Clarkson vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College

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

 Clarkson Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Location Potsdam, NY Erie, PA
Setting Remote Town Rural Fringe
Enrollment 3,603 3,323
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #183 #538
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website clarkson.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Clarkson Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Tuition (In State) $56,642 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $56,642 $26,112
Room & Board $17,016 $14,774
Avg Net Price $33,192 $20,964
Avg Grant Aid $43,097 $10,930
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 66%

Admission

 Clarkson Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,347 4,827
Admitted 5,669 4,620
Acceptance Rate 77.2% 95.7%
Enrolled % 10.7% 18.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.8 3.49
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 26/31 23/28
SAT Range 1198/1390 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 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

 Clarkson Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (48%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Engineering Technology (9%)
  • Communication (3%)
  • Business (38%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (9%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

 Clarkson Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Graduation Rate 72% 66%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $70,800 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 86% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $279 $277

Diversity

 Clarkson Penn State Erie-Behrend College
% Men 17% 2%
% Women 13% 1%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 84% 79%
% Black 2% 4%
% Hispanic 4% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 3% 9%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 Clarkson Penn State Erie-Behrend College
% In-State 65% 74%
% Out-of-State 29% 19%

Campus

 Clarkson Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Clarkson University is larger than than Penn State Erie-Behrend College based on total student enrollment (3,603 students vs. 3,323 students)

Clarkson vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Clarkson or Penn State Erie-Behrend College?

  • Clarkson University is 268.1% more expensive to attend than Penn State Erie-Behrend College for in-state tuition ($56,642.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 116.9% higher at Clarkson than Penn State Erie Behrend College ($56,642.00 vs. $26,112.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Erie Behrend College than Clarkson ($20,964 vs. $33,192)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Erie Behrend College are 15.2% lower than costs at Clarkson University ($14,774 vs. $17,016)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Clarkson University than Penn State Erie Behrend College (100% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Clarkson University students is 294.3% larger than aid received Penn State Erie Behrend College ($43,097 vs. $10,930)

Clarkson vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Clarkson University (1198) is 144 points higher than at Penn State Erie-Behrend College (1054)
  • Incoming Clarkson students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Penn State Erie-Behrend College (23)
  • Accepted freshman Clarkson students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (3.8) than students at Penn State Erie-Behrend College (3.49)
  • Penn State Erie-Behrend College has a higher acceptance rate (95.7%) than Clarkson (77.2%)

Clarkson vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Clarkson or Penn State Erie-Behrend 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 Penn State Erie-Behrend College and Clarkson.

  • The graduation rate at Clarkson is higher than Penn State Erie Behrend College (72% vs. 66%)
  • Graduates from Clarkson University earn on average $15,500 more per year than Penn State Erie-Behrend College graduates after ten years. ($70,800 vs. $55,300)
  • Penn State Erie Behrend College students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than Clarkson graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State Erie-Behrend College graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Clarkson graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More Clarkson graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Erie-Behrend College students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 69%)

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