Yale vs. Penn State

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

 Yale Penn State
Location New Haven, CT University Park, PA
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 15,081 50,399
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #5 #171
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website yale.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Yale Penn State
Tuition (In State) $64,700 $19,672
Tuition (Out of State) $64,700 $39,626
Room & Board $19,180 $13,030
Avg Net Price $26,044 $27,450
Avg Grant Aid $59,076 $11,577
% Receiving Grant Aid 54% 36%

Admission

 Yale Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 51,803 85,956
Admitted 2,332 46,605
Acceptance Rate 4.5% 54.2%
Enrolled % 70.4% 19.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.95 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 33/35 27/32
SAT Range 1500/1580 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 2, 2026

Academics

 Yale Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • History (9%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Ethnic Studies (7%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 Yale Penn State
Graduation Rate 97% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $118,400 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 84% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $13,500 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $139 $277

Diversity

 Yale Penn State
% Men 25% 8%
% Women 30% 8%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 47% 69%
% Black 7% 4%
% Hispanic 11% 6%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 3%
% International 11% 11%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 Yale Penn State
% In-State 6% 51%
% Out-of-State 81% 40%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than Yale based on total student enrollment (50,399 students vs. 15,081 students)

Yale vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Yale or Penn State?

  • Yale University is 228.9% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($64,700.00 vs. $19,672.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 63.3% higher at Yale than Penn State Main Campus ($64,700.00 vs. $39,626.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Yale University than Penn State ($26,044 vs. $27,450)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 47.2% lower than costs at Yale University ($13,030 vs. $19,180)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Yale University than Penn State Main Campus (54% vs. 36%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Yale University students is 410.3% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($59,076 vs. $11,577)

Yale vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Yale University (1498) is 296 points higher than at Penn State (1202)
  • Incoming Yale students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Penn State (27)
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (54.2%) than Yale (4.5%)

Yale vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Yale 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 Yale.

  • The graduation rate at Yale is higher than Penn State Main Campus (97% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from Yale University earn on average $63,100 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($118,400 vs. $55,300)
  • Yale University students graduate with a $13,318 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($13,500 vs. $26,818)
  • Yale graduates are paying $138 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($139 vs. $277)
  • More Yale graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 69%)

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