Arcadia vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley

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

Arcadia Penn State Lehigh Valley
Location Glenside, PA Center Valley, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,026 888
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #502
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website arcadia.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Arcadia Penn State Lehigh Valley
Tuition (In State) $46,430 $14,624
Tuition (Out of State) $46,430 $24,318
Room & Board $13,720 $12,984
Avg Net Price $29,692 $18,142
Avg Grant Aid $30,934 $9,886
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 78%

Admission

Arcadia Penn State Lehigh Valley
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,321 1,806
Admitted 4,903 1,699
Acceptance Rate 77.6% 94.1%
Enrolled % 10% 15.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.42
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 24/29 22/26
SAT Range 1088/1320 1100/1290
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 Lehigh Valley
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (14%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (46%)
  • Education (25%)
  • Psychology (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (4%)
  • Foreign Languages (3%)

Outcomes

Arcadia Penn State Lehigh Valley
Graduation Rate 62% 47%
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 Lehigh Valley
% Men 32% 57%
% Women 68% 43%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 68% 64%
% Black 9% 6%
% Hispanic 8% 16%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 3% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

Arcadia Penn State Lehigh Valley
% In-State 62% 93%
% Out-of-State 37% 6%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Arcadia University is larger than than Penn State Lehigh Valley based on total student enrollment (3,026 students vs. 888 students)

Arcadia vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Cost Comparison

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

  • Arcadia University is 217.5% more expensive to attend than Penn State Lehigh Valley for in-state tuition ($46,430.00 vs. $14,624.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 90.9% higher at Arcadia than Penn State Lehigh Valley ($46,430.00 vs. $24,318.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Lehigh Valley than Arcadia ($18,142 vs. $29,692)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Lehigh Valley are 5.7% lower than costs at Arcadia University ($12,984 vs. $13,720)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Arcadia University than Penn State Lehigh Valley (99% vs. 78%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Arcadia University students is 212.9% larger than aid received Penn State Lehigh Valley ($30,934 vs. $9,886)

Arcadia vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Arcadia 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 Arcadia .

  • The average SAT score at Arcadia University (1104) is 85 points higher than at Penn State Lehigh Valley (1019)
  • Incoming Arcadia students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Penn State Lehigh Valley (23)
  • Accepted freshman Arcadia students have at the same average high school GPA (3.42) as students at Penn State Lehigh Valley (3.42)
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley has a higher acceptance rate (94.1%) than Arcadia (77.6%)

Arcadia vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Arcadia 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 Arcadia.

  • The graduation rate at Arcadia is higher than Penn State Lehigh Valley (62% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Lehigh Valley earn on average $8,900 more per year than Arcadia graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $46,400)
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than Arcadia graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 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 Lehigh Valley 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/