The Pennsylvania State University (PSU) vs University of Maryland-College Park (UMD)

Envision yourself as a college student, surrounded by vibrant campuses and endless opportunities. As you embark on your academic journey, two esteemed institutions beckon you: The Pennsylvania State University and the University of Maryland-College Park. While both universities share a commitment to academic excellence, they each possess unique characteristics that set them apart. Delve into our comprehensive comparison table to discover the nuances that distinguish these two exceptional institutions. Explore the contrasting acceptance rates, uncover the disparities in popular majors, immerse yourself in the diverse student body demographics, and evaluate the graduation rates that reflect each university's dedication to student success. This side-by-side analysis empowers you to make an informed decision, ensuring that your college experience aligns seamlessly with your aspirations and goals.
The Pennsylvania State University logo

The Pennsylvania State University

University of Maryland-College Park logo

University of Maryland-College Park

Overview

Location University Park, Pennsylvania College Park, Maryland
Campus setting City: Small Suburb: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 87.0% 95.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 92.3% 52.0%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $65

Graduate: $65
Undergraduate: $75

Graduate: $75
SAT range 1140 - 1360 1330 - 1510
ACT range 25 - 31 30 - 34
Students submitting SAT score 32.0% 34.0%
Students submitting ACT score 6.0% 9.0%
Total number of applicants 96,686 50,183
Total number of admissions given out 89,207 26,109
Admitted students who chose to enroll 16,049 6,072
Yield rate 18.0% 23.3%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not 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: $30,997

Out of state: $58,678
Average net price $24,012 $17,146
Tuition
In state: $18,368

Out of state: $35,946
In state: $9,000

Out of state: $36,681
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $7,360

Meal plan: $5,618
Room/dormitory: $8,072

Meal plan: $5,578
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Prepaid tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

51.0%
Average amount $9,884
56.0%
Average amount $10,645
Students receiving federal student loan 49.0%
Average amount $5,305
20.0%
Average amount $5,065
Students taking out private loans 13.0%
Average amount $19,837
4.0%
Average amount $22,924

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 73,476
Men 53.7% Women 46.3%
30,922
Men 50.8% Women 49.2%
Graduate students 15,438
Men 51.7% Women 48.3%
10,350
Men 50.7% Women 49.3%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Moderate
Out-of-state students 34.1% 29.5%
International students 10.5% 10.3%
Campus local/setting City: Small Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity 20,547 11,846
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 Maryland New Jersey New York Pennsylvania Virginia

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Engineering
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Health Professions
  • Social Sciences
  • Engineering
  • Business
  • Education
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Social Sciences
Students to faculty ratio 15:1 18:1
Institutional accreditation Middle States Commission on Higher Education Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 72.3% 87.7%
Dropout rate 25.7% 4.0%
Transferred out N/A 7.7%
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 Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $108,765
  • Year 2: $106,102
  • Year 3: $116,295
Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $125,155
  • Year 2: $112,923
  • Year 3: $112,074
Engineering, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $86,533
  • Year 2: $94,112
  • Year 3: $102,555
Business/Commerce, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $93,018
  • Year 2: $94,408
  • Year 3: $101,716
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $84,727
  • Year 2: $84,653
  • Year 3: $99,501
Physics (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $72,899
  • Year 3: $92,830
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $88,418
  • Year 2: $80,466
  • Year 3: $92,230
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,675
  • Year 2: $72,762
  • Year 3: $83,667
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $74,798
  • Year 2: $71,761
  • Year 3: $82,867
Information Science/Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,391
  • Year 2: $66,485
  • Year 3: $82,784

Compare Similar Colleges

The list of suggested college comparisons provided below is generated automatically by our system, utilizing statistics gathered from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and various online sources. If you don't find the colleges you wish to compare, please visit our comparison page. There, you can search for the specific colleges and initiate your comparison.
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