HACC vs. Vet Tech Institute

Comparable Facts

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

Harrisburg Area Community College is larger than Vet Tech Institute based on total student enrollment (12,585 students vs. 183 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Harrisburg Area Community College is located in Harrisburg, PA (Small City setting); Vet Tech Institute is in Pittsburgh, PA (Large City setting).
• Harrisburg Area Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Vet Tech Institute is a private, for-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Harrisburg Area Community College 13:1; Vet Tech Institute 15:1.

HACC vs. Vet Tech Institute Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, HACC or Vet Tech Institute? 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 Vet Tech Institute ($12,059 vs. $14,082).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Vet Tech Institute are 51% lower than at Harrisburg Area Community College ($5,400 vs. $11,024).
• Vet Tech Institute is 82.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than HACC (about $7,825 more per year; $17,320.00 vs. $9,495.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 38.9% higher at Vet Tech Institute than at Harrisburg Area Community College (about $4,848 more per year; $17,320.00 vs. $12,472.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Vet Tech Institute than at Harrisburg Area Community College (76% vs. 58%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Vet Tech Institute students is 59.6% larger than aid received by Harrisburg Area Community College students ($9,940 vs. $6,230).

HACC vs. Vet Tech Institute Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, HACC or Vet Tech Institute? 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 Vet Tech Institute 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; Vet Tech Institute - Open admission.

HACC vs. Vet Tech Institute Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for HACC and Vet Tech Institute? 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 $11,000 more per year than Vet Tech Institute graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,200 vs. $25,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Vet Tech Institute graduates have a $6,138 lower median loan debt than HACC graduates ($13,524 vs. $19,662).
• Among borrowers, Vet Tech Institute graduates have an estimated $64 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than HACC graduates ($139 vs. $203).
• More Vet Tech Institute graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former HACC students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 42%)

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.