Chatham vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley

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

 Chatham Penn State Lehigh Valley
Location Pittsburgh, PA Center Valley, PA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,387 888
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #288
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website chatham.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Chatham Penn State Lehigh Valley
Tuition (In State) $40,625 $14,624
Tuition (Out of State) $40,625 $24,318
Room & Board $12,719 $12,984
Avg Net Price $28,322 $18,142
Avg Grant Aid $27,330 $9,886
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 78%

Admission

 Chatham Penn State Lehigh Valley
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,514 1,806
Admitted 2,331 1,699
Acceptance Rate 66.3% 94.1%
Enrolled % 13.1% 15.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.42
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/29 22/26
SAT Range 1060/1270 1100/1290
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 Lehigh Valley
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Business (46%)
  • Education (25%)
  • Psychology (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (4%)
  • Foreign Languages (3%)

Outcomes

 Chatham Penn State Lehigh Valley
Graduation Rate 60% 47%
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 Lehigh Valley
% Men 25% 57%
% Women 75% 43%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 72% 64%
% Black 10% 6%
% Hispanic 5% 16%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 3% 0%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

 Chatham Penn State Lehigh Valley
% In-State 70% 93%
% Out-of-State 26% 6%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Chatham University is larger than than Penn State Lehigh Valley based on total student enrollment (2,387 students vs. 888 students)

Chatham vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Chatham or Penn State Lehigh Valley?

  • Chatham University is 177.8% more expensive to attend than Penn State Lehigh Valley for in-state tuition ($40,625.00 vs. $14,624.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 67.1% higher at Chatham than Penn State Lehigh Valley ($40,625.00 vs. $24,318.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Lehigh Valley than Chatham ($18,142 vs. $28,322)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Chatham University are 2.1% lower than costs at Penn State Lehigh Valley ($12,719 vs. $12,984)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Chatham University than Penn State Lehigh Valley (100% vs. 78%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Chatham University students is 176.5% larger than aid received Penn State Lehigh Valley ($27,330 vs. $9,886)

Chatham vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Chatham students have a 0.44 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at Penn State Lehigh Valley (3.42)
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley has a higher acceptance rate (94.1%) than Chatham (66.3%)

Chatham vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Chatham or Penn State Lehigh Valley? 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 Lehigh Valley and Chatham.

  • The graduation rate at Chatham is higher than Penn State Lehigh Valley (60% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Lehigh Valley 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 Lehigh Valley graduates. ($20,500 vs. $26,818)
  • Chatham graduates are paying $66 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Lehigh Valley graduates. ($211 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Lehigh Valley 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/