| Penn State vs. Northwestern |
 |  | |
|---|---|---|
#73 in National Universities #77 in World University Rankings #9 in Pennsylvania Colleges | Rankings* | #11 in National Universities #20 in World University Rankings #2 in Illinois Colleges |
| Public, four-years Research University (very high research activity) | School Type | Private (not-for-profit), four-years Research University (very high research activity) |
| Offered Degrees | ||
| 1-Year Certificate 1-2 Years Certificate Associate Bachelor's Post-BS Certificate Master's Doctorate (Research) Doctorate (Professional Practice) | Offered Degree | 1-2 Years Certificate Bachelor's Post-BS Certificate Master's Post-MS Certificate Doctorate (Research) Doctorate (Professional Practice) |
| 2025 Tuition & Fees | ||
| cheaper$20,644 Pennsylvania Residents $41,790 Out-of-State | Undergraduate Tuition | expensive$68,322 |
| cheaper$26,034 Pennsylvania Residents $45,574 Out-of-State | Graduate Tuition | expensive$54,655 |
| Less$13,716 | Average Financial Aid Amount | More$57,927 |
| Admission | ||
| Lower1,330 SAT 30 ACT | Test Scores | Higher1,540 SAT 34 ACT |
| Easier60.56% | Acceptance Rate | Tighter7.69% |
| Lower17.11% | Yield (Enrollment Rate) | Favorable55.31% |
| High School GPA High School Record Completion of College Preparatory Program Admission Test Scores English Proficiency Test Personal statement or essay | Application Requirements (Required or Considered) | High School GPA High School Rank High School Record Completion of College Preparatory Program Recommendations Admission Test Scores English Proficiency Test Work experience Personal statement or essay Legacy status |
| Dual Credits Advanced placement (AP) Credits Credits for Life Experiences Credit for Military Training | Accepted Credits | Advanced placement (AP) Credits |
| Enrollment | ||
| Larger50,737 | Total Enrollment | Smaller23,856 |
| Larger42,604 | Undergraduate Student Population | Smaller9,399 |
| Smaller8,133 | Graduate Student Population | Larger14,457 |
| Smaller321 | Online Student Population | Larger781 |
| Completion & Outcomes | ||
| Lower86% | Graduate Rate | Higher95% |
| 2% | Transfer-out Rate | - |
| Lower93% | Retention Rate | Higher98% |
| Special Learning Opportunity | ||
| ROTC Study Abroad Evening/Weekend College Teacher Certificate | Special learning Opportunity | ROTC Study Abroad Evening/Weekend College Teacher Certificate |
| ✔ (Dormitory Capacity: 14,275) | Campus Housing | ✔ (Dormitory Capacity: 4,456) |
| ✔ (Typical Annual Charge: $5,610) | Board/Meal Plan | ✔ (Typical Annual Charge: $7,692) |
| Faculty | ||
| More Students per Faculty16 to 1 | Student to Faculty Ratio | Less Students per Faculty6 to 1 |
| 4,838 | Number of faculty | 2,859 |
| Lower$119,122 | Average Faculty Salary | Higher$182,894 |
*Ranking data is from College Evaluator.