Maryland vs. Penn State

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

 Maryland Penn State
Location College Park, MD University Park, PA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 40,792 50,028
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #95 #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umd.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Maryland Penn State
Tuition (In State) $9,695 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $37,931 $35,946
Room & Board $14,576 $12,744
Avg Net Price $16,210 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $11,232 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 48% 44%

Admission

 Maryland Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 56,761 85,784
Admitted 25,320 47,360
Acceptance Rate 44.6% 55.2%
Enrolled % 23.1% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.84 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 30/34 26/31
SAT Range 1360/1520 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

Academics

 Maryland Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 Maryland Penn State
Graduation Rate 82% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $68,300 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $201 $277

Diversity

 Maryland Penn State
% Men 51% 53%
% Women 49% 47%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 52% 69%
% Black 13% 4%
% Hispanic 9% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 4% 11%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 Maryland Penn State
% In-State 72% 51%
% Out-of-State 26% 40%

Campus

 Maryland 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 Maryland based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 40,792 students)

Maryland vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Maryland or Penn State?

  • Penn State Main Campus is 89.5% more expensive to attend than Maryland for in-state tuition ($18,368.00 vs. $9,695.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5.5% higher at Maryland than Penn State Main Campus ($37,931.00 vs. $35,946.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Maryland College Park than Penn State ($16,210 vs. $26,747)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 14.4% lower than costs at University of Maryland College Park ($12,744 vs. $14,576)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Maryland College Park than Penn State Main Campus (48% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Maryland College Park students is 11.6% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($11,232 vs. $10,066)

Maryland vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Maryland College Park (1315) is 113 points higher than at Penn State (1202)
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (55.2%) than Maryland (44.6%)

Maryland vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Maryland 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 Maryland.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than University of Maryland College Park (87% vs. 82%)
  • Graduates from University of Maryland College Park earn on average $13,000 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($68,300 vs. $55,300)
  • University of Maryland College Park students graduate with a $7,318 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($19,500 vs. $26,818)
  • Maryland graduates are paying $76 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($201 vs. $277)
  • More Maryland graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 69%)

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