Elon vs. Penn State Harrisburg

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

Elon Penn State Harrisburg
Location Elon, NC Middletown, PA
Setting Small Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 7,123 4,572
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #116 #613
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website elon.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Elon Penn State Harrisburg
Tuition (In State) $41,734 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $41,734 $25,854
Room & Board $13,886 $14,978
Avg Net Price $41,527 $22,096
Avg Grant Aid $13,880 $8,882
% Receiving Grant Aid 68% 63%

Admission

Elon Penn State Harrisburg
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,551 9,925
Admitted 13,069 9,483
Acceptance Rate 74.5% 95.5%
Enrolled % 12.9% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.65 3.48
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 25/30 24/28
SAT Range 1170/1360 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 10, 2025

Academics

Elon Penn State Harrisburg
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Communication (19%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • English and Literature (5%)

Outcomes

Elon Penn State Harrisburg
Graduation Rate 82% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,200 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 86% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,250 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $240 $277

Diversity

Elon Penn State Harrisburg
% Men 40% 60%
% Women 60% 40%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU No No
% White 82% 59%
% Black 6% 11%
% Hispanic 5% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 2% 10%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

Elon Penn State Harrisburg
% In-State 18% 46%
% Out-of-State 80% 27%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Elon University is larger than than Penn State Harrisburg based on total student enrollment (7,123 students vs. 4,572 students)

Elon vs. Penn State Harrisburg Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Elon or Penn State Harrisburg?

  • Elon University is 171.2% more expensive to attend than Penn State Harrisburg for in-state tuition ($41,734.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 61.4% higher at Elon than Penn State Harrisburg ($41,734.00 vs. $25,854.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Harrisburg than Elon ($22,096 vs. $41,527)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Elon University are 7.9% lower than costs at Penn State Harrisburg ($13,886 vs. $14,978)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Elon University than Penn State Harrisburg (68% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Elon University students is 56.3% larger than aid received Penn State Harrisburg ($13,880 vs. $8,882)

Elon vs. Penn State Harrisburg Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Elon 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 Elon .

  • The average SAT score at Elon University (1211) is 168 points higher than at Penn State Harrisburg (1043)
  • Incoming Elon students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (23)
  • Accepted freshman Elon students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (3.48)
  • Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (95.5%) than Elon (74.5%)

Elon vs. Penn State Harrisburg Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Elon 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 Elon.

  • The graduation rate at Elon is higher than Penn State Harrisburg (82% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Elon University earn on average $900 more per year than Penn State Harrisburg graduates after ten years. ($56,200 vs. $55,300)
  • Elon University students graduate with a $3,568 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($23,250 vs. $26,818)
  • Elon graduates are paying $37 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($240 vs. $277)
  • More Elon graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Harrisburg students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 69%)

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