Utah State University vs. Penn State

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

Utah State University Penn State
Location Logan, UT University Park, PA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 27,943 50,028
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #509 #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website usu.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Utah State University Penn State
Tuition (In State) $8,310 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $23,884 $35,946
Room & Board $8,232 $12,744
Avg Net Price $14,577 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $9,808 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 44%

Admission

Utah State University Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,069 85,784
Admitted 15,061 47,360
Acceptance Rate 93.7% 55.2%
Enrolled % 30.7% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.63 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Challenging Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/27 26/31
SAT Range 1050/1300 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

Utah State University Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (13%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Engineering (6%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

Utah State University Penn State
Graduation Rate 52% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,600 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 71% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $13,610 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $140 $277

Diversity

Utah State University Penn State
% Men 44% 53%
% Women 56% 47%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 81% 69%
% Black 1% 4%
% Hispanic 6% 6%
% Native American 2% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 2% 11%
% Unknown Race 6% 2%

Students

Utah State University Penn State
% In-State 72% 51%
% Out-of-State 28% 40%

Campus

Utah State University 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 State University based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 27,943 students)

Utah State University vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Utah State University or Penn State?

  • Penn State Main Campus is 121% more expensive to attend than Utah State University for in-state tuition ($18,368.00 vs. $8,310.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 50.5% higher at Penn State than Utah State University ($35,946.00 vs. $23,884.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Utah State University than Penn State ($14,577 vs. $26,747)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Utah State University are 54.8% lower than costs at Penn State Main Campus ($8,232 vs. $12,744)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Utah State University than Penn State Main Campus (89% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Main Campus students is 2.6% larger than aid received Utah State University ($10,066 vs. $9,808)

Utah State University vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Main Campus (1202) is 118 points higher than at Utah State University (1084)
  • Incoming Penn State students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Utah State University (24)
  • Utah State University has a higher acceptance rate (93.7%) than Penn State (55.2%)

Utah State University vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Utah State University 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 State University.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than Utah State University (87% vs. 52%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn on average $6,700 more per year than Utah State University graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $48,600)
  • Utah State University students graduate with a $13,208 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($13,610 vs. $26,818)
  • Utah State University graduates are paying $137 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($140 vs. $277)
  • More Utah State University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 69%)

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