Bucknell vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley

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

Bucknell Penn State Lehigh Valley
Location Lewisburg, PA Center Valley, PA
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,787 888
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #71
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bucknell.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Bucknell Penn State Lehigh Valley
Tuition (In State) $61,408 $14,624
Tuition (Out of State) $61,408 $24,318
Room & Board $15,358 $12,984
Avg Net Price $39,965 $18,142
Avg Grant Aid $37,775 $9,886
% Receiving Grant Aid 56% 78%

Admission

Bucknell Penn State Lehigh Valley
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,707 1,806
Admitted 3,811 1,699
Acceptance Rate 32.6% 94.1%
Enrolled % 27.1% 15.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.42
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Average
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 30/33 22/26
SAT Range 1310/1470 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 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

Bucknell Penn State Lehigh Valley
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Business (46%)
  • Education (25%)
  • Psychology (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (4%)
  • Foreign Languages (3%)

Outcomes

Bucknell Penn State Lehigh Valley
Graduation Rate 91% 47%
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 Lehigh Valley
% Men 48% 57%
% Women 52% 43%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 77% 64%
% Black 3% 6%
% Hispanic 6% 16%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 5% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

Bucknell Penn State Lehigh Valley
% In-State 21% 93%
% Out-of-State 74% 6%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Bucknell University is larger than than Penn State Lehigh Valley based on total student enrollment (3,787 students vs. 888 students)

Bucknell vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Cost Comparison

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

  • Bucknell University is 319.9% more expensive to attend than Penn State Lehigh Valley for in-state tuition ($61,408.00 vs. $14,624.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 152.5% higher at Bucknell than Penn State Lehigh Valley ($61,408.00 vs. $24,318.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Lehigh Valley than Bucknell ($18,142 vs. $39,965)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Lehigh Valley are 18.3% lower than costs at Bucknell University ($12,984 vs. $15,358)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Lehigh Valley than Bucknell University (78% vs. 56%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bucknell University students is 282.1% larger than aid received Penn State Lehigh Valley ($37,775 vs. $9,886)

Bucknell vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Bucknell 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 Bucknell .

  • The average SAT score at Bucknell University (1315) is 296 points higher than at Penn State Lehigh Valley (1019)
  • Incoming Bucknell students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at Penn State Lehigh Valley (23)
  • Accepted freshman Bucknell students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.62) than students at Penn State Lehigh Valley (3.42)
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley has a higher acceptance rate (94.1%) than Bucknell (32.6%)

Bucknell vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Bucknell 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 Bucknell.

  • The graduation rate at Bucknell is higher than Penn State Lehigh Valley (91% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Bucknell University earn on average $21,000 more per year than Penn State Lehigh Valley graduates after ten years. ($76,300 vs. $55,300)
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than Bucknell graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 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 Lehigh Valley 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/