Side-by-side
Pennsylvania State University vs University of Michigan
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.
Same c campus feel and a comparable size (48k undergrads vs 89k undergrads) — students often consider these side-by-side.
| Pennsylvania State University | University of Michigan | |
|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 55% | 18% |
| Net price (in-state) what the average family actually pays after aid | $19,286 | $17,786 |
| Net price (out-of-state) | $38,824 | $57,762 |
| Sticker tuition (in-state) | $20,644 | $17,736 |
| Sticker tuition (out-of-state) | $41,790 | $60,946 |
| Graduation rate | 86% | 93% |
| Total enrollment | 88,502 | 48,090 |
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/penn-state-vs-university-of-michigan.