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JMU Mason Old Dominion Mary Washington College Penn State Altoona Virginia Tech VCU William & Mary Longwood University UVA Elon Penn State Harrisburg| Penn State Berks | Christopher Newport University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Penn State Berks | CNU | ||
| Location | Reading, PA | Newport News, VA | ||
| Setting | Rural Fringe | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 1,944 | 4,503 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #647 | #418 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | psu.edu | cnu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Penn State Berks | CNU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $15,388 | $10,001 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $26,112 | $24,238 | ||
| Room & Board | $14,232 | $12,360 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $22,450 | $22,864 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $9,327 | $9,141 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 64% | 65% |
Admission |
Penn State Berks | CNU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 5,844 | 7,062 | ||
| Admitted | 5,676 | 6,212 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 97.1% | 88% | ||
| Enrolled % | 10.4% | 18.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.39 | 3.79 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 26/29 | 23/29 | ||
| SAT Range | 1090/1310 | 1100/1300 | ||
| 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 |
Penn State Berks | CNU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 13:1 | 13:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Penn State Berks | CNU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 55% | 63% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $55,300 | $47,100 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 69% | 78% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $26,818 | $25,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $277 | $258 |
Diversity |
Penn State Berks | CNU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Women | 0% | 1% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 68% | 74% | ||
| % Black | 9% | 8% | ||
| % Hispanic | 11% | 5% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 5% | ||
| % International | 3% | 0% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 5% |
Students |
Penn State Berks | CNU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 64% | 93% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 30% | 6% | ||
Campus |
Penn State Berks | CNU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Christopher Newport University is larger than than Penn State Berks based on total student enrollment (4,503 students vs. 1,944 students)
Penn State Berks vs. CNU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Penn State Berks or CNU?
- Penn State Berks is 53.9% more expensive to attend than CNU for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $10,001.00)
- Out of state tuition is 7.7% higher at Penn State Berks than Christopher Newport University ($26,112.00 vs. $24,238.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Berks than CNU ($22,450 vs. $22,864)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Christopher Newport University are 15.1% lower than costs at Penn State Berks ($12,360 vs. $14,232)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Christopher Newport University than Penn State Berks (65% vs. 64%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Berks students is 2% larger than aid received Christopher Newport University ($9,327 vs. $9,141)
Penn State Berks vs. CNU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Berks or CNU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between CNU or Penn State Berks .
- The average SAT score at Christopher Newport University (1155) is 177 points higher than at Penn State Berks (978)
- Incoming CNU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Penn State Berks (22)
- Accepted freshman CNU students have a 0.4 point higher average high school GPA (3.79) than students at Penn State Berks (3.39)
- Penn State Berks has a higher acceptance rate (97.1%) than CNU (88%)
Penn State Berks vs. CNU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Penn State Berks or CNU? 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 CNU and Penn State Berks.
- The graduation rate at CNU is higher than Penn State Berks (63% vs. 55%)
- Graduates from Penn State Berks earn on average $8,200 more per year than CNU graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $47,100)
- Christopher Newport University students graduate with a $1,818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Berks graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,818)
- CNU graduates are paying $19 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Berks graduates. ($258 vs. $277)
- More CNU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Berks students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 69%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/