Arcadia vs. Penn State

Should I go to Arcadia University or Penn State Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Arcadia or Penn State 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Virginia Tech UD Rutgers UConn Pitt UMass UB NC State Michigan State Clemson Syracuse Drexel
Arcadia University vs. Penn State Main Campus comparison
Arcadia University Penn State Main Campus College 3 College 4
Arcadia University Penn State Main Campus
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Arcadia Penn State
Location Glenside, PA University Park, PA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 3,142 50,399
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #471 #171
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website arcadia.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Arcadia Penn State
Tuition (In State) $47,590 $19,672
Tuition (Out of State) $47,590 $39,626
Room & Board $16,250 $13,030
Avg Net Price $26,994 $27,450
Avg Grant Aid $34,234 $11,577
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 36%

Admission

Arcadia Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,688 85,956
Admitted 5,296 46,605
Acceptance Rate 79.2% 54.2%
Enrolled % 7.9% 19.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 26/30 27/32
SAT Range 1083/1310 1220/1400
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

Academics

Arcadia Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (14%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

Arcadia Penn State
Graduation Rate 62% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,400 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $279 $277

Diversity

Arcadia Penn State
% Men 11% 8%
% Women 28% 8%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 68% 69%
% Black 9% 4%
% Hispanic 8% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 3% 11%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

Arcadia Penn State
% In-State 66% 51%
% Out-of-State 32% 40%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than Arcadia based on total student enrollment (50,399 students vs. 3,142 students)

Arcadia vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Arcadia or Penn State?

  • Arcadia University is 141.9% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($47,590.00 vs. $19,672.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 20.1% higher at Arcadia than Penn State Main Campus ($47,590.00 vs. $39,626.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Arcadia University than Penn State ($26,994 vs. $27,450)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 24.7% lower than costs at Arcadia University ($13,030 vs. $16,250)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Arcadia University than Penn State Main Campus (100% vs. 36%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Arcadia University students is 195.7% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($34,234 vs. $11,577)

Arcadia vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Main Campus (1202) is 98 points higher than at Arcadia (1104)
  • Incoming Penn State students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Arcadia (25)
  • Arcadia has a higher acceptance rate (79.2%) than Penn State (54.2%)

Arcadia vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Arcadia or Penn State? 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 and Arcadia.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than Arcadia University (87% vs. 62%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn on average $8,900 more per year than Arcadia graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $46,400)
  • Penn State Main Campus students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than Arcadia graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Arcadia graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More Arcadia graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 69%)

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