Bentley vs. Penn State Harrisburg

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

Bentley Penn State Harrisburg
Location Waltham, MA Middletown, PA
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 5,165 4,572
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #113 #613
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bentley.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Bentley Penn State Harrisburg
Tuition (In State) $56,500 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $56,500 $25,854
Room & Board $18,660 $14,978
Avg Net Price $44,233 $22,096
Avg Grant Aid $30,733 $8,882
% Receiving Grant Aid 81% 63%

Admission

Bentley Penn State Harrisburg
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,662 9,925
Admitted 5,592 9,483
Acceptance Rate 57.9% 95.5%
Enrolled % 20.4% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.48
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 28/32 24/28
SAT Range 1258/1420 1100/1310
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

Bentley Penn State Harrisburg
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (83%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (12%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (3%)
  • Mathematics (1%)
  • General Studies (1%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • English and Literature (5%)

Outcomes

Bentley Penn State Harrisburg
Graduation Rate 88% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $87,200 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 92% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,500 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $274 $277

Diversity

Bentley Penn State Harrisburg
% Men 59% 60%
% Women 41% 40%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 62% 59%
% Black 3% 11%
% Hispanic 7% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 14% 10%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

Bentley Penn State Harrisburg
% In-State 41% 46%
% Out-of-State 44% 27%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Bentley University is larger than than Penn State Harrisburg based on total student enrollment (5,165 students vs. 4,572 students)

Bentley vs. Penn State Harrisburg Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bentley or Penn State Harrisburg?

  • Bentley University is 267.2% more expensive to attend than Penn State Harrisburg for in-state tuition ($56,500.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 118.5% higher at Bentley than Penn State Harrisburg ($56,500.00 vs. $25,854.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Harrisburg than Bentley ($22,096 vs. $44,233)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Harrisburg are 24.6% lower than costs at Bentley University ($14,978 vs. $18,660)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bentley University than Penn State Harrisburg (81% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bentley University students is 246% larger than aid received Penn State Harrisburg ($30,733 vs. $8,882)

Bentley vs. Penn State Harrisburg Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Bentley University (1244) is 201 points higher than at Penn State Harrisburg (1043)
  • Incoming Bentley students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (23)
  • Accepted freshman Bentley students have a 0.27 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (3.48)
  • Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (95.5%) than Bentley (57.9%)

Bentley vs. Penn State Harrisburg Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Bentley or Penn State Harrisburg? 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 Harrisburg and Bentley.

  • The graduation rate at Bentley is higher than Penn State Harrisburg (88% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Bentley University earn on average $31,900 more per year than Penn State Harrisburg graduates after ten years. ($87,200 vs. $55,300)
  • Bentley University students graduate with a $318 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($26,500 vs. $26,818)
  • Bentley graduates are paying $3 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($274 vs. $277)
  • More Bentley graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Harrisburg students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 69%)

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