Hiram vs. PennWest California

Should I go to Hiram College or PennWest California? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Hiram or PennWest California 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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Hiram College vs. PennWest California comparison
Hiram College PennWest California College 3 College 4
Hiram College PennWest California
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Overview

Hiram PennWest California
Location Hiram, OH California, PA
Setting Distant Rural Town Fringe
Enrollment 1,018 6,509
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #637 #1033
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hiram.edu calu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Hiram PennWest California
Tuition (In State) $25,500 $7,716
Tuition (Out of State) $25,500 $11,574
Room & Board $10,600 $10,416
Avg Net Price $19,384 -
Avg Grant Aid $18,941 $0
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 0%

Admission

Hiram PennWest California
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,896 -
Admitted 1,766 -
Acceptance Rate 93.1%
Enrolled % 10.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.28 3.31
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/24 18/24
SAT Range 890/1100 940/1150
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 22, 2025

Academics

Hiram PennWest California
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Biology (18%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)

Outcomes

Hiram PennWest California
Graduation Rate 66% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,000 $42,500
Making Student Loan Payments 57% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $258

Diversity

Hiram PennWest California
% Men 46% 39%
% Women 54% 61%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 68% 77%
% Black 18% 12%
% Hispanic 4% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

Hiram PennWest California
% In-State 74% 86%
% Out-of-State 24% 13%

Campus

Hiram PennWest California
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • PennWest California is larger than than Hiram based on total student enrollment (6,509 students vs. 1,018 students)

Hiram vs. PennWest California Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Hiram or PennWest California?

  • Hiram College is 230.5% more expensive to attend than PennWest California for in-state tuition ($25,500.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 120.3% higher at Hiram than PennWest California ($25,500.00 vs. $11,574.00)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at PennWest California are 1.8% lower than costs at Hiram College ($10,416 vs. $10,600)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Hiram College than PennWest California (100% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Hiram College students is ?% larger than aid received PennWest California ($18,941 vs. $0)

Which college is harder to get into, Hiram or PennWest California? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between PennWest California or Hiram .

  • The average SAT score at Hiram College (1071) is 149 points higher than at PennWest California (922)
  • Incoming Hiram students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at PennWest California (20)
  • Accepted freshman PennWest California students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at Hiram (3.28)

Hiram vs. PennWest California Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Hiram or PennWest California? 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 PennWest California and Hiram.

  • The graduation rate at Hiram is higher than PennWest California (66% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Hiram College earn on average $3,500 more per year than PennWest California graduates after ten years. ($46,000 vs. $42,500)
  • PennWest California students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Hiram graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
  • PennWest California graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Hiram graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
  • More PennWest California graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Hiram students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 57%)

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