Lees-McRae College vs. Penn State Greater Allegheny

Comparable Facts

Compare Lees McRae College in Banner Elk, NC with Penn State Greater Allegheny in McKeesport, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Lees McRae College is larger than Penn State Greater Allegheny based on total student enrollment (910 students vs. 352 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Lees McRae College is located in Banner Elk, NC (Distant Rural setting); Penn State Greater Allegheny is in McKeesport, PA (Large Suburban setting).
• Lees McRae College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Greater Allegheny is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Lees McRae College 11:1; Penn State Greater Allegheny 9:1.

Lees-McRae College vs. Penn State Greater Allegheny Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Lees-McRae College or Penn State Greater Allegheny? 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 Penn State Greater Allegheny than Lees-McRae College ($15,574 vs. $29,833).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Greater Allegheny are 4.8% lower than at Lees McRae College ($14,474 vs. $15,200).
• Lees McRae College is 130.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State Greater Allegheny (about $18,842 more per year; $33,250.00 vs. $14,408.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 37.8% higher at Lees-McRae College than at Penn State Greater Allegheny (about $9,116 more per year; $33,250.00 vs. $24,134.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Lees McRae College than at Penn State Greater Allegheny (97% vs. 86%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Lees McRae College students is 77.8% larger than aid received by Penn State Greater Allegheny students ($19,774 vs. $11,121).

Lees-McRae College vs. Penn State Greater Allegheny Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Lees-McRae College or Penn State Greater Allegheny? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Penn State Greater Allegheny and Lees-McRae College.

• The typical SAT score (midpoint estimate) at Penn State Greater Allegheny (1180) is 40 points higher than at Lees-McRae College (1140).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: Lees McRae College 1040/1240; Penn State Greater Allegheny 1080/1280.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: Lees McRae College 20/26.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Lees-McRae College - Test-free; Penn State Greater Allegheny - Test optional.
• Penn State Greater Allegheny has a higher acceptance rate (96.5%) than Lees-McRae College (76.8%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 13.9% at Lees-McRae College vs. 19.5% at Penn State Greater Allegheny.

Lees-McRae College vs. Penn State Greater Allegheny Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Lees-McRae College and Penn State Greater Allegheny? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Penn State Greater Allegheny's six-year graduation rate (47%) is higher than Lees McRae College's (24%).
• Graduates from Penn State Greater Allegheny earn a median of about $21,000 more per year than Lees-McRae College graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $34,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Lees McRae College graduates have a $6,818 lower median loan debt than Penn State Greater Allegheny graduates ($20,000 vs. $26,818).
• Among borrowers, Lees-McRae College graduates have an estimated $71 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State Greater Allegheny graduates ($206 vs. $277).
• More Penn State Greater Allegheny graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Lees-McRae College students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 55%)

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.