Utah vs. Penn State

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

 Utah Penn State
Location Salt Lake City, UT University Park, PA
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 34,734 50,028
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #237 #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website utah.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Utah Penn State
Tuition (In State) $8,175 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $28,697 $35,946
Room & Board $11,437 $12,744
Avg Net Price $12,399 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $9,696 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 44%

Admission

 Utah Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,072 85,784
Admitted 18,781 47,360
Acceptance Rate 89.1% 55.2%
Enrolled % 29.4% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.64 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/29 26/31
SAT Range 1190/1390 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 Apr 1, 2025

Academics

 Utah Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

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

Diversity

 Utah Penn State
% Men 51% 53%
% Women 49% 47%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 70% 69%
% Black 1% 4%
% Hispanic 11% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 6% 11%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 Utah Penn State
% In-State 57% 51%
% Out-of-State 36% 40%

Campus

 Utah 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 Utah based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 34,734 students)

Utah vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Utah or Penn State?

  • Penn State Main Campus is 124.7% more expensive to attend than Utah for in-state tuition ($18,368.00 vs. $8,175.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 25.3% higher at Penn State than University of Utah ($35,946.00 vs. $28,697.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Utah than Penn State ($12,399 vs. $26,747)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Utah are 11.4% lower than costs at Penn State Main Campus ($11,437 vs. $12,744)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Utah than Penn State Main Campus (99% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Main Campus students is 3.8% larger than aid received University of Utah ($10,066 vs. $9,696)

Utah vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Main Campus (1202) is 72 points higher than at Utah (1130)
  • Incoming Penn State students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Utah (25)
  • Utah has a higher acceptance rate (89.1%) than Penn State (55.2%)

Utah vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Utah 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 Utah.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than University of Utah (87% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from University of Utah earn on average $6,000 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($61,300 vs. $55,300)
  • University of Utah students graduate with a $11,818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($15,000 vs. $26,818)
  • Utah graduates are paying $122 less per month on federal student loans 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/