PennWest California vs. Penn State New Kensington

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

PennWest California Penn State New Kensington
Location California, PA Upper Burrell, PA
Setting Town Fringe Rural Fringe
Enrollment 6,509 460
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1033
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calu.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

PennWest California Penn State New Kensington
Tuition (In State) $7,716 $13,824
Tuition (Out of State) $11,574 $23,086
Room & Board $10,416 $12,984
Avg Net Price - $19,757
Avg Grant Aid $0 $7,860
% Receiving Grant Aid 0% 93%

Admission

PennWest California Penn State New Kensington
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 678
Admitted - 620
Acceptance Rate 91.4%
Enrolled % 21.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.31 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Very Easy Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 22/30
SAT Range 940/1150 1080/1210
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 22, 2025

Academics

PennWest California Penn State New Kensington
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Psychology (15%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Engineering (11%)

Outcomes

PennWest California Penn State New Kensington
Graduation Rate 53% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $258 $277

Diversity

PennWest California Penn State New Kensington
% Men 39% 60%
% Women 61% 40%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 87%
% Black 12% 5%
% Hispanic 3% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 1%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

PennWest California Penn State New Kensington
% In-State 86% 85%
% Out-of-State 13% 13%

Campus

PennWest California Penn State New Kensington
Campus Housing Yes No
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • PennWest California is larger than than Penn State New Kensington based on total student enrollment (6,509 students vs. 460 students)

PennWest California vs. Penn State New Kensington Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, PennWest California or Penn State New Kensington?

  • Penn State New Kensington is 79.2% more expensive to attend than PennWest California for in-state tuition ($13,824.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 99.5% higher at Penn State New Kensington than PennWest California ($23,086.00 vs. $11,574.00)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at PennWest California are 24.7% lower than costs at Penn State New Kensington ($10,416 vs. $12,984)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State New Kensington than PennWest California (93% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State New Kensington students is ?% larger than aid received PennWest California ($7,860 vs. $0)

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

  • The average SAT score at Penn State New Kensington (980) is 58 points higher than at PennWest California (922)
  • Incoming Penn State New Kensington students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at PennWest California (20)

PennWest California vs. Penn State New Kensington Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, PennWest California or Penn State New Kensington? 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 New Kensington and PennWest California.

  • The graduation rate at PennWest California is higher than Penn State New Kensington (53% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from Penn State New Kensington earn on average $12,800 more per year than PennWest California graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $42,500)
  • PennWest California students graduate with a $1,818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State New Kensington graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,818)
  • PennWest California graduates are paying $19 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State New Kensington graduates. ($258 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State New Kensington graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former PennWest California students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 64%)

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