AU vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley

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

AU Penn State Lehigh Valley
Location Washington, DC Center Valley, PA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 13,019 954
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #84
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website american.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

AU Penn State Lehigh Valley
Tuition (In State) $55,724 $14,624
Tuition (Out of State) $55,724 $24,562
Room & Board $17,012 $13,448
Avg Net Price $40,189 $19,070
Avg Grant Aid $31,402 $8,108
% Receiving Grant Aid 62% 71%

Admission

AU Penn State Lehigh Valley
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,786 1,848
Admitted 8,427 1,741
Acceptance Rate 47.4% 94.2%
Enrolled % 22% 16.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.42
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 29/33 20/28
SAT Range 1300/1450 1140/1315
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 Lehigh Valley
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (43%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Psychology (3%)
  • Business (46%)
  • Education (25%)
  • Psychology (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (4%)
  • Foreign Languages (3%)

Outcomes

AU Penn State Lehigh Valley
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 Lehigh Valley
% Men 15% 1%
% Women 25% 4%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 58% 64%
% Black 7% 6%
% Hispanic 12% 16%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 7% 0%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

AU Penn State Lehigh Valley
% In-State 2% 93%
% Out-of-State 94% 6%

Campus

AU Penn State Lehigh Valley
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 Lehigh Valley based on total student enrollment (13,019 students vs. 954 students)

AU vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Cost Comparison

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

  • American University is 281% more expensive to attend than Penn State Lehigh Valley for in-state tuition ($55,724.00 vs. $14,624.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 126.9% higher at AU than Penn State Lehigh Valley ($55,724.00 vs. $24,562.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Lehigh Valley than AU ($19,070 vs. $40,189)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Lehigh Valley are 26.5% lower than costs at American University ($13,448 vs. $17,012)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Lehigh Valley than American University (71% vs. 62%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by American University students is 287.3% larger than aid received Penn State Lehigh Valley ($31,402 vs. $8,108)

AU vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, AU 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 AU .

  • The average SAT score at American University (1252) is 233 points higher than at Penn State Lehigh Valley (1019)
  • Incoming AU students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Penn State Lehigh Valley (23)
  • Accepted freshman AU students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Penn State Lehigh Valley (3.42)
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley has a higher acceptance rate (94.2%) than AU (47.4%)

AU vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, AU 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 AU.

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