Villanova vs. Penn State

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

 Villanova Penn State
Location Villanova, PA University Park, PA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 10,111 50,399
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #65 #171
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website villanova.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Villanova Penn State
Tuition (In State) $63,806 $19,672
Tuition (Out of State) $63,806 $39,626
Room & Board $16,896 $13,030
Avg Net Price $37,946 $27,450
Avg Grant Aid $42,948 $11,577
% Receiving Grant Aid 47% 36%

Admission

 Villanova Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 23,127 85,956
Admitted 5,810 46,605
Acceptance Rate 25.1% 54.2%
Enrolled % 29.9% 19.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.87 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 32/34 27/32
SAT Range 1400/1510 1220/1400
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 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

 Villanova Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (32%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 Villanova Penn State
Graduation Rate 90% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $85,100 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,497 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $273 $277

Diversity

 Villanova Penn State
% Men 14% 8%
% Women 16% 8%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 74% 69%
% Black 5% 4%
% Hispanic 8% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 2% 11%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 Villanova Penn State
% In-State 20% 51%
% Out-of-State 77% 40%

Campus

 Villanova Penn State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than Villanova based on total student enrollment (50,399 students vs. 10,111 students)

Villanova vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Villanova or Penn State?

  • Villanova University is 224.3% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($63,806.00 vs. $19,672.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 61% higher at Villanova than Penn State Main Campus ($63,806.00 vs. $39,626.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Main Campus than Villanova ($27,450 vs. $37,946)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 29.7% lower than costs at Villanova University ($13,030 vs. $16,896)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Villanova University than Penn State Main Campus (47% vs. 36%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Villanova University students is 271% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($42,948 vs. $11,577)

Villanova vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Villanova University (1326) is 124 points higher than at Penn State (1202)
  • Incoming Villanova students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Penn State (27)
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (54.2%) than Villanova (25.1%)

Villanova vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Villanova 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 Villanova.

  • The graduation rate at Villanova is higher than Penn State Main Campus (90% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from Villanova University earn on average $29,800 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($85,100 vs. $55,300)
  • Villanova University students graduate with a $321 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($26,497 vs. $26,818)
  • Villanova graduates are paying $4 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($273 vs. $277)
  • More Villanova graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 69%)

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