Clarkson vs. Penn State Harrisburg

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

Clarkson Penn State Harrisburg
Location Potsdam, NY Middletown, PA
Setting Remote Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,719 4,572
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #220 #613
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website clarkson.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Clarkson Penn State Harrisburg
Tuition (In State) $54,960 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $54,960 $25,854
Room & Board $16,744 $14,978
Avg Net Price $32,450 $22,096
Avg Grant Aid $41,285 $8,882
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 63%

Admission

Clarkson Penn State Harrisburg
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,594 9,925
Admitted 5,171 9,483
Acceptance Rate 78.4% 95.5%
Enrolled % 11.5% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.8 3.48
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 25/30 24/28
SAT Range 1190/1370 1100/1310
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 Harrisburg
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (48%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Engineering Technology (9%)
  • Communication (3%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • English and Literature (5%)

Outcomes

Clarkson Penn State Harrisburg
Graduation Rate 72% 63%
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 Harrisburg
% Men 64% 60%
% Women 36% 40%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU No No
% White 84% 59%
% Black 2% 11%
% Hispanic 4% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 3% 10%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

Clarkson Penn State Harrisburg
% In-State 65% 46%
% Out-of-State 31% 27%

Campus

Clarkson 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 Clarkson based on total student enrollment (4,572 students vs. 3,719 students)

Clarkson vs. Penn State Harrisburg Cost Comparison

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

  • Clarkson University is 257.2% more expensive to attend than Penn State Harrisburg for in-state tuition ($54,960.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 112.6% higher at Clarkson than Penn State Harrisburg ($54,960.00 vs. $25,854.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Harrisburg than Clarkson ($22,096 vs. $32,450)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Harrisburg are 11.8% lower than costs at Clarkson University ($14,978 vs. $16,744)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Clarkson University than Penn State Harrisburg (100% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Clarkson University students is 364.8% larger than aid received Penn State Harrisburg ($41,285 vs. $8,882)

Clarkson vs. Penn State Harrisburg Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Clarkson 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 Clarkson .

  • The average SAT score at Clarkson University (1198) is 155 points higher than at Penn State Harrisburg (1043)
  • Incoming Clarkson students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (23)
  • Accepted freshman Clarkson students have a 0.32 point higher average high school GPA (3.8) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (3.48)
  • Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (95.5%) than Clarkson (78.4%)

Clarkson vs. Penn State Harrisburg Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Clarkson 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 Clarkson.

  • The graduation rate at Clarkson is higher than Penn State Harrisburg (72% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Clarkson University earn on average $15,500 more per year than Penn State Harrisburg graduates after ten years. ($70,800 vs. $55,300)
  • Penn State Harrisburg students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than Clarkson graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State Harrisburg 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 Harrisburg 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/