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George Washington Georgetown Penn State Harrisburg Fordham Syracuse Mason Lafayette College DU Drexel William & Mary Elon University of Richmond| American University | Penn State Erie Behrend College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
AU | Penn State Erie-Behrend College | ||
| Location | Washington, DC | Erie, PA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 13,019 | 3,323 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #84 | #538 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | United Methodist | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | american.edu | psu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
AU | Penn State Erie-Behrend College | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $55,724 | $15,388 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $55,724 | $26,112 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,012 | $14,774 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $40,189 | $20,964 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $31,402 | $10,930 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 62% | 66% |
Admission |
AU | Penn State Erie-Behrend College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 17,786 | 4,827 | ||
| Admitted | 8,427 | 4,620 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 47.4% | 95.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 22% | 18.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.7 | 3.49 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 29/33 | 23/28 | ||
| SAT Range | 1300/1450 | 1110/1320 | ||
| 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, 2026 |
Academics |
AU | Penn State Erie-Behrend College | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 10:1 | 12:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
AU | Penn State Erie-Behrend College | ||
| Graduation Rate | 77% | 66% | ||
| 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 Erie-Behrend College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 15% | 2% | ||
| % Women | 25% | 1% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 58% | 79% | ||
| % Black | 7% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 12% | 2% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 2% | ||
| % International | 7% | 9% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 1% |
Students |
AU | Penn State Erie-Behrend College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 2% | 74% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 94% | 19% | ||
Campus |
AU | Penn State Erie-Behrend College | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- American University is larger than than Penn State Erie-Behrend College based on total student enrollment (13,019 students vs. 3,323 students)
AU vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, AU or Penn State Erie-Behrend College?
- American University is 262.1% more expensive to attend than Penn State Erie-Behrend College for in-state tuition ($55,724.00 vs. $15,388.00)
- Out of state tuition is 113.4% higher at AU than Penn State Erie Behrend College ($55,724.00 vs. $26,112.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Erie Behrend College than AU ($20,964 vs. $40,189)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Erie Behrend College are 15.1% lower than costs at American University ($14,774 vs. $17,012)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Erie Behrend College than American University (66% vs. 62%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by American University students is 187.3% larger than aid received Penn State Erie Behrend College ($31,402 vs. $10,930)
AU vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, AU or Penn State Erie-Behrend College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Penn State Erie-Behrend College or AU .
- The average SAT score at American University (1252) is 198 points higher than at Penn State Erie-Behrend College (1054)
- Incoming AU students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Penn State Erie-Behrend College (23)
- Accepted freshman AU students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Penn State Erie-Behrend College (3.49)
- Penn State Erie-Behrend College has a higher acceptance rate (95.7%) than AU (47.4%)
AU vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, AU or Penn State Erie-Behrend College? 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 Erie-Behrend College and AU.
- The graduation rate at AU is higher than Penn State Erie Behrend College (77% vs. 66%)
- Graduates from American University earn on average $9,500 more per year than Penn State Erie-Behrend College 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 Erie-Behrend College graduates. ($24,250 vs. $26,818)
- AU graduates are paying $27 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Erie-Behrend College graduates. ($250 vs. $277)
- More AU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Erie-Behrend College 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/