AU vs. Penn State Berks

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

AU Penn State Berks
Location Washington, DC Reading, PA
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 13,019 1,944
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #84 #647
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website american.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

AU Penn State Berks
Tuition (In State) $55,724 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $55,724 $26,112
Room & Board $17,012 $14,232
Avg Net Price $40,189 $22,450
Avg Grant Aid $31,402 $9,327
% Receiving Grant Aid 62% 64%

Admission

AU Penn State Berks
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,786 5,844
Admitted 8,427 5,676
Acceptance Rate 47.4% 97.1%
Enrolled % 22% 10.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.39
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 29/33 26/29
SAT Range 1300/1450 1090/1310
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 Berks
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (43%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Psychology (3%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (10%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

AU Penn State Berks
Graduation Rate 77% 55%
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 Berks
% Men 15% 0%
% Women 25% 0%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 58% 68%
% Black 7% 9%
% Hispanic 12% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 7% 3%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

AU Penn State Berks
% In-State 2% 64%
% Out-of-State 94% 30%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • American University is larger than than Penn State Berks based on total student enrollment (13,019 students vs. 1,944 students)

AU vs. Penn State Berks Cost Comparison

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

  • American University is 262.1% more expensive to attend than Penn State Berks for in-state tuition ($55,724.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 113.4% higher at AU than Penn State Berks ($55,724.00 vs. $26,112.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Berks than AU ($22,450 vs. $40,189)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Berks are 19.5% lower than costs at American University ($14,232 vs. $17,012)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Berks than American University (64% vs. 62%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by American University students is 236.7% larger than aid received Penn State Berks ($31,402 vs. $9,327)

AU vs. Penn State Berks Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at American University (1252) is 274 points higher than at Penn State Berks (978)
  • Incoming AU students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Penn State Berks (22)
  • Accepted freshman AU students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Penn State Berks (3.39)
  • Penn State Berks has a higher acceptance rate (97.1%) than AU (47.4%)

AU vs. Penn State Berks Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at AU is higher than Penn State Berks (77% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from American University earn on average $9,500 more per year than Penn State Berks 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 Berks graduates. ($24,250 vs. $26,818)
  • AU graduates are paying $27 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Berks graduates. ($250 vs. $277)
  • More AU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Berks 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/