OU vs. Penn State

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

 OU Penn State
Location Norman, OK University Park, PA
Setting Small Suburban Small City
Enrollment 29,145 50,399
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #223 #171
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ou.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 OU Penn State
Tuition (In State) $5,070 $19,672
Tuition (Out of State) $22,140 $39,626
Room & Board $13,310 $13,030
Avg Net Price $19,900 $27,450
Avg Grant Aid $10,830 $11,577
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 36%

Admission

 OU Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,337 85,956
Admitted 17,097 46,605
Acceptance Rate 76.5% 54.2%
Enrolled % 30.4% 19.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.66 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/29 27/32
SAT Range 1140/1330 1220/1400
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 1, 2026

Academics

 OU Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • General Studies (13%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 OU Penn State
Graduation Rate 67% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,300 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $206 $277

Diversity

 OU Penn State
% Men 10% 8%
% Women 14% 8%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 62% 69%
% Black 5% 4%
% Hispanic 9% 6%
% Native American 4% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 3%
% International 4% 11%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

 OU Penn State
% In-State 50% 51%
% Out-of-State 48% 40%

Campus

 OU 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 OU based on total student enrollment (50,399 students vs. 29,145 students)

OU vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, OU or Penn State?

  • Penn State Main Campus is 288% more expensive to attend than OU for in-state tuition ($19,672.00 vs. $5,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 79% higher at Penn State than University of Oklahoma Norman Campus ($39,626.00 vs. $22,140.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Oklahoma Norman Campus than Penn State ($19,900 vs. $27,450)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 2.1% lower than costs at University of Oklahoma Norman Campus ($13,030 vs. $13,310)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Oklahoma Norman Campus than Penn State Main Campus (99% vs. 36%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Main Campus students is 6.9% larger than aid received University of Oklahoma Norman Campus ($11,577 vs. $10,830)

OU vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Oklahoma Norman Campus (1204) is 2 points higher than at Penn State (1202)
  • Incoming OU students have at the same average ACT score (27) as students at Penn State (27)
  • OU has a higher acceptance rate (76.5%) than Penn State (54.2%)

OU vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, OU 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 OU.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than University of Oklahoma Norman Campus (87% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from University of Oklahoma Norman Campus earn on average $4,000 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($59,300 vs. $55,300)
  • University of Oklahoma Norman Campus students graduate with a $6,818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($20,000 vs. $26,818)
  • OU graduates are paying $71 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($206 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former OU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 68%)

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