Elizabethtown College vs. Penn State Harrisburg

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

Elizabethtown College Penn State Harrisburg
Location Elizabethtown, PA Middletown, PA
Setting Town Fringe Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,152 4,651
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #257 #595
Religious Affiliation Church of Brethren - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website etown.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Elizabethtown College Penn State Harrisburg
Tuition (In State) $36,166 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $36,166 $26,112
Room & Board $12,954 $15,870
Avg Net Price $27,019 $22,406
Avg Grant Aid $22,312 $8,421
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 54%

Admission

Elizabethtown College Penn State Harrisburg
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,551 10,296
Admitted 2,726 9,924
Acceptance Rate 76.8% 96.4%
Enrolled % 19.4% 12.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.66 3.48
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/29 26/30
SAT Range 1090/1280 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

Academics

Elizabethtown College Penn State Harrisburg
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (32%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Education (7%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • English and Literature (5%)

Outcomes

Elizabethtown College Penn State Harrisburg
Graduation Rate 79% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,800 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 83% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $279 $277

Diversity

Elizabethtown College Penn State Harrisburg
% Men 3% 5%
% Women 11% 6%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU No No
% White 86% 59%
% Black 3% 11%
% Hispanic 4% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 3% 10%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

Elizabethtown College Penn State Harrisburg
% In-State 72% 46%
% Out-of-State 27% 27%

Campus

Elizabethtown College Penn State Harrisburg
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes 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 Elizabethtown College based on total student enrollment (4,651 students vs. 2,152 students)

Elizabethtown College vs. Penn State Harrisburg Cost Comparison

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

  • Elizabethtown College is 135% more expensive to attend than Penn State Harrisburg for in-state tuition ($36,166.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 38.5% higher at Elizabethtown College than Penn State Harrisburg ($36,166.00 vs. $26,112.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Harrisburg than Elizabethtown College ($22,406 vs. $27,019)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Elizabethtown College are 22.5% lower than costs at Penn State Harrisburg ($12,954 vs. $15,870)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Elizabethtown College than Penn State Harrisburg (100% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Elizabethtown College students is 165% larger than aid received Penn State Harrisburg ($22,312 vs. $8,421)

Elizabethtown College vs. Penn State Harrisburg Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Elizabethtown College (1125) is 82 points higher than at Penn State Harrisburg (1043)
  • Incoming Elizabethtown College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (23)
  • Accepted freshman Elizabethtown College students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (3.48)
  • Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (96.4%) than Elizabethtown College (76.8%)

Elizabethtown College vs. Penn State Harrisburg Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Elizabethtown 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 Elizabethtown College.

  • The graduation rate at Elizabethtown College is higher than Penn State Harrisburg (79% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Harrisburg earn on average $3,500 more per year than Elizabethtown College graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $51,800)
  • Penn State Harrisburg students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than Elizabethtown College graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State Harrisburg graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Elizabethtown College graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More Elizabethtown College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Harrisburg students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 69%)

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