Lafayette College vs. Penn State Harrisburg

Should I go to Lafayette College or Penn State Harrisburg? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Lafayette 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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Lafayette College vs. Penn State Harrisburg comparison
Lafayette College Penn State Harrisburg College 3 College 4
Lafayette College Penn State Harrisburg
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Overview

Lafayette College Penn State Harrisburg
Location Easton, PA Middletown, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,729 4,572
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #65 #613
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lafayette.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Lafayette College Penn State Harrisburg
Tuition (In State) $58,110 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $58,110 $25,854
Room & Board $17,336 $14,978
Avg Net Price $37,186 $22,096
Avg Grant Aid $24,981 $8,882
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 63%

Admission

Lafayette College Penn State Harrisburg
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 10,500 9,925
Admitted 3,531 9,483
Acceptance Rate 33.6% 95.5%
Enrolled % 21.4% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.53 3.48
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Challenging
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 30/33 24/28
SAT Range 1330/1480 1100/1310
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 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

Lafayette College Penn State Harrisburg
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (33%)
  • Engineering (19%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • English and Literature (5%)

Outcomes

Lafayette College Penn State Harrisburg
Graduation Rate 88% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $81,000 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 91% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $268 $277

Diversity

Lafayette College Penn State Harrisburg
% Men 50% 60%
% Women 50% 40%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 67% 59%
% Black 5% 11%
% Hispanic 6% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 9% 10%
% Unknown Race 7% 2%

Students

Lafayette College Penn State Harrisburg
% In-State 16% 46%
% Out-of-State 76% 27%

Campus

Lafayette College Penn State Harrisburg
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes 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 Lafayette College based on total student enrollment (4,572 students vs. 2,729 students)

Lafayette College vs. Penn State Harrisburg Cost Comparison

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

  • Lafayette College is 277.6% more expensive to attend than Penn State Harrisburg for in-state tuition ($58,110.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 124.8% higher at Lafayette College than Penn State Harrisburg ($58,110.00 vs. $25,854.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Harrisburg than Lafayette College ($22,096 vs. $37,186)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Harrisburg are 15.7% lower than costs at Lafayette College ($14,978 vs. $17,336)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lafayette College than Penn State Harrisburg (98% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lafayette College students is 181.3% larger than aid received Penn State Harrisburg ($24,981 vs. $8,882)

Lafayette College vs. Penn State Harrisburg Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Lafayette College (1294) is 251 points higher than at Penn State Harrisburg (1043)
  • Incoming Lafayette College students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (23)
  • Accepted freshman Lafayette College students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.53) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (3.48)
  • Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (95.5%) than Lafayette College (33.6%)

Lafayette College vs. Penn State Harrisburg Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Lafayette 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 Lafayette College.

  • The graduation rate at Lafayette College is higher than Penn State Harrisburg (88% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Lafayette College earn on average $25,700 more per year than Penn State Harrisburg graduates after ten years. ($81,000 vs. $55,300)
  • Lafayette College students graduate with a $818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($26,000 vs. $26,818)
  • Lafayette College graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($268 vs. $277)
  • More Lafayette College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Harrisburg students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 69%)

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