Penn State Beaver vs. Sweet Briar College

Comparable Facts

Compare Penn State Beaver in Monaca, PA with Sweet Briar College in Sweet Briar, VA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Penn State Beaver is larger than Sweet Briar College based on total student enrollment (482 students vs. 444 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Penn State Beaver is located in Monaca, PA (Large Suburban setting); Sweet Briar College is in Sweet Briar, VA (Small Suburban setting).
• Penn State Beaver is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Sweet Briar College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Penn State Beaver 12:1; Sweet Briar College 9:1.

Penn State Beaver vs. Sweet Briar College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Beaver or Sweet Briar College? 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 Beaver than Sweet Briar College ($18,581 vs. $21,322).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Beaver are 5% lower than at Sweet Briar College ($14,474 vs. $15,230).
• Sweet Briar College is 81.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State Beaver (about $11,752 more per year; $26,160.00 vs. $14,408.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 8.4% higher at Sweet Briar College than at Penn State Beaver (about $2,026 more per year; $26,160.00 vs. $24,134.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Sweet Briar College than at Penn State Beaver (99% vs. 88%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Sweet Briar College students is 147.5% larger than aid received by Penn State Beaver students ($22,387 vs. $9,045).

Penn State Beaver vs. Sweet Briar College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Beaver or Sweet Briar College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Sweet Briar College and Penn State Beaver.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Sweet Briar College (1210) is 20 points higher than at Penn State Beaver (1190).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Beaver 1080/1290; Sweet Briar College 1100/1310.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Beaver 24/27.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Penn State Beaver - Test optional; Sweet Briar College - Test optional.
• Penn State Beaver has a higher acceptance rate (95.7%) than Sweet Briar College (75.5%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 9.5% at Penn State Beaver vs. 13.2% at Sweet Briar College.

Penn State Beaver vs. Sweet Briar College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Penn State Beaver and Sweet Briar College? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Sweet Briar College's six-year graduation rate (70%) is higher than Penn State Beaver's (47%).
• Graduates from Penn State Beaver earn a median of about $13,600 more per year than Sweet Briar College graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $41,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Penn State Beaver graduates have a $182 lower median loan debt than Sweet Briar College graduates ($26,818 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, Penn State Beaver graduates have an estimated $2 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Sweet Briar College graduates ($277 vs. $279).
• More Sweet Briar College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Beaver students, three years after graduation. (72% vs. 69%)

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.