HACC vs. ASPIRA City College

Comparable Facts

Compare Harrisburg Area Community College in Harrisburg, PA with ASPIRA City College in Philadelphia, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Harrisburg Area Community College is larger than ASPIRA City College based on total student enrollment (12,585 students vs. 26 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Harrisburg Area Community College is located in Harrisburg, PA (Small City setting); ASPIRA City College is in Philadelphia, PA (Large City setting).
• Harrisburg Area Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. ASPIRA City College is a private, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Harrisburg Area Community College 13:1; ASPIRA City College 7:1.

HACC vs. ASPIRA City College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, HACC or ASPIRA City College? 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 ASPIRA City College ($12,059 vs. $13,671).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at ASPIRA City College are 8.6% lower than at Harrisburg Area Community College ($10,080 vs. $11,024).
• ASPIRA City College is 27.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than HACC (about $2,652 more per year; $12,147.00 vs. $9,495.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 2.7% higher at HACC than at ASPIRA City College (about $325 more per year; $12,472.00 vs. $12,147.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at ASPIRA City College than at Harrisburg Area Community College (100% vs. 58%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Harrisburg Area Community College students is 36% larger than aid received by ASPIRA City College students ($6,230 vs. $4,581).

HACC vs. ASPIRA City College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, HACC or ASPIRA City College? 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 ASPIRA City College and HACC.

• Harrisburg Area Community College reports an open admissions policy.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: HACC - Open admission; ASPIRA City College - Test-free.

HACC vs. ASPIRA City College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for HACC and ASPIRA City College? 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 $12,800 more per year than ASPIRA City College graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,200 vs. $23,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, ASPIRA City College graduates have a $7,162 lower median loan debt than HACC graduates ($12,500 vs. $19,662).
• Among borrowers, ASPIRA City College graduates have an estimated $74 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than HACC graduates ($129 vs. $203).
• More HACC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ASPIRA City College students, three years after graduation. (42% vs. 20%)

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.