UMass vs. Penn State

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

 UMass Penn State
Location Amherst, MA University Park, PA
Setting Town Fringe Small City
Enrollment 32,229 50,028
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #176 #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umass.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UMass Penn State
Tuition (In State) $16,186 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $37,405 $35,946
Room & Board $14,123 $12,744
Avg Net Price $22,291 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $12,350 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 85% 44%

Admission

 UMass Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 45,451 85,784
Admitted 28,871 47,360
Acceptance Rate 63.5% 55.2%
Enrolled % 19.4% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.99 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 29/33 26/31
SAT Range 1260/1480 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 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

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

Outcomes

 UMass Penn State
Graduation Rate 67% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,200 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $248 $277

Diversity

 UMass Penn State
% Men 49% 53%
% Women 51% 47%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 67% 69%
% Black 4% 4%
% Hispanic 5% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 4% 11%
% Unknown Race 8% 2%

Students

 UMass Penn State
% In-State 65% 51%
% Out-of-State 24% 40%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than UMass based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 32,229 students)

UMass vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UMass or Penn State?

  • Penn State Main Campus is 13.5% more expensive to attend than UMass for in-state tuition ($18,368.00 vs. $16,186.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.1% higher at UMass than Penn State Main Campus ($37,405.00 vs. $35,946.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Massachusetts Amherst than Penn State ($22,291 vs. $26,747)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 10.8% lower than costs at University of Massachusetts Amherst ($12,744 vs. $14,123)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Massachusetts Amherst than Penn State Main Campus (85% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Massachusetts Amherst students is 22.7% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($12,350 vs. $10,066)

UMass vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Massachusetts Amherst (1226) is 24 points higher than at Penn State (1202)
  • Incoming UMass students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Penn State (27)
  • UMass has a higher acceptance rate (63.5%) than Penn State (55.2%)

UMass vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UMass 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 UMass.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than University of Massachusetts Amherst (87% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn on average $100 more per year than UMass graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $55,200)
  • University of Massachusetts Amherst students graduate with a $2,818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($24,000 vs. $26,818)
  • UMass graduates are paying $29 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($248 vs. $277)
  • More UMass graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 69%)

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