AU vs. Penn State Abington

Should I go to American University or Penn State Abington? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if AU or Penn State Abington 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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American University vs. Penn State Abington comparison
American University Penn State Abington College 3 College 4
American University Penn State Abington
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Overview

 AU Penn State Abington
Location Washington, DC Abington, PA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 13,885 3,090
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #93 #694
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website american.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 AU Penn State Abington
Tuition (In State) $53,070 $14,684
Tuition (Out of State) $53,070 $24,586
Room & Board $15,706 $10,694
Avg Net Price $41,369 $20,460
Avg Grant Aid $27,138 $9,589
% Receiving Grant Aid 66% 79%

Admission

 AU Penn State Abington
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,510 6,463
Admitted 7,926 6,037
Acceptance Rate 40.6% 93.4%
Enrolled % 22.2% 14.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.42
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 29/32 23/31
SAT Range 1290/1430 1070/1310
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 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

 AU Penn State Abington
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (43%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Psychology (3%)
  • Business (35%)
  • Psychology (21%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (12%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • English and Literature (6%)

Outcomes

 AU Penn State Abington
Graduation Rate 77% 44%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,800 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $250 $277

Diversity

 AU Penn State Abington
% Men 37% 59%
% Women 63% 41%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 58% 50%
% Black 7% 13%
% Hispanic 12% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 7% 5%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

 AU Penn State Abington
% In-State 2% 68%
% Out-of-State 94% 21%

Campus

 AU Penn State Abington
Campus Housing Yes No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • American University is larger than than Penn State Abington based on total student enrollment (13,885 students vs. 3,090 students)

AU vs. Penn State Abington Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, AU or Penn State Abington?

  • American University is 261.4% more expensive to attend than Penn State Abington for in-state tuition ($53,070.00 vs. $14,684.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 115.9% higher at AU than Penn State Abington ($53,070.00 vs. $24,586.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Abington than AU ($20,460 vs. $41,369)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Abington are 46.9% lower than costs at American University ($10,694 vs. $15,706)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Abington than American University (79% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by American University students is 183% larger than aid received Penn State Abington ($27,138 vs. $9,589)

AU vs. Penn State Abington Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at American University (1252) is 277 points higher than at Penn State Abington (975)
  • Incoming AU students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Penn State Abington (22)
  • Accepted freshman AU students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Penn State Abington (3.42)
  • Penn State Abington has a higher acceptance rate (93.4%) than AU (40.6%)

AU vs. Penn State Abington Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, AU or Penn State Abington? 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 Abington and AU.

  • The graduation rate at AU is higher than Penn State Abington (77% vs. 44%)
  • Graduates from American University earn on average $9,500 more per year than Penn State Abington graduates after ten years. ($64,800 vs. $55,300)
  • American University students graduate with a $2,568 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Abington graduates. ($24,250 vs. $26,818)
  • AU graduates are paying $27 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Abington graduates. ($250 vs. $277)
  • More AU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Abington students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 69%)

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