Williams vs. Penn State

Deciding between Williams 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.

Williams College
Penn State Main Campus

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Williams Williamstown, MA
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • Williams Distant Town
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Williams 2,164
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • Williams Private 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Williams #14
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Williams -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • Williams Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Williams
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Williams $68,560
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Williams $68,560
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • Williams $17,260
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Williams $15,894
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Williams $68,966
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Williams 54%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Williams 15,411
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • Williams 1,272
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Williams 8.3%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Williams 43%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Williams 1530
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Williams 34
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Williams 3.94
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Williams A
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Williams Elite
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Williams Extreme
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Williams 34/35
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Williams 1490/1570
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Williams Test optional
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Williams Jan 10, 2027
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Williams 6:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Williams
    • Social Sciences (25%)
    • Psychology (10%)
    • History (9%)
    • Foreign Languages (8%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Williams 95%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Williams $73,600
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Williams 83%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Williams $14,582
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Williams $150
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Williams 47%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • Williams 53%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Williams High
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Williams No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • Williams 54%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • Williams 12%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • Williams 8%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Williams 13%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Williams 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Williams 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Williams 6%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • Williams 8%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Williams 0%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Williams 11%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Williams 77%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Williams College in Williamstown, MA 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 Williams based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 2,164 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Williams College is located in Williamstown, MA (Distant Town setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • Williams 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: Williams College 6:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

Williams vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Williams 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 Williams College than Penn State ($15,894 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 16.1% lower than at Williams College ($14,474 vs. $17,260).
  • Williams College is 232.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $47,916 more per year; $68,560.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 64.1% higher at Williams than at Penn State Main Campus (about $26,770 more per year; $68,560.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Williams College than at Penn State Main Campus (54% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Williams College students is 508.4% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($68,966 vs. $11,336).

Williams vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Williams 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 Williams.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Williams College (1530) is 200 points higher than at Penn State (1330).
  • Incoming Williams students have a 5 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (34 vs. 29 at Penn State).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Williams College 1490/1570; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Williams College 34/35; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Williams - Test optional; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Williams Jan 10, 2027.
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than Williams (8.3%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 43% at Williams vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

Williams vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Williams 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).

  • Williams College's six-year graduation rate (95%) is higher than Penn State Main Campus's (87%).
  • Graduates from Williams College earn a median of about $18,300 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($73,600 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Williams College graduates have a $12,236 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($14,582 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Williams graduates have an estimated $127 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($150 vs. $277).
  • More Williams graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (83% 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.