Widener University-Main Campus vs. Penn State

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

 Widener University-Main Campus Penn State
Location Chester, PA University Park, PA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 5,416 50,028
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #364 #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website widener.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Widener University-Main Campus Penn State
Tuition (In State) $50,624 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $50,624 $35,946
Room & Board $15,200 $12,744
Avg Net Price $32,185 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $32,412 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 44%

Admission

 Widener University-Main Campus Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,961 85,784
Admitted 5,227 47,360
Acceptance Rate 87.7% 55.2%
Enrolled % 10.3% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.46 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Challenging Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/29 26/31
SAT Range 1105/1290 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

 Widener University-Main Campus Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (28%)
  • Health Professions (23%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Education (5%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 Widener University-Main Campus Penn State
Graduation Rate 54% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,500 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $279 $277

Diversity

 Widener University-Main Campus Penn State
% Men 34% 53%
% Women 66% 47%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 70% 69%
% Black 13% 4%
% Hispanic 5% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 4% 11%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

 Widener University-Main Campus Penn State
% In-State 61% 51%
% Out-of-State 38% 40%

Campus

 Widener University-Main Campus 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 Widener University-Main Campus based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 5,416 students)

Widener University-Main Campus vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Widener University-Main Campus or Penn State?

  • Widener University Main Campus is 175.6% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($50,624.00 vs. $18,368.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 40.8% higher at Widener University-Main Campus than Penn State Main Campus ($50,624.00 vs. $35,946.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Main Campus than Widener University-Main Campus ($26,747 vs. $32,185)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 19.3% lower than costs at Widener University Main Campus ($12,744 vs. $15,200)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Widener University Main Campus than Penn State Main Campus (97% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Widener University Main Campus students is 222% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($32,412 vs. $10,066)

Widener University-Main Campus vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Main Campus (1202) is 170 points higher than at Widener University-Main Campus (1032)
  • Incoming Penn State students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Widener University-Main Campus (23)
  • Widener University-Main Campus has a higher acceptance rate (87.7%) than Penn State (55.2%)

Widener University-Main Campus vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Widener University-Main Campus 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 Widener University-Main Campus.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than Widener University Main Campus (87% vs. 54%)
  • Graduates from Widener University Main Campus earn on average $4,200 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($59,500 vs. $55,300)
  • Penn State Main Campus students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than Widener University-Main Campus graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Widener University-Main Campus graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More Penn State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Widener University-Main Campus students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 68%)

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