UMBC vs. Penn State

Should I go to University of Maryland Baltimore County or Penn State Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UMBC 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

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

Virginia Tech UD Rutgers Maryland UConn Pitt UMass TU UB NC State Michigan State Clemson
University of Maryland Baltimore County vs. Penn State Main Campus comparison
University of Maryland Baltimore County Penn State Main Campus College 3 College 4
University of Maryland Baltimore County Penn State Main Campus
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 UMBC Penn State
Location Baltimore, MD University Park, PA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 13,991 50,028
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #303 #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umbc.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UMBC Penn State
Tuition (In State) $9,056 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $25,820 $35,946
Room & Board $13,378 $12,744
Avg Net Price $17,692 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $8,889 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 44%

Admission

 UMBC Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,534 85,784
Admitted 9,291 47,360
Acceptance Rate 80.6% 55.2%
Enrolled % 23.1% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/29 26/31
SAT Range 1210/1390 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 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

 UMBC Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Computer and Information Sciences (17%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 UMBC Penn State
Graduation Rate 57% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,500 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,197 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $219 $277

Diversity

 UMBC Penn State
% Men 53% 53%
% Women 47% 47%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 44% 69%
% Black 17% 4%
% Hispanic 6% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 4% 11%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

 UMBC Penn State
% In-State 90% 51%
% Out-of-State 5% 40%

Campus

 UMBC 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 UMBC based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 13,991 students)

UMBC vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UMBC or Penn State?

  • Penn State Main Campus is 102.8% more expensive to attend than UMBC for in-state tuition ($18,368.00 vs. $9,056.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 39.2% higher at Penn State than University of Maryland Baltimore County ($35,946.00 vs. $25,820.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Maryland Baltimore County than Penn State ($17,692 vs. $26,747)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 5% lower than costs at University of Maryland Baltimore County ($12,744 vs. $13,378)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Maryland Baltimore County than Penn State Main Campus (92% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Main Campus students is 13.2% larger than aid received University of Maryland Baltimore County ($10,066 vs. $8,889)

UMBC vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Maryland Baltimore County (1209) is 7 points higher than at Penn State (1202)
  • Incoming UMBC students have at the same average ACT score (27) as students at Penn State (27)
  • UMBC has a higher acceptance rate (80.6%) than Penn State (55.2%)

UMBC vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UMBC 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 UMBC.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than University of Maryland Baltimore County (87% vs. 57%)
  • Graduates from University of Maryland Baltimore County earn on average $4,200 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($59,500 vs. $55,300)
  • University of Maryland Baltimore County students graduate with a $5,621 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($21,197 vs. $26,818)
  • UMBC graduates are paying $58 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($219 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UMBC 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/