Cedar Crest College vs. Penn State

Deciding between Cedar Crest College and Penn State Main Campus? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Cedar Crest College
Penn State Main Campus

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Cedar Crest College Allentown, PA
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • Cedar Crest College Midsize City
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Cedar Crest College 1,290
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • Cedar Crest College Private 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Cedar Crest College #538
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Cedar Crest College -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • Cedar Crest College Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Cedar Crest College
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Cedar Crest College $46,314
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Cedar Crest College $46,314
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • Cedar Crest College $13,406
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Cedar Crest College $23,691
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Cedar Crest College $33,323
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Cedar Crest College 99%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Cedar Crest College 1,362
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • Cedar Crest College 1,145
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Cedar Crest College 84.1%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Cedar Crest College 13.5%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Cedar Crest College 1120
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Cedar Crest College
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Cedar Crest College 3.42
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Cedar Crest College B+
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Cedar Crest College Moderate
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Cedar Crest College
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Cedar Crest College
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Cedar Crest College 1000/1230
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Cedar Crest College Test-free
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Cedar Crest College
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Cedar Crest College 9:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Cedar Crest College
    • Health Professions (31%)
    • Psychology (15%)
    • Business (12%)
    • Biology (9%)
    • Education (8%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Cedar Crest College 50%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Cedar Crest College $47,800
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Cedar Crest College 59%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Cedar Crest College $27,750
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Cedar Crest College $286
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Cedar Crest College 11%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • Cedar Crest College 89%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Cedar Crest College Medium
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Cedar Crest College No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • Cedar Crest College 62%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • Cedar Crest College 3%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • Cedar Crest College 10%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Cedar Crest College 15%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Cedar Crest College 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Cedar Crest College 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Cedar Crest College 1%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • Cedar Crest College 5%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Cedar Crest College 3%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Cedar Crest College 70%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Cedar Crest College 29%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Cedar Crest College Yes
  • Penn State Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Cedar Crest College No
  • Penn State Yes
  • Meal Plan
  • Cedar Crest College Yes
  • Penn State Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Cedar Crest College Yes
  • Penn State Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • Cedar Crest College No
  • Penn State Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare Cedar Crest College in Allentown, PA with Penn State Main Campus in University Park, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Penn State Main Campus is larger than Cedar Crest College based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 1,290 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Cedar Crest College is located in Allentown, PA (Midsize City setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • Cedar Crest College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Cedar Crest College 9:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

Cedar Crest College vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cedar Crest College or Penn State? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cedar Crest College than Penn State ($23,691 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cedar Crest College are 7.4% lower than at Penn State Main Campus ($13,406 vs. $14,474).
  • Cedar Crest College is 124.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $25,670 more per year; $46,314.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 10.8% higher at Cedar Crest College than at Penn State Main Campus (about $4,524 more per year; $46,314.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Cedar Crest College than at Penn State Main Campus (99% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cedar Crest College students is 194% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($33,323 vs. $11,336).

Cedar Crest College vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cedar Crest College or Penn State? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Penn State and Cedar Crest College.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Penn State Main Campus (1330) is 210 points higher than at Cedar Crest College (1120).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Cedar Crest College 1000/1230; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsPenn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Cedar Crest College - Test-free; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Cedar Crest College has a higher acceptance rate (84.1%) than Penn State (60.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 13.5% at Cedar Crest College vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

Cedar Crest College vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cedar Crest College and Penn State? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Penn State Main Campus's six-year graduation rate (87%) is higher than Cedar Crest College's (50%).
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn a median of about $7,500 more per year than Cedar Crest College graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $47,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Penn State Main Campus graduates have a $932 lower median loan debt than Cedar Crest College graduates ($26,818 vs. $27,750).
  • Among borrowers, Penn State graduates have an estimated $9 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Cedar Crest College graduates ($277 vs. $286).
  • More Penn State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cedar Crest College students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 59%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.