Ohio State vs. Penn State Harrisburg

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

Ohio State Penn State Harrisburg
Location Columbus, OH Middletown, PA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 60,046 4,651
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #139 #595
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website osu.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Ohio State Penn State Harrisburg
Tuition (In State) $11,826 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $37,332 $26,112
Room & Board $14,272 $15,870
Avg Net Price $19,575 $22,406
Avg Grant Aid $11,791 $8,421
% Receiving Grant Aid 64% 54%

Admission

Ohio State Penn State Harrisburg
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 70,028 10,296
Admitted 35,588 9,924
Acceptance Rate 50.8% 96.4%
Enrolled % 22.7% 12.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.76 3.48
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 29/32 26/30
SAT Range 1330/1480 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

Ohio State Penn State Harrisburg
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Work and Family Studies (7%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • English and Literature (5%)

Outcomes

Ohio State Penn State Harrisburg
Graduation Rate 80% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,600 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $222 $277

Diversity

Ohio State Penn State Harrisburg
% Men 10% 5%
% Women 14% 6%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 71% 59%
% Black 6% 11%
% Hispanic 4% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 7% 10%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

Ohio State Penn State Harrisburg
% In-State 65% 46%
% Out-of-State 26% 27%

Campus

Ohio State 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

  • Ohio State University is larger than than Penn State Harrisburg based on total student enrollment (60,046 students vs. 4,651 students)

Ohio State vs. Penn State Harrisburg Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Ohio State or Penn State Harrisburg?

  • Penn State Harrisburg is 30.1% more expensive to attend than Ohio State for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $11,826.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 43% higher at Ohio State than Penn State Harrisburg ($37,332.00 vs. $26,112.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ohio State University than Penn State Harrisburg ($19,575 vs. $22,406)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ohio State University are 11.2% lower than costs at Penn State Harrisburg ($14,272 vs. $15,870)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ohio State University than Penn State Harrisburg (64% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ohio State University students is 40% larger than aid received Penn State Harrisburg ($11,791 vs. $8,421)

Ohio State vs. Penn State Harrisburg Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Ohio State 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 Ohio State .

  • The average SAT score at Ohio State University (1295) is 252 points higher than at Penn State Harrisburg (1043)
  • Incoming Ohio State students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (23)
  • Accepted freshman Ohio State students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.76) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (3.48)
  • Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (96.4%) than Ohio State (50.8%)

Ohio State vs. Penn State Harrisburg Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Ohio State 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 Ohio State.

  • The graduation rate at Ohio State is higher than Penn State Harrisburg (80% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Harrisburg earn on average $4,700 more per year than Ohio State graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $50,600)
  • Ohio State University students graduate with a $5,318 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($21,500 vs. $26,818)
  • Ohio State graduates are paying $55 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($222 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Harrisburg graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Ohio State students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 63%)

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