Utah vs. Penn State

Deciding between University of Utah 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 Utah
Penn State Main Campus

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Utah Salt Lake City, UT
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • Utah Midsize City
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Utah 36,894
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • Utah Public 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Utah #258
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Utah -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • Utah Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Utah
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Utah $9,620
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Utah $30,860
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • Utah $13,315
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Utah $16,583
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Utah $12,744
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Utah 73%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Utah 26,822
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • Utah 23,062
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Utah 86%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Utah 26%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Utah 1290
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Utah 25
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Utah 3.64
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Utah A-
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Utah Difficult
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Utah
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Utah 22/29
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Utah 1190/1380
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Utah Test optional
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Utah Apr 1, 2027
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Utah 19:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Utah
    • Social Sciences (17%)
    • Business (13%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Health Professions (8%)
    • Engineering (7%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Utah 55%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Utah $61,300
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Utah 72%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Utah $15,000
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Utah $155
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Utah 51%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • Utah 49%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Utah Medium
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Utah No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • Utah 70%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • Utah 6%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • Utah 1%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Utah 11%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Utah 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Utah 1%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Utah 4%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • Utah 6%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Utah 1%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Utah 53%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Utah 42%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare University of Utah in Salt Lake City, UT 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 Utah based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 36,894 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • University of Utah is located in Salt Lake City, UT (Midsize City setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • University of Utah 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 Utah 19:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

Utah vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Utah 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 Utah than Penn State ($16,583 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Utah are 8% lower than at Penn State Main Campus ($13,315 vs. $14,474).
  • Penn State Main Campus is 114.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than Utah (about $11,024 more per year; $20,644.00 vs. $9,620.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 35.4% higher at Penn State than at University of Utah (about $10,930 more per year; $41,790.00 vs. $30,860.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of Utah than at Penn State Main Campus (73% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Utah students is 12.4% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($12,744 vs. $11,336).

Utah vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Utah 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 Utah.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Penn State Main Campus (1330) is 40 points higher than at Utah (1290).
  • Incoming Penn State students have a 4 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (29 vs. 25 at Utah).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of Utah 1190/1380; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of Utah 22/29; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Utah - Test optional; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Utah Apr 1, 2027.
  • Utah has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than Penn State (60.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 26% at Utah vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

Utah vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Utah 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 Utah's (55%).
  • Graduates from University of Utah earn a median of about $6,000 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($61,300 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, University of Utah graduates have a $11,818 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($15,000 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Utah graduates have an estimated $122 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($155 vs. $277).
  • More Utah graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (72% vs. 69%)

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.