Westminster College vs. Penn State

Deciding between Westminster 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.

Westminster College
Penn State Main Campus

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Westminster College New Wilmington, PA
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • Westminster College Town Fringe
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Westminster College 1,191
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • Westminster College Private 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Westminster College #557
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Westminster College Presbyterian Church (USA)
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • Westminster College Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Westminster College
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Westminster College $40,290
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Westminster College $40,290
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • Westminster College $12,880
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Westminster College $20,394
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Westminster College $32,553
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Westminster College 100%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Westminster College 2,392
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • Westminster College 2,214
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Westminster College 92.6%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Westminster College 12.1%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Westminster College 1150
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Westminster College 23
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Westminster College 3.57
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Westminster College A-
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Westminster College Moderate
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Westminster College
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Westminster College 20/26
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Westminster College 1040/1258
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Westminster College Test-free
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Westminster College
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Westminster College 12:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Westminster College
    • Education (20%)
    • Business (18%)
    • Communication (12%)
    • Social Sciences (10%)
    • Biology (10%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Westminster College 74%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Westminster College $45,700
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Westminster College 82%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Westminster College $27,000
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Westminster College $279
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Westminster College 49%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • Westminster College 51%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Westminster College Very Low
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Westminster College No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • Westminster College 77%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • Westminster College 1%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • Westminster College 3%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Westminster College 1%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Westminster College 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Westminster College 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Westminster College 2%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • Westminster College 0%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Westminster College 15%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Westminster College 66%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Westminster College 33%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Westminster College in New Wilmington, 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 Westminster College based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 1,191 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Westminster College is located in New Wilmington, PA (Town Fringe setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • Westminster 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: Westminster College 12:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

Westminster College vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Westminster 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 Westminster College than Penn State ($20,394 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Westminster College are 11% lower than at Penn State Main Campus ($12,880 vs. $14,474).
  • Westminster College is 95.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $19,646 more per year; $40,290.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 3.7% higher at Penn State than at Westminster College (about $1,500 more per year; $41,790.00 vs. $40,290.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Westminster College than at Penn State Main Campus (100% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Westminster College students is 187.2% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($32,553 vs. $11,336).

Westminster College vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

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

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Penn State Main Campus (1330) is 180 points higher than at Westminster College (1150).
  • Incoming Penn State students have a 6 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (29 vs. 23 at Westminster College).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Westminster College 1040/1258; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Westminster College 20/26; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Westminster College - Test-free; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Westminster College has a higher acceptance rate (92.6%) than Penn State (60.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 12.1% at Westminster College vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

Westminster College vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Westminster 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 Westminster College's (74%).
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn a median of about $9,600 more per year than Westminster College graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $45,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Penn State Main Campus graduates have a $182 lower median loan debt than Westminster College graduates ($26,818 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, Penn State graduates have an estimated $2 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Westminster College graduates ($277 vs. $279).
  • More Westminster College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (82% 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.