Utah State University vs. Penn State

Deciding between Utah State University 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.

Utah State University
Penn State Main Campus

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Utah State University Logan, UT
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • Utah State University Small City
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Utah State University 28,904
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • Utah State University Public 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Utah State University #499
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Utah State University -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • Utah State University Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Utah State University
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Utah State University $9,228
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Utah State University $24,802
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • Utah State University $9,076
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Utah State University $15,788
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Utah State University $8,685
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Utah State University 90%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Utah State University 20,871
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • Utah State University 19,299
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Utah State University 92.5%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Utah State University 23.8%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Utah State University 1180
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Utah State University 24
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Utah State University 3.63
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Utah State University A-
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Utah State University Challenging
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Utah State University
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Utah State University 20/28
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Utah State University 1070/1290
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Utah State University Test optional
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Utah State University
  • Penn State

  • Academics

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

  • Outcomes

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

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Utah State University 45%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • Utah State University 55%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Utah State University Very Low
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Utah State University No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • Utah State University 81%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • Utah State University 1%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • Utah State University 1%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Utah State University 6%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Utah State University 2%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Utah State University 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Utah State University 2%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • Utah State University 2%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Utah State University 6%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Utah State University 72%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Utah State University 27%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Utah State University in Logan, 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 State University based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 28,904 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Utah State University is located in Logan, UT (Small City setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • Utah State University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Utah State University 19:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

Utah State University vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Utah State University 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 Utah State University than Penn State ($15,788 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Utah State University are 37.3% lower than at Penn State Main Campus ($9,076 vs. $14,474).
  • Penn State Main Campus is 123.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Utah State University (about $11,416 more per year; $20,644.00 vs. $9,228.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 68.5% higher at Penn State than at Utah State University (about $16,988 more per year; $41,790.00 vs. $24,802.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Utah State University than at Penn State Main Campus (90% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Main Campus students is 30.5% larger than aid received by Utah State University students ($11,336 vs. $8,685).

Utah State University vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Utah State University 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 State University.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Penn State Main Campus (1330) is 150 points higher than at Utah State University (1180).
  • Incoming Penn State students have a 5 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (29 vs. 24 at Utah State University).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Utah State University 1070/1290; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Utah State University 20/28; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Utah State University - Test optional; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Utah State University has a higher acceptance rate (92.5%) than Penn State (60.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 23.8% at Utah State University vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

Utah State University vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Utah State University 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 Utah State University's (52%).
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn a median of about $6,700 more per year than Utah State University graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $48,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Utah State University graduates have a $13,208 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($13,610 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Utah State University graduates have an estimated $137 lower median monthly federal student loan payment 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.