PennWest California vs. Cedar Crest College

Should I go to PennWest California or Cedar Crest College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if PennWest California or Cedar Crest College 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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PennWest California vs. Cedar Crest College comparison
PennWest California Cedar Crest College College 3 College 4
PennWest California Cedar Crest College
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Overview

PennWest California Cedar Crest College
Location California, PA Allentown, PA
Setting Town Fringe Midsize City
Enrollment 6,509 1,324
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #1033 #530
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calu.edu cedarcrest.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

PennWest California Cedar Crest College
Tuition (In State) $7,716 $43,043
Tuition (Out of State) $11,574 $43,043
Room & Board $10,416 $12,722
Avg Net Price - $23,500
Avg Grant Aid $0 $32,415
% Receiving Grant Aid 0% 100%

Admission

PennWest California Cedar Crest College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 946
Admitted - 797
Acceptance Rate 84.2%
Enrolled % 16.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.31 3.42
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24
SAT Range 940/1150 980/1230
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 22, 2025

Academics

PennWest California Cedar Crest College
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Health Professions (31%)
  • Psychology (15%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Education (8%)

Outcomes

PennWest California Cedar Crest College
Graduation Rate 53% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $47,800
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $27,750
Median Loan Payment $258 $286

Diversity

PennWest California Cedar Crest College
% Men 39% 9%
% Women 61% 91%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 77% 62%
% Black 12% 10%
% Hispanic 3% 15%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 1%
% International 1% 5%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

PennWest California Cedar Crest College
% In-State 86% 72%
% Out-of-State 13% 26%

Campus

PennWest California Cedar Crest College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • PennWest California is larger than than Cedar Crest College based on total student enrollment (6,509 students vs. 1,324 students)

PennWest California vs. Cedar Crest College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, PennWest California or Cedar Crest College?

  • Cedar Crest College is 457.8% more expensive to attend than PennWest California for in-state tuition ($43,043.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 271.9% higher at Cedar Crest College than PennWest California ($43,043.00 vs. $11,574.00)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at PennWest California are 22.1% lower than costs at Cedar Crest College ($10,416 vs. $12,722)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cedar Crest College than PennWest California (100% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cedar Crest College students is ?% larger than aid received PennWest California ($32,415 vs. $0)

Which college is harder to get into, PennWest California or Cedar Crest College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Cedar Crest College or PennWest California .

  • The average SAT score at Cedar Crest College (968) is 46 points higher than at PennWest California (922)
  • Incoming Cedar Crest College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at PennWest California (20)
  • Accepted freshman Cedar Crest College students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at PennWest California (3.31)

PennWest California vs. Cedar Crest College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, PennWest California or Cedar Crest College? 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 Cedar Crest College and PennWest California.

  • The graduation rate at PennWest California is higher than Cedar Crest College (53% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Cedar Crest College earn on average $5,300 more per year than PennWest California graduates after ten years. ($47,800 vs. $42,500)
  • PennWest California students graduate with a $2,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Cedar Crest College graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,750)
  • PennWest California graduates are paying $28 less per month on federal student loans than Cedar Crest College graduates. ($258 vs. $286)
  • More PennWest California graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cedar Crest College students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 59%)

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