Ohio State University vs Pennsylvania State University

Ohio State University vs Pennsylvania State University

Subject Strength & Global Rankings (2025/2026)

Both Penn State and OSU are nationally ranked public research universities and members of the Big Ten Conference. Penn State stands at 89th and OSU at 151st in the QS World University Rankings 2026. In the Times Higher Education 2025 ranking, OSU is at 113th position while Penn State is at 135th. OSU is ranked top for Business (Fisher College, 25th U.S. News 2025), Engineering (27th), and Medicine (28th for research). Penn State stands strong in Engineering (35th), Business (Smeal College, 33rd), and Earth Sciences, usually top 100 globally for technical fields.

General Information

OSU is also a little bigger, with a student body of approximately 65,400 students total, vs. Penn State's total enrollment of 87,995 students total (with 48,900 at University Park). OSU has an urban campus in Columbus that provides access to a big city environment with exposure to varied industries and culture, along with over 200 undergraduate majors and over 300 graduate programs. Penn State's University Park campus is situated in a classic college town setting, where the atmosphere promotes strong community sentiment, and provides 275 undergraduate and 211 graduate programs. Both schools have strong athletic cultures as members of the Big Ten — OSU is renowned for its battle with Michigan on the football field, and Penn State's White Out games are nationally popular.

Acceptance Rate & Admissions

Both schools have moderately competitive admissions. OSU has an acceptance rate of 51%, and Penn State is at 54%. The middle 50% SAT/ACT score is slightly better for OSU (SAT 1260–1420, ACT 26–32) than Penn State (SAT 1230–1390, ACT 27–32). Both colleges are test-optional, using GPA, class rank, and academic rigor. OSU's 94% freshman retention rate is slightly higher than Penn State's 92%, indicating slightly better student persistence.

Research Impact & Facilities

Both universities are ranked as R1: Doctoral Universities – Very High Research Activity (Carnegie Classification). OSU sponsors a broad array of research with collaborations in 208 global institutions, a collection of 7.3 million volumes in the libraries, and an endowment worth $2.37 billion. Penn State boasts a worldwide network of 364 partner universities, a library collection of 5.4 million volumes, and an endowment worth $1.95 billion. OSU is strong in medicine, business, and engineering, and Penn State is best known for engineering, materials science, and earth sciences. Penn State also has slightly more professors (6,060 to OSU's 5,014).

Cost & Financial Aid

OSU in-state tuition is roughly $13,244, while out-of-state tuition is roughly $40,022. Penn State tuition is higher for in-staters at roughly $20,644, and out-of-state tuition is roughly $41,790. At OSU, approximately 62% of students are awarded financial aid, with an average award package of $11,931. At Penn State, 49% of students are awarded aid, with an average of $13,716. The cost of living in Columbus is less than in University Park, typically making OSU the better bang for the buck overall.

Career Outcomes & Alumni Success

Both institutions have good career outcomes. Median earnings of OSU graduates are reported at around $53,600 ten years after matriculation (federal-aid students), and 5-year median earnings are around $66,100. Penn State graduates have median salaries of $54,500 at the one-year mark after graduation and around $72,960 at the five-year mark after graduation. Both institutions have massive alumni networks: Penn State has the largest alumni association in the world with more than 513,000 members, while OSU has around 475,000 living alumni. OSU graduates are particularly dominant in the Midwest, while Penn State graduates control Northeastern employment markets. Examples of successful OSU graduates include golfer Jack Nicklaus, whereas Penn State boasts television host Lara Spencer as a notable graduate.