PennWest California vs. Thiel College

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

PennWest California Thiel College
Location California, PA Greenville, PA
Setting Town Fringe Distant Town
Enrollment 6,509 907
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #1033
Religious Affiliation - Evangelical Lutheran Church - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calu.edu thiel.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

PennWest California Thiel College
Tuition (In State) $7,716 $33,620
Tuition (Out of State) $11,574 $33,620
Room & Board $10,416 $14,230
Avg Net Price - $22,732
Avg Grant Aid $0 $27,563
% Receiving Grant Aid 0% 100%

Admission

PennWest California Thiel College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 1,878
Admitted - 1,546
Acceptance Rate 82.3%
Enrolled % 14.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.31 3.1
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Very Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 17/24
SAT Range 940/1150 965/1165
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 22, 2025

Academics

PennWest California Thiel College
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 (33%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Education (8%)

Outcomes

PennWest California Thiel College
Graduation Rate 53% 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $39,800
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 62%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $27,876
Median Loan Payment $258 $288

Diversity

PennWest California Thiel College
% Men 39% 48%
% Women 61% 52%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 79%
% Black 12% 10%
% Hispanic 3% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 4%

Students

PennWest California Thiel College
% In-State 86% 66%
% Out-of-State 13% 33%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • PennWest California is larger than than Thiel College based on total student enrollment (6,509 students vs. 907 students)

PennWest California vs. Thiel College Cost Comparison

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

  • Thiel College is 335.7% more expensive to attend than PennWest California for in-state tuition ($33,620.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 190.5% higher at Thiel College than PennWest California ($33,620.00 vs. $11,574.00)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at PennWest California are 36.6% lower than costs at Thiel College ($10,416 vs. $14,230)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Thiel College than PennWest California (100% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Thiel College students is ?% larger than aid received PennWest California ($27,563 vs. $0)

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

  • The average SAT score at Thiel College (923) is 1 points higher than at PennWest California (922)
  • Incoming PennWest California students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (20) than students at Thiel College (19)
  • Accepted freshman PennWest California students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at Thiel College (3.1)

PennWest California vs. Thiel College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at PennWest California is higher than Thiel College (53% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from PennWest California earn on average $2,700 more per year than Thiel College graduates after ten years. ($42,500 vs. $39,800)
  • PennWest California students graduate with a $2,876 lower median federal student loan debt than Thiel College graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,876)
  • PennWest California graduates are paying $30 less per month on federal student loans than Thiel College graduates. ($258 vs. $288)
  • More PennWest California graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Thiel College students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 62%)

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