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Compare Drexel University vs Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus

Philadelphia, PA · University Park, PA

Drexel UniversityPennsylvania State University-Main Campus
Cost
Price after aid (average)$38,509/yr$32,875/yr
Price after aid (family income under $30k)$28,055/yr$19,845/yr
Typical loan debt at graduation$25,325$25,000
Price after aid ($30k–$48k income)$29,435/yr$20,049/yr
Price after aid ($48k–$75k income)$34,970/yr$25,667/yr
Price after aid ($75k–$110k income)$37,842/yr$31,834/yr
Price after aid (income over $110k)$48,089/yr$37,831/yr
Typical loan payment after graduation$268/mo$265/mo
Room & board (on campus)$18,096/yr$14,474/yr
Room & board (off campus)$19,428/yr$15,274/yr
Borrowers who default0%0%
Books & supplies$1,700/yr$1,200/yr
Other living costs (on campus)$1,500/yr$5,020/yr
Sticker price (before aid)$76,835/yr$39,694/yr
Tuition (in-state)$62,412/yr$20,644/yr
Tuition (out-of-state)$62,412/yr$41,790/yr
Students with Pell Grants27%14%
Students taking federal loans49%40%
Getting in
Students who get accepted79%61%
SAT range (middle 50%)1240–14401240–1420
SAT average13451337
ACT range (middle 50%)27–3227–32
ACT sections (middle 50%)English 26–34 · Math 26–31English 26–33 · Math 26–31
Admissions data fromFall 2023Fall 2023
Applications received40,20485,956
Students accepted31,17146,605
Students who enrolled2,8839,040
Accepted students who enroll9.3%19%
Enrolled who sent SAT scores38%33%
Enrolled who sent ACT scores6%6%
High-school GPARequiredRequired
High-school transcriptRequiredRequired
EssayRequiredOptional (considered if sent)
Recommendation lettersRequiredNot considered
Class rankOptional (considered if sent)Not considered
College-prep programOptional (considered if sent)Optional (considered if sent)
Demonstrated competenciesRequiredNot considered
Work experienceOptional (considered if sent)Not considered
English proficiency testRequiredRequired
Other admission testsNot consideredNot considered
Legacy consideredNot consideredNot considered
SAT/ACT policyOptional (considered if sent)Optional (considered if sent)
Graduation & earnings
Students who graduate78%86%
Freshmen who come back90%93%
Typical earnings 10 years in$84,648/yr$63,435/yr
Earnings range 10 years in$54,500–$113,366$40,301–$93,790
Finish within 8 years (anywhere)74%85%
White students graduating77%88%
Black students graduating67%75%
Hispanic students graduating76%81%
Asian students graduating84%85%
Typical earnings 6 years in$69,063/yr$55,620/yr
Earn more than a HS grad86%79%
Graduate on time30%71%
Pell students who graduate76%81%
First-gen students who finish58%56%
Low-income students who finish57%50%
Students who transfer outNo data reported1.7%
Typical earnings 8 years in$79,235/yr$60,370/yr
Majors & programs
Top 3 programsHealth Professions 18% · Engineering 16% · Business, Management & Marketing 16%Business, Management & Marketing 20% · Engineering 14% · Computer & Information Sciences 11%
Most popular programHealth Professions — 18% of degreesBusiness, Management & Marketing — 20% of degrees
2nd most popular programEngineering — 16% of degreesEngineering — 14% of degrees
3rd most popular programBusiness, Management & Marketing — 16% of degreesComputer & Information Sciences — 11% of degrees
4th most popular programVisual & Performing Arts — 11% of degreesCommunication & Journalism — 7% of degrees
5th most popular programComputer & Information Sciences — 11% of degreesBiological & Biomedical Sciences — 6% of degrees
Highest-paying major (1 year out)Computer Science — $122,956/yrManagement Sciences and Quantitative Methods — $110,689/yr
Degrees in STEM33%36%
Campus & students
Undergrad enrollment13,23342,284
Students per professor9 : 116 : 1
Graduate students7,8448,133
Average professor pay$12,380/mo$13,120/mo
Full-time professors58%86%
Fully onlineNoNo
Accredited byMiddle States Commission on Higher EducationMiddle States Commission on Higher Education
Median family income$52,511$61,924
SettingCity (large)City (small)
LocationPhiladelphia, PAUniversity Park, PA
RegionMid EastMid East
Founded18911855
Public or privatePrivate (nonprofit)Public
Main degree offeredBachelor's degreesBachelor's degrees
Carnegie classificationDoctoral Universities: Very High Research ActivityDoctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity
Main or branch campusMain campusMain campus
International students9%9.3%
Men51%53%
Women49%47%
White students40%63%
Black students10%4.6%
Hispanic or Latino students9.1%9.3%
Asian students24%7.6%
Two or more races4.6%4.1%
Other / not reported2.3%2.4%
Special typeNoneNone
First-generation students29%29%
Part-time students7%2%
Students age 25+7.3%1.8%
Spent on teaching per student$22,377/yr$15,699/yr
Endowment$1.1B$4.2B
Campus life
Campus data from20232023
On-campus housingYes — dorms on campusYes — dorms on campus
Beds in campus housing3,36114,238
Required to live on campusNoNo
Room charge (campus housing)$10,950/yr$7,614/yr
Meal plan charge$6,600/yr$5,416/yr
Meal plan offeredYesYes
Meals per weekVaries by weekVaries by week
Academic calendarQuarterSemester
Federal designationNoneNone
Study abroadYesYes
Undergraduate researchYesYes
ROTCYes — Army, Navy, Air ForceYes — Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force
Accepts AP creditYesYes
Accepts dual-enrollment creditNoNo
Credit for life experienceYesYes
Online classesYesYes
Whole degrees onlineYesNo
Weekend & evening classesYesYes
Teacher certificationYesYes
Academic & career counselingYesYes
Job help while you studyYesYes
Job placement for graduatesYesNo
On-campus day careNoNo
Program for students with intellectual disabilitiesNoYes
Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) schoolYesYes
Credit for military trainingYesYes
Student veteran organizationYesYes
Tuition payment planYesYes
Guaranteed (locked) tuitionNoNo
Prepaid tuition planNoNo
Athletics
Athletics data from2024-252024-25
College sports levelNCAA Division I without footballNCAA Division I-FBS
Football teamNoYes
Varsity teams1827
Student athletes461902
Athletic scholarships$12.0M$24.4M
Athletics budget$31.1M$231.7M
Athletics revenue$31.1M$254.4M
Recruiting spend$280,991$4.6M

Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year, logo, campus photo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.