UM-Dearborn vs. Penn State

Deciding between University of Michigan Dearborn and Penn State Main Campus? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

University of Michigan Dearborn
Penn State Main Campus

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • UM-Dearborn Dearborn, MI
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • UM-Dearborn Small City
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • UM-Dearborn 8,104
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • UM-Dearborn Public 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • UM-Dearborn #451
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • UM-Dearborn -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • UM-Dearborn Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • UM-Dearborn
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • UM-Dearborn $15,640
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • UM-Dearborn $32,896
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • UM-Dearborn $11,241
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • UM-Dearborn $11,521
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • UM-Dearborn $12,124
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • UM-Dearborn 99%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • UM-Dearborn 14,105
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • UM-Dearborn 7,844
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • UM-Dearborn 55.6%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • UM-Dearborn 14.2%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • UM-Dearborn 1120
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • UM-Dearborn 26
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • UM-Dearborn 3.66
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • UM-Dearborn A-
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • UM-Dearborn Average
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • UM-Dearborn Low
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • UM-Dearborn 24/28
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • UM-Dearborn 990/1255
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • UM-Dearborn Test optional
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • UM-Dearborn Apr 1, 2027
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • UM-Dearborn 16:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • UM-Dearborn
    • Business (22%)
    • Engineering (11%)
    • Psychology (11%)
    • Social Sciences (10%)
    • Biology (8%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • UM-Dearborn 49%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • UM-Dearborn $52,800
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • UM-Dearborn 46%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • UM-Dearborn $25,750
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • UM-Dearborn $266
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • UM-Dearborn 54%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • UM-Dearborn 46%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • UM-Dearborn Medium
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • UM-Dearborn No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • UM-Dearborn 69%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • UM-Dearborn 7%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • UM-Dearborn 9%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • UM-Dearborn 6%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • UM-Dearborn 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • UM-Dearborn 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • UM-Dearborn 3%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • UM-Dearborn 2%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • UM-Dearborn 3%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • UM-Dearborn 96%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • UM-Dearborn 2%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • UM-Dearborn No
  • Penn State Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • UM-Dearborn No
  • Penn State Yes
  • Meal Plan
  • UM-Dearborn No
  • Penn State Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • UM-Dearborn Yes
  • Penn State Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • UM-Dearborn No
  • Penn State Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare University of Michigan Dearborn in Dearborn, MI with Penn State Main Campus in University Park, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Penn State Main Campus is larger than UM-Dearborn based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 8,104 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • University of Michigan Dearborn is located in Dearborn, MI (Small City setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • University of Michigan Dearborn is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: University of Michigan Dearborn 16:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

UM-Dearborn vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UM-Dearborn or Penn State? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Michigan Dearborn than Penn State ($11,521 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Michigan Dearborn are 22.3% lower than at Penn State Main Campus ($11,241 vs. $14,474).
  • Penn State Main Campus is 32% more expensive for in-state tuition than UM-Dearborn (about $5,004 more per year; $20,644.00 vs. $15,640.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 27% higher at Penn State than at University of Michigan Dearborn (about $8,894 more per year; $41,790.00 vs. $32,896.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of Michigan Dearborn than at Penn State Main Campus (99% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Michigan Dearborn students is 7% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($12,124 vs. $11,336).

UM-Dearborn vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UM-Dearborn or Penn State? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Penn State and UM-Dearborn.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Penn State Main Campus (1330) is 210 points higher than at UM-Dearborn (1120).
  • Incoming Penn State students have a 3 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (29 vs. 26 at UM-Dearborn).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of Michigan Dearborn 990/1255; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of Michigan Dearborn 24/28; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UM-Dearborn - Test optional; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: UM-Dearborn Apr 1, 2027.
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than UM-Dearborn (55.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 14.2% at UM-Dearborn vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

UM-Dearborn vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for UM-Dearborn and Penn State? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Penn State Main Campus's six-year graduation rate (87%) is higher than University of Michigan Dearborn's (49%).
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn a median of about $2,500 more per year than UM-Dearborn graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $52,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, University of Michigan Dearborn graduates have a $1,068 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($25,750 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, UM-Dearborn graduates have an estimated $11 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($266 vs. $277).
  • More Penn State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UM-Dearborn students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 46%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.