Compare historical evidence, then verify your personal fit and cost.
Build a college shortlist| Measure | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus |
|---|---|---|
| Campus | PA | PA |
| Institution type | Public | Public |
| Historical average net price | $32,875 | $30,434 |
| Four-year constant-cost scenario | $131,500 | $121,736 |
| In-state published cost of attendance | $39,892 | $38,446 |
| Out-of-state published cost of attendance | $59,846 | $56,812 |
| Admission policy / historical acceptance rate | 54.2% | 49.7% |
| Six-year graduation rate | 85.9% | 84.9% |
| Verify your cost | Official cost calculator / college cost page | Official cost calculator / college cost page |
Reporting years are not verified for every imported field. Historical averages are not current prices or aid offers; public net-price averages may cover in-state students. The four-year scenario assumes unchanged cost and aid, excluding inflation and loan interest.
Application scope: First-year applicants to Penn State University Park and Pitt's Pittsburgh campus. The cited deadline and engineering-aid pages do not explicitly label an entry year.
Penn State lists November 1 for Early Action, followed by rolling review. It warns that options become more competitive later, particularly at University Park, and that some programs have separate dates. Schreyer Honors College requires an additional application. Verify both campus and start term in any offer. Official source: Penn State campus and early-action timing.
Pitt's engineering financial-aid guide says incoming first-year students with complete applications by December 1 receive automatic merit-scholarship consideration. It directs admission and aid questions to the central university offices. Confirm your entry-year deadline and any additional program requirements. Official source: Pitt merit-scholarship review.
Compare the major, starting campus, and any later campus transition before committing. For cost and aid, ask each office to confirm residency treatment, program-specific fees, housing, renewable grants, and the remaining annual family contribution. Merit consideration is an opportunity for review, not an award promise.
Sources checked . Policies can change; verify the linked pages for your entry year. This check date covers the policy notes, not the reporting years of the historical metrics above.
Campus admission rates are historical context, not personal admission probabilities.
Open both official calculators above using the same household information. Compare grants, annual out-of-pocket cost, borrowing and renewal conditions. Historical net price is context, not your offer.
Work through the affordability checklist →The six-year rate describes an institution-level historical cohort. It does not predict your outcome or necessarily describe transfer, part-time or major-specific experiences. Ask each college about completion in your major, advising, required course availability and support.
Understand the cohort and data limitations →Saved categories start as target placeholders; they do not assess personal admission chances. Explore academic fit or check affordability.
Sources: IPEDS and College Scorecard. Institution-level outcomes describe past cohorts and do not predict individual results.
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