Ursinus College vs. Penn State

Deciding between Ursinus College 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.

Ursinus College
Penn State Main Campus

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Ursinus College Collegeville, PA
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • Ursinus College Large Suburban
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Ursinus College 1,502
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • Ursinus College Private 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Ursinus College #249
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Ursinus College -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • Ursinus College Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Ursinus College
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Ursinus College $61,210
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Ursinus College $61,210
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • Ursinus College $17,028
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Ursinus College $32,158
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Ursinus College $44,754
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Ursinus College 100%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Ursinus College 3,304
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • Ursinus College 3,032
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Ursinus College 91.8%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Ursinus College 12.5%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Ursinus College 1290
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Ursinus College 30
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Ursinus College 3.53
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Ursinus College A-
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Ursinus College Very High
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Ursinus College
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Ursinus College 28/32
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Ursinus College 1200/1385
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Ursinus College Test optional
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Ursinus College May 1, 2027
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Ursinus College 10:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Ursinus College
    • Social Sciences (24%)
    • Biology (17%)
    • Psychology (9%)
    • English and Literature (7%)
    • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Ursinus College 80%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Ursinus College $58,000
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Ursinus College 83%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Ursinus College $27,000
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Ursinus College $279
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Ursinus College 52%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • Ursinus College 48%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Ursinus College Low
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Ursinus College No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • Ursinus College 74%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • Ursinus College 5%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • Ursinus College 6%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Ursinus College 6%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Ursinus College 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Ursinus College 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Ursinus College 4%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • Ursinus College 2%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Ursinus College 3%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Ursinus College 56%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Ursinus College 43%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Ursinus College in Collegeville, PA 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 Ursinus College based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 1,502 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Ursinus College is located in Collegeville, PA (Large Suburban setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • Ursinus College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Ursinus College 10:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

Ursinus College vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Ursinus College 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 Penn State Main Campus than Ursinus College ($27,889 vs. $32,158).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 15% lower than at Ursinus College ($14,474 vs. $17,028).
  • Ursinus College is 196.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $40,566 more per year; $61,210.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 46.5% higher at Ursinus College than at Penn State Main Campus (about $19,420 more per year; $61,210.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Ursinus College than at Penn State Main Campus (100% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ursinus College students is 294.8% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($44,754 vs. $11,336).

Ursinus College vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Ursinus College 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 Ursinus College.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Penn State Main Campus (1330) is 40 points higher than at Ursinus College (1290).
  • Incoming Ursinus College students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (30 vs. 29 at Penn State).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Ursinus College 1200/1385; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Ursinus College 28/32; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Ursinus College - Test optional; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Ursinus College May 1, 2027.
  • Ursinus College has a higher acceptance rate (91.8%) than Penn State (60.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 12.5% at Ursinus College vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

Ursinus College vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Ursinus College 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 Ursinus College's (80%).
  • Graduates from Ursinus College earn a median of about $2,700 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($58,000 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Penn State Main Campus graduates have a $182 lower median loan debt than Ursinus College graduates ($26,818 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, Penn State graduates have an estimated $2 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Ursinus College graduates ($277 vs. $279).
  • More Ursinus College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (83% 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.