University of Massachusetts-Lowell vs. Penn State

Should I go to University of Massachusetts Lowell or Penn State Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if University of Massachusetts-Lowell 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 UConn Pitt UMass UB NC State Michigan State Clemson Syracuse Drexel
University of Massachusetts Lowell vs. Penn State Main Campus comparison
University of Massachusetts Lowell Penn State Main Campus College 3 College 4
University of Massachusetts Lowell Penn State Main Campus
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Penn State
Location Lowell, MA University Park, PA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 17,153 50,028
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #406 #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uml.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Penn State
Tuition (In State) $15,462 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $33,830 $35,946
Room & Board $13,930 $12,744
Avg Net Price $17,240 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $11,983 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 44%

Admission

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,253 85,784
Admitted 10,532 47,360
Acceptance Rate 86% 55.2%
Enrolled % 18.4% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.67 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 25/31 26/31
SAT Range 1170/1348 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 15, 2025

Academics

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (12%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Penn State
Graduation Rate 50% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $258 $277

Diversity

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Penn State
% Men 57% 53%
% Women 43% 47%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 64% 69%
% Black 6% 4%
% Hispanic 10% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 4% 11%
% Unknown Race 5% 2%

Students

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Penn State
% In-State 87% 51%
% Out-of-State 10% 40%

Campus

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Penn State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than University of Massachusetts-Lowell based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 17,153 students)

University of Massachusetts-Lowell vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University of Massachusetts-Lowell or Penn State?

  • Penn State Main Campus is 18.8% more expensive to attend than University of Massachusetts-Lowell for in-state tuition ($18,368.00 vs. $15,462.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6.3% higher at Penn State than University of Massachusetts Lowell ($35,946.00 vs. $33,830.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Massachusetts Lowell than Penn State ($17,240 vs. $26,747)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 9.3% lower than costs at University of Massachusetts Lowell ($12,744 vs. $13,930)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Massachusetts Lowell than Penn State Main Campus (82% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Massachusetts Lowell students is 19% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($11,983 vs. $10,066)

University of Massachusetts-Lowell vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Main Campus (1202) is 5 points higher than at University of Massachusetts-Lowell (1197)
  • Incoming Penn State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at University of Massachusetts-Lowell (26)
  • University of Massachusetts-Lowell has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than Penn State (55.2%)

University of Massachusetts-Lowell vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University of Massachusetts-Lowell 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 University of Massachusetts-Lowell.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than University of Massachusetts Lowell (87% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates of University of Massachusetts Lowell and Penn State have equivalent average earnings after ten years ($55,300 vs. $55,300)
  • University of Massachusetts Lowell students graduate with a $1,818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,818)
  • University of Massachusetts-Lowell graduates are paying $19 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($258 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of Massachusetts-Lowell students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 63%)

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