AU vs. Penn State Greater Allegheny

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

 AU Penn State Greater Allegheny
Location Washington, DC McKeesport, PA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 13,885 363
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #93
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website american.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 AU Penn State Greater Allegheny
Tuition (In State) $53,070 $13,824
Tuition (Out of State) $53,070 $23,086
Room & Board $15,706 $12,254
Avg Net Price $41,369 $19,505
Avg Grant Aid $27,138 $10,269
% Receiving Grant Aid 66% 85%

Admission

 AU Penn State Greater Allegheny
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,510 672
Admitted 7,926 589
Acceptance Rate 40.6% 87.6%
Enrolled % 22.2% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 29/32
SAT Range 1290/1430 1040/1300
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 Greater Allegheny
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (43%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Psychology (3%)
  • Business (38%)
  • Psychology (35%)
  • Communication (15%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (2%)

Outcomes

 AU Penn State Greater Allegheny
Graduation Rate 77% 47%
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 Greater Allegheny
% Men 37% 61%
% Women 63% 39%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 58% 61%
% Black 7% 19%
% Hispanic 12% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 7% 4%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

 AU Penn State Greater Allegheny
% In-State 2% 68%
% Out-of-State 94% 30%

Campus

 AU Penn State Greater Allegheny
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 Greater Allegheny based on total student enrollment (13,885 students vs. 363 students)

AU vs. Penn State Greater Allegheny Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, AU or Penn State Greater Allegheny?

  • American University is 283.9% more expensive to attend than Penn State Greater Allegheny for in-state tuition ($53,070.00 vs. $13,824.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 129.9% higher at AU than Penn State Greater Allegheny ($53,070.00 vs. $23,086.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Greater Allegheny than AU ($19,505 vs. $41,369)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Greater Allegheny are 28.2% lower than costs at American University ($12,254 vs. $15,706)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Greater Allegheny than American University (85% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by American University students is 164.3% larger than aid received Penn State Greater Allegheny ($27,138 vs. $10,269)

AU vs. Penn State Greater Allegheny Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at American University (1252) is 309 points higher than at Penn State Greater Allegheny (943)
  • Incoming AU students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Penn State Greater Allegheny (23)
  • Penn State Greater Allegheny has a higher acceptance rate (87.6%) than AU (40.6%)

AU vs. Penn State Greater Allegheny Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, AU or Penn State Greater Allegheny? 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 Greater Allegheny and AU.

  • The graduation rate at AU is higher than Penn State Greater Allegheny (77% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from American University earn on average $9,500 more per year than Penn State Greater Allegheny 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 Greater Allegheny graduates. ($24,250 vs. $26,818)
  • AU graduates are paying $27 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Greater Allegheny graduates. ($250 vs. $277)
  • More AU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Greater Allegheny 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/