Yale vs. Penn State

Deciding between Yale University 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.

Yale University
Penn State Main Campus

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Yale New Haven, CT
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • Yale Midsize City
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Yale 15,564
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • Yale Private 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Yale #5
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Yale -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • Yale Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Yale
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Yale $67,250
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Yale $67,250
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • Yale $19,900
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Yale $22,408
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Yale $65,892
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Yale 56%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Yale 57,517
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • Yale 2,227
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Yale 3.9%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Yale 69.8%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Yale 1520
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Yale 34
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Yale 3.95
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Yale A
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Yale Elite
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Yale Extreme
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Yale 33/35
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Yale 1470/1570
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Yale Required
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Yale Jan 2, 2027
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Yale 5:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Yale
    • Social Sciences (27%)
    • History (9%)
    • General Studies (8%)
    • Biology (7%)
    • Ethnic Studies (7%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

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

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Yale 47%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • Yale 53%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Yale Very High
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Yale No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • Yale 47%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • Yale 17%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • Yale 7%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Yale 11%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Yale 1%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Yale 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Yale 6%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • Yale 11%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Yale 1%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Yale 6%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Yale 81%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Yale University in New Haven, CT 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 Yale based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 15,564 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Yale University is located in New Haven, CT (Midsize City setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • Yale University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Yale University 5:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

Yale vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Yale 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 Yale University than Penn State ($22,408 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 27.3% lower than at Yale University ($14,474 vs. $19,900).
  • Yale University is 225.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $46,606 more per year; $67,250.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 60.9% higher at Yale than at Penn State Main Campus (about $25,460 more per year; $67,250.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Yale University than at Penn State Main Campus (56% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Yale University students is 481.3% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($65,892 vs. $11,336).

Yale vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Yale 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 Yale.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Yale University (1520) is 190 points higher than at Penn State (1330).
  • Incoming Yale 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: Yale University 1470/1570; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Yale University 33/35; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Yale - Required; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Yale Jan 2, 2027.
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than Yale (3.9%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 69.8% at Yale vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

Yale vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Yale 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).

  • Yale University's six-year graduation rate (97%) is higher than Penn State Main Campus's (87%).
  • Graduates from Yale University earn a median of about $63,100 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($118,400 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Yale University graduates have a $13,318 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($13,500 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Yale graduates have an estimated $138 lower median monthly federal student loan payment 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.