn State
% In-State 58% 51%
% Out-of-State 35% 40%

Campus

 UConn 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 UConn based on total student enrollment (50,399 students vs. 27,364 students)

UConn vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UConn or Penn State?

  • Penn State Main Campus is 20.5% more expensive to attend than UConn for in-state tuition ($19,672.00 vs. $16,332.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.6% higher at Penn State than University of Connecticut ($39,626.00 vs. $39,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Connecticut than Penn State ($22,324 vs. $27,450)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 7.4% lower than costs at University of Connecticut ($13,030 vs. $13,996)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Connecticut than Penn State Main Campus (75% vs. 36%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Connecticut students is 46.7% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($16,989 vs. $11,577)

UConn vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Connecticut (1250) is 48 points higher than at Penn State (1202)
  • Incoming UConn students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Penn State (27)
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (54.2%) than UConn (53.9%)

UConn vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UConn 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 UConn.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than University of Connecticut (87% vs. 83%)
  • Graduates from University of Connecticut earn on average $6,700 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($62,000 vs. $55,300)
  • University of Connecticut students graduate with a $5,318 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($21,500 vs. $26,818)
  • UConn graduates are paying $55 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($222 vs. $277)
  • More UConn graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 69%)

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