DeSales University vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College

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

DeSales University Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Location Center Valley, PA Erie, PA
Setting Large Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 2,919 3,323
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #295 #538
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website desales.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

DeSales University Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Tuition (In State) $43,000 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $43,000 $26,112
Room & Board $13,800 $14,774
Avg Net Price $30,524 $20,964
Avg Grant Aid $28,789 $10,930
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 66%

Admission

DeSales University Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,636 4,827
Admitted 2,857 4,620
Acceptance Rate 78.6% 95.7%
Enrolled % 15.5% 18.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.39 3.49
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 24/28 23/28
SAT Range 1090/1290 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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

DeSales University Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (29%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Biology (5%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (38%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (9%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

DeSales University Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Graduation Rate 69% 66%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,100 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 71% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $268 $277

Diversity

DeSales University Penn State Erie-Behrend College
% Men 8% 2%
% Women 18% 1%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 75% 79%
% Black 4% 4%
% Hispanic 12% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 0% 9%
% Unknown Race 6% 1%

Students

DeSales University Penn State Erie-Behrend College
% In-State 66% 74%
% Out-of-State 34% 19%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Erie Behrend College is larger than than DeSales University based on total student enrollment (3,323 students vs. 2,919 students)

DeSales University vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College Cost Comparison

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

  • DeSales University is 179.4% more expensive to attend than Penn State Erie-Behrend College for in-state tuition ($43,000.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 64.7% higher at DeSales University than Penn State Erie Behrend College ($43,000.00 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 DeSales University ($20,964 vs. $30,524)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at DeSales University are 7.1% lower than costs at Penn State Erie Behrend College ($13,800 vs. $14,774)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at DeSales University than Penn State Erie Behrend College (100% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by DeSales University students is 163.4% larger than aid received Penn State Erie Behrend College ($28,789 vs. $10,930)

DeSales University vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, DeSales University 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 DeSales University .

  • The average SAT score at DeSales University (1054) is the same at Penn State Erie-Behrend College (1054)
  • Incoming DeSales University students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Penn State Erie-Behrend College (23)
  • Accepted freshman Penn State Erie-Behrend College students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.49) than students at DeSales University (3.39)
  • Penn State Erie-Behrend College has a higher acceptance rate (95.7%) than DeSales University (78.6%)

DeSales University vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, DeSales University 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 DeSales University.

  • The graduation rate at DeSales University is higher than Penn State Erie Behrend College (69% vs. 66%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Erie Behrend College earn on average $4,200 more per year than DeSales University graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $51,100)
  • DeSales University students graduate with a $818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Erie-Behrend College graduates. ($26,000 vs. $26,818)
  • DeSales University graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Erie-Behrend College graduates. ($268 vs. $277)
  • More DeSales University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Erie-Behrend College students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 69%)

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