College comparison

Penn State vs UMass Amherst

A side-by-side of acceptance rate, test scores, and cost — source-cited estimates, not guarantees. Want the number that actually matters for your student? Model your admit odds at each.

Metric	Penn State University Park, PA	UMass Amherst Amherst, MA
Acceptance rateUniversity of Massachusetts-Amherst is more selective	61%	60%
SAT (25–75)	1240–1420	1310–1500
ACT (25–75)	—	—
Undergrad enrollment	42,284	23,671
Avg net price	$32,875	$22,383
Test policy	—	—
Type	Public	Public
Location	University Park, PA	Amherst, MA

Quick answers

Is Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus or University of Massachusetts-Amherst harder to get into?

University of Massachusetts-Amherst is more selective: Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus's acceptance rate is approximately 61% and University of Massachusetts-Amherst's is approximately 60% (estimates from public and primary sources).

What SAT score do you need for Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus vs University of Massachusetts-Amherst?

The middle-50% SAT range is 1240–1420 at Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus and 1310–1500 at University of Massachusetts-Amherst. Scores outside these bands are still admitted, especially with strong applications.

Figures are estimates compiled from public datasets (College Scorecard / IPEDS) and primary sources; verify with each institution before relying on them.

These outputs are estimates from a baseline model — not guarantees of admission, cost, or outcome.