Alvernia University vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley

Should I go to Alvernia University or Penn State Lehigh Valley? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Alvernia University or Penn State Lehigh Valley is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Alvernia University vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley comparison
Alvernia University Penn State Lehigh Valley College 3 College 4
Alvernia University
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Overview

Alvernia University Penn State Lehigh Valley
Location Reading, PA Center Valley, PA
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,484 888
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #739
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website alvernia.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Alvernia University Penn State Lehigh Valley
Tuition (In State) $39,100 $14,624
Tuition (Out of State) $39,100 $24,318
Room & Board $14,030 $12,984
Avg Net Price $27,091 $18,142
Avg Grant Aid $25,757 $9,886
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 78%

Admission

Alvernia University Penn State Lehigh Valley
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,703 1,806
Admitted 3,365 1,699
Acceptance Rate 59% 94.1%
Enrolled % 14.8% 15.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.42
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/26
SAT Range 996/1170 1100/1290
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

Alvernia University Penn State Lehigh Valley
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (33%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (46%)
  • Education (25%)
  • Psychology (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (4%)
  • Foreign Languages (3%)

Outcomes

Alvernia University Penn State Lehigh Valley
Graduation Rate 53% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,800 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $279 $277

Diversity

Alvernia University Penn State Lehigh Valley
% Men 35% 57%
% Women 65% 43%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 69% 64%
% Black 13% 6%
% Hispanic 7% 16%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 2%
% International 0% 0%
% Unknown Race 7% 1%

Students

Alvernia University Penn State Lehigh Valley
% In-State 72% 93%
% Out-of-State 25% 6%

Campus

Alvernia University Penn State Lehigh Valley
Campus Housing Yes No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Alvernia University is larger than than Penn State Lehigh Valley based on total student enrollment (2,484 students vs. 888 students)

Alvernia University vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Alvernia University or Penn State Lehigh Valley?

  • Alvernia University is 167.4% more expensive to attend than Penn State Lehigh Valley for in-state tuition ($39,100.00 vs. $14,624.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 60.8% higher at Alvernia University than Penn State Lehigh Valley ($39,100.00 vs. $24,318.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Lehigh Valley than Alvernia University ($18,142 vs. $27,091)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Lehigh Valley are 8.1% lower than costs at Alvernia University ($12,984 vs. $14,030)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Alvernia University than Penn State Lehigh Valley (100% vs. 78%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Alvernia University students is 160.5% larger than aid received Penn State Lehigh Valley ($25,757 vs. $9,886)

Alvernia University vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Alvernia University or Penn State Lehigh Valley? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Penn State Lehigh Valley or Alvernia University .

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Lehigh Valley (1019) is 21 points higher than at Alvernia University (998)
  • Incoming Penn State Lehigh Valley students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Alvernia University (22)
  • Accepted freshman Penn State Lehigh Valley students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Alvernia University (3.41)
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley has a higher acceptance rate (94.1%) than Alvernia University (59%)

Alvernia University vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Alvernia University or Penn State Lehigh Valley? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Penn State Lehigh Valley and Alvernia University.

  • The graduation rate at Alvernia University is higher than Penn State Lehigh Valley (53% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Lehigh Valley earn on average $10,500 more per year than Alvernia University graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $44,800)
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than Alvernia University graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Alvernia University graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More Penn State Lehigh Valley graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Alvernia University students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 61%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/