The Pennsylvania State University (PSU) vs University of Delaware (UDel)

Envision yourself as a college student, surrounded by vibrant campuses and endless opportunities. As you embark on your academic journey, choosing the right university is paramount. To aid your decision-making process, we present a comprehensive comparison of The Pennsylvania State University and the University of Delaware. While both institutions offer exceptional education, they possess distinct characteristics that may align better with your aspirations. Explore the nuances of their acceptance rates, popular majors, student demographics, and graduation outcomes, meticulously presented in the comparison table below. Discover which university resonates with your academic pursuits, extracurricular interests, and personal preferences, setting the stage for an enriching and transformative college experience.
The Pennsylvania State University logo

The Pennsylvania State University

University of Delaware logo

University of Delaware

Overview

Location University Park, Pennsylvania Newark, Delaware
Campus setting City: Small Suburb: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester 4-1-4
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 87.0% 91.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 92.3% 72.3%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $65

Graduate: $65
Undergraduate: $75

Graduate: $75
SAT range 1140 - 1360 1155 - 1340
ACT range 25 - 31 26 - 31
Students submitting SAT score 32.0% 31.0%
Students submitting ACT score 6.0% 6.0%
Total number of applicants 96,686 34,111
Total number of admissions given out 89,207 24,679
Admitted students who chose to enroll 16,049 4,617
Yield rate 18.0% 18.7%
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
In state: $31,562

Out of state: $53,422
Average net price $24,012 $19,122
Tuition
In state: $18,368

Out of state: $35,946
In state: $12,980

Out of state: $34,840
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $7,360

Meal plan: $5,618
Room/dormitory: $8,316

Meal plan: $5,426
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

51.0%
Average amount $9,884
86.0%
Average amount $12,410
Students receiving federal student loan 49.0%
Average amount $5,305
48.0%
Average amount $5,217
Students taking out private loans 13.0%
Average amount $19,837
8.0%
Average amount $19,017

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 73,476
Men 53.7% Women 46.3%
19,410
Men 41.9% Women 58.1%
Graduate students 15,438
Men 51.7% Women 48.3%
4,586
Men 46.6% Women 53.4%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Low
Out-of-state students 34.1% 63.0%
International students 10.5% 10.3%
Campus local/setting City: Small Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity 20,547 6,911
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 Delaware New Jersey New York Pennsylvania Maryland

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Engineering
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Health Professions
  • Social Sciences
  • Engineering
  • Education
  • Health Professions
  • Liberal Arts
  • Business
Students to faculty ratio 15:1 15:1
Institutional accreditation Middle States Commission on Higher Education Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 72.3% 82.3%
Dropout rate 25.7% 15.7%
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
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $70,538
  • Year 2: $70,176
  • Year 3: $88,641
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $93,960
  • Year 2: $86,424
  • Year 3: $84,710
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $72,283
  • Year 2: $73,446
  • Year 3: $77,585
International Business (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,769
  • Year 2: $53,358
  • Year 3: $77,043
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,848
  • Year 2: $62,491
  • Year 3: $76,288
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,752
  • Year 2: $68,698
  • Year 3: $75,052
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,605
  • Year 2: $62,632
  • Year 3: $74,317
Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $70,693
  • Year 2: $66,401
  • Year 3: $73,424
Management Information Systems and Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $66,395
  • Year 2: $67,101
  • Year 3: $73,270
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,257
  • Year 2: $60,552
  • Year 3: $73,189

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