Penn State Beaver vs. Mason

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

Penn State Beaver Mason
Location Monaca, PA Fairfax, VA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 522 39,049
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #228
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu gmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Penn State Beaver Mason
Tuition (In State) $13,824 $9,795
Tuition (Out of State) $23,086 $35,377
Room & Board $12,254 $13,120
Avg Net Price $18,113 $18,479
Avg Grant Aid $9,274 $10,760
% Receiving Grant Aid 87% 74%

Admission

Penn State Beaver Mason
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,707 20,001
Admitted 1,591 18,001
Acceptance Rate 93.2% 90%
Enrolled % 10.6% 23%
Avg High School GPA - 3.68
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/28 25/31
SAT Range 1050/1260 1140/1350
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, 2025

Academics

Penn State Beaver Mason
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (54%)
  • Psychology (24%)
  • Communication (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (3%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (1%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • English and Literature (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

Penn State Beaver Mason
Graduation Rate 47% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $61,900
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,818 $19,750
Median Loan Payment $277 $204

Diversity

Penn State Beaver Mason
% Men 55% 48%
% Women 45% 52%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 75% 43%
% Black 9% 11%
% Hispanic 5% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 5%
% International 3% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 5%

Students

Penn State Beaver Mason
% In-State 63% 77%
% Out-of-State 34% 17%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • George Mason University is larger than than Penn State Beaver based on total student enrollment (39,049 students vs. 522 students)

Penn State Beaver vs. Mason Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Beaver or Mason?

  • Penn State Beaver is 41.1% more expensive to attend than Mason for in-state tuition ($13,824.00 vs. $9,795.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 53.2% higher at Mason than Penn State Beaver ($35,377.00 vs. $23,086.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Beaver than Mason ($18,113 vs. $18,479)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Beaver are 7.1% lower than costs at George Mason University ($12,254 vs. $13,120)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Beaver than George Mason University (87% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by George Mason University students is 16% larger than aid received Penn State Beaver ($10,760 vs. $9,274)

Penn State Beaver vs. Mason Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Beaver or Mason? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Mason or Penn State Beaver .

  • The average SAT score at George Mason University (1153) is 154 points higher than at Penn State Beaver (999)
  • Incoming Mason students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Penn State Beaver (21)
  • Penn State Beaver has a higher acceptance rate (93.2%) than Mason (90%)

Penn State Beaver vs. Mason Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State Beaver or Mason? 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 Mason and Penn State Beaver.

  • The graduation rate at Mason is higher than Penn State Beaver (64% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from George Mason University earn on average $6,600 more per year than Penn State Beaver graduates after ten years. ($61,900 vs. $55,300)
  • George Mason University students graduate with a $7,068 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Beaver graduates. ($19,750 vs. $26,818)
  • Mason graduates are paying $73 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Beaver graduates. ($204 vs. $277)
  • More Mason graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Beaver 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/