Houghton College vs. Penn State Harrisburg

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

Houghton College Penn State Harrisburg
Location Houghton, NY Middletown, PA
Setting Remote Rural Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,014 4,651
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #447 #595
Religious Affiliation Wesleyan - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website houghton.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Houghton College Penn State Harrisburg
Tuition (In State) $16,690 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $16,690 $26,112
Room & Board $10,810 $15,870
Avg Net Price $22,358 $22,406
Avg Grant Aid $7,149 $8,421
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 54%

Admission

Houghton College Penn State Harrisburg
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,068 10,296
Admitted 990 9,924
Acceptance Rate 92.7% 96.4%
Enrolled % 23.7% 12.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.25 3.48
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/28 26/30
SAT Range 1180/1390 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

Academics

Houghton College Penn State Harrisburg
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • English and Literature (5%)

Outcomes

Houghton College Penn State Harrisburg
Graduation Rate 68% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,300 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,500 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $263 $277

Diversity

Houghton College Penn State Harrisburg
% Men 1% 5%
% Women 3% 6%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 78% 59%
% Black 3% 11%
% Hispanic 2% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 11% 10%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

Houghton College Penn State Harrisburg
% In-State 57% 46%
% Out-of-State 43% 27%

Campus

Houghton College Penn State Harrisburg
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Harrisburg is larger than than Houghton College based on total student enrollment (4,651 students vs. 1,014 students)

Houghton College vs. Penn State Harrisburg Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Houghton College or Penn State Harrisburg?

  • Houghton College is 8.5% more expensive to attend than Penn State Harrisburg for in-state tuition ($16,690.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 56.5% higher at Penn State Harrisburg than Houghton College ($26,112.00 vs. $16,690.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Houghton College than Penn State Harrisburg ($22,358 vs. $22,406)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Houghton College are 46.8% lower than costs at Penn State Harrisburg ($10,810 vs. $15,870)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Houghton College than Penn State Harrisburg (100% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Harrisburg students is 17.8% larger than aid received Houghton College ($8,421 vs. $7,149)

Houghton College vs. Penn State Harrisburg Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Houghton College 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 Houghton College .

  • The average SAT score at Houghton College (1110) is 67 points higher than at Penn State Harrisburg (1043)
  • Incoming Houghton College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (23)
  • Accepted freshman Penn State Harrisburg students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.48) than students at Houghton College (3.25)
  • Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (96.4%) than Houghton College (92.7%)

Houghton College vs. Penn State Harrisburg Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Houghton College 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 Houghton College.

  • The graduation rate at Houghton College is higher than Penn State Harrisburg (68% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Harrisburg earn on average $11,000 more per year than Houghton College graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $44,300)
  • Houghton College students graduate with a $1,318 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($25,500 vs. $26,818)
  • Houghton College graduates are paying $14 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($263 vs. $277)
  • More Houghton College 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/