Georgia vs. Penn State

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

 Georgia Penn State
Location Athens, GA University Park, PA
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 40,607 50,028
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #164 #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uga.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Georgia Penn State
Tuition (In State) $9,790 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $28,830 $35,946
Room & Board $10,904 $12,744
Avg Net Price $17,180 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $11,559 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 44%

Admission

 Georgia Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 39,320 85,784
Admitted 16,729 47,360
Acceptance Rate 42.5% 55.2%
Enrolled % 37.5% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 -
Typical High School Grades A/A+ -
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 27/32 26/31
SAT Range 1220/1420 1210/1390
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 1, 2025

Academics

 Georgia Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 Georgia Penn State
Graduation Rate 82% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,400 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,146 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $197 $277

Diversity

 Georgia Penn State
% Men 41% 53%
% Women 59% 47%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 71% 69%
% Black 7% 4%
% Hispanic 5% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 2% 11%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 Georgia Penn State
% In-State 75% 51%
% Out-of-State 25% 40%

Campus

 Georgia 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 Georgia based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 40,607 students)

Georgia vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Georgia or Penn State?

  • Penn State Main Campus is 87.6% more expensive to attend than Georgia for in-state tuition ($18,368.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 24.7% higher at Penn State than University of Georgia ($35,946.00 vs. $28,830.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Georgia than Penn State ($17,180 vs. $26,747)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Georgia are 16.9% lower than costs at Penn State Main Campus ($10,904 vs. $12,744)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Georgia than Penn State Main Campus (91% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Georgia students is 14.8% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($11,559 vs. $10,066)

Georgia vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Georgia (1252) is 50 points higher than at Penn State (1202)
  • Incoming Georgia 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 Georgia (42.5%)

Georgia vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Georgia 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 Georgia.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than University of Georgia (87% vs. 82%)
  • Graduates from University of Georgia earn on average $1,100 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($56,400 vs. $55,300)
  • University of Georgia students graduate with a $7,672 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($19,146 vs. $26,818)
  • Georgia graduates are paying $80 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($197 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Georgia students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 67%)

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