Ohio State University & Penn State University Park Research
osu_psu.md · 617 words · 2 min read
Ohio State University & Penn State University Park Research
Ohio State University (Columbus, OH)
Admissions Overview
Acceptance rate (overall): ~53% (Class of 2029: 49%; Class of 2028: 60.6%)
Acceptance rate (EA): 60.4% (Class of 2029)
Total applicants: 72,829 (Class of 2028)
Class size: 9,530 (record first-year class, 2024-25)
Yield rate: 22%
Early Action deadline: November 1 (non-binding)
Academic Profile (Middle 50%)
SAT: 1280-1430
ACT: 26-32
Average GPA: 3.76
Top 10% of class: 64%
Top 25% of class: 96%
Testing policy: Test-optional through 2025-26; test-required starting 2026
Demographics
Group
Percentage
White
58%
Asian
10%
Black
8%
Hispanic
6%
International
~10% (~6,000 students)
Multiracial
5%
Women
52%
Net Cost by Income
Income Range
Net Price
$0-30,000
$8,194
$30,001-48,000
$10,037
$48,001-75,000
$13,982
$75,001-110,000
$21,364
Over $110,000
$24,348
Athletics
36 varsity sports (most in Big Ten)
1,118 student-athletes (581 men, 537 women)
Athlete percentage: ~1.8% of undergraduate enrollment
Note: Reducing roster sizes by ~150 while adding 91 scholarships under new NCAA rules (2025-26)
Key Notes
Largest campus enrollment in Big Ten history
Strong in engineering, business, medicine, and STEM
Columbus is a major metropolitan area (job market advantage)
In-state tuition: $13,244; out-of-state: $40,022
Pennsylvania State University — University Park (State College, PA)
Admissions Overview
Acceptance rate (overall): ~54% (varies by source: 50-61% depending on cycle)
Acceptance rate (EA): N/A — Penn State uses rolling admissions
Total applicants: 106,000+ (summer/fall 2024)
Class size: 9,169 (2024-25)
Yield rate: 17% (declining trend; was 21% for Class of 2024)
Admissions type: Rolling admissions with priority deadline
Academic Profile (Middle 50%)
SAT: 1240-1420 (median 1330)
ACT: 27-32 (median 30)
Average GPA: ~3.60 (estimated from class rank data)
Top 10% of class: 37%
Top 25% of class: 72%
Top 50% of class: 95%
Testing policy: Test-optional through Fall 2026
Demographics
Group
Percentage
White
59%
Asian
7%
Black
4%
Hispanic
9%
International
15%
Multiracial
4%
Women
46%
Net Cost by Income
Income Range
Net Price
$0-30,000
$20,814
$30,001-48,000
$22,051
$48,001-75,000
$25,704
$75,001-110,000
$29,852
Over $110,000
$31,896
Note: Penn State's net cost is notably higher than Ohio State across all income brackets, reflecting less generous need-based aid.
Athletics
31 varsity sports (tied 4th-most among FBS schools)
~800 student-athletes
Athlete percentage: ~1.9% of undergraduate enrollment
Key Notes
Uses rolling admissions (no traditional EA/ED rounds)
2nd-largest alumni network in the US (over 700,000)
Strong in engineering (particularly industrial/mechanical), meteorology, business
University Park campus is isolated (State College, PA)
Higher net cost compared to peer flagships
Comparison: OSU vs PSU
Metric
Ohio State
Penn State
Acceptance Rate
~53%
~54%
SAT Middle 50%
1280-1430
1240-1420
Class Size
9,530
9,169
Yield Rate
22%
17%
Top 10% HS Class
64%
37%
Net Cost ($0-30K)
$8,194
$20,814
International %
10%
15%
Varsity Sports
36
31
Key differences:
- Ohio State is slightly more academically selective (higher SAT, more top-10% students)
- Ohio State has significantly lower net cost for low-income families ($8K vs $21K)
- Penn State has higher international enrollment (15% vs 10%)
- Ohio State has higher yield (22% vs 17%)
- Penn State uses rolling admissions; Ohio State offers EA
Sources
Ohio State Enrollment Analytics: https://eari.osu.edu/admissions.aspx
Penn State Class Profile: https://www.psu.edu/resources/first-year-students/eligibility
College Factual (demographics, net price): collegefactual.com