Nazareth College vs. Penn State Harrisburg

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

Add a college to compare up to four schools
Nazareth College vs. Penn State Harrisburg comparison
Nazareth College Penn State Harrisburg College 3 College 4
Nazareth College Penn State Harrisburg
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Nazareth College Penn State Harrisburg
Location Rochester, NY Middletown, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,439 4,651
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #220 #595
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website naz.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Nazareth College Penn State Harrisburg
Tuition (In State) $38,790 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $38,790 $26,112
Room & Board $15,620 $15,870
Avg Net Price $31,321 $22,406
Avg Grant Aid $24,793 $8,421
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 54%

Admission

Nazareth College Penn State Harrisburg
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,614 10,296
Admitted 2,873 9,924
Acceptance Rate 79.5% 96.4%
Enrolled % 16% 12.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.6 3.48
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 25/30 26/30
SAT Range 1170/1330 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 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

Nazareth College Penn State Harrisburg
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (25%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • English and Literature (5%)

Outcomes

Nazareth College Penn State Harrisburg
Graduation Rate 74% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,900 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,501 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $274 $277

Diversity

Nazareth College Penn State Harrisburg
% Men 4% 5%
% Women 18% 6%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 76% 59%
% Black 7% 11%
% Hispanic 5% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 2% 10%
% Unknown Race 6% 2%

Students

Nazareth College Penn State Harrisburg
% In-State 83% 46%
% Out-of-State 16% 27%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Harrisburg is larger than than Nazareth College based on total student enrollment (4,651 students vs. 2,439 students)

Nazareth College vs. Penn State Harrisburg Cost Comparison

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

  • Nazareth College is 152.1% more expensive to attend than Penn State Harrisburg for in-state tuition ($38,790.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 48.6% higher at Nazareth College than Penn State Harrisburg ($38,790.00 vs. $26,112.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Harrisburg than Nazareth College ($22,406 vs. $31,321)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Nazareth College are 1.6% lower than costs at Penn State Harrisburg ($15,620 vs. $15,870)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Nazareth College than Penn State Harrisburg (99% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Nazareth College students is 194.4% larger than aid received Penn State Harrisburg ($24,793 vs. $8,421)

Nazareth College vs. Penn State Harrisburg Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Nazareth College students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (3.48)
  • Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (96.4%) than Nazareth College (79.5%)

Nazareth College vs. Penn State Harrisburg Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Nazareth 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 Nazareth College.

  • The graduation rate at Nazareth College is higher than Penn State Harrisburg (74% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Harrisburg earn on average $10,400 more per year than Nazareth College graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $44,900)
  • Nazareth College students graduate with a $317 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($26,501 vs. $26,818)
  • Nazareth College graduates are paying $3 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($274 vs. $277)
  • More Nazareth College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Harrisburg students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 69%)

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