DeSales University vs. Penn State Harrisburg

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

DeSales University Penn State Harrisburg
Location Center Valley, PA Middletown, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,991 4,572
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #262 #613
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website desales.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

DeSales University Penn State Harrisburg
Tuition (In State) $41,100 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $41,100 $25,854
Room & Board $13,500 $14,978
Avg Net Price $29,104 $22,096
Avg Grant Aid $27,824 $8,882
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 63%

Admission

DeSales University Penn State Harrisburg
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,662 9,925
Admitted 2,826 9,483
Acceptance Rate 77.2% 95.5%
Enrolled % 18% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.39 3.48
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/29 24/28
SAT Range 1100/1280 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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

DeSales University Penn State Harrisburg
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (29%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Biology (5%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • English and Literature (5%)

Outcomes

DeSales University Penn State Harrisburg
Graduation Rate 69% 63%
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 Harrisburg
% Men 34% 60%
% Women 66% 40%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 75% 59%
% Black 4% 11%
% Hispanic 12% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 0% 10%
% Unknown Race 6% 2%

Students

DeSales University Penn State Harrisburg
% In-State 66% 46%
% Out-of-State 34% 27%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Harrisburg is larger than than DeSales University based on total student enrollment (4,572 students vs. 2,991 students)

DeSales University vs. Penn State Harrisburg Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, DeSales University or Penn State Harrisburg?

  • DeSales University is 167.1% more expensive to attend than Penn State Harrisburg for in-state tuition ($41,100.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 59% higher at DeSales University than Penn State Harrisburg ($41,100.00 vs. $25,854.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Harrisburg than DeSales University ($22,096 vs. $29,104)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at DeSales University are 10.9% lower than costs at Penn State Harrisburg ($13,500 vs. $14,978)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at DeSales University than Penn State Harrisburg (100% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by DeSales University students is 213.3% larger than aid received Penn State Harrisburg ($27,824 vs. $8,882)

DeSales University vs. Penn State Harrisburg Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at DeSales University (1054) is 11 points higher than at Penn State Harrisburg (1043)
  • Incoming DeSales University students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (23)
  • Accepted freshman Penn State Harrisburg students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.48) than students at DeSales University (3.39)
  • Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (95.5%) than DeSales University (77.2%)

DeSales University vs. Penn State Harrisburg Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, DeSales University 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 DeSales University.

  • The graduation rate at DeSales University is higher than Penn State Harrisburg (69% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Harrisburg 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 Harrisburg graduates. ($26,000 vs. $26,818)
  • DeSales University graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($268 vs. $277)
  • More DeSales University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Harrisburg 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/