HACC vs. Fortis Institute-Forty Fort

Comparable Facts

Compare Harrisburg Area Community College in Harrisburg, PA with Fortis Institute Forty Fort in Forty Fort, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Harrisburg Area Community College is larger than Fortis Institute-Forty Fort based on total student enrollment (12,585 students vs. 15 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Harrisburg Area Community College is located in Harrisburg, PA (Small City setting); Fortis Institute Forty Fort is in Forty Fort, PA (Large Suburban setting).
• Harrisburg Area Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Fortis Institute Forty Fort is a private, for-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Harrisburg Area Community College 13:1; Fortis Institute Forty Fort 18:1.

HACC vs. Fortis Institute-Forty Fort Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, HACC or Fortis Institute-Forty Fort? 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 Fortis Institute-Forty Fort ($12,059 vs. $22,489).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Harrisburg Area Community College are 25.8% lower than at Fortis Institute Forty Fort ($11,024 vs. $14,850).
• Fortis Institute Forty Fort is 47% more expensive for in-state tuition than HACC (about $4,460 more per year; $13,955.00 vs. $9,495.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 11.9% higher at Fortis Institute-Forty Fort than at Harrisburg Area Community College (about $1,483 more per year; $13,955.00 vs. $12,472.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Fortis Institute Forty Fort than at Harrisburg Area Community College (85% vs. 58%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Fortis Institute Forty Fort students is 37.1% larger than aid received by Harrisburg Area Community College students ($8,542 vs. $6,230).

HACC vs. Fortis Institute-Forty Fort Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, HACC or Fortis Institute-Forty Fort? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Fortis Institute-Forty Fort and HACC.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: HACC - Open admission; Fortis Institute-Forty Fort - Open admission.

HACC vs. Fortis Institute-Forty Fort Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for HACC and Fortis Institute-Forty Fort? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Graduates from Harrisburg Area Community College earn a median of about $11,600 more per year than Fortis Institute-Forty Fort graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,200 vs. $24,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Fortis Institute Forty Fort graduates have a $11,634 lower median loan debt than HACC graduates ($8,028 vs. $19,662).
• Among borrowers, Fortis Institute-Forty Fort graduates have an estimated $120 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than HACC graduates ($83 vs. $203).
• More HACC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Fortis Institute-Forty Fort students, three years after graduation. (42% vs. 35%)

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.