PennWest California vs. Penn State York

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

 PennWest California Penn State York
Location California, PA York, PA
Setting Town Fringe Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 6,509 718
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 York
Tuition (In State) $7,716 $14,624
Tuition (Out of State) $11,574 $24,318
Room & Board $10,416 $12,984
Avg Net Price - $18,910
Avg Grant Aid $0 $8,440
% Receiving Grant Aid 0% 84%

Admission

 PennWest California Penn State York
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 2,005
Admitted - 1,862
Acceptance Rate 92.9%
Enrolled % 10.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.31 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Very Easy Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 23/26
SAT Range 940/1150 1090/1300
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 22, 2025

Academics

 PennWest California Penn State York
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Business (32%)
  • Work and Family Studies (24%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Engineering Technology (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)

Outcomes

 PennWest California Penn State York
Graduation Rate 53% 45%
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 York
% Men 39% 64%
% Women 61% 36%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 77% 63%
% Black 12% 6%
% Hispanic 3% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 1% 15%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

 PennWest California Penn State York
% In-State 86% 81%
% Out-of-State 13% 17%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • PennWest California is larger than than Penn State York based on total student enrollment (6,509 students vs. 718 students)

PennWest California vs. Penn State York Cost Comparison

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

  • Penn State York is 89.5% more expensive to attend than PennWest California for in-state tuition ($14,624.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 110.1% higher at Penn State York than PennWest California ($24,318.00 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 York ($10,416 vs. $12,984)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State York than PennWest California (84% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State York students is ?% larger than aid received PennWest California ($8,440 vs. $0)

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

  • The average SAT score at Penn State York (1050) is 128 points higher than at PennWest California (922)
  • Incoming Penn State York students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at PennWest California (20)

PennWest California vs. Penn State York Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at PennWest California is higher than Penn State York (53% vs. 45%)
  • Graduates from Penn State York 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 York graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,818)
  • PennWest California graduates are paying $19 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State York graduates. ($258 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State York 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/