Douglas Education Center vs. HACC

Comparable Facts

Compare Douglas Education Center in Monessen, PA with Harrisburg Area Community College in Harrisburg, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Harrisburg Area Community College is larger than Douglas Education Center based on total student enrollment (12,585 students vs. 178 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Douglas Education Center is located in Monessen, PA (Small Suburban setting); Harrisburg Area Community College is in Harrisburg, PA (Small City setting).
• Douglas Education Center is a private, for-profit 2-year institution. Harrisburg Area Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Douglas Education Center 13:1; Harrisburg Area Community College 13:1.

Douglas Education Center vs. HACC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Douglas Education Center or HACC? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Harrisburg Area Community College than Douglas Education Center ($12,059 vs. $25,167).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Douglas Education Center are 17.3% lower than at Harrisburg Area Community College ($9,120 vs. $11,024).
• Douglas Education Center is 104.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than HACC (about $9,955 more per year; $19,450.00 vs. $9,495.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 55.9% higher at Douglas Education Center than at Harrisburg Area Community College (about $6,978 more per year; $19,450.00 vs. $12,472.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Harrisburg Area Community College than at Douglas Education Center (58% vs. 53%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Douglas Education Center students is 25.1% larger than aid received by Harrisburg Area Community College students ($7,795 vs. $6,230).

Douglas Education Center vs. HACC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Douglas Education Center or HACC? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between HACC and Douglas Education Center.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Douglas Education Center - Open admission; HACC - Open admission.

Douglas Education Center vs. HACC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Douglas Education Center and HACC? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Graduates from Harrisburg Area Community College earn a median of about $11,700 more per year than Douglas Education Center graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,200 vs. $24,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Douglas Education Center graduates have a $7,662 lower median loan debt than HACC graduates ($12,000 vs. $19,662).
• Among borrowers, Douglas Education Center graduates have an estimated $79 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than HACC graduates ($124 vs. $203).
• More Douglas Education Center graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former HACC students, three years after graduation. (44% vs. 42%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.