Dickinson College vs. Penn State Harrisburg

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

Dickinson College Penn State Harrisburg
Location Carlisle, PA Middletown, PA
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,137 4,572
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #613
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website dickinson.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Dickinson College Penn State Harrisburg
Tuition (In State) $60,776 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $60,776 $25,854
Room & Board $15,938 $14,978
Avg Net Price $37,610 $22,096
Avg Grant Aid $39,554 $8,882
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 63%

Admission

Dickinson College Penn State Harrisburg
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,261 9,925
Admitted 2,885 9,483
Acceptance Rate 34.9% 95.5%
Enrolled % 20% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA - 3.48
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Challenging
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 24/28
SAT Range 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

Dickinson College Penn State Harrisburg
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Ethnic Studies (11%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • English and Literature (5%)

Outcomes

Dickinson College Penn State Harrisburg
Graduation Rate 84% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $62,000 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 89% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $217 $277

Diversity

Dickinson College Penn State Harrisburg
% Men 42% 60%
% Women 58% 40%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 72% 59%
% Black 4% 11%
% Hispanic 6% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 10% 10%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

Dickinson College Penn State Harrisburg
% In-State 23% 46%
% Out-of-State 63% 27%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Harrisburg is larger than than Dickinson College based on total student enrollment (4,572 students vs. 2,137 students)

Dickinson College vs. Penn State Harrisburg Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Dickinson College or Penn State Harrisburg?

  • Dickinson College is 295% more expensive to attend than Penn State Harrisburg for in-state tuition ($60,776.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 135.1% higher at Dickinson College than Penn State Harrisburg ($60,776.00 vs. $25,854.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Harrisburg than Dickinson College ($22,096 vs. $37,610)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Harrisburg are 6.4% lower than costs at Dickinson College ($14,978 vs. $15,938)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Dickinson College than Penn State Harrisburg (94% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Dickinson College students is 345.3% larger than aid received Penn State Harrisburg ($39,554 vs. $8,882)

Dickinson College vs. Penn State Harrisburg Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Dickinson College 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 Dickinson College .

  • Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (95.5%) than Dickinson College (34.9%)

Dickinson College vs. Penn State Harrisburg Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Dickinson College 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 Dickinson College.

  • The graduation rate at Dickinson College is higher than Penn State Harrisburg (84% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Dickinson College earn on average $6,700 more per year than Penn State Harrisburg graduates after ten years. ($62,000 vs. $55,300)
  • Dickinson College students graduate with a $5,818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($21,000 vs. $26,818)
  • Dickinson College graduates are paying $60 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($217 vs. $277)
  • More Dickinson College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Harrisburg students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 69%)

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