PennWest California vs. Dickinson College

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

PennWest California Dickinson College
Location California, PA Carlisle, PA
Setting Town Fringe Distant Town
Enrollment 6,509 2,137
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #1033
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calu.edu dickinson.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

PennWest California Dickinson College
Tuition (In State) $7,716 $60,776
Tuition (Out of State) $11,574 $60,776
Room & Board $10,416 $15,938
Avg Net Price - $37,610
Avg Grant Aid $0 $39,554
% Receiving Grant Aid 0% 94%

Admission

PennWest California Dickinson College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 8,261
Admitted - 2,885
Acceptance Rate 34.9%
Enrolled % 20%
Avg High School GPA 3.31 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Very Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 18/24
SAT Range 940/1150
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 22, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

PennWest California Dickinson 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%)
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Ethnic Studies (11%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)

Outcomes

PennWest California Dickinson College
Graduation Rate 53% 84%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $62,000
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $21,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $217

Diversity

PennWest California Dickinson College
% Men 39% 42%
% Women 61% 58%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 72%
% Black 12% 4%
% Hispanic 3% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 1% 10%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

PennWest California Dickinson College
% In-State 86% 23%
% Out-of-State 13% 63%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • PennWest California is larger than than Dickinson College based on total student enrollment (6,509 students vs. 2,137 students)

PennWest California vs. Dickinson College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, PennWest California or Dickinson College?

  • Dickinson College is 687.7% more expensive to attend than PennWest California for in-state tuition ($60,776.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 425.1% higher at Dickinson College than PennWest California ($60,776.00 vs. $11,574.00)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at PennWest California are 53% lower than costs at Dickinson College ($10,416 vs. $15,938)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Dickinson College than PennWest California (94% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Dickinson College students is ?% larger than aid received PennWest California ($39,554 vs. $0)

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

PennWest California vs. Dickinson College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, PennWest California or Dickinson 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 Dickinson College and PennWest California.

  • The graduation rate at Dickinson College is higher than PennWest California (84% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Dickinson College earn on average $19,500 more per year than PennWest California graduates after ten years. ($62,000 vs. $42,500)
  • Dickinson College students graduate with a $4,000 lower median federal student loan debt than PennWest California graduates. ($21,000 vs. $25,000)
  • Dickinson College graduates are paying $41 less per month on federal student loans than PennWest California graduates. ($217 vs. $258)
  • More Dickinson College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former PennWest California students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 64%)

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