Fordham vs. Penn State Harrisburg

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

Fordham Penn State Harrisburg
Location Bronx, NY Middletown, PA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 16,153 4,651
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #126 #595
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fordham.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Fordham Penn State Harrisburg
Tuition (In State) $60,335 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $60,335 $26,112
Room & Board $23,075 $15,870
Avg Net Price $45,368 $22,406
Avg Grant Aid $33,278 $8,421
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 54%

Admission

Fordham Penn State Harrisburg
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 43,663 10,296
Admitted 24,573 9,924
Acceptance Rate 56.3% 96.4%
Enrolled % 9.9% 12.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.67 3.48
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 30/33 26/30
SAT Range 1330/1490 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 Jan 1, 2026

Academics

Fordham Penn State Harrisburg
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • English and Literature (5%)

Outcomes

Fordham Penn State Harrisburg
Graduation Rate 78% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,200 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $268 $277

Diversity

Fordham Penn State Harrisburg
% Men 13% 5%
% Women 23% 6%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 59% 59%
% Black 4% 11%
% Hispanic 14% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 7% 10%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

Fordham Penn State Harrisburg
% In-State 37% 46%
% Out-of-State 55% 27%

Campus

Fordham 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

  • Fordham University is larger than than Penn State Harrisburg based on total student enrollment (16,153 students vs. 4,651 students)

Fordham vs. Penn State Harrisburg Cost Comparison

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

  • Fordham University is 292.1% more expensive to attend than Penn State Harrisburg for in-state tuition ($60,335.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 131.1% higher at Fordham than Penn State Harrisburg ($60,335.00 vs. $26,112.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Harrisburg than Fordham ($22,406 vs. $45,368)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Harrisburg are 45.4% lower than costs at Fordham University ($15,870 vs. $23,075)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Fordham University than Penn State Harrisburg (94% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Fordham University students is 295.2% larger than aid received Penn State Harrisburg ($33,278 vs. $8,421)

Fordham vs. Penn State Harrisburg Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Fordham 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 Fordham .

  • The average SAT score at Fordham University (1273) is 230 points higher than at Penn State Harrisburg (1043)
  • Incoming Fordham students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (23)
  • Accepted freshman Fordham students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.67) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (3.48)
  • Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (96.4%) than Fordham (56.3%)

Fordham vs. Penn State Harrisburg Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Fordham 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 Fordham.

  • The graduation rate at Fordham is higher than Penn State Harrisburg (78% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Fordham University earn on average $8,900 more per year than Penn State Harrisburg graduates after ten years. ($64,200 vs. $55,300)
  • Fordham University students graduate with a $818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($26,000 vs. $26,818)
  • Fordham graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($268 vs. $277)
  • More Fordham graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Harrisburg students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 69%)

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