Side-by-side
CUNY City College vs Pennsylvania State University
The numbers that actually decide it — net price after aid, how hard each is to get into, and how many students finish — compared straight across. Net price beats sticker price every time.
Similar selectivity (60% vs 55%) but out-of-state cost runs $15k — meaningfully less than $39k.
| CUNY City College | Pennsylvania State University | |
|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 60% | 55% |
| Net price (in-state) what the average family actually pays after aid | $7,340 | $19,286 |
| Net price (out-of-state) | $15,290 | $38,824 |
| Sticker tuition (in-state) | $7,340 | $20,644 |
| Sticker tuition (out-of-state) | $15,290 | $41,790 |
| Graduation rate | 56% | 86% |
| Total enrollment | 12,505 | 88,502 |
Net price = sticker price minus the average grant aid for that school (IPEDS / Dept. of Education data). Real numbers vary by family income and student stats — verify each school's own Net Price Calculator before committing. Canonical: /compare/cuny-city-college-vs-penn-state.