Pitt vs. Penn State

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

Pitt Penn State
Location Pittsburgh, PA University Park, PA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 33,767 50,028
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #128 #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website pitt.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Pitt Penn State
Tuition (In State) $19,760 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $36,000 $35,946
Room & Board $12,360 $12,744
Avg Net Price $24,286 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $10,919 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 85% 44%

Admission

Pitt Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 53,072 85,784
Admitted 26,079 47,360
Acceptance Rate 49.1% 55.2%
Enrolled % 16.8% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 29/33 26/31
SAT Range 1280/1470 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

Academics

Pitt Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

Pitt Penn State
Graduation Rate 79% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $58,000 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,909 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $278 $277

Diversity

Pitt Penn State
% Men 42% 53%
% Women 58% 47%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 74% 69%
% Black 5% 4%
% Hispanic 3% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 4% 11%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

Pitt Penn State
% In-State 54% 51%
% Out-of-State 40% 40%

Campus

Pitt 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 Pitt based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 33,767 students)

Pitt vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Pitt or Penn State?

  • University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus is 7.6% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($19,760.00 vs. $18,368.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.2% higher at Pitt than Penn State Main Campus ($36,000.00 vs. $35,946.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus than Penn State ($24,286 vs. $26,747)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus are 3.1% lower than costs at Penn State Main Campus ($12,360 vs. $12,744)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus than Penn State Main Campus (85% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus students is 8.5% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($10,919 vs. $10,066)

Pitt vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus (1272) is 70 points higher than at Penn State (1202)
  • Incoming Pitt students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Penn State (27)
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (55.2%) than Pitt (49.1%)

Pitt vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Pitt 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 Pitt.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus (87% vs. 79%)
  • Graduates from University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus earn on average $2,700 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($58,000 vs. $55,300)
  • Penn State Main Campus students graduate with a $91 lower median federal student loan debt than Pitt graduates. ($26,818 vs. $26,909)
  • Penn State graduates are paying $1 less per month on federal student loans than Pitt graduates. ($277 vs. $278)
  • More Pitt graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 69%)

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