Bucknell vs. Penn State Harrisburg

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

Bucknell Penn State Harrisburg
Location Lewisburg, PA Middletown, PA
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,787 4,572
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #71 #613
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bucknell.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Bucknell Penn State Harrisburg
Tuition (In State) $61,408 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $61,408 $25,854
Room & Board $15,358 $14,978
Avg Net Price $39,965 $22,096
Avg Grant Aid $37,775 $8,882
% Receiving Grant Aid 56% 63%

Admission

Bucknell Penn State Harrisburg
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,707 9,925
Admitted 3,811 9,483
Acceptance Rate 32.6% 95.5%
Enrolled % 27.1% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.48
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Challenging
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 30/33 24/28
SAT Range 1310/1470 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

Bucknell Penn State Harrisburg
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • English and Literature (5%)

Outcomes

Bucknell Penn State Harrisburg
Graduation Rate 91% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $76,300 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 89% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $279 $277

Diversity

Bucknell Penn State Harrisburg
% Men 48% 60%
% Women 52% 40%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 77% 59%
% Black 3% 11%
% Hispanic 6% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 5% 10%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

Bucknell Penn State Harrisburg
% In-State 21% 46%
% Out-of-State 74% 27%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Harrisburg is larger than than Bucknell based on total student enrollment (4,572 students vs. 3,787 students)

Bucknell vs. Penn State Harrisburg Cost Comparison

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

  • Bucknell University is 299.1% more expensive to attend than Penn State Harrisburg for in-state tuition ($61,408.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 137.5% higher at Bucknell than Penn State Harrisburg ($61,408.00 vs. $25,854.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Harrisburg than Bucknell ($22,096 vs. $39,965)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Harrisburg are 2.5% lower than costs at Bucknell University ($14,978 vs. $15,358)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Harrisburg than Bucknell University (63% vs. 56%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bucknell University students is 325.3% larger than aid received Penn State Harrisburg ($37,775 vs. $8,882)

Bucknell vs. Penn State Harrisburg Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Bucknell 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 Bucknell .

  • The average SAT score at Bucknell University (1315) is 272 points higher than at Penn State Harrisburg (1043)
  • Incoming Bucknell students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (23)
  • Accepted freshman Bucknell students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.62) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (3.48)
  • Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (95.5%) than Bucknell (32.6%)

Bucknell vs. Penn State Harrisburg Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Bucknell 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 Bucknell.

  • The graduation rate at Bucknell is higher than Penn State Harrisburg (91% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Bucknell University earn on average $21,000 more per year than Penn State Harrisburg graduates after ten years. ($76,300 vs. $55,300)
  • Penn State Harrisburg students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than Bucknell graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State Harrisburg graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Bucknell graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More Bucknell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Harrisburg students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 69%)

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