Chatham vs. Penn State Harrisburg

Should I go to Chatham University or Penn State Harrisburg? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Chatham or Penn State Harrisburg 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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Chatham University vs. Penn State Harrisburg comparison
Chatham University Penn State Harrisburg College 3 College 4
Chatham University Penn State Harrisburg
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Overview

 Chatham Penn State Harrisburg
Location Pittsburgh, PA Middletown, PA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,319 4,651
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #326 #595
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website chatham.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Chatham Penn State Harrisburg
Tuition (In State) $42,250 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $42,250 $26,112
Room & Board $14,324 $15,870
Avg Net Price $29,051 $22,406
Avg Grant Aid $27,984 $8,421
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 54%

Admission

 Chatham Penn State Harrisburg
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,169 10,296
Admitted 2,923 9,924
Acceptance Rate 70.1% 96.4%
Enrolled % 11.4% 12.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.48
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Average Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/27 26/30
SAT Range 1070/1290 1110/1320
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

 Chatham Penn State Harrisburg
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • English and Literature (5%)

Outcomes

 Chatham Penn State Harrisburg
Graduation Rate 60% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,700 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $211 $277

Diversity

 Chatham Penn State Harrisburg
% Men 7% 5%
% Women 28% 6%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 72% 59%
% Black 10% 11%
% Hispanic 5% 6%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 3% 10%
% Unknown Race 5% 2%

Students

 Chatham Penn State Harrisburg
% In-State 65% 46%
% Out-of-State 32% 27%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Harrisburg is larger than than Chatham based on total student enrollment (4,651 students vs. 2,319 students)

Chatham vs. Penn State Harrisburg Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Chatham or Penn State Harrisburg?

  • Chatham University is 174.6% more expensive to attend than Penn State Harrisburg for in-state tuition ($42,250.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 61.8% higher at Chatham than Penn State Harrisburg ($42,250.00 vs. $26,112.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Harrisburg than Chatham ($22,406 vs. $29,051)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Chatham University are 10.8% lower than costs at Penn State Harrisburg ($14,324 vs. $15,870)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Chatham University than Penn State Harrisburg (100% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Chatham University students is 232.3% larger than aid received Penn State Harrisburg ($27,984 vs. $8,421)

Chatham vs. Penn State Harrisburg Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Chatham students have a 0.38 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (3.48)
  • Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (96.4%) than Chatham (70.1%)

Chatham vs. Penn State Harrisburg Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Chatham or Penn State Harrisburg? 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 Harrisburg and Chatham.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Harrisburg is higher than Chatham University (63% vs. 60%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Harrisburg earn on average $18,600 more per year than Chatham graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $36,700)
  • Chatham University students graduate with a $6,318 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($20,500 vs. $26,818)
  • Chatham graduates are paying $66 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($211 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Harrisburg graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Chatham students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 62%)

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