U of R vs. Penn State

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

 U of R Penn State
Location Rochester, NY University Park, PA
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 12,197 50,028
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #53 #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website rochester.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 U of R Penn State
Tuition (In State) $60,550 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $60,550 $35,946
Room & Board $18,232 $12,744
Avg Net Price $39,775 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $39,715 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 71% 44%

Admission

 U of R Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,966 85,784
Admitted 7,768 47,360
Acceptance Rate 38.9% 55.2%
Enrolled % 20.9% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 31/34 26/31
SAT Range 1390/1540 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 Jan 5, 2025

Academics

 U of R Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 U of R Penn State
Graduation Rate 83% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $71,000 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 79% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,500 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $253 $277

Diversity

 U of R Penn State
% Men 47% 53%
% Women 53% 47%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 48% 69%
% Black 5% 4%
% Hispanic 7% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 18% 11%
% Unknown Race 7% 2%

Students

 U of R Penn State
% In-State 25% 51%
% Out-of-State 44% 40%

Campus

 U of R Penn State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes 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 U of R based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 12,197 students)

U of R vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, U of R or Penn State?

  • University of Rochester is 229.6% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($60,550.00 vs. $18,368.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 68.4% higher at U of R than Penn State Main Campus ($60,550.00 vs. $35,946.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Main Campus than U of R ($26,747 vs. $39,775)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 43.1% lower than costs at University of Rochester ($12,744 vs. $18,232)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Rochester than Penn State Main Campus (71% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Rochester students is 294.5% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($39,715 vs. $10,066)

U of R vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (55.2%) than U of R (38.9%)

U of R vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, U of R 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 U of R.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than University of Rochester (87% vs. 83%)
  • Graduates from University of Rochester earn on average $15,700 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($71,000 vs. $55,300)
  • University of Rochester students graduate with a $2,318 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($24,500 vs. $26,818)
  • U of R graduates are paying $24 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($253 vs. $277)
  • More U of R graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (79% vs. 69%)

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