UDenver vs The Pennsylvania State University (PSU)

Envision yourself pursuing higher education at two distinct institutions: the University of Denver and The Pennsylvania State University. While both offer exceptional academic opportunities, they possess unique characteristics that may influence your decision. The University of Denver, a private research university, boasts a smaller student body, fostering a close-knit community. In contrast, Penn State, a public research university, offers a larger and more diverse student population. Acceptance rates vary significantly, with Denver being more selective. Explore their academic strengths; Denver excels in fields like business and engineering, while Penn State shines in engineering, business, and liberal arts. Discover the vibrant student life, diverse housing options, and supportive alumni networks at both universities. Compare graduation rates and post-graduate outcomes to gauge their effectiveness in preparing students for successful careers. Delve into the comparison table to uncover further distinctions and make an informed choice that aligns with your aspirations and preferences.

	The Pennsylvania State University	University of Denver
Overview
Location	University Park, Pennsylvania	Denver, Colorado
Campus setting	City: Small	City: Large
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Public	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	Semester	Quarter
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	87.0%	84.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	92.3%	63.6%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $65 Graduate: $65	Undergraduate: $65 Graduate: $65
SAT range	1140 - 1360	1200 - 1390
ACT range	25 - 31	27 - 31
Students submitting SAT score	32.0%	24.0%
Students submitting ACT score	6.0%	27.0%
Total number of applicants	96,686	22,694
Total number of admissions given out	89,207	14,440
Admitted students who chose to enroll	16,049	1,621
Yield rate	18.0%	11.2%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	In state: $38,270 Out of state: $55,848	$73,514
Average net price	$24,012	$39,973
Tuition	In state: $18,368 Out of state: $35,946	$53,640
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $7,360 Meal plan: $5,618	Room/dormitory: $9,262 Meal plan: $5,412
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	51.0% Average amount $9,884	98.0% Average amount $31,672
Students receiving federal student loan	49.0% Average amount $5,305	38.0% Average amount $5,173
Students taking out private loans	13.0% Average amount $19,837	5.0% Average amount $21,978

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	73,476 Men 53.7% Women 46.3%	5,867 Men 44.8% Women 55.2%
Graduate students	15,438 Men 51.7% Women 48.3%	8,263 Men 33.8% Women 66.2%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Low
Out-of-state students	34.1%	71.9%
International students	10.5%	4.1%
Campus local/setting	City: Small	City: Large
Dormitory capacity	20,547	2,647
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	Pennsylvania New Jersey New York Maryland Virginia	Colorado California Illinois Texas Minnesota

Academics
Popular study areas	Business Engineering Computer and Information Science Health Professions Social Sciences	Business Public Administration and Social Service Psychology Computer and Information Science Legal Profession
Students to faculty ratio	15:1	10:1
Institutional accreditation	Middle States Commission on Higher Education	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	72.3%	75.7%
Dropout rate	25.7%	23.5%
Transferred out	N/A	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Information Science/Studies (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $109,295 Year 2: $120,549 Year 3: $125,527 Computer and Information Sciences, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $99,798 Year 2: $95,930 Year 3: $120,289 Computer Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $100,190 Year 2: $97,959 Year 3: $113,544 Mining and Mineral Engineering (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $98,403 Year 3: $108,754 Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $100,372 Year 2: $100,455 Year 3: $107,874 Systems Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $96,574 Year 2: $99,291 Year 3: $104,370 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $95,304 Year 2: $97,855 Year 3: $104,056 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $92,512 Year 2: $94,864 Year 3: $103,461 Management Information Systems and Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $92,632 Year 3: $98,201 Nuclear Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $89,155 Year 3: $94,780	Business/Commerce, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $87,503 Year 2: $86,129 Year 3: $98,717 Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $66,126 Year 2: $69,338 Year 3: $86,073 Taxation (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $67,750 Year 2: $66,104 Year 3: $85,588 Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $62,915 Year 2: $64,493 Year 3: $78,170 Educational Administration and Supervision (Graduate/Professional Certificates) Year 1: $70,020 Year 2: $72,667 Year 3: $77,585 Human Resources Management and Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $66,104 Year 3: $75,452 Law (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $57,899 Year 2: $60,704 Year 3: $73,790 Computer and Information Sciences, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $74,139 Year 2: $73,949 Year 3: $73,641 Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $60,983 Year 2: $62,632 Year 3: $73,152 Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $62,647 Year 2: $65,905 Year 3: $72,754

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UDenver vs The Pennsylvania State University (PSU)

The Pennsylvania State University

University of Denver

Overview

Admission

Tuition and Fees

Financial Aid

Students and Campus

Academics

Outcome

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