University of Nevada-Reno vs. Penn State

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

University of Nevada-Reno Penn State
Location Reno, NV University Park, PA
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 20,945 50,028
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #443 #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website unr.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of Nevada-Reno Penn State
Tuition (In State) $8,133 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $24,687 $35,946
Room & Board $13,796 $12,744
Avg Net Price $16,670 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $7,829 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 44%

Admission

University of Nevada-Reno Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,398 85,784
Admitted 8,047 47,360
Acceptance Rate 85.6% 55.2%
Enrolled % 41% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.4 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Average Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/26 26/31
SAT Range 1060/1270 1210/1390
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Apr 7, 2025

Academics

University of Nevada-Reno Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

University of Nevada-Reno Penn State
Graduation Rate 51% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,400 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,801 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $194 $277

Diversity

University of Nevada-Reno Penn State
% Men 46% 53%
% Women 54% 47%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 60% 69%
% Black 4% 4%
% Hispanic 19% 6%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 3%
% International 1% 11%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

University of Nevada-Reno Penn State
% In-State 76% 51%
% Out-of-State 23% 40%

Campus

University of Nevada-Reno 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 University of Nevada-Reno based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 20,945 students)

University of Nevada-Reno vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University of Nevada-Reno or Penn State?

  • Penn State Main Campus is 125.8% more expensive to attend than University of Nevada-Reno for in-state tuition ($18,368.00 vs. $8,133.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 45.6% higher at Penn State than University of Nevada Reno ($35,946.00 vs. $24,687.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Nevada Reno than Penn State ($16,670 vs. $26,747)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 8.3% lower than costs at University of Nevada Reno ($12,744 vs. $13,796)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Nevada Reno than Penn State Main Campus (92% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Main Campus students is 28.6% larger than aid received University of Nevada Reno ($10,066 vs. $7,829)

University of Nevada-Reno vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, University of Nevada-Reno 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 Nevada-Reno .

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Main Campus (1202) is 118 points higher than at University of Nevada-Reno (1084)
  • Incoming Penn State students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at University of Nevada-Reno (24)
  • University of Nevada-Reno has a higher acceptance rate (85.6%) than Penn State (55.2%)

University of Nevada-Reno vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University of Nevada-Reno 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 Nevada-Reno.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than University of Nevada Reno (87% vs. 51%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn on average $1,900 more per year than University of Nevada-Reno graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $53,400)
  • University of Nevada Reno students graduate with a $8,017 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($18,801 vs. $26,818)
  • University of Nevada-Reno graduates are paying $83 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($194 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of Nevada-Reno students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 64%)

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