UMBC vs. Penn State Abington

Should I go to University of Maryland Baltimore County or Penn State Abington? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UMBC or Penn State Abington 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 Maryland Baltimore County vs. Penn State Abington comparison
University of Maryland Baltimore County Penn State Abington College 3 College 4
University of Maryland Baltimore County Penn State Abington
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Overview

 UMBC Penn State Abington
Location Baltimore, MD Abington, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 13,991 3,090
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #303 #694
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umbc.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UMBC Penn State Abington
Tuition (In State) $9,056 $14,684
Tuition (Out of State) $25,820 $24,586
Room & Board $13,378 $10,694
Avg Net Price $17,692 $20,460
Avg Grant Aid $8,889 $9,589
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 79%

Admission

 UMBC Penn State Abington
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,534 6,463
Admitted 9,291 6,037
Acceptance Rate 80.6% 93.4%
Enrolled % 23.1% 14.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 3.42
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/29 23/31
SAT Range 1210/1390 1070/1310
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 Abington
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 (35%)
  • Psychology (21%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (12%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • English and Literature (6%)

Outcomes

 UMBC Penn State Abington
Graduation Rate 57% 44%
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 Abington
% Men 53% 59%
% Women 47% 41%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 44% 50%
% Black 17% 13%
% Hispanic 6% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 4% 5%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

 UMBC Penn State Abington
% In-State 90% 68%
% Out-of-State 5% 21%

Campus

 UMBC Penn State Abington
Campus Housing Yes No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Maryland Baltimore County is larger than than Penn State Abington based on total student enrollment (13,991 students vs. 3,090 students)

UMBC vs. Penn State Abington Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UMBC or Penn State Abington?

  • Penn State Abington is 62.1% more expensive to attend than UMBC for in-state tuition ($14,684.00 vs. $9,056.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5% higher at UMBC than Penn State Abington ($25,820.00 vs. $24,586.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Maryland Baltimore County than Penn State Abington ($17,692 vs. $20,460)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Abington are 25.1% lower than costs at University of Maryland Baltimore County ($10,694 vs. $13,378)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Maryland Baltimore County than Penn State Abington (92% vs. 79%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Abington students is 7.9% larger than aid received University of Maryland Baltimore County ($9,589 vs. $8,889)

UMBC vs. Penn State Abington Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Maryland Baltimore County (1209) is 234 points higher than at Penn State Abington (975)
  • Incoming UMBC students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Penn State Abington (22)
  • Accepted freshman UMBC students have a 0.55 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at Penn State Abington (3.42)
  • Penn State Abington has a higher acceptance rate (93.4%) than UMBC (80.6%)

UMBC vs. Penn State Abington Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UMBC or Penn State Abington? 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 Abington and UMBC.

  • The graduation rate at UMBC is higher than Penn State Abington (57% vs. 44%)
  • Graduates from University of Maryland Baltimore County earn on average $4,200 more per year than Penn State Abington 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 Abington graduates. ($21,197 vs. $26,818)
  • UMBC graduates are paying $58 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Abington graduates. ($219 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Abington 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/